SURREY, B.C. — The BC NDP has announced former MLA and MP Jinny Sims as its candidate in Surrey-Panorama for the 2026 B.C. provincial election.
The party announced Sims’ candidacy on September 22, the same day the provincial election campaign officially began. British Columbians will vote on October 24, 2026, with 93 seats in the Legislative Assembly up for election.
Sims previously represented Surrey-Panorama as a BC NDP MLA, winning the riding in the 2017 and 2020 provincial elections. She also served as Minister of Citizens’ Services.
In the 2024 provincial election, Sims again ran for the BC NDP in Surrey-Panorama. She received 8,472 votes, or 48.11 per cent of valid votes, while Conservative candidate Bryan Tepper received 8,735 votes, or 49.60 per cent.
The BC NDP described Sims as a former MP, provincial cabinet minister, teacher and past president of the BC Teachers’ Federation. She currently hosts Jinny Unfiltered on Swift AM 1200.
In a statement released by the party, Sims said the campaign would focus on issues including affordability and healthcare. She also criticized the Conservative Party and said the BC NDP would continue its work on healthcare staffing and family-supporting jobs.
BC NDP Leader David Eby also endorsed Sims’ candidacy, describing her as an advocate for Surrey and highlighting her experience in broadcasting and politics.
Jinny Sims’ political background
Sims was first elected to the B.C. legislature for Surrey-Panorama in 2017 and was re-elected in 2020. Before entering provincial politics, she represented Newton-North Delta in the House of Commons after being elected federally in 2011.
Her background also includes education and organized labour. She worked as a high school teacher and served as president of the BC Teachers’ Federation beginning in 2004.
According to the BC NDP biography, Sims was born in Punjab, India, immigrated to England as a child and later moved to Canada, where she became a teacher.
Surrey-Panorama enters another competitive election
Sims’ return to the Surrey-Panorama race comes after a close contest in the 2024 provincial election.
The riding’s 2024 result was:
- Bryan Tepper, Conservative Party: 8,735 votes — 49.60%
- Jinny Sims, BC NDP: 8,472 votes — 48.11%
- Paramjit Rai, Freedom Party of BC: 404 votes — 2.29%
The margin between Tepper and Sims was 263 votes.
The 2026 election, however, is a new contest and candidate nominations are still open. Elections BC says nominations close at 1 p.m. Pacific time on October 3. Its candidate database distinguishes between candidates publicly announced by parties and candidates whose nominations have been formally accepted by Elections BC.
Advance voting is scheduled for October 16 to 21, followed by Final Voting Day on October 24, 2026.
StudioX News will continue to update the Surrey-Panorama candidate field as nominations are formally accepted and additional candidates are announced.
Harnaik Singh Rathor is the Founder, Publisher, and Editor-in-Chief of StudioX News Canada, Canada's multilingual digital news network serving diaspora communities across 44 languages. With a background in media production, public relations, and multicultural communications, he founded StudioX Film and TV Corporation to bridge the gap between mainstream Canadian media and the country's diverse immigrant communities. He is a member of the Canadian Association of Journalists (CAJ), RTDNA Canada, CPRS Vancouver, NEPMCC, and the Canadian Freelance Union (Unifor). Based in Surrey, British Columbia. | LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/harnaiksinghrathor/ | Muck Rack: https://muckrack.com/harnaiksinghrathor | Email: editor@studioxnews.ca
