Steveston candidate plans to withdraw from B.C. provincial race

One candidate in Richmond-Steveston plans to withdraw from the provincial election, leaving four candidates vying for the seat. Robert (Bobby) Evans had declared he was running as an independent in the Oct. 24 election and remains listed as a candidate on Elections BC’s website.

Evans told the Richmond News on Friday that he plans to withdraw early next week and support CentreBC candidate Barry Wosk. “Barry’s a local candidate and I think that’s important for Steveston,” Evans said.

Evans said B.C. Conservative candidate Gordon Zhang was “parachuted” into the riding. Zhang told the News he had recently moved to Richmond and now lives in the city, but has deep ties to the community, including fundraising for the Richmond Hospital Foundation and the Lions Club. During the COVID-19 pandemic, he also worked with a Richmond company to manufacture N95 masks. “I have many connections in the community,” Zhang said.

The other candidates in Richmond-Steveston are NDP candidate Bruce Kong and CanWest Party candidate Keenan Yang.

BC NDP Leader David Eby called the provincial election two years ahead of its fixed date after the B.C. Conservative Party lost several MLAs from its caucus. Since the election was called, several candidates have rejoined the party and rallied behind interim leader Lorne Doerksen, including Teresa Wat, a candidate in Richmond-Bridgeport.