NANAIMO, B.C. - The New Democrats in British Columbia have acclaimed member of Parliament Sheila Malcolmson as their candidate in an upcoming provincial byelection, kicking off her campaign in Nanaimo on Sunday.

Malcolmson says her priorities will include making housing more affordable, protecting the coast from oil spills and pollution from abandoned vessels, and helping to bring a harbour-to-harbour foot passenger ferry service between Nanaimo and downtown Vancouver.

In a statement, she calls the race “the most important byelection in B.C. history.”

The byelection could weaken the New Democrats' already precarious hold on power, as the NDP and its Green allies together currently hold only one more seat than the Opposition Liberals in the B.C. legislature.

Malcolmson has said she will resign her federal Nanaimo-Ladysmith seat when the byelection is called.

She faces competition from local businessman Tony Harris, who is running for the Liberals, and retired teacher Michele Ney of the Greens.