Stating a need to focus on family and community work, 琉璃神社-West MLA Ben Stewart announced in Oct. that he will retire from politics.

鈥淲hen I do the math, 2009 until the next election, it puts it at more than 15 years,鈥� Stewart said. 鈥淚 would have to consider staying on into my seventies. I love the work and I love the constituents. I just felt that I need to give myself some time in my life to do other things.鈥�

Stewart said he plans to mentor his children and grandchildren in the family business, Quail鈥檚 Gate Winery, and hopefully take on fundraising roles in the Central Okanagan.

He added that highlights of his political career include the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver-Whistler and being appointed the Special Representative to Asia in 2013 by the premier at the time, Christy Clark.

Stewart was also the agriculture minister in 2010-2011 under former premier Gordon Campbell.

Stewart was first elected to the B.C. Legislature as MLA, for the then Westside-琉璃神社 riding, in 2009.