(The following is a submission by the Green Party of Canada on behalf of Columbia-Kootenay-Southern Rockies candidate Steven Maffioli who is running in the April 28 election.)
Steven Maffioli was born and raised in beautiful British Columbia on Ktunaxa territory (the Elk Valley), and has been a long-time supporter of the Greens.
Growing up skiing, fishing, and hiking with his family, Maffioli developed an affinity for nature and Canada’s rare wildlife, creating in him a passion for protecting animals and the environment. At age 20, he left B.C. and moved to Calgary, attending bartending school and quickly falling in love with the city.
Maffioli is a staunch animal rights advocate and vegan, coming from a family with a small farm that temporarily fosters shelter animals. He is passionate about creating a sustainable and equitable society for all, with good leadership that works across party lines to build bridges and not walls. A keen supporter of ranked ballots and proportional representation, Maffioli is dedicated to building a consensus across partisan divides to reform the voting system.
In his spare time Maffioli is dedicated to his community, always striving to improve life through volunteering, particularly with seniors. He is an avid reader and enjoys the literary works of writers such as Marianne Williamson, and Winona LaDuke, and has been inspired by the Indigenous struggles for land recognition.
It is Maffioli’s firm belief that it takes a community to make change and that only love can cast out hate. He is honoured to represent Columbia-Kootenay-Southern Rockies in the Legislature.
Born and raised in beautiful Fernie, Maffioli spent his 20s living and working in downtown Calgary, where he began volunteering with the Green Party of Canada and the Green Party of Alberta.
He dedicated his time to multiple campaigns before officially joining the Alberta Greens as a candidate for Calgary-Glenmore in the 2023 provincial election. During his time in Calgary, he also worked with several local organizations to raise awareness about pollution and Canada’s affordable housing crisis.
After moving back home to British Columbia, Maffioli decided to pursue his passion for wellness and became a certified yoga instructor through the Vancouver School of Healing Arts. Between election cycles and campaigns, he is working toward becoming a naturopath and hopes to integrate more holistic healers and practitioners into Canada’s healthcare system.
Maffioli is deeply passionate about voter reform. Since his first campaign, he has consistently championed the cause, keeping the conversation alive at the doors and on the campaign trail. If elected, he will work tirelessly to build cross-party support for replacing Canada’s flawed first-past-the-post system with a voting process that better represents the interests of Canadians.
Maffioli promises to serve his community with poise, professionalism, and a spirit of non-partisanship.
“I’m running in this election to put my community and its interests first. Above all else, I’m willing to work with anyone to achieve real results . . . setting aside petty politics and personal biases to get things done.”
