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Elenore Sturko

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Elenore Sturko
MLA
Leader of CentreBC
Incumbent
Assumed office
September 22, 2026
Preceded byPeter Milobar
Member of the British Columbia Legislative Assembly
for Surrey-Cloverdale
Surrey South (2022–2024)
Incumbent
Assumed office
September 10, 2022
Preceded byStephanie Cadieux
Personal details
PartyCentreBC (2026–present)
Other political
affiliations
BC United (2022–2024)
BC Conservative (2024–2025)
Independent (2025–2026)
SpouseMelissa Sturko
Children3
ProfessionPolice officer

Elenore Sturko MLA is a Canadian politician who has served as the leader of CentreBC since 2026. A member of the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia (MLA), she represented the electoral district of Surrey South from 2022 to 2024 and has represented Surrey-Cloverdale since 2024.[1] Initially elected as a member of the BC Liberal Party (later renamed BC United),[2] she crossed the floor to the BC Conservatives in 2024.[3][4]

Sturko was removed from the BC Conservative caucus in September 2025.[5] After sitting as an independent, she joined CentreBC in September 2026.[6]

Early career and education

[edit]

Sturko graduated from Kamloops Senior Secondary, then entered the broadcasting industry by joining CFJC-TV in Kamloops.[2] She became a reservist with the Canadian Forces Air Command in 2007, serving with the Yellowknife-based 440 Transport Squadron.[2]

She then joined the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) in 2009, eventually earning the rank of staff sergeant.[4][1] During this time she initially served in Langley before transferring back to Yellowknife in 2012 working as a frontline police officer and later as a community policing and media relations officer.[7] She traveled extensively in northern Canada, working with Indigenous communities and participating in the Arctic Sovereignty Patrol.[7]

Sturko and her family moved to Ottawa in 2016, joining the RCMP Musical Ride and also participating in the 2017 cross-country tour celebrating Canada's 150th anniversary.[7] Stationed in Surrey since 2018, she became a spokesperson for the Surrey RCMP.[4] Throughout her career she has served as an advisor on issues related to gender, sexual orientation, and harassment.[7][8]

Political career

[edit]

Following Stephanie Cadieux's resignation as Surrey South's MLA, Sturko was approached by BC Liberal leader Kevin Falcon to run as the party's candidate,[9] and was elected to the legislature in the September 2022 by-election.[2] She was named the official opposition education critic that October,[10] and became shadow minister for Mental Health, Addiction, Recovery and Education that December.[11][12]

On June 3, 2024, she announced her decision to leave BC United and sit in the legislature as a member of the BC Conservatives, becoming the party's fourth MLA.[3][13][14] She contested the electoral district of Surrey-Cloverdale in that October's provincial election, defeating the New Democratic Party incumbent Mike Starchuk. She was named to Conservative leader John Rustad's shadow cabinet that November, serving as critic for Solicitor General and Public Safety.[15][16]

A leaked letter signed by 13 Conservative MLAs attacking Sturko exposed a rift within the party weeks after it became the official opposition.[17] The group sent a letter to Rustad raising concerns about public comments Sturko made on November 23, 2024, regarding the appropriateness for the Vancouver Police Board to accept the resignation of vice-chair Comfort Sakoma-Fadugba after Sakoma-Fadugba made racist, anti-immigration, and transphobic comments on social media.[17] The group rallied behind Sakoma-Fadugba, calling her a victim of cancel culture, and called on Rustad to ask Sturko, whom they believe spoke out of turn, to send a written apology to Sakoma-Fadugba.[18] Sturko responded by saying she had no plans to change her statement.[18]

On September 22, 2025, she was removed from the Conservative caucus by Rustad and became an independent MLA.[19] She claimed that she had been prevented from voicing her "more socially liberal beliefs" while with the Conservatives.[19]

On February 25, 2026, the NDP government endorsed Sturko for Chair of the Special Committee on Police Complaints. Sturko was elected to the position of chair with the votes cast by NDP MLAs on the committee. Following her election, she voted in favour of NDP MLA Gary Begg to the position of deputy chair. The Conservative MLAs on the committee were opposed to her election to the position of chair.[20] As chair Sturko will receive an additional $17,929.91 in remuneration for the position on top of her annual MLA salary.[21]

Sturko joined seven other former Conservative MLAs in joining CentreBC on September 18, 2026.[6] On September 22, following the departure of the other seven MLAs back to the Conservative Party, she became the party's new leader.[22]

Personal life

[edit]

Sturko lives in Surrey with her wife, Melissa, and their three children.[2][3]

