Tuesday February 4, 2025 | SOOKE, BC
by Mary P Brooke | Island Social Trends
The long-awaited official announcement that the seat in Esquimalt-Saanich-Sooke (ESS) is open has finally come today.
If this weren’t already an election year, there probably would have been a by-election in ESS.
According to the Parliament of Canada Act, if a vacancy occurs less than nine months before the fixed date for a general election, no by-election is called and the seat remains vacant until the general election.
On Monday, February 3, 2025, the Chief Electoral Officer of Canada, Stéphane Perrault, received official notice from the Speaker of the House of Commons that the seat for Esquimalt–Saanich–Sooke (British Columbia) is vacant.
The riding boundaries have remained unchanged since 2013 (when the name Sooke was added to the riding name). The geographically vast riding reaches from urban Saanich areas, through Colwood, Esquimalt (with a strong military component), Metchosin, further out to Sooke, and beyond into the Juan de Fuca areas up to Port Renfrew.
Candidates in ESS:
- Maja Tait was acclaimed as the NDP candidate for ESS back on August 31, 2023.
- For a while, Tracy Foran has been visible as the ESS Conservative candidate contender; a candidate selection date is not yet confirmed.
- There is currently no Liberal candidate (David Screech was scrapped from that role just last week).
- So far there is no Green candidate.

Under these circumstances it looks like a good campaign start for Tait, who recently told Island Social Trends that like a Girl Scout she’s always ready.
The ESS riding has been held by the NDP since 2011 with four-term NDP MP Randall Garrison having held the seat up to January of this year.
Six of seven federal ridings on Vancouver Island have been held by the NDP since 2011. The seventh riding has been Green since 2011.

Federal election timing:
The next general election must take place by October 20, 2025 but by all accounts will come sooner. The opposition parties have promised to bring down the current Liberal government at their first opportunity.
Parliament is currently prorogued while the government deals with the tariff crisis. The House of Commons will reconvene on March 24, 2025.
===== RELATED:
- This is a radically transformed Canada says Alistair MacGregor MP (December 18, 2024)
- Randall Garrison says farewell in the House of Commons (December 5, 2024)
- Garrison on NDP directions in his last term (January 21, 2024)
- Maja Tait kickstarts her federal campaign in Esquimalt-Saanich-Sooke (September 1, 2023)
- Sooke Mayor Maja Tait turning from local to federal (August 15, 2023)
- NEWS SECTIONS: CANADIAN FEDERAL ELECTION 2025 | SOOKE REGION | FEDERAL NDP