Josie Osborne

{{Infobox officeholder

| honorific_prefix = The Honourable

| name = Josie Osborne

| honorific_suffix = {{post-nominals|country=CAN|MLABC|size=100%}}

| image = Josie Osborne.png

| caption = Osborne in 2020

| office = Minister of Health of British Columbia

| term_start = November 18, 2024

| term_end =

| predecessor = Adrian Dix

| successor =

| premier = David Eby

| office1 = Minister of Energy, Mines and Low Carbon Innovation of British Columbia

| term_start1 = December 7, 2022

| term_end1 = November 18, 2024

| predecessor1 = Bruce Ralston

| successor1 = Adrian Dix (Energy and Climate Solutions)
Jagrup Brar (Mining and Critical Minerals)

| premier1 = David Eby

| office2 = Minister of Land, Water and Resource Stewardship of British Columbia

| term_start2 = February 25, 2022

| term_end2 = December 7, 2022

| predecessor2 = Position established

| successor2 = Nathan Cullen

| premier2 = John Horgan
David Eby

| office3 = Minister of Municipal Affairs of British Columbia

| term_start3 = November 26, 2020

| term_end3 = February 25, 2022

| predecessor3 = Selina Robinson (Municipal Affairs and Housing)

| successor3 = Nathan Cullen

| premier3 = John Horgan

| constituency_AM4 = Mid Island-Pacific Rim

| assembly4 = British Columbia Legislative

| term_start4 = October 24, 2020

| term_end4 =

| predecessor4 = Scott Fraser

| successor4 =

| office5 = Mayor of Tofino

| term_start5 = 2013

| term_end5 = 2020

| predecessor5 = Perry Schmunk

| successor5 = Dan Law

| birth_name =

| birth_date = {{Birth based on age as of date|42|2014|11|12}}

| birth_place =

| party = BC NDP (since 2020)

| otherparty = Green (until 2020)

| spouse = George Patterson

| residence = Tofino, British Columbia, Canada

| alma_mater = University of British Columbia
Simon Fraser University

}}

Josie Osborne {{post-nominals|country=CAN|MLABC}} is a Canadian politician who was elected to the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia in the 2020 provincial election.[https://www.cheknews.ca/ndp-candidate-josie-osborne-wins-mid-island-pacific-rim-riding-712641/ "BC NDP Josie Osborne wins Mid-Island Pacific Rim riding"]. CHEK-DT, October 25, 2020. She represents the electoral district of Mid Island-Pacific Rim as a member of the British Columbia New Democratic Party (BC NDP). She has served in the cabinet of British Columbia since 2020, currently as Minister of Health.

She previously served as mayor of Tofino from 2013 to 2020.{{Cite web|url=https://www.greenparty.ca/media-release/2013-01-15/tofino-has-new-green-mayor|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130122065228/http://www.greenparty.ca/media-release/2013-01-15/tofino-has-new-green-mayor|url-status=dead|archive-date=2013-01-22|title=Tofino Has New, Green Mayor|website=www.webcitation.org|publisher=Green Party of Canada|date=January 15, 2013|access-date=2022-04-15}} When she was first elected, she was Canada's only Green Party-affiliated mayor.{{Cite web|url=https://www.globalgreens.org/news/green-party-notables-win-office-municipal-elections-canada|title=Green Party notables win office in municipal elections in Canada|date=2014-11-03|website=Global Greens|language=en|access-date=2019-12-17|archive-date=2019-12-17|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191217180101/https://www.globalgreens.org/news/green-party-notables-win-office-municipal-elections-canada|url-status=dead}}{{cite web |title=Tofino Has New, Green Mayor |url=https://www.greenparty.ca/en/media-release/2013-01-15/tofino-has-new-green-mayor |website=Green Party of Canada |access-date=30 May 2021 |language=en |quote=“I am so pleased that the new Mayor of Tofino, Josie Osborne, is a Green Party member. I know she will, as I have tried to do federally, put constituents first and party last. While party affiliations are not raised in most municipalities, the Green Party is nevertheless pleased and proud that one of our own has become mayor. This is a first in Canada,” said May.}}

Biography

Osborne studied marine biology at the University of British Columbia, then pursued a master's degree in resource management at Simon Fraser University.{{Cite web|url=https://www.bcbusiness.ca/Tofino-mayor-Josie-Osborne-on-what-makes-her-seaside-town-tick|title=BCBusiness|last=Mckenzie|first=Kevin Hinton & Ryan|website=BCBusiness|date=31 May 2017 |language=en|access-date=2019-12-15}}{{Cite web|url=http://thetyee.ca/Opinion/2014/11/12/No-Contest-in-Tofino/|title=No Contest in Tofino, This Mayor's a Winner|last=Gill|first=Ian|date=2014-11-12|website=The Tyee|language=English|access-date=2019-12-15}} She moved to Tofino for a position as fisheries biologist for the Nuu-chah-nulth Tribal Council, and later joined Raincoast Education Society, a local environmental education non-profit organization.{{cite web |title=MLA: Hon. Josie Osborne |url=https://www.leg.bc.ca/learn-about-us/members/42nd-Parliament/Osborne-Josie |website=Legislative Assembly of British Columbia |access-date=2022-12-14}}

She ran as the mayor of Tofino unopposed as the Green Party candidate in both a 2013 by-election and the 2014 municipal election.{{Cite web|url=https://www.vancouverislandfreedaily.com/municipal-election/tofino-mayor-josie-osborne-re-elected/|title=Tofino mayor Josie Osborne re-elected|date=2018-10-20|website=Vancouver Island Free Daily|access-date=2019-12-17}} She was re-elected in 2018{{Cite web|url=https://www.westerlynews.ca/municipal-election/tofino-mayor-josie-osborne-re-elected/|title=UPDATED: Tofino mayor Josie Osborne re-elected|date=2018-10-20|website=Tofino-Ucluelet Westerly News|language=en-US|access-date=2019-12-15}} with 86.75% of the overall vote.

