SURREY, B.C. - When voters in Surrey-Panorama head to the polls on October 24, one name on the ballot will be more familiar from film credits than from politics: Nolen Scott, the BC Green Party candidate, a film professional, musician, and labour organizer with nearly a decade of experience in British Columbia’s film and television industry.
Scott has worked as an Assistant Director on major productions including Sho-gun, Tron: Ares, and Off Campus, as well as independent Canadian productions including Sweet Summer Pow Wow. His experience in the industry has shaped his commitment to stronger labour protections, fair pay, and better working conditions.
That is not an abstract platform plank. Scott previously served two terms on the Production Assistants Caucus Advisory Committee of the Directors Guild of Canada, where he advocated for increased rest periods, higher pay, and other workplace improvements for production assistants – the entry-level workers who keep film sets running.
“My vision for BC, and for Surrey-Panorama, is one where workers and their families are put first,” Scott has said.
Outside of film, Scott is active in the Lower Mainland arts community. He is a co-founder and board member of the Vancouver Venue Co-op, an organization focused on supporting independent arts and culture, and helped organize its first flagship festival, Everything But the Bagel, which supported more than 30 artists over a 20-hour event. He has also been involved in grassroots community organizing, spending time speaking with residents about affordability, working conditions, and the challenges facing families across the region.
Surrey-Panorama is one of the tightest races in the province. In 2024, Conservative Bryan Tepper unseated NDP MLA Jinny Sims by just 263 votes after the final count – one of the narrowest margins anywhere in B.C. This time the race is a four-way contest between Tepper, Sims, Scott, and CentreBC’s Manav Manro.
For the Greens, Scott’s labour-organizing background is the argument: in a riding decided by a few hundred votes, a candidate who has fought for workers on film sets can make the case that the legislature needs more people who know what a shift feels like.
Advance voting in Surrey-Panorama runs October 16 to 21, from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., at Sunshine Ridge Baptist Church (6230 120 Street). General voting day is Saturday, October 24.
Photo: BC Green Party (bcgreens.ca)
Sources: bcgreens.ca; Elections BC; bcballot.ca
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