Bowinn Ma
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Bowinn Ma, is a Canadian politician, who was elected to the
Legislative Assembly of British Columbia The Legislative Assembly of British Columbia () is the deliberative assembly of the Legislature of British Columbia, in the province of British Columbia, Canada. The other component of the Legislature is the lieutenant governor of British Columbi ...
in the 2017 provincial election.Ma claims North Vancouver-Lonsdale for the NDP
''North Shore News'', May 9, 2017.
Ma then stood for re-election in the
2020 British Columbia general election The 2020 British Columbia general election was held on October 24, 2020, to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia, Legislative Assembly to serve in the 42nd Parliament of British Columbia, 42nd parliament of the Canadian ...
and
2024 British Columbia general election The 2024 British Columbia general election was held on October 19, 2024, to elect 93 members (MLAs) of the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia, Legislative Assembly to serve in the 43rd parliament of the Provinces and territories of Cana ...
, winning decisively in both.Ma's declared win in North Vancouver-Lonsdale a landslide for NDP
''North Shore News'', Oct 26, 2020.
She represents the electoral district of
North Vancouver-Lonsdale North Vancouver-Lonsdale is a provincial electoral district for the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia, Canada. For other current and historical North Shore and City of Vancouver ridings, please see Vancouver (electoral districts) Dem ...
as a member of the
British Columbia New Democratic Party The New Democratic Party of British Columbia (BC NDP) is a social democratic political party in British Columbia, Canada. The party sits on the centre-left of the political spectrum and is one of the two major parties in British Columbia; since ...
caucus. Ma serves as the Minister of Infrastructure, a new position in the
Eby ministry The Eby ministry is the combined Cabinet (formally the Executive Council of British Columbia) that has governed British Columbia since November 18, 2022. It is chaired by the 37th premier of British Columbia, David Eby. The Cabinet is made up ...
created to deliver capital projects for the provincial government. She previously served in the Eby ministry as BC’s first Minister for Emergency Management and Climate Readiness. In the
Horgan ministry The Horgan ministry was the combined Cabinet (formally the Executive Council of British Columbia) that governed British Columbia from July 18, 2017, to November 18, 2022. It was chaired by the 36th premier of British Columbia, John Horgan. The ...
following the 2020 election, Ma was the Minister of State for Infrastructure, a position that served under the Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure, and also served on the Treasury Board.Cabinet Committees
''Government of British Columbia'', November 26, 2020.
Minister Ma's mandate included specific TransLink SkyTrain expansion projects, the Massey Tunnel replacement and completing the
Pattullo Bridge The Pattullo Bridge is a through arch bridge that crosses the Fraser River and links the cities of New Westminster and Surrey in Metro Vancouver, British Columbia. It was named in honour of Thomas Dufferin Pattullo, the 22nd Premier of British ...
.
''Premier John Horgan Mandate Letter to Minister of State for Infrastructure Bowinn Ma'', November 26, 2020.
From 2017 to 2020, Ma served as the Parliamentary Secretary for TransLink, as a member of the Cabinet Housing Working Group Committee,Cabinet Committees
''BC Government Website'', December 1, 2017
as a member of the Select Standing Committee on Public Accounts, and as the Chair of the Select Standing Committee on Crown Corporations. From 2017 to 2020 Ma was the youngest member of the current British Columbia Legislative Assembly, and the Canadian born daughter of Taiwanese immigrants. Ma, Katrina Chen, and
Anne Kang Anne Kang ( zh, t=康安禮; born 1977) is a Taiwanese-born Canadian politician who has represented the electoral district of Burnaby-Deer Lake in the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia since 2017. A member of the British Columbia New ...
are the first MLAs of Taiwanese heritage to be elected to the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia. Ma was the first New Democrat to win a seat on the North Shore since
David Schreck David D. Schreck is a one-time Member of the Legislative Assembly in the province of British Columbia in Canada and a political pundit. Career Schreck represented the riding of North Vancouver-Lonsdale from 1991 to 1996 for the New Democratic ...
in 1991. She defeated two-term incumbent
BC Liberal BC United (BCU), known from 1903 until 2023 as the British Columbia Liberal Party or BC Liberals, is a provincial political party in British Columbia, Canada. The party has been described as conservative, neoliberal, and occupying a centre-right ...
Minister Naomi Yamamoto as a first-time candidate. The
North Vancouver-Lonsdale North Vancouver-Lonsdale is a provincial electoral district for the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia, Canada. For other current and historical North Shore and City of Vancouver ridings, please see Vancouver (electoral districts) Dem ...
upset result is often credited in part to increased turnout from
Squamish Nation The Squamish Nation, Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Úxwumixw, is a First Nations government of the Squamish people. The Squamish Nation government includes an elected council and an administrative body based primarily in West Vancouver, North Vancouver (cit ...
voters and the political mobilization of the Iranian-Canadian community, both of whom strongly favoured Ma. In November 2023, Ma became the third woman in BC history to give birth as a sitting cabinet minister, and the 14th in Canada.


