West VancouverâÂÂSunshine CoastâÂÂSea to Sky Country (formerly West VancouverâÂÂSunshine Coast) is a federal electoral district in British Columbia, Canada, which has been represented in the House of Commons since 1997.
Since the 2019 federal election, its Member of Parliament (MP) has been Patrick Weiler of the Liberal Party.
The district includes the regional districts of Sunshine Coast, the southern portion of the SquamishâÂÂLillooet Regional District, including the municipalities of Whistler, Squamish, Pemberton; and West Vancouver, Lions Bay and Bowen Island, which are in the Metro Vancouver Regional District.
Languages: 76.9% English, 4.4% Mandarin, 3.8% Persian, 2.4% French, 1.9% German, 1.0% Punjabi,<br /> Religions (2011): 42.4% Christian (13.3% Catholic, 8.6% Anglican, 6.8% United Church, 1.6% Baptist, 1.5% Lutheran, 1.1% Presbyterian, 9.5% Other), 3.3% Muslim, 1.3% Buddhist, 1.0% Jewish, 1.0% Sikh, 49.3% No religion <br /> Median income (2015): $35,774 <br /> Average income (2015): $65,168
The electoral district was created as "West VancouverâÂÂSunshine Coast" in 1996 from parts of CapilanoâÂÂHowe Sound and North IslandâÂÂPowell River ridings.
In 2003, it was renamed "West VancouverâÂÂSunshine CoastâÂÂSea to Sky Country". At 48 characters, this was the current longest riding name in Canada until 2015, when it was overtaken by the renamed, 49-character LeedsâÂÂGrenvilleâÂÂThousand Islands and Rideau Lakes.
The riding or electoral district is also the first to have been represented in Parliament by a member of the Green Party, Blair Wilson. Elected as part of the Liberal party, he crossed the floor later in his career to become a member of the Green Party representing West VancouverâÂÂSunshine CoastâÂÂSea to Sky Country. However, this came immediately before the 2008 federal election, in which he was defeated, and he never had the opportunity to sit in the House as a Green MP.
The 2012 federal electoral boundaries redistribution concluded that the electoral boundaries of West VancouverâÂÂSunshine CoastâÂÂSea to Sky Country should be adjusted, and a modified electoral district of the same name would be contested in future elections. The redefined West VancouverâÂÂSunshine CoastâÂÂSea to Sky Country:
These new boundaries were legally defined in the 2013 representation order, which came into effect upon the call of the 42nd Canadian federal election, scheduled for October 2015.
During the 2022 redistribution the area south of the Trans-Canada Highway and east of 21 St, was cut out of the riding and added to North VancouverâÂÂCapilano. This included Park Royal Shopping Centre, Sentinel Hill and all of Ambleside. The boundary change was criticized by some, including Patrick Weiler, the Member of Parliament for the riding.
This riding has elected the following members of Parliament:
Patrick Weiler is the current member of Parliament for this riding. He was elected after the incumbent, Pamela Goldsmith-Jones chose not to run for re-election in the 2019 federal election. He was re-elected in the 2021 federal election and again in the 2025 federal election.
The first member of Parliament to represent the riding was John Reynolds, who previously served as the Progressive Conservative MP for BurnabyâÂÂRichmondâÂÂDelta from 1972 to 1977 and Social Credit MLA for West Vancouver-Howe Sound from 1983 to 1991. He was first elected in West Vancouver-Sunshine Coast in the 1997 election. He was a member of the Reform Party, and its successors the Canadian Alliance and the Conservative Party. After Stockwell Day was pushed out as leader of the Canadian Alliance, Reynolds served as interim leader and Leader of the Official Opposition. He served as a member on the Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs. Reynolds did not run in the 2006 general election.
Liberal Blair Wilson was elected in the 2006 federal election. Wilson, a chartered accountant and a former restaurant owner, was the first Liberal MP for the historically Conservative riding. He had previously run in the 2004 federal election and lost to John Reynolds. Wilson resigned from caucus in October 2007 after allegations of improper campaign spending and failure to mention several legal and financial troubles during three nomination vetting processes. He remained a Liberal but not in caucus. In January 2008, Wilson became an Independent. He then joined the Green Party on August 30, 2008, becoming its first MP. Running under the Green banner in the election called only days later.
John Weston of the Conservative Party defeated Wilson in the 2008 federal election. He was re-elected in the 2011 federal election by a comfortable margin. He lost re-election in 2015. Weston attempted to make a comeback in the 2021 federal election, but lost to incumbent Patrick Weiler.
Former Mayor of West Vancouver, Pamela Goldsmith-Jones of the Liberal Party, unseated John Weston in the 2015 federal election by a wide margin. She served as Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of International Trade Diversification. In the 2019 federal election, Goldsmith-Jones did not run for re-election.