# Nechako Lakes (provincial electoral district)

Nechako Lakes is a provincial electoral district in British Columbia, Canada. It was established by the Electoral Districts Act, 2008, came into effect upon the dissolution of the British Columbia Legislature in April 2009, and was first contested in the 2009 election. The district includes the northern communities of Burns Lake, Vanderhoof, Houston and surrounding areas.

## Geography

As of the 2020 provincial election, Nechako Lakes comprises almost the entire area within the Regional District of Bulkley-Nechako, located in central British Columbia. Communities in the electoral district consist of Vanderhoof, Houston, Burns Lake, Fort St. James, Fraser Lake and Granisle. Notable regional communities not in this electoral district include Smithers and Telkwa, which are part of the Bulkley Valley-Stikine electoral district.

## History

Nechako Lakes :
| Assembly | Years | Member | Party |
| Prince George-Omineca Riding created from Omineca and Prince George South |||||
| 35th | 1991–1996 | Len Fox | Social Credit |
| 36th | 1996–2001 | Paul Nettleton | Liberal |
| 37th | 2001–2005 | Paul Nettleton | Liberal |
| 38th | 2005–2009 | John Rustad | Liberal |
| Nechako Lakes |||||
| 39th | 2009–2013 | John Rustad | Liberal |
| 40th | 2013–2017 | John Rustad | Liberal |
| 41st | 2017–2020 | John Rustad | Liberal |
| 42nd | 2020–2022 | John Rustad | Liberal |
| 42nd | 2022–2023 | John Rustad | Independent |
| 42nd | 2023–2024 | John Rustad | Conservative |
| 43rd | 2024–present | John Rustad | Conservative |

## Member of the Legislative Assembly

Nechako Lakes's MLA is John Rustad of the Conservative Party of British Columbia. He was initially elected to the Prince George-Omineca riding, a predecessor of Nechako Lakes.

## Election results

vte2024 British Columbia general election :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | Expenditures |
| | Conservative | John Rustad | 7,852 | 67.45 | +15.21 |
| | New Democratic | Murphy Abraham | 3,167 | 27.21 | -7.13 |
| | Green | Douglas Gook | 622 | 5.34 | |
| Total valid votes | Total valid votes | Total valid votes | | – |
| Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | |
| Registered voters | Registered voters | Registered voters | |
| Source: Elections BC |||||||
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | Swing | +11.17 |
vte2020 British Columbia general election :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | Expenditures |
| | Liberal | John Rustad | 4,611 | 52.24 | −2.15 | $17,423.82 |
| | New Democratic | Anne Marie Sam | 3,031 | 34.34 | +4.53 | $9,236.20 |
| | Christian Heritage | Dan Stuart | 413 | 4.68 | – | $991.53 |
| | Libertarian | Jon Rempel | 403 | 4.57 | +0.32 | $0.00 |
| | Independent | Margo Maley | 368 | 4.17 | – | $1,280.76 |
| Total valid votes/expense limit | Total valid votes/expense limit | Total valid votes/expense limit | 8,826 | 99.38 | – | $66,123.96 |
| Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | 55 | 0.62 | –0.06 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 8,881 | 49.91 | –9.15 |
| Registered voters | Registered voters | Registered voters | 17,794 |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | Swing | –3.34 |
| Source: Elections BC |||||||
vte2017 British Columbia general election :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | Expenditures |
| | Liberal | John Rustad | 5,307 | 54.39 | +0.6 | $43,487 |
| | New Democratic | Anne Marie Sam | 2,909 | 29.81 | +2.16 | $14,578 |
| | Green | Douglas Norman Gook | 878 | 9.00 | +3.85 | $163 |
| | Libertarian | Jon Rempel | 438 | 4.49 | – | $3,100 |
| | Independent | Al Trampuh | 226 | 2.31 | – | |
| Total valid votes | Total valid votes | Total valid votes | 9,758 | 100.00 |
| Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | 67 | 0.68 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 9,825 | 59.06 |
| Registered voters | Registered voters | Registered voters | 16,636 |
| Source: Elections BC |||||||
vte2013 British Columbia general election :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | Expenditures |
| | Liberal | John Rustad | 5,324 | 53.79 | –1.97 | $75,052 |
| | New Democratic | Sussanne Skidmore-Hewlett | 2,737 | 27.65 | –7.64 | $56,108 |
| | Conservative | Dan Brooks | 1,253 | 12.66 | – | $52,518 |
| | Green | Colin Hamm | 510 | 5.15 | –1.15 | $1,599 |
| | Advocational | Beverly Bird | 74 | 0.75 | – | $3,009 |
| Total valid votes | Total valid votes | Total valid votes | 9,898 | 100.0 |
| Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | 42 | 0.42 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 9,940 | 58.46 |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | Swing | +2.84 |
| Source: Elections BC |||||||
2011 British Columbia sales tax referendum :
| Side | Side | Votes | % |
| | No | 4,141 | 53.32 |
| | Yes | 3,626 | 46.68 |
vte2009 British Columbia general election :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | Expenditures |
| | Liberal | John Rustad | 4,949 | 55.76 | $60,522 |
| | New Democratic | Byron Goerz | 3,133 | 35.29 | $7,480 |
| | Green | Gerard Riley | 559 | 6.30 | $350 |
| | Refederation | Mike Summers | 235 | 2.65 | $1,110 |
| Total valid votes | Total valid votes | Total valid votes | 8,876 | 99.25 |
| Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | 67 | 0.75 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 8,943 | 54.80 |
| Source: Elections BC |||||||