Background

Ma graduated from the
University of British Columbia The University of British Columbia (UBC) is a Public university, public research university with campuses near University of British Columbia Vancouver, Vancouver and University of British Columbia Okanagan, Kelowna, in British Columbia, Canada ...
in 2008 with a
Bachelor of Applied Science A Bachelor of Applied Science (BAS or BASc) is an undergraduate academic degree of applied sciences. Usage In Canada, the Netherlands and other places the Bachelor of Applied Science (BASc) is equivalent to the Bachelor of Engineering, and is cl ...
degree in civil engineering, which included a focus in transportation, and then from the
UBC Sauder School of Business The UBC Sauder School of Business is the business school of the University of British Columbia. The faculty is located in Vancouver on UBC's Point Grey campus and has a secondary teaching facility at UBC Robson Square downtown. UBC Sauder has bee ...
in 2009 with a Master of Management degree.Alumni Spotlight: Bowinn Ma
, ''UBC Engineering'', January 2015
She is currently a
Professional Engineer A professional is a member of a profession or any person who works in a specified professional activity. The term also describes the standards of education and training that prepare members of the profession with the particular knowledge and ski ...
registered with the Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of British Columbia as well as a
Project Management Professional Project Management Professional (PMP) is an internationally recognized professional designation offered by the Project Management Institute (PMI). As of 31 July 2020, there are 1,036,368 active PMP-certified individuals and 314 chartered chapters ...
.Bowinn's background
/ref> She served as an engineer and project manager at
Vancouver International Airport Vancouver International Airport is an international airport located on Sea Island (British Columbia), Sea Island in Richmond, British Columbia, Richmond, British Columbia, serving the city of Vancouver and the Lower Mainland region. It is lo ...
prior to the 2017 election. Prior to becoming involved in provincial politics, Ma led grassroots efforts against Bill C-51 after publicly challenging
Justin Trudeau Justin Pierre James Trudeau (born December 25, 1971) is a Canadian politician who served as the 23rd prime minister of Canada from 2015 to 2025. He led the Liberal Party from 2013 until his resignation in 2025 and was the member of Parliament ...
on his support for the bill during a public Q&A event at the
University of British Columbia The University of British Columbia (UBC) is a Public university, public research university with campuses near University of British Columbia Vancouver, Vancouver and University of British Columbia Okanagan, Kelowna, in British Columbia, Canada ...
. Ma was the fourth female president of the UBC Engineers and led the reform of the organization. Created in 2008, the
Engineering Undergraduate Society of the University of British Columbia Engineering Undergraduate Society (EUS), is the engineering society at the University of British Columbia. It organizes Engineering department events but is perhaps best known for practical jokes (STUdeNT projectS) it has played in the past, includ ...
awards the "Bowinn Ma Award" annually "in recognition of exceptional dedication, service, and self-sacrifice by an individual in completing their duties, both within and beyond the purview of their position".


