Henry Yao, former MLA for Richmond South Centre

Born in Taipei, Taiwan in 1979, Yao’s family immigrated to Canada and settled in Richmond, British Columbia. Yao is fluent in both English and Mandarin. After graduating with a degree in Psychology from the University of British Columbia, Yao started a career in the private sector, working for many different businesses.[2] In the early 2000s, he was unfortunately diagnosed with two different types of lymphoma, which led to his decision to serve the public. With the continual support of his friends and family, his cancer went into remission five years later and he has been dedicated to making life better for the community ever since

Yao has spent over 10 years in the field of youth work, ​helping shape the lives of countless young people in Richmond. Through his work with several local youth-focused organizations, he has helped youth develop career-building and leadership skills, while fostering a deep desire to better their own community. He has worked hard to ensure young people have the opportunities and mentorship they need to thrive.

In 2014, while working as the youth development coordinator for the Richmond City Centre Community Association, Yao was troubled by some of the trends he witnessed in the community. In hopes of building a brighter future for all in Richmond, he decided to enter politics. With the support of family and friends, Yao was first involved in municipal elections. Although defeated, the experience gave him a valuable opportunity to deeply appreciate the complexity and challenges faced by people in Richmond. He was inspired to further serve, learn, and connect with the community through various opportunities.

Yao has been involved in numerous local organizations, including the Richmond Chamber of Commerce and the Richmond Chinese Community Society. Yao co-founded the Dialogue Richmond Society, an organization dedicated to promoting safe, respectful, and constructive dialogues on difficult community topics. He served as the vice president of the Vancouver Metropolitan Lions Club, and also as the secretary of the Richmond Chinese Community Society. He is a lifetime member of Taiwan Chamber of Commerce of BC, also served as a director of the Richmond Food Security Society and Nature Park. He volunteered as a dishwasher at St. Alban’s Anglican Church community meal program. Yao served as a meal host and security at Gilmore Park United Church community meal program. He is a community partner with the Partners for Beautification Program.

In 2018, he joined RITE Richmond and ran for Richmond City council. Although not successful, Yao gained new perspective and made significant progress in connecting with the community and gaining public recognition. In 2020, under John Horgan’s leadership, Yao joined the BC NDP and ran in the riding of Richmond South Centre as an NDP candidate against Alexa Loo of the Liberals. He defeated Loo by a margin of 179 votes, becoming a Member of the Legislative Assembly, and served for four years from 2020 to 2024.

As a Member of the Legislative Assembly, he advocated for the expansion of Richmond Hospital, the implementation of two Urgent and Primary Care Centres (UPCC) and food and water security, while championing multicultural dialogue and environmental protection. Yao has also focused on strengthening community ties and addressing local issues. From 2021 to 2024, he organized roundtables for discussions on various topics, including community engagement, public safety with the RCMP, British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program, Traditional Chinese Medicine industry needs, public and mental health, and poverty reduction. Additionally, his local achievements include:

Yao achieved a historical milestone by helping Kwantlen Polytechnic University (KPU) establish the first-ever public school Bachelor’s degree in Traditional Chinese Medicine in North America in 2024.

He introduced the Lunar New Year Act in November 2023 to officially recognize the Lunar New Year in British Columbia by designating the month beginning on Lunar New Year as the “Lunar New Year and Spring Festival Celebration Month,” aiming to celebrate the cultural diversity of the province’s communities in a legally supported way.

In hope of strengthening the constituency office’s connection with the community, Yao hosted various community beneficiary projects to support the less fortunate members of the community. With support from Richmond nonprofit Mamas for Mamas in August 2023, Yao coordinated a diaper and formula drive to support local families with infants and babies. In December 2023, with support from Richmond Family Place, his constituency office organized a toy, clothing and household item drive with all items donated to give to families in need. With the support from Garden City Conservation Society and the City of Richmond, Yao’s constituency office hosted multiple invasive species removal events for Garden City Park and the Miyawaki Forest. The environmentally empowering initiatives were supported by hundreds of volunteers, hoping to work together to beautify and strengthen Richmond for all to enjoy.

His constituency office organized several public workshops to connect people in Richmond with various opportunities, information, and initiatives. He also organized several public workshops, including:

Yao has also empowered community members to plan various events for the benefit of Richmond residents, including forming the volunteer group Meliora. With the support of Meliora youth leadership, his constituency office also hosted:

To support the prosperity of Richmond, Yao also invited various ministers to discuss key topics that are important to the people of Richmond, including small business growth, supporting BC and Richmond tourism initiatives, promoting arts, cultural, and sports activities in BC and Richmond, as well as supporting the diversity of health and Traditional Chinese Medicine.

Taking advantage of the Lunar New Year festivities in 2024, Yao hosted a celebration at Gateway Theatre, inviting local dance, music, cultural and senior groups to come together and showcase their talents and skills to the people of Richmond.

Prior to the 2024 BC Election, in response to school trustees’ recommendation, he along with his fellow colleagues, initiated the important conversation with the Minister of Education in hopes of securing the City Centre Elementary School in Richmond to alleviate the pressure from growing population.

For the four years serving as MLA, Yao attended thousands of events showing support for local nonprofits, aimed at keeping people in Richmond connected, engaged, and supported, and, most of all, championed healthcare, environmental action, economic prosperity and inclusivity.