Jodie Wickens

The Honourable Jodie Wickens MLA
Minister of Children and Family Development of British Columbia
Incumbent
Assumed office December 10, 2024
Premier	David Eby
Preceded by	Grace Lore
Minister of State for Child Care and Children and Youth with Support Needs of British Columbia
In office November 18, 2024 – December 10, 2024
Premier	David Eby
Preceded by	Mitzi Dean (Child Care)
Succeeded by	None
Member of the British Columbia Legislative Assembly for Coquitlam-Burke Mountain
Incumbent
Assumed office October 19, 2024
Preceded by	Fin Donnelly
In office February 2, 2016 – May 9, 2017
Preceded by	Douglas Horne
Succeeded by	Joan Isaacs
Personal details
Born	(1982-12-18) December 18, 1982 (age 42)
Political party	BC NDP
Residence	Coquitlam, British Columbia
Profession	Politician

Jodie Wickens is a Canadian politician, who is serving in the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia as a British Columbia New Democratic Party MLA for the Coquitlam-Burke Mountain electoral district since November 2024.

Career

Wickens was previously elected on February 2, 2016, in a by-election, defeating BC Liberal Party candidate Joan Isaacs and Green Party of British Columbia candidate Joe Keithley with 46% of the vote.[1] In the 2017 provincial election, she was narrowly defeated by Joan Isaacs, who received 87 more votes.

Following the 2024 election, Wickens was appointed as the Minister of State for Child Care and Children and Youth with Support Needs. However, in December 2024 she was appointed acting Minister of Children and Family Development after Grace Lore temporarily stepped down for medical reasons.[2]

Prior to being elected, Wickens was executive director of the Autism Support Network.[3]

Electoral record

v t e 2017 British Columbia general election: Coquitlam-Burke Mountain
Party	Candidate	Votes	%	±%	Expenditures
	Liberal	Joan Isaacs	10,388	44.28	+6.20	$59,630
	New Democratic	Jodie Wickens	10,301	43.91	−2.22	$61,721
	Green	Ian Donnelly Soutar	2,771	11.81	−1.74	$5,251
Total valid votes			23,460	100.00	–
Total rejected ballots			174	0.74	+0.50
Turnout			23,634	57.46	+35.91
Registered voters			41,133
Source: Elections BC[4][5]

British Columbia provincial by-election, February 2, 2016: Coquitlam-Burke Mountain
Party	Candidate	Votes	%	±%	Expenditures
	New Democratic	Jodie Wickens	3,836	46.48	+9.13	$69,695
	Liberal	Joan Isaacs	3,146	38.12	−11.81	$68,690
	Green	Joe Keithley	1,114	13.50	+7.70	$16,337
	Libertarian	Paul Geddes	157	1.90	+0.45
Total valid votes			8,253	100.00	–
Total rejected ballots			20	0.24	−0.53
Turnout			8,273	21.55	−31.68
Eligible voters			38,393
	New Democratic gain from Liberal		Swing		+10.47

References

1. "B.C. NDP candidates Jodie Wickens and Melanie Mark win Metro Vancouver byelections". CBC News. February 2, 2016. Retrieved February 3, 2016.
2. "Grace Lore steps down as minister following cancer diagnosis". Times Colonist. December 6, 2024. Retrieved December 13, 2024.
3. "Jodie Wickens wins Coquitlam–Burke Mountain by-election for the NDP". The Georgia Straight. February 2, 2016. Retrieved February 3, 2016.
4. "Statement of Votes – 41st Provincial General Election" (PDF). Elections BC. May 9, 2017. Retrieved December 12, 2018.
5. "Election Financing Reports". Elections BC. Retrieved September 12, 2020.