Provincial politics

Upon being elected as MLA for North Vancouver-Lonsdale, Ma created the Bowinn Ma MLA Social Justice Scholarship: three $500 community scholarships, awarded to one graduating high school student each from Carson Graham Secondary, Sutherland Secondary and the Squamish Nation. The scholarship is aimed at graduating high school students enrolled in a post-secondary institution who have demonstrated a commitment to social justice and overcome barriers or disadvantages in their life. In 2018, Ma made headlines for her #MeToo statement in the
BC Legislature The Legislature of British Columbia is made of two elements: the Lieutenant Governor of British Columbia, lieutenant governor (representing the King of Canada), and the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia (which meets at the British Columbi ...
voicing support for
Christine Blasey Ford Christine Margaret Blasey Ford ( ; born November 1966) is an American professor of psychology at Palo Alto University and a research psychologist at the Stanford University School of Medicine. She specializes in designing statistical models ...
's experience during the
Brett Kavanaugh Brett Michael Kavanaugh (; born February 12, 1965) is an American lawyer and jurist serving as an associate justice of the Supreme Court of the United States. He was nominated by President Donald Trump on July 9, 2018, and has served since Oct ...
hearings and then again in early 2019 when she openly discussed her past experience with an eating disorder for Provincial Eating Disorder Awareness Week. MLA Ma was first offered a ministerial role as 'Minister of Citizenship Services', in early 2020, still during her first term in office. However, she reluctantly declined the offer to focus on her work as a local MLA. Ma in the
2020 British Columbia general election The 2020 British Columbia general election was held on October 24, 2020, to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia, Legislative Assembly to serve in the 42nd Parliament of British Columbia, 42nd parliament of the Canadian ...
won a personal endorsement from the former
Green Party of British Columbia The Green Party of British Columbia, or simply the BC Greens, is a provincial political party in British Columbia, Canada. It was founded in 1983 and is based in Victoria. The party won its first seat in the Legislative Assembly of British Colu ...
leader
Andrew Weaver Andrew John Weaver is a Canadian scientist and former politician who represented the riding of Oak Bay-Gordon Head from 2013 to 2020 in the British Columbia Legislative Assembly. Weaver was the leader of the Green Party of British Columbia fr ...
early in the campaign. In the words of Weaver, “There are few elected officials who work harder for their community and it is evident that she cares deeply about people. Bowinn has been a breath of fresh air in the Legislature and is one of our strongest voices in the fight against climate change. I certainly hope she is re-elected in North Vancouver-Lonsdale.” OPINION: Former BC Green leader Andrew Weaver declares his support for BC NDP MLA Bowinn Ma
''Vancouver Is Awesome'', Sep 28, 2020
Ma did acknowledge her odds of winning on a podcast recorded before the campaign began, “Even before COVID, I was targeted a lot by the BC Liberals and I don’t think that they’re wrong to target this seat. I’m the first BC NDP MLA to win a seat on the North Shore in a very long time, since 1991… So, history says that I will probably lose my seat at the next election, honestly.” Nevertheless, Ma told the North Shore News, “Our government simply does not have the runway remaining to lead this province all the way out of the pandemic in a manner that the British Columbians deserve. We would have lost 12 months to partisan bickering and electioneering, which was already happening regardless of an early election call.” As of early October 25, 2020; Ma has been declared the winner of the
2020 British Columbia general election The 2020 British Columbia general election was held on October 24, 2020, to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia, Legislative Assembly to serve in the 42nd Parliament of British Columbia, 42nd parliament of the Canadian ...
for
North Vancouver-Lonsdale North Vancouver-Lonsdale is a provincial electoral district for the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia, Canada. For other current and historical North Shore and City of Vancouver ridings, please see Vancouver (electoral districts) Dem ...
by many British Columbia news outlets and told the North Shore News, “Votes are not owned, they're earned. And I will continue to work hard every single day for as long as I have the honour of serving North Vancouver-Lonsdale to deserve their support.” During the COVID-19 pandemic, Ma became known for staying connected with constituents in creative ways. She hosted regular Facebook-Live and Instagram-Live chats, offered online origami lessons, visited classrooms virtually, and issued regular COVID-19 information bulletins to subscribers. Ma also went “on tour” with District of North Vancouver Councillor Jordan Back, playing brief musical concerts outside multi-family apartment buildings and long-term care homes for residents inside.


