Rick Glumac is a Canadian politician who was elected to the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia in the 2017 provincial election.

Rick Glumac
Glumac in 2017
Minister of State for Trade of British Columbia
Assumed office
November 18, 2024
PremierDavid Eby
Preceded byJagrup Brar
Parliamentary Secretary for Technology of British Columbia
In office
July 18, 2017 – November 26, 2020
PremierJohn Horgan
Preceded byPosition established
Succeeded byBrenda Bailey (Technology and Innovation)
Member of the British Columbia Legislative Assembly
for Port Moody-Burquitlam
Assumed office
May 9, 2017
Preceded byLinda Reimer
Personal details
Political partyNew Democratic Party
Residence(s)Port Moody, British Columbia

As an MLA (Member of the Legislative Assembly) for the British Columbia New Democratic Party, he represents the riding of Port Moody-Burquitlam, which encompasses some of the western part of the city of Coquitlam, the entire city of Port Moody, and the villages of Anmore and Belcarra.[1]

Glumac served as the Parliamentary Secretary for Technology until November 2020.[2][3] He has served as the provincial representative to the Pacific NorthWest Economic Region (PNWER) since 2017, and became president of PNWER in July 2023. In December 2020, he was appointed as Premier's Liaison to Washington State.[3] Glumac's position was expanded in April 2023 and he was appointed by David Eby to serve as Premier's Liaison for the Pacific Northwest.[4]

Glumac was re-elected in the 2020 and 2024 provincial elections. Following the 2024 election, he was appointed Minister of State for Trade.[5]

Early life

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Glumac grew up in Port Alberni, BC. In 1995, he graduated with a degree in Electronics Engineering from Simon Fraser University.[6]

Glumac worked much of his career in the field of computer graphics as a software developmer, visual effects artist, and computer graphics supervisor.[7]  He worked on the first computer-animated TV show ReBoot, and later worked for companies such as DreamWorks and Electronic Arts on well-known Hollywood films such as Shrek 2, Madagascar, and Over The Hedge.[7] Following this he developed apps for the iPhone.[6]

Career in politics

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Glumac was first elected to Port Moody city council in 2011.[8] He was re-elected in 2014 with the highest vote share of any candidate.[9] On council he chaired various committees including [8] the Environmental Protection Committee and Economic Development Committee which recommended the hiring of an Economic Development Officer to grow the city's business tax base.

During his time as a Councillor, he served as the Vice President of the Lower Mainland Local Government Association.[6] Glumac was also elected as the Vancouver Metro Area Representative to the Union of B.C. Municipalities (UBCM).

Glumac worked with the Ministry of Health to keep the Eagle Ridge Hospital lands in Port Moody from being sold for redevelopment, stopping a plan by the BC Liberal government to condition new improvements to the hospital on the sale of the lands to private real estate developers.[10][11]

Glumac consistently speaks in the legislature to promote action to protect B.C.’s environment.[12] In 2018, he spoke during the Legislature's emergency debate on climate change.[13] He is a key supporter of the province's CleanBC strategy of reducing climate pollution and promoting renewable energies, lowering the costs of renewable energies, and helping create green jobs.[12] He is a staunch advocate for redeveloping the Burrard Generating Station, a former fossil fuel-powered power plant located on the Burrard Inlet, into a site for clean technology or climate mitigation projects.[12]

As Parliamentary Secretary for Technology, Glumac championed innovation in the clean technologies as a tool for transitioning towards a green economy.[12] He has advocated support for B.C.'s clean energy and tech sectors which play an increasingly important role in the provincial economy.

As President of the Pacific Northwest Economic Region (PNWER), Glumac secured funding to create PNWER Canada and the hiring of PNWER's first staff member in Canada.[14]

Personal life

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On May 11, 2022, Rick Glumac proposed to his partner Haven Lurbiecki in the legislature, prior to question period.[15] Glumac is the first member of the legislative assembly to propose in the legislature and likely the first in Canada (Australian MP Tim Wilson proposed to his partner during a speech to Parliament in 2017). Lurbiecki was elected as city councillor in Port Moody in the 2022 local elections.

