Former Richmond MLA and B.C.’s first environment minister, Jim Nielsen, has died.
Reports say Nielsen died on Wednesday morning in New Westminster’s Royal Columbian Hospital. He was aged 79.
While Nielsen was born in Moose Jaw, Sask, he moved to Richmond, B.C. when he was in high school. He was elected MLA for Richmond in the 1970s.
“Jim was quite a prominent figure back in the day as Richmond MLA and one of the more senior and influential members of the Bennett cabinet,” Ted Townsend, director, corporate communications and marketing for the City of Richmond told the Richmond News by email.
“Among other things he played a large role in getting the Richmond off ramps opened up on Art Laing Bridge, which Vancouver and YVR had resisted for many years.”
Townsend added that Nielsen was often tough and to the point.
“His quote at the opening ceremony for the off ramps was ‘It’s about bloody time,’” Townsend said.
According to CBC, Nielsen was appointed to the role of environment minister in 1975 at a time when the province was ambivalent toward protecting the environment. In 1981, Nielsen became the minister of health and later became the chair of the Workers Compensation Board of British Columbia.
After his political career, Nielsen continued to work as a public speaker and a newspaper columnist. He spent his last years in Langley.
