“I am tired of the same old politics and the same old politicians.”

Connie Larochelle is a retired public servant, researcher and community volunteer who lives in Trail with her husband, close to her daughter and family. She spent her career with the provincial government and retired in 2020 from her role as a Senior Research Advisor in Victoria.

Connie holds a Master of Arts in Environment and Management from Royal Roads University and a Bachelor of Natural Resource Sciences from Thompson Rivers University. Her academic background includes environmental science, economics, statistics, cost-benefit analysis and Geographic Information Systems.

Her professional experience also includes work with business intelligence tools, including Power BI, and she was a finalist in the Institute of Public Administration of Canada’s Policy Pitch competition for work involving the use of business intelligence tools in the public service.

Since retiring, Connie has focused much of her community involvement on food security and practical sustainability. Her volunteer work has included advocating for urban hens in Trail, organizing an annual Pumpkins for Farmers delivery and promoting hügelkultur gardening as a way to conserve water.

Connie is concerned about growing pressures on land, water and natural resources and how those pressures affect food security, housing and community health. She believes public policy should take a long-term approach to protecting the resources communities depend on while supporting people in their everyday lives.

Connie is running in Kootenay-Monashee to bring her experience in public service, environmental research and community advocacy into the Legislature, with a focus on sustainability, responsible resource management and practical solutions for local communities.