Okanagan water board leader Liberal candidate in Vernon-Lake Country-Monashee

Retiring Okanagan Basin Water Board executive director Anna Warwick Sears is stepping up to the plate for the Liberals in the upcoming federal election.

Warwick Sears, whose candidacy was announced by the Liberal party March 26, is running in the new Vernon-Lake Country-Monashee riding against Conservative Scott Anderson and NDP candidate Leah Main. 

She is retiring as the water board’s executive director, April 22, after 19 years in the position.

Warwick Sears tried her hand at provincial politics this past fall when she ran for the BC NDP in Kelowna-Lake Country-Coldstream but was defeated by BC Conservative candidate, and now Independent, Tara Armstrong.

During that campaign she had endorsements from Lake Country Mayor Blair Ireland, Vernon Mayor Victor Cumming and chair of the Water Supply Association of B.C. Bob Hrasko.

Warwick Sears said at that time the devastating wildfires in the Okanagan in 2023 motivated her to get into politics.

“I was motivated to run by the horrific fires and smoke last year. We need to take serious action to protect our homes and water supplies from extreme weather and climate change. I’m also really motivated by the shortage of affordable housing, the need to improve our infrastructure, and the challenges with our health-care system,” she said.

Federal election day is Monday, April 28.