Image: Instagram via Teri Westerby / B.C. Premier David Eby spoke at Sunday's memorial in Chilliwack to remember the late Dan Coulter.

By Mike Vanden Bosch

In memory of Dan Coulter

B.C. Premier Eby visits Chilliwack Sunday to pay tribute to late MLA Dan Coulter

Sep 15, 2025 | 9:55 AM

CHILLIWACK — B.C. Premier David Eby and prominent Chilliwack-area figures braved the rainy elements Sunday during a public memorial to remember the life of former MLA Dan Coulter.

Coulter, who passed in December 2024, was remembered by colleagues and friends at All Sappers Memorial Park at Vedder Road and Keith Wilson Road in Chilliwack while rain fell.

“It’s an honour to be here with you to remember such an amazing guy,” Premier Eby said. “You know, he’s an incredibly brave man. He was so strong. Dan was super brave. I mean, you don’t run for the NDP in Chilliwack without being pretty brave. You’ve heard he was a great fundraiser. Part of being a fundraiser is courage. Being able to ask people for money. When he was an elected official, he never hesitated to protect people who are being attacked, who are vulnerable in one way or another. You know, I think he made the most headlines for standing up for trans kids.”

Former Chilliwack-Kent MLA Kelli Paddon, who served as emcee and primary organizer, along with Dr. Rob Lees, Mark Jackson, Ghazaleh Nozamani and Teri Westerby, were instrumental in making the memorial come to fruition.

Multiple public figures paid tribute to Coulter at the podium, including Eddie Gardner, Kiera and Rebecca Coulter, DJ Pohl, SD33 Superintendent Rohan Arul-Pragasm, Mayor Ken Popove, Trustee Willow Reichelt, and CTA President Reid Clark.

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Sardis Drumline from Sardis Secondary School performed during Sunday’s tribute.

Image: Facebook via Lisa Morry / Sardis Drumline performed during Sunday’s memorial to Dan Coulter.

A scholarship in Coulter’s name has been established for Chilliwack students interested in the trades. The scholarship will open doors for students in Chilliwack for years to come.

At the time of his passing, the B.C. NDP said Coulter’s career was marked by a commitment to championing those often overlooked. As the past chair of the Chilliwack School Board, president of CUPE 3787, and later as the Parliamentary Secretary for Accessibility and Minister of State for Infrastructure and Transit, he fought to create a fairer province where everyone could thrive regardless of their abilities or circumstances.

Coulter’s impact extended beyond politics; he was deeply cherished by those who knew him personally.

“Dan was more than a colleague — he was a mentor, a friend, and an extraordinary advocate for his community,” the BC NDP said in a statement. “He was smart, funny, thoughtful, and above all, kind. He was the very best of us.”

by Mike Vanden Bosch

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B.C. Premier Eby visits Chilliwack Sunday to pay tribute to late MLA Dan Coulter

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