VICTORIA, B.C. -- Andrew Weaver's phone has been ringing for months. Back in October, he announced he's leaving the top job with the B.C. Green Party – and when the next election is called, he'll be done as MLA for Oak Bay-Gordon Head as well.

In a year-end interview, CTV News Vancouver's legislative bureau chief Bhinder Sajan asked Weaver whether he's had any job offers since his announcement. His response: "Lots."

Weaver said he's still deciding what to do next, but could see himself back at a university. He is a climate scientist who previously worked at the University of Victoria, where he was director of the school's Climate Modelling Group.

Ride-hailing

CTV News asked the former professor to grade the NDP's performance on several issues. First up: ride-hailing.

“B. It’s coming, it's taking a long time, but I’m giving a B because we’re still rolling out legislation," Weaver said.

He said a better approach would have been for the province to be more proactive instead of relying on the Passenger Transportation Board. He said the different licences municipalities are requiring for companies to operate could have been eliminated with that strategy.

Climate action

Weaver was heavily involved in creating B.C.'s climate action plan and making sure the government would report back to the public on its progress. In grading that, Weaver gives an A for accountability and a B-plus on implementation. He thinks overall, more can be done.

“I'm very pleased with the climate plan. I'm pleased with what I'm hearing. Obviously the caveat on all of that is how LNG plays into this.”

Liquefied Natural Gas has been a sticking point between the Greens and the NDP. Work started by the Liberals to woo investors to British Columbia culminated in an announcement under the NDP government for the largest private sector investment the province has ever seen. Yet Weaver and the Greens remain opposed, saying the province should be reducing its reliance on fossil fuels.

For that reason, Weaver said the issue was both a low point and a high point.

“The vote last spring where the B.C. Greens stood up 14 times and voted against yet more corporate giveaways, welfare for LNG Canada….it was a low point in terms of public policy but it was a high point in terms of distinguishing why it's so very important to have Greens in this legislature," he said.

The economy

Weaver believes several parts of the economy are doing well, including the technology, innovation, biomedical and construction sectors. And while unemployment is low, 18,000 jobs were lost last month.

A chunk of those came from the forestry industry. Thousands of forestry workers are off the job, some indefinitely and some temporarily.

“An A-minus because the forest sector needs a bit of work, it needs bold leadership," he said. "Everyone is tinkering around the edges, and as you fiddle, things fall apart.”

Weaver is also advocating for a restructuring of the industry to make it more viable.

Politics

Weaver said he found the MLA job rewarding, but as leader he faced a lot of demanding work to build a costed platform and grow the party. Yet he said he enjoyed it immensely, because he was able to get stuff done for people.

With Weaver calling it quits as leader, the question now is whether the power-sharing agreement with the NDP called the Confidence and Supply Agreement, or CASA, can last.

“It'll be difficult for CASA to stay intact, but there's no reason it can't,” Weaver said.

Where it might get difficult depends on the incoming leader, and what she or he promises party members.

To political observers, it might seem like a good time to call an election, at least for the Greens. The face of the party is stepping down, and a new leader may not be ready to hit the campaign trail running. Plus, the Liberals continue to be haunted by their actions while in government.

“I wouldn't fault anybody for doing what they do and we'll just see what happens," Weaver said.

Highlights

Weaver said getting three private members bills passed was among his highlights for 2019, adding it was, in his understanding, the first time that’s happened. Among them was the Holodomor Memorial Day Act, which designated the last Saturday in November as the day to remember the Ukrainian Genocide of 1932/33.

“That to me was very, very important," he said. "It’s my family heritage.”