44th British Columbia general election
Provincial election in Canada
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The 44th British Columbia general election will elect members of the Legislative Assembly to serve in the 44th Parliament of the Canadian province of British Columbia. The Constitution Act requires that the election be held no later than October 21, 2028, but it may be called earlier.
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On or before October 21, 2028
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All 93 seats in the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia 47 seats needed for a majority | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Date of the election
Section 23 of British Columbia's Constitution Act provides that general elections occur on the third Saturday in October of the fourth calendar year after the last election.[1][2] The previous election was held in 2024; the next election is therefore scheduled for October 21, 2028. The same section, though, makes the fixed election date subject to the lieutenant governor's prerogative to dissolve the Legislative Assembly as they see fit (in practice, on the advice of the premier or following a vote of non-confidence).[1][3]
Background
The 2024 British Columbia general election was held on October 19, 2024. The incumbent New Democratic Party (NDP), led by Premier David Eby, won a narrow majority government, marking their third consecutive term in office.[4] The opposition BC United (formerly the BC Liberals) withdrew shortly before the election and endorsed the Conservative Party, led by John Rustad, who went on to form the official opposition.[5] The Green Party remained steady with two seats, but leader Sonia Furstenau lost her seat.[c][6] On December 13, the NDP and Greens announced a co-operation agreement.[7]
On January 28, 2025, Furstenau announced her resignation as Green Party leader. Jeremy Valeriote was named interim leader while the party organized a leadership election for September 2025, which was won by Emily Lowan.[8]
After months of party infighting in the Conservative caucus, on December 3, 2025, a letter was sent to the Conservative party president on behalf of 20 Conservative MLAs calling for Rustad to be removed as leader. The MLAs, who remained anonymous, said they had "lost confidence" in his leadership. Rustad dismissed the letter and refused to step down. Subsequently, the party executive declared Rustad "professionally incapacitated" and thus removed him as leader, and named Trevor Halford as interim leader.[9] Rustad disputed the legitimacy of his removal, saying "nothing has changed" and that he remains leader.[10] The following day, Rustad announced his resignation as leader.[11] The party's leadership election in May 2026 was won by former federal Cabinet minister Kerry-Lynne Findlay.
Incumbents not standing for re-election
| Member of the Legislative Assembly | Electoral district | Date announced | Ref. | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| John Rustad | Nechako Lakes | December 4, 2025 | [12] | |
Timeline
2024
- December 12 – The BC NDP and BC Greens announce the "Co-operation and Responsible Government Accord".[13][14]
2025
- January 28 – Green Party leader Sonia Furstenau announces her intention to resign.[15] West Vancouver-Sea to Sky MLA Jeremy Valeriote is appointed as interim leader.
- March 7 – Dallas Brodie is removed from the Conservative caucus for comments about residential schools.[16] Following this, Jordan Kealy and Tara Armstrong leave the Conservative caucus.[17]
- June 9 – Brodie and Armstrong launch a new party called OneBC, with Brodie serving as interim leader and Armstrong the house leader.[18][19]
- September 22 – Conservative leader John Rustad passes his leadership review with 70.66% support. Elenore Sturko is subsequently removed from the Conservative caucus.[20]
- September 24 – Emily Lowan wins the 2025 Green Party of British Columbia leadership election.[21]
- October 20 – Amelia Boultbee leaves the Conservative caucus to sit as an independent.[22]
- November 15 – David Eby survives his leadership review with 82% support.[23]
- December 3 – Rustad is removed as Conservative leader by the party's board of directors and caucus. He is replaced by Surrey-White Rock MLA Trevor Halford as interim leader.[9] Rustad disputes the legitimacy of his removal.[10]
- December 4 – Rustad announces his resignation as leader.[11]
- December 13 – Brodie is removed as interim leader of OneBC.[24][25]
- December 16 – Armstrong leaves OneBC to become an independent. The party loses representation in the legislature.[26]
- December 21 – Brodie reassumes the leadership of OneBC after its board resigns following negotiations. The party regains representation in the legislature but with fewer than two members, it does not have official party status.[27]
2026
- February 9 – The BC Greens decide not to renew their "Co-operation and Responsible Government Accord" with the BC NDP.[28]
- March 26 – Hon Chan is removed from the Conservative caucus and sits as an independent.[29]
- May 30 – Kerry-Lynne Findlay wins the 2026 Conservative Party of British Columbia leadership election.
