Barry Penner was appointed Minister of Environment and Minister Responsible for Water Stewardship and Sustainable Communities on June 16, 2005.

Mr. Penner was first elected MLA for the riding of Chilliwack-Kent in 1996 and was re-elected in 2001 and 2005.

He has previously served as Parliamentary Secretary to the Government House Leader, has chaired the Government Caucus Committee on Natural Resources, and served on the Legislative Assembly Standing Committee on Crown Corporations, the Committee on Parliamentary Reform, Ethical Conduct and Private Bills, the Committee on Aboriginal Affairs, and the Cabinet Committee for Legislative Review.

In 2001, Mr. Penner was appointed to lead B.C.'s delegation to the Pacific Northwest Economic Region (PNWER). He served as PNWER's vice-president before becoming President in 2002 and remains active in PNWER issues.

Mr. Penner's experiences as park ranger and outdoor enthusiast has driven him to protect our environment and to encourage responsible methods of energy generation. He has been a strong advocate for small-hydro, wind power and other new energy sources.

Mr. Penner was born and raised in Chilliwack. He graduated from Simon Fraser University with a bachelor of arts degree and went on to earn a law degree from the University of Victoria. After law school, he worked for an international law firm in Bangkok, Thailand, before returning to Chilliwack where he practiced law until his election in 1996.

Barry Penner lives in Chilliwack.