Lana Popham
MLA for Saanich South
Critic for Agriculture
Lana Popham was elected MLA for Saanich South on May 12, 2009. A well-known environmental and community activist Lana is also a successful businesswoman and organic farmer.
She is currently the critic for Agriculture and Lands.
In 2008, she was named "runner up" as Community Leader in the annual CFAX awards for her campaign to replace disposable plastic bags with reusable ones.
Born in Regina in 1968, Lana was raised on Quadra Island where her understanding of sustainability, the ability to live without causing long-term damage to the environment, had its roots. Growing food and respecting nature was part of her family's and her neighbours' day-to-day lives.
Studying geography and urban planning at university led her to realize that sustainable cities link neighbourhoods to jobs and services with high-quality walking, cycling and transit networks. She also believes that they should connect people to nature with parks and trails, and support a local farm economy to help supply their food needs.
In 1996, Lana made her home in Saanich South where she lives with her husband Jon, a firefighter, and their son Kye. The family owns and operates Barking Dog Vineyard, the first certified organic vineyard on Vancouver Island.
Lana is past-president the Vancouver Island Grape GrowersAssociation, chair of the Certification Committee for the Islands Organic Producers Association, a commissioner on the Peninsula Agricultural Commission and a voting member of the Agri-Food Initiative Advisory Committee. She also sat on Saanich's Planning, Transportation and Economic Development Committee.