- July 3 – Boultbee joins the New Democratic Party caucus.[30]
- August 14 – Peter Milobar leaves the Conservative caucus to sit as an independent.[31]
- August 22 – Reann Gasper steps down as MLA, allowing party leader Findlay to run for her seat in a September by-election.[32]
- August 24 – Ian Paton leaves the Conservative caucus to sit as an independent.[33]
- August 25 – Rosalyn Bird leaves the Conservative caucus to sit as an independent.[34]
- August 26 – Teresa Wat and Brennan Day leave the Conservative caucus to sit as independents.[35][36]
- August 27 – Bruce Banman leaves the Conservative caucus to sit as an independent.[37]
- August 28 – Joan Philip dies.[38]
- August 31 – Áʼa:líya Warbus leaves the Conservative caucus to sit as an independent.[39]
- September 2 – Donegal Wilson and Scott McInnis leave the Conservative caucus to sit as independents.[40][41]
Opinion polling
| Opinion polls | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Polling firm | Dates conducted | Source | NDP | Con. | Green | OneBC | Centre | Others[d] | Margin of error | Sample size | Polling method | Lead |
| Research Co. | Aug 12–14, 2026 | [42] | 44% | 39% | 10% | 1% | 5% | 1% | 3.5% | 801 | Online | 5 |
| 604 Polling | Jul 31 – Aug 8, 2026 | [43] | 35% | 45% | 12% | 2% | 2% | 4% | 2.9% | 1,124 | IVR | 10 |
| Yorkville Strategies | Jul 28 – Aug 3, 2026 | [44][45] | 46% | 40% | 12% | 1% | 0% | 2% | — | 1,016 | Online | 6 |
| Fairview Strategy | Jul 6–17, 2026 | [46][45] | 44% | 40% | 12% | — | — | 5% | — | 896 | Online | 4 |
| Angus Reid | Jun 1–12, 2026 | [47] | 36% | 47% | 11% | — | — | 6% | 4% | 755 | Online | 11 |
| Research Co. | Jun 3–5, 2026 | [48] | 42% | 42% | 9% | 2% | 3% | 2% | 3.5% | 803 | Online | Tie |
| Leger | Jun 1–2, 2026 | [49] | 41% | 45% | 8% | — | — | 6% | 3.1% | 1,002 | Online | 4 |
| May 30, 2026 | Kerry-Lynne Findlay is elected leader of the Conservative Party of British Columbia. | |||||||||||
| Angus Reid | Apr 24–28, 2026 | [50] | 36% | 46% | 13% | — | — | 4% | 3% | 804 | Online | 10 |
| Mainstreet Research | Apr 9–13, 2026 | [51] | 38.0% | 32.8% | 16.1% | 10.9% | — | 2.2% | 2.8% | 1,275 | Smart IVR | 5.2 |
| Leger | Apr 3–6, 2026 | [52] | 44% | 40% | 10% | 3% | — | 4% | 3.1% | 1,003 | Online | 4 |
| Angus Reid | Mar 11–17, 2026 | [53] | 42% | 44% | 9% | — | — | 7% | 4% | 499 | Online | 2 |
| Mainstreet Research | Mar 11–13, 2026 | [54] | 39% | 37% | 12% | — | — | 13% | 3% | 1,054 | Smart IVR | 2 |
| Innovative Research | Feb 6 – March 3, 2026 | [55] | 39% | 47% | 10% | — | — | 4% | — | 991 | Online | 8 |
| Pallas Data | Feb 12–27, 2026 | [56] | 42% | 40% | 11% | 5% | — | 2% | 2.8% | 1,256 | IVR | 2 |
| One Persuasion | Feb 21–24, 2026 | [57] | 37% | 41% | 11% | 6% | — | 5% | 3.1% | 1,005 | Online | 4 |
| Pallas Data | Feb 12–14, 2026 | [58] | 42% | 37% | 13% | 6% | — | 2% | 3.1% | 988 | IVR | 5 |
| February 9, 2026 | The BC Green Party ends its confidence and supply agreement with the BC NDP.[59] | |||||||||||
| Leger | Feb 6–9, 2026 | [46] | 44% | 39% | 9% | 5% | — | 2% | — | 1,007 | Online | 5 |
| Leger | Jan 23–26, 2026 | [60] | 44% | 38% | 9% | 6% | — | 3% | 3.1% | 1,003 | Online | 6 |
| Dec 21, 2025 | Dallas Brodie reassumes leadership of OneBC. | |||||||||||