Transportation

Since getting elected in 2017, Ma has focused largely on transportation-related issues. Ma had campaigned heavily on the issue of transportation during the 2017 election. Ma hosted and moderated a "Traffic Sucks!" forum in February 2017, during which Ma said housing affordability is a key factor when it comes to traffic congestion. Ma also campaigned on "increased investment in public infrastructure as a means of producing jobs, boosting the economy, and ensuring that the province is able to meet the needs of its businesses and residents long into the future" and expanding BC's rapid transportation network "as a way of providing a long-term solution to traffic congestion in the North Shore and throughout the Lower Mainland and as a key component of a sustainable transportation model for a growing province". On July 18, 2017, Ma was appointed Parliamentary Secretary for TransLink, working under the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing, Selina Robinson. Her main job as Parliamentary Secretary for TransLink is overseeing the transit authority as it goes through a critical phase of expansion. The NDP has already committed to funding 40 per cent of the TransLink Mayors' Council vision, which includes another SeaBus and 10-minute service, a B-line bus from Phibbs Exchange to Dundarave and an increase in regular bus service. Ma was also selected to serve as the Chair of the Select Standing Committee on Crown Corporations. Ma led the all-party committee consisting of
BC Liberal BC United (BCU), known from 1903 until 2023 as the British Columbia Liberal Party or BC Liberals, is a provincial political party in British Columbia, Canada. The party has been described as conservative, neoliberal, and occupying a centre-right ...
,
BC NDP The New Democratic Party of British Columbia (BC NDP) is a social democratic political party in British Columbia, Canada. The party sits on the centre-left of the political spectrum and is one of the two major parties in British Columbia; since ...
, and BC Green MLAs in the creation of a unanimous report dated February 15, 2018, making 32 recommendations for establishing a provincial regulatory regime to govern transportation network companies providing ride-hailing services. She reconvened the all-party committee again in 2019 in the creation of a second consensus report dated March 12, 2019, making 11 recommendations on four specific areas of regulation of the Transportation Network Services industry: Boundaries, Supply, Fares, and Driver's Licenses. Although outside of the official purview of her role as Parliamentary Secretary for TransLink, Ma also worked with in her first term with Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure,
Claire Trevena Claire Felicity Trevena (born May 26, 1962) is a Canadian politician, who represented the North Island electoral district Legislative Assembly of British Columbia from 2005 to 2020. During the 41st Parliament (2017-2020) she was appointed to th ...
to increase BC Transit bus service. Ma initiated the Integrated North Shore Transportation Planning Project in 2018 and served as its chair until the release of its final report in September 2018, which now serves as the North Shore's action plan and guiding document for improving transportation.SULLIVAN: Could our traffic snarl finally turn into a smile
''North Shore News'', January 19, 2018
As of November 26, 2020, Minister of State for Infrastructure Ma has a mandate letter to, "Support our economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic by working with the Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure to advance critical pieces of transportation infrastructure that will benefit communities across B.C." Projects according to the letter will include, "Work to extend the Millennium Line to Arbutus, with an eventual terminus at UBC, and ensure prompt design and construction of the Surrey-Langley Skytrain." Also included are a widening of Highway 1, replacing the Massey Crossing, completing the
Pattullo Bridge The Pattullo Bridge is a through arch bridge that crosses the Fraser River and links the cities of New Westminster and Surrey in Metro Vancouver, British Columbia. It was named in honour of Thomas Dufferin Pattullo, the 22nd Premier of British ...
replacement, and finally supporting, "The planning and development of key transit projects, like high-speed transit links for the North Shore and the expansion of rail up the Fraser Valley, which will bring cleaner transit, support economic growth and deliver more construction jobs for B.C. workers."


Integrated North Shore Transportation Planning Project (INSTPP)

Ma initiated the Integrated North Shore Transportation Planning Project in 2018 and served as its chair. The Integrated North Shore Transportation Planning Project "is a cross-jurisdictional and collaborative forum initiated to provide an integrated transportation approach that is environmentally progressive, values safety, improves the movement of people and goods, and respects First Nation's interests." Major partners in the project include the City of North Vancouver, District of North Vancouver, District of West Vancouver, TransLink, Government of Canada, Government of BC Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure, Tsleil-Waututh Nation and Squamish Nation. It released its report publicly on September 13, 2018.Findings and Recommendations of the Staff Working Group (SWG) to Improve Access and Mobility for the North Shore
''INSTPP Final Report", Aug 2018''
According to the Letter from the chair, "the work was conducted with a level of inter-agency collaboration that is unprecedented" and "represents the first time that key public transportation agencies on the North Shore, including seven governments, have been able to collectively establish a comprehensive understanding of the transportation challenges that North Shore communities face, and produce a unified and actionable approach for moving forward as a region."