Electoral record

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2024 British Columbia general election: Port Moody-Burquitlam
Party Candidate Votes % ±% Expenditures
New Democratic Rick Glumac 12,941 51.72 -2.03
Conservative Kerry van Aswegen 10,212 40.82 +37.46
Green Samantha Agtarap 1,866 7.46 -4.32
Total valid votes 25,019
Total rejected ballots
Turnout
Registered voters
Source: Elections BC[16]
2020 British Columbia general election: Port Moody-Coquitlam
Party Candidate Votes % ±% Expenditures
New Democratic Rick Glumac 12,783 53.75 +6.06 $41,007.46
Liberal James Robertson 7,253 30.50 −9.70 $43,575.39
Green John Latimer 2,802 11.78 −0.33 $1,920.08
Conservative Brandon Fonseca 800 3.36 $250.00
Libertarian Logan Smith 144 0.61 $0.00
Total valid votes 23,782 100.00
Total rejected ballots    
Turnout    
Registered voters
Source: Elections BC[17][18]
2017 British Columbia general election: Port Moody-Coquitlam
Party Candidate Votes % ±% Expenditures
New Democratic Rick Glumac 11,754 47.69 +3.40 $64,112
Liberal Linda Reimer 9,910 40.20 −6.18 $65,386
Green Don Barthel 2,985 12.11 +3.92 $1,056
Total valid votes 24,649 100.00
Total rejected ballots 137 0.55 −0.08
Turnout 24,786 65.31 +6.56
Registered voters 37,950
Source: Elections BC[19][20]

References

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  1. ^ "NDP makes gains in Tri-Cities, Burnaby with upsets". CBC News British Columbia, May 9, 2017.
  2. ^ Premier, Office of the (July 18, 2017). "Premier John Horgan announces new cabinet to build a better B.C." news.gov.bc.ca. Retrieved June 18, 2020.
  3. ^ a b "Port Moody politician to work with Washington State on high-speed rail". Tri-City News. Retrieved December 29, 2020.
  4. ^ Premier, Office of the (April 19, 2023). "Province strengthens cross-border collaboration through expanded role, new funding | BC Gov News". news.gov.bc.ca. Retrieved April 19, 2023.
  5. ^ "Two Tri-City MLAs keep ministerial roles in Eby cabinet". Tri-City News. November 19, 2024. Retrieved November 20, 2024.
  6. ^ a b c "Rick Glumac". www.leg.bc.ca. Retrieved June 18, 2020.
  7. ^ a b "Rick Glumac". IMDb. Retrieved June 18, 2020.
  8. ^ a b Staff Writer. "Rick Glumac aims for second term on Port Moody council". Tri-City News. Retrieved June 18, 2020.
  9. ^ "Port Moody election results 2014: Full results". Global News. Retrieved June 18, 2020.
  10. ^ Glumac, Rick (April 3, 2019). "Why healthcare for people in the Tri-Cities is going to get a whole lot better | BC Matters". bcmatters.ca. Retrieved June 18, 2020.
  11. ^ Strandberg, Diane. "ERH expansion to proceed without land sale — Dix". Tri-City News. Retrieved June 18, 2020.
  12. ^ a b c d "MLA Glumac advocates in legislature for tackling climate change while boosting Port Moody economy". New Democrat BC Government Caucus. Retrieved June 18, 2020.
  13. ^ "Tuesday, October 16, 2018, p.m., Issue 159". www.leg.bc.ca. Retrieved June 18, 2020.
  14. ^ "PNWER Staff". PNWER. Retrieved September 24, 2024.
  15. ^ "BC MLA Proposed to Partner in Legislature". globalnews.ca.
  16. ^ https://globalnews.ca/news/10779067/bc-election-2024-results-port-moody-burquitlam/
  17. ^ "2020 Provincial General Election Final Voting Results". electionsbcenr.blob.core.windows.net. Retrieved December 23, 2020.
  18. ^ "Election Financing Reports". Elections BC. Retrieved February 5, 2021.
  19. ^ "2017 Provincial General Election - Statement of Votes" (PDF). Elections BC. Retrieved June 3, 2018.
  20. ^ "Election Financing Reports". Elections BC. Retrieved September 12, 2020.