| Mainstreet Research | Dec 17–18, 2025 | [61] | 41% | 41% | 10% | 7% | — | — | 2.2% | 1,902 | Smart IVR | Tie |
| Dec 13–16, 2025 | Dallas Brodie is removed as leader of OneBC. Tara Armstrong subsequently leaves the party, and OneBC loses party status in the legislature. | |||||||||||
| Pallas Data | Dec 11–13, 2025 | [62] | 44% | 39% | 9% | 7% | — | 1% | 3.2% | 923 | IVR | 5 |
| Dec 3–4, 2025 | John Rustad is removed as leader of the Conservative Party of British Columbia. MLA Trevor Halford becomes interim leader. | |||||||||||
| Angus Reid | Nov 26 – Dec 1, 2025 | [63] | 43% | 40% | 11% | — | — | 8% | 4% | 463 | Online | 3 |
| Yorkville Strategies | Nov 24–25, 2025 | [64] | 40% | 42% | 8% | 5% | — | 4% | — | 600 | IVR | 2 |
| EKOS | Nov 20–25, 2025 | [46] | 44% | 35% | 9% | 8% | 2% | 3% | 3.3% | 889 | Telephone | 9 |
| Angus Reid | Oct 23–25, 2025 | [65] | 40% | 41% | 11% | 5% | 1% | 1% | 3% | 1,044 | Online | 1 |
| Abacus Data | Oct 9–15, 2025 | [66] | 47% | 40% | 8% | 1% | 3% | — | 3.1% | 1,000 | Online | 7 |
| Leger | Oct 10–12, 2025 | [67] | 48% | 38% | 8% | — | — | 7% | 3.0% | 1,035 | Online | 10 |
| Cardinal Research | Oct 4–6, 2025 | [68] | 42.5% | 41.3% | 10% | 3.8% | — | 2.5% | 3% | 1,088 | IVR | 1.2 |
| Research Co. | Oct 1–3, 2025 | [69] | 44% | 38% | 12% | 1% | 3% | 1% | 3.5% | 801 | Online | 6 |
| Sep 24, 2025 | Emily Lowan is elected leader of the Green Party of British Columbia. | |||||||||||
| Angus Reid | Aug 28 – Sep 5, 2025 | [70] | 42% | 44% | 10% | — | — | 4% | 3% | 811 | Online | 2 |
| Mainstreet Research | Jun 23–24, 2025 | [71] | 41% | 44% | 7% | — | — | 8% | 3.2% | 943 | Smart IVR | 3 |
| Jun 9, 2025 | Independent MLAs Dallas Brodie and Tara Armstrong form OneBC.[72] | |||||||||||
| Research Co. | Jun 7–9, 2025 | [73] | 43% | 42% | 8% | 1%[e] | 2% | 3% | 3.5% | 803 | Online | 1 |
| Leger | May 23–25, 2025 | [74] | 45% | 39% | 11% | — | — | 5% | 3.04% | 1,032 | Online | 6 |
| Canadian Election Study | Apr 29 – May 13, 2025 | [75] | 42% | 34% | 6% | — | — | 18%
Liberal 17% Others 1% |
N/A | 1,649 | Online | 8 |
| Liaison Strategies | May 2–4, 2025 | [76] | 45% | 47% | 7% | — | — | 2% | 3.45% | 800 | IVR | 2 |
| Mar 28, 2025 | Former MLA Karin Kirkpatrick forms CentreBC. | |||||||||||
| Research Co. | Mar 3–5, 2025 | [77] | 44% | 42% | 11% | — | — | 3% | 3.5% | 802 | Online | 2 |
| Pallas Data | Feb 15, 2025 | [78] | 48.8% | 40.7% | 7.6% | — | — | 2.9% | 3.8% | 677 | IVR | 8.1 |
| Jan 28, 2025 | Sonia Furstenau resigns as leader of the Green Party of British Columbia. MLA Jeremy Valeriote becomes interim leader. | |||||||||||
| Leger | Jan 24–26, 2025 | [79] | 44% | 42% | 10% | — | — | 4% | 3.1% | 1,001 | Online | 2 |
| 2024 general election | Oct 19, 2024 | 44.9% | 43.3% | 8.2% | — | — | 3.6% | — | 2,107,152 | Election | 1.6 | |
Hypothetical voting intentions with BC Liberals on the ballot
Notes
- Running in Abbotsford-Mission by-election
- Brodie was previously leader from June 9, 2025 – December 13, 2025.
- Furstenau was the incumbent MLA for Cowichan Valley but stood in Victoria-Beacon Hill in 2024.
- May implicitly include support for OneBC or CentreBC, depending on the poll
- Poll asked about a prospective party with independent MLAs Dallas Brodie, Jordan Kealy, and Tara Armstrong. OneBC was announced after this poll was conducted.