Debra Toporowski, the newly elected NDP MLA for the Cowichan Valley, announced on Oct. 31 that she is stepping down from her role as a municipal councillor in North Cowichan, effective immediately.
Toporowski had been on a leave of absence from her councillor position since Sept. 5 in order to campaign in the provincial election.
There are no legal reasons preventing her from keeping her council seat while also serving as MLA, and there are precedents in B.C. of that happening, but she recently said she wanted to focus her attention to her role as MLA and her new responsibilities full time.
A member of Cowichan Tribes, Toporowski is a two-term elected councillor in the municipality of North Cowichan and a five-time councillor of Cowichan Tribes, the first elected woman to hold positions on two councils at the same time.
In her time as a councillor in North Cowichan, she has served as acting mayor, as a director for North Cowichan on the Cowichan Valley Regional District board, and on numerous committees and societies in the municipality and in the region.
“Serving the people of North Cowichan has been a privilege,” Toporowski said. “I would like to thank the residents of North Cowichan for their confidence and trust that they have placed in me, and I look forward to continuing to serve the community in my new role."
North Cowichan Mayor Rob Douglas said it has been a pleasure working alongside Toporowski over the past six years.
“Her unique insight brought a welcome perspective to the council table," he said. "I am looking forward to working with her on provincial issues and projects.”
The Local Government Act states that a byelection must be held to fill a vacancy in an elected local government.
North Cowichan must appoint a chief election officer, who has the responsibility to set a general voting day for the byelection, as soon as practicable.
This voting day must be on a Saturday no later than 80 days after the date the CEO was appointed.
The legislation does not specify how soon a byelection must be held after the vacancy, providing local government with some flexibility in determining the timing.
There are approximately two years left in council's term.
As for Toporowski’s seat at Cowichan Tribes, which she has said she would also step down from if elected as MLA, the First Nation has a new election law that stipulates that the next person on the list in its last elections, which were held in March, 2024, who has the most votes after her will fill her seat.
