Chilliwack – Chilliwack entrepreneur and community advocate Salina Derish has been selected as the Green Party’s candidate for Chilliwack-Hope in the next federal election, expected in the coming months.
Derish is an environmental advocate and expert when it comes to sustainable living, having spent her life pursuing solutions. In 2018, she founded PickEco Refills, the Fraser Valley’s first zero-waste grocery store. To further reduce environmental impact, she launched PickEco Compost in 2020, offsetting her business’s carbon footprint. As President of PickEco Zero Waste Society and a founding director of the Downtown Chilliwack Market Society, she has worked to strengthen food security, support local farmers, and inspire real change.
“I grew up in the Fraser Valley, but Chilliwack is where I found home” Derish says. “From sustainability and food security to protecting both people and the planet, my work has always been about making life better for all.”
Her dedication to service began long before her environmental work. A former Army Reservist, truck driver, and corrections officer, Derish understands the challenges of long hours, tight budgets, and a system that doesn’t always work for everyone. She believes leaders should unite people, not divide them, and is committed to safe communities, fair opportunities, and a healthy future.
“Change begins with leaders who don’t just talk about what’s possible but show it through action. Salina embodies these values” says Debora Soutar, CEO of the Chilliwack-Hope Federal Green Party Association.
“Salina is an excellent representative for the Green Party. She’s a hard-working mother, small business owner, and passionate advocate. Our riding deserves a leader like Salina, who puts Canadian and Green values first.”
Derish travels across communities promoting ‘Attainable and Sustainable’ solutions, practical steps that make a real difference. “Sustainability isn’t about perfection, it’s about progress” she notes.
“In uncertain times, whether due to economic shifts, environmental challenges, or global instability, local solutions matter” says Derish. “I am committed to policies that empower communities, strengthen local economies, and prioritize sustainability. With renewed calls to ‘buy local’ in response to proposed U.S. tariffs, such advocacy is more relevant than ever.”
When she’s not actively working for a better future, Derish can be found hiking trails in Chilliwack-Hope or freediving (i.e. without scuba tanks) to retrieve sunken items from local bodies of water, including Cultus Lake and the Vedder River.
Team building and preparations are underway to ensure Derish’s campaign provides a strong Green Party presence in Chilliwack-Hope.