Osborne supported the introduction of proportional representation in the 2018 British Columbia electoral reform referendum.{{Citation needed|date=December 2022}}

In March 2019, Osborne spoke in favour of more affordable housing in Greater Vancouver.{{Cite web|url=https://vancouverisland.ctvnews.ca/tofino-housing-crunch-hits-hospital-1.4348775|title=Tofino housing crunch hits hospital|date=2019-03-22|website=Vancouver Island|language=en|access-date=2019-12-17}}

In September 2020, Osborne announced her intention to seek the BC NDP nomination for the riding of Mid Island-Pacific Rim in the next provincial election.{{Cite web|date=2020-09-15|title=Tofino mayor Josie Osborne seeks B.C. NDP nomination for Mid Island-Pacific Rim|url=https://www.westerlynews.ca/news/tofino-mayor-josie-osborne-seeks-b-c-ndp-nomination-for-mid-island-pacific-rim/|access-date=2020-10-25|website=Tofino-Ucluelet Westerly News|language=en-US}} Osborne was successful and was elected as Member of the Legislative Assembly at the October 2020 general election.{{Cite web|date=2020-10-24|title=Popular Tofino Mayor Josie Osborne elected MLA for Mid Island-Pacific Rim|url=https://vancouverisland.ctvnews.ca/popular-tofino-mayor-josie-osborne-elected-mla-for-mid-island-pacific-rim-1.5159869|access-date=2020-10-25|website=Vancouver Island|language=en}}{{Cite web|date=2020-10-24|title=BC VOTES 2020: NDP Josie Osborne declared the winner in Mid Island-Pacific Rim riding|url=https://www.albernivalleynews.com/news/bc-votes-2020-ndp-josie-osborne-takes-a-lead-in-mid-island-pacific-rim-riding/|access-date=2020-10-25|website=Port Alberni Valley News|language=en-US}} A mayoral by-election was held in Tofino in February 2021 to replace Osborne.{{Cite web|last=Kloster|first=Darron|title=Tofino, Campbell River residents head to polls in byelections|url=https://www.timescolonist.com/news/local/tofino-campbell-river-residents-head-to-polls-in-byelections-1.24287388|access-date=2021-02-28|website=Times Colonist|date=26 February 2021 }}

On November 26, 2020, Osborne was sworn in to the Executive Council of British Columbia as Minister of Municipal Affairs under Premier John Horgan;{{cite news |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/bc-cabinet-announcement-1.5816947 |title=New faces join B.C.'s new cabinet, while stalwarts stay on in key roles |publisher=CBC News |first1=Bethany |last1=Lindsay |date=2020-11-26 |accessdate=2022-04-24 }} she was then appointed Minister of Land, Water and Resource Stewardship and Minister responsible for Fisheries in February 2022.{{Cite web |publisher=Office of the Premier of British Columbia |date=2022-02-25 |title=New ministers appointed for land stewardship, municipal affairs {{!}} BC Gov News |url=https://news.gov.bc.ca/releases/2022PREM0011-000268 |access-date=2022-04-03 |website=news.gov.bc.ca |language=en}} She was subsequently named Minister of Energy, Mines and Low Carbon Innovation in the Eby ministry on December 7, 2022.{{Cite press release |date=2022-12-07 |title=New cabinet ready to take action on cost of living, health care, housing, climate |url=https://news.gov.bc.ca/releases/2022PREM0097-001863 |access-date=2022-12-09 |publisher=Office of the Premier of British Columbia |language=en}}

In April 2024, an investigation was initiated by Osborne into MNP LLP's administration of two grant programs funded through the provincial carbon tax.{{Cite web |date=10 April 2024 |title=B.C. energy minister responds to criticism that grant process lacks transparency |url=https://www.cbc.ca/player/play/1.7170162 |website=CBC News}} The allegation was that one of MNP's teams working in the province acted in the capacity as both the administrator and grant application consultant on the CleanBC grant program.{{cite web |date=April 8, 2024 |title=B.C. government orders investigation into carbon tax grant process |url=https://www.abbynews.com/news/bc-government-orders-investigation-into-carbon-tax-grant-process-7340031 |access-date=April 8, 2024 |publisher=The Abbotsford News}}

After the 2024 election, Osborne was named Minister of Health.{{Cite web |date=2024-11-19 |title=New Health Minister Osborne called a win for B.C.'s embattled rural hospitals |url=https://www.vicnews.com/news/new-health-minister-osborne-called-a-win-for-bcs-embattled-rural-hospitals-7656787 |access-date=2024-12-19 |website=Victoria News |language=en}}