Amanda Burrows discusses her move from municipal to provincial politics and what she will fight for

Amanda Burrows was campaigning to become Vancouver’s mayor earlier this year. Now she will be the MLA for Vancouver-Strathcona. “My commitment really hasn’t changed,” she said, adding that people remain at the heart of her work, as they were during both her mayoral and MLA campaigns. She said she is thrilled to represent people in the riding.

Earlier this year, Burrows lost to William Azaroff in the race to become OneCity’s mayoral candidate. In early October, the BC NDP announced she would run for the party in Vancouver-Strathcona. Before entering politics, Burrows was executive director of First United and was responsible for completing its $92-million redevelopment of a church built in 1965 into Indigenous social and supportive housing in the Downtown Eastside.

Burrows said her work in the Vancouver-Strathcona community, where she has seen issues including affordability, housing, the drug overdose crisis and human rights, showed her how much government and politics can affect people’s lives. The riding was previously represented by former BC NDP MLA Joan Phillip, who died in August. Phillip was the second Indigenous woman to serve in B.C.’s legislative assembly.

Burrows said she is stepping into “very big shoes” that she “couldn’t possibly fill.” She said the election came after a tremendous loss, and that she wants to carry on Phillip’s legacy and work on issues important to Phillip and the community, especially Indigenous rights, support for people living in poverty and care for vulnerable communities.

Burrows had known Phillip for several years. She canvassed for Phillip during the 2023 provincial byelection and the 2024 provincial general election. Phillip also toured the community and saw First United’s work. Burrows said Phillip’s support for her and others in the Downtown Eastside was incredible. The two became friends over the years. Phillip’s widow, Grand Chief Stewart Phillip, endorsed Burrows for the Vancouver-Strathcona candidacy, an endorsement she said she does not take lightly.

In the NDP release announcing Burrows’ candidacy, Stewart Phillip called her a champion of social, economic and environmental justice, and a strong voice for reconciliation and the interests of people in the Vancouver-Strathcona neighbourhood. During the campaign, Burrows went door-knocking with a couple of Joan Phillip’s grandchildren. She described their introduction and support as one of the most incredible highlights of her past month on the campaign trail, and said they would continue the work together.

**The election overall**

David Eby’s snap election call drew widespread discontent, and the NDP lost its majority government. Burrows noted she was not yet affiliated with the party and had no part in the decision-making when Eby called the election. The NDP later approached her to run, and she agreed. She heard from voters about the early election call, she said, but affordability came up much more often.

She said Vancouver-Strathcona is one of the province’s lowest-income ridings and one of the NDP’s strongest strongholds. While canvassing at social housing and single-room accommodations (SROs), she was told time and again that residents would vote for her. Burrows recalled people saying they would of course vote New Democrat. When she asked why, they said the party stood for working people and would genuinely care about public services. She said the party must remember that these communities want to vote New Democrat.

**Taking office**

Despite the NDP’s substantial loss on Saturday, Burrows said she respects B.C. voters. She and the NDP will serve as the official Opposition to the Conservative government. She said her priorities as a proud New Democrat are human rights, trans rights and Indigenous rights, including fighting for DRIPA, as well as workers’ rights and protections for renters.

Burrows said she will listen to her constituents and take the issues that matter to them to Victoria. She also wants to be a “bridge builder” and is looking forward to working with Vancouver’s new City Council, where progressives hold a supermajority. “It’s an exciting time for Vancouver,” she said.