| Honorific-Prefix: | The Honourable |
| Brenda Bailey | |
| Honorific-Suffix: | MLA |
| Office: | Minister of Jobs, Economic Development and Innovation of British Columbia |
| Premier: | David Eby |
| Term Start: | December 7, 2022 |
| Predecessor: | Ravi Kahlon (Jobs, Economic Recovery and Innovation) |
| Assembly1: | British Columbia Legislative |
| Constituency Am1: | Vancouver-False Creek |
| Term Start1: | October 24, 2020 |
| Predecessor1: | Sam Sullivan |
| Party: | New Democratic |
| Birth Date: | [1] |
| Birth Place: | Nanaimo, British Columbia, Canada |
| Residence: | Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada |
| Occupation: | Businesswoman, politician |
| Alma Mater: | McGill University (BA) University of Victoria (M.S.W.) |
| Spouse: | Bijan Sanii |
Brenda Bailey is a Canadian businesswoman and politician who has represented the electoral district of Vancouver-False Creek in the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia since 2020. A member of the British Columbia New Democratic Party, she is currently the Minister of Jobs, Economic Development and Innovation of British Columbia.
Born and raised in Nanaimo,[1] Bailey graduated from McGill University in 1990 with a bachelor of arts degree in Political Science and International Relations,[2] and holds a degree in social work from University of Victoria.[3] She had worked in the non-profit sector, including as regional manager for the Canadian Cancer Society, prior to entering the video game industry.[2] She co-founded the Vancouver-based game developer Deep Fried Entertainment in 2005, serving as chief operating officer.[1] In 2010 she co-founded Silicon Sisters, the first Canadian video game studio founded by women to create high quality games for women and girls,[4] [5] and served as chief executive officer (CEO).[6] Bailey co-founded Women in Games Vancouver to support more women entering the Canadian high-technology sector.
Bailey had served as the executive director of Big Sisters of the BC Lower Mainland,[7] [8] before being named executive director of DigiBC, the Interactive and Digital Media Industry Association of British Columbia in February 2018.[9]
She was elected to the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia for the riding of Vancouver-False Creek in the 2020 election, defeating the incumbent BC Liberal candidate and former Vancouver mayor Sam Sullivan.[10] She was named Parliamentary Secretary for Technology and Innovation by Premier John Horgan on November 26, 2020.[11] She was then appointed Minister of Jobs, Economic Development and Innovation by Premier David Eby on December 7, 2022.[12] [13]
She is married to Bijan Sanii, CEO of INETCO, a BC fintech company. Bailey has three children from her prior marriage to Basil Stumborg, an Environmental Economist.