North Shore Rapid Transit

Ma is vocal in her support for rapid bus lines as precursors for rapid transit, including a controversial rapid bus line running through
North Vancouver (district municipality) The District of North Vancouver is a district municipality in British Columbia, Canada, situated north of the city of Vancouver across the Burrard Inlet. It surrounds the respective North Vancouver (city), City of North Vancouver on three si ...
,
North Vancouver (city) The City of North Vancouver is a North Shore (Greater Vancouver), municipality city on the North Shore of the Burrard Inlet, in British Columbia, Canada. Anchored by the downtown town centre of Lonsdale, with which its urban core largely syno ...
, and
West Vancouver West Vancouver is a district municipality in the province of British Columbia, Canada. A member municipality of the Metro Vancouver Regional District, West Vancouver is situated on the north shore of Burrard Inlet to the northwest of the city ...
. In response to opposition from businesses and residents of West Vancouver, Ma created a West Vancouver B-Line themed parody of 'Hey Jude' by
The Beatles The Beatles were an English Rock music, rock band formed in Liverpool in 1960. The core lineup of the band comprised John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr. They are widely regarded as the Cultural impact of the Beatle ...
. Ma is credited with the genesis of the first-ever study into the feasibility of a rapid transit line connecting the North Shore and downtown Vancouver, which was launched by the provincial government in May 2019.Province to study North Shore-Vancouver rapid transit line
''North Shore News'', May 14, 2019
However, Ma and TransLink did succeed after much consultation in getting a
RapidBus (TransLink) RapidBus is an express bus network with bus rapid transit elements in Metro Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. History On November 23, 2016, the Mayors' Council and TransLink's board of directors approved the first phase of the 10-Year V ...
line from
Park Royal Exchange Park Royal Exchange is an on-street transit exchange in West Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Opened on October 16, 1959, it lies on Marine Drive at the Park Royal Shopping Centre and has connections to the Horseshoe Bay Ferry Terminal, the Cit ...
eastward as
R2 Marine Dr The R2 Marine Dr is an express bus service with bus rapid transit elements in Metro Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Part of TransLink's RapidBus network, it travels along Marine Drive, 3rd Street, Cotton Road, and Main Street in North ...
to
Phibbs Exchange Phibbs Exchange is a major transit exchange in the District of North Vancouver, British Columbia. Part of the TransLink system, it is home to routes serving the North Shore and provides connections to the cities of Vancouver and Burnaby. Opene ...
. The
express bus service Public transport bus services are generally based on regular operation of transit buses along a route calling at agreed bus stops according to a published public transport timetable. History of buses Origins While there are indications o ...
with bus rapid transit elements was launched on April 6, 2020, quietly due to the
COVID-19 pandemic in British Columbia The COVID-19 pandemic in British Columbia formed part of an ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, worldwide pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), a novel infectious disease caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2 ...
for as Ma herself told the North Shore News that, “The Marine-Main R2 RapiBus is, arguably, the most exciting public transit service improvement to the North Shore since the SeaBus. I didn't get on to it because I did not have any essential travel to justify getting onto a bus.” Some of her fans on social media call this the "#BowinnLine" as a tribute to her courageous leadership. As the new Minister of State for Infrastructure, one of Minister Ma's projects is, "Work with cabinet colleagues, communities and regions to support the planning and development of key transit projects, like high-speed transit links for the North Shore ... which will bring cleaner transit, support economic growth and deliver more construction jobs for B.C. workers."


Housing

Ma is a vocal advocate for action on Metro Vancouver's housing crisis. Her support for housing demand management measures like the
BC NDP The New Democratic Party of British Columbia (BC NDP) is a social democratic political party in British Columbia, Canada. The party sits on the centre-left of the political spectrum and is one of the two major parties in British Columbia; since ...
Government increases to the foreign buyers tax, new speculation tax, and increased school tax rate on homes over $3M has drawn criticism from prominent Realtors and anti-tax advocates in wealthy constituencies nearby. In 2018, Ma raised funds for the North Vancouver homeless shelter by spending the night in her car with the North Vancouver St. John's Anglican Church group and helped the North Vancouver youth safe house receive operational funding from the provincial government for the first time since it opened in 2008. Ma joined high school students from Carson Graham Secondary in sleeping outside overnight to raise funds for Covenant House, an agency for homeless youth who have fled abuse or been forced from their homes. She is also known for her work supporting vulnerable renters.


Emergency Management

Ma was British Columbia’s first Minister of Emergency Management and Climate Readiness, a ministry created by the Eby Government in recognition of the impacts of climate change on communities. She led British Columbia’s response to the 2022 ice storm, 2023 avalanche season, 2023 wildfires, 2023 extreme drought, 2024 spring freshet flooding, 2024 wildfires, and 2024 Chilcotin landslide risk. She also presided over the 2023 provincial state of emergency due to wildfires, which was in place between August 18, 2023 and September 14, 2023. In the fall of 2023, Ma tabled the Emergency Disaster Management Act, 2023, which later passed in November 2023 following 55 hours of section-by-section debate. “This legislation formally recognizes the rights of First Nations as decision-makers in emergency management,” said Ma of the proposed legislation at the time, “The Emergency and Disaster Management Act moves towards a holistic four-phase approach of mitigation, preparation, response and recovery. It requires climate risk assessments and updates the concept of what an emergency is to reflect modern realities.”


Electoral record


References


External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Ma, Bowinn 1985 births Living people British Columbia New Democratic Party MLAs Canadian people of Taiwanese descent Canadian women engineers Women MLAs in British Columbia University of British Columbia Faculty of Applied Science alumni UBC Sauder School of Business alumni 21st-century Canadian women politicians 21st-century Canadian engineers 21st-century Canadian women engineers 21st-century members of the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia