Representing the British Columbia New Democratic Party (BC NDP), he won an October 2008 by-election in the electoral district of Vancouver-Burrard.

He advocated for bicycle valet service at large public events, investigating environmentally friendly means of disposing of animal waste, and implementing a zero-net-loss-of-greenspace policy.

At the provincial level, Chandra Herbert has advocated for a community victim services worker in Davie Village, a specialized telephone line for people to call to report incidents involving gay-bashing or verbal and physical assaults, and for school boards to include LGBT issues, especially in anti-bullying lessons.

Born and raised in Vancouver, Chandra Herbert attended Prince of Wales Mini School and graduated from Simon Fraser University with a Bachelor of Fine Arts.

[3] He worked as a producer of the United Nations World Urban Forum Arts and Culture Festival,[4] and been involved with the Better Environmentally Sound Transportation, the B.C.

[9][10] Following the December 2006 windstorm that hit Stanley Park, Chandra Herbert held the first fundraiser assist rehabilitation and enlisted local wood-turners and wood-workers in salvaging trees.

[16][17] The NPA-dominated Board also rejected Chandra Herbert's initiatives regarding investigating environmentally friendly means to dispose of dog feces at parks[18] and to have a bicycle valet service at public events (like what was being done at Vancouver Canadians baseball games).

[19][20] Chandra Herbert was successful in having the board direct its food concessionaires to serve only seafood that was Ocean Wise endorsed,[21] though he was alone in voting against extending concessionary leases from one year to ten.

Chandra Herbert was active helping renters in the West End who were experiencing high-profile increases in rent being approved by the Residential Tenancy Branch.

[41] Chandra Herbert was again expected to win,[42] which he ultimately did – receiving over 50 percent of the vote – but his party again formed the Official Opposition to a BC Liberal majority government.

[47] Chandra Herbert was also critical of the changes, which began in July 2009,[48] and were partially reversed in March[49] and September 2010, to the provincial grant system which distributed proceeds from gambling to non-profit groups involved in arts, culture, sports, and education.

[50] Chandra Herbert illustrated the impact of the changes, which included province-wide cuts to non-profit groups, by contrasting them with the cost overruns from both the construction of the Vancouver Convention Centre and the replacement of the BC Place stadium roof.

[51] In June 2010, he brought a motion forward in the Legislative Assembly to declare the pacific salmon as one of the symbols of British Columbia,[52][53] and it was added in March 2013.

[54] In July 2010, following the release of a study that identified BC as having the highest number of hate crimes in the country, he called upon the government to operate a telephone "bash line" where people could anonymously report incidents involving gay-bashing or verbal and physical assaults.

[55][56] Along with fellow NDP MLA Mable Elmore, he advocated for schools to teach equality for people who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender or questioning.

[65] In February 2014, his Vancouver-West End constituency office was vandalized by a man reportedly upset by the display of LGBT pride flags.

Premier John Horgan created the Rental Housing Task Force consisting of Chandra Herbert and fellow MLAs Ronna-Rae Leonard and Adam Olsen to report to Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing Selina Robinson with recommendations to review and update the provincial government's residential tenancy laws and policies, which had not been changed substantially in 16 years.

[70] Beginning in June 2018, the task force traveled to 10 cities across the province[71] and provided a suite of recommendations in December to mixed reviews.