Riding profile: Richmond North Centre
Jaeden Dela Torre (BC NDP)
Jaeden Dela Torre previously ran as an NDP candidate in the 2017 federal election. Dela Torre is 19 years old, which makes him the youngest candidate in the election. He plans to address community issues like “affordable housing, stronger services, and building a stronger, cleaner future.”
According to his website, Dela Torre organized a “sleep out” in 2018 in front of city hall in order to raise awareness of “supportive housing” in Richmond. A project has now been created to house 40 residents. Dela Torre lists his top priorities as “standing up for the environment and sustainability, reducing income inequality, prioritizing housing affordability, and supporting students trying to obtain a post-secondary education.”
Vernon Wang (BC Green Party)
Vernon immigrated to Canada from Shanghai, China when he was 16 years old. He studied at Mount Saint Vincent University in Halifax and received a Bachelor’s Degree in Applied Human Nutrition.
He received his Master’s Degree from Simon Fraser University in Public Health. According to his statement, Wang has been a community coordinator, grassroots environmentalist, and municipal advisory committee member. Wang decided to run with the BC Green Party because they “align with [his] personal values to build trust, reward community, fight for people, and direct new vision.”
Last year, Wang was a member of the City of Vancouver advisory committee — an experience he says he wants to use to “continue his practice in respect for diversity, non-violence and social justice.”
In his free time, he enjoys playing volleyball, and he volunteers at the Warrior Water Polo Club and Water Polo West.
Teresa Wat (BC Liberals)
Teresa Wat is the current MLA for the Richmond North Centre riding. She assumed the role in 2017, but before that, she was a member of the legislative assembly for Richmond Centre. She immigrated to Canada in 1989. Her campaign statement reveals that she used to be a news director at what is now called OMNI TV. She has held various journalistic positions — such as news editor at Ming Pao Daily News — and was the president and CEO of a multicultural broadcasting station. She also worked in communications in Singapore and Hong Kong.
Wat has received awards and honours for her work like the Grand Officer of the Order of the Crown, the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Award, BC’s top 100 most influential women, and Greater Vancouver’s top 33 most outstanding Chinese Canadians.
No Conservative Party members have announced their candidacy at the time of writing.
