“My role is to unite people, learning from those that have the most time on this land and to moving forward and build a BC that everyone can be proud of.”

Keenan Dennehy is a tradesperson, rural resident, wilderness guide and environmental advocate with deep ties to the Kootenays. His work and life experience have shaped a strong focus on rural communities, resource-based economies and the long-term health of the land.

After living in different parts of British Columbia, Keenan enrolled in Selkirk College’s Heavy Mechanical Foundation program and built a homestead in the Kootenays. His career has included maintaining machinery and complex operations in remote camps, as well as wilderness guiding in polar regions and along the coast of British Columbia.

Those experiences gave Keenan firsthand knowledge of the work required to keep remote and rural communities functioning. He believes tradespeople, resource workers and rural residents deserve to be respected for the essential roles they play in British Columbia’s economy and communities.

Keenan is the founder of 4theloveofbc.ca, a personal advocacy project focused on forestry reform, environmental stewardship and strengthening local economies. His work centres on finding a better balance between economic activity and ecosystem health.

He has also completed advanced training through Vancouver Island University in Indigenous Protected and Conserved Area planning. His continued education has focused on Indigenous-led conservation, co-governance and the evolving relationships between Indigenous Nations, governments and communities in land-use decision-making.

Keenan is running in Kootenay-Rockies to advocate for diversified local economies, responsible resource management, collaboration with First Nations and a future where communities can prosper without sacrificing the integrity of the land that sustains them.