Electoral history

[edit]
2024 British Columbia general election: Surrey-Cloverdale
Party Candidate Votes%±%Expenditures
ConservativeElenore Sturko10,26848.3%+44.82
New DemocraticMike Starchuk9,68145.6%–6.5
GreenPat McCutcheon1,1505.4%–3.3
FreedomJudy Meilleur1530.7%
Total valid votes 21,252–
Total rejected ballots
Turnout
Registered voters
Conservative gain from New Democratic Swing +44.82
Source: Elections BC[23]
British Columbia provincial by-election, September 10, 2022: Surrey South
Resignation of Stephanie Cadieux (April 30, 2022)
Party Candidate Votes%±%Expenditures
LiberalElenore Sturko5,56851.83+4.48$71,826.15
New DemocraticPauline Greaves3,22129.98–13.08$58,814.93
ConservativeHarman Bhangu1,36412.70—$38,150.18
GreenSimran Sarai3683.43–6.15$5,252.57
LibertarianJason Bax2212.06—$640.83
Total valid votes 10,74299.87—
Total rejected ballots 140.13–1.23
Turnout 10,75619.8–32.94
Registered voters 54,363
Liberal hold Swing +8.78
Source: Elections BC[24][25]

References

[edit]
  1. 1 2 "ELECTED: Elenore Sturko takes Surrey-Cloverdale for Conservatives". October 20, 2024.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 Zussman, Richard (September 12, 2022). "BC Liberal Elenore Sturko wins Surrey South by-election". Global News. Retrieved September 23, 2022.
  3. 1 2 3 "Rob Shaw: MLA Elenore Sturko defects to Conservatives in stunning blow to BC United". The Orca. June 3, 2024. Retrieved June 3, 2024.
  4. 1 2 3 "Surrey South MLA Elenore Sturko Joins Conservative Party of BC". Conservative Party of British Columbia. June 3, 2024. Retrieved June 3, 2024.
  5. ↑ Lazenby, Alec (September 22, 2025). "Elenore Sturko booted from B.C. Conservative caucus as John Rustad survives leadership review". Vancouver Sun. Postmedia. Retrieved September 23, 2025.
  6. 1 2 Larsen, Karin (September 18, 2026). "Sturko, Warbus among CentreBC recruits". CBC.
  7. 1 2 3 4 "Elenore Sturko at Conservative Party of BC". Conservative Party of British Columbia. Retrieved February 7, 2025.
  8. ↑ Jordan, Malin (October 21, 2024). "Elenore Sturko wins Surrey-Cloverdale for Conservative Party of B.C." Surrey Now-Leader. Retrieved February 5, 2025.
  9. ↑ Holmes, Tracy (May 6, 2022). "Face of Surrey RCMP taking run at Surrey South seat for BC Liberals". Surrey Now-Leader. Retrieved February 5, 2025.
  10. ↑ Greenizan, Nick (October 3, 2022). "Newly elected Sturko sworn in as MLA for Surrey South". Surrey Now-Leader. Retrieved February 5, 2025.
  11. ↑ "Kevin Falcon announces Official Opposition Shadow Ministers". British Columbia Liberal Party. December 8, 2022. Archived from the original on December 8, 2022.
  12. ↑ Browne, Alex (December 10, 2022). "Semiahmoo Peninsula MLAs gain 'shadow minister' portfolios". Surrey Now-Leader. Retrieved January 25, 2025.
  13. ↑ DeRosa, Katie. "B.C. United MLA Elenore Sturko defects to Conservatives". CBC News. Retrieved June 3, 2024.
  14. ↑ Weel, Tricia; Depner, Wolfgang (June 4, 2024). "Elenore Sturko decision to defect to BC Conservatives shocks BC United". Surrey Now-Leader. Retrieved February 5, 2025.
  15. ↑ Andreas, Jeff (November 20, 2024). "BC Conservative shadow cabinet revealed". Radio NL. Retrieved February 5, 2025.
  16. ↑ Zillich, Tom (November 20, 2024). "Surrey, Delta MLAs named to Rustad's 'shadow cabinet' of Conservatives in B.C." Surrey Now-Leader. Retrieved February 5, 2025.
  17. 1 2 "B.C. Conservative leader faces test after colleagues' letter attacks Surrey MLA". The Williams Lake Tribune. December 6, 2024. Retrieved May 13, 2025.
  18. 1 2 Dirk Meissner and Brieanna Charlebois (December 10, 2024). "Rustad says he expects defiance in B.C. Conservative ranks amid row over core values". Kelowna Courier. The Canadian Press. Retrieved May 13, 2025.
  19. 1 2 Dickson, Courtney (September 23, 2025). "'No chains': Elenore Sturko speaks out after ousting from B.C. Conservative caucus". CBC News. Retrieved September 25, 2025.
  20. ↑ Legislative Assembly of British Columbia (February 20, 2026). BC Legislature Live Stream - Douglas Fir Room. Retrieved February 25, 2026 – via YouTube.
  21. ↑ "MLA Remuneration and Expenses | Legislative Assembly of BC". www.leg.bc.ca. Retrieved February 25, 2026.
  22. ↑ Collins, Lauren (September 22, 2026). "Surrey's Elenore Sturko named leader of CentreBC as MLAs leave". Penticton Western News. Black Press Media. Retrieved September 23, 2026.
  23. ↑ https://globalnews.ca/news/10779097/bc-election-2024-results-surrey-cloverdale/
  24. ↑ "Report of the Chief Electoral Officer: 2022 Vancouver-Quilchena and Surrey South By-elections" (PDF). www.elections.bc.ca. Retrieved September 14, 2023.
  25. ↑ "Election Financing Reports". Elections BC. Retrieved September 14, 2023.
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