Conservatives Win Majority in British Columbia for First Time Since 1928

The Conservative Party of British Columbia won a majority government in Saturday’s provincial election, securing 64 of 93 seats and ending nine years of New Democratic Party rule. It is the first time a party running under the Conservative banner has formed a government in the province since 1928.

The New Democrats won 27 seats and the Green Party two, according to provisional results. Interim Conservative Leader Lorne Doerkson will become premier. In his victory speech, Doerkson said British Columbians had voted for a better province and pledged to cut red tape, expand energy production, and “supercharge” the province. The party’s platform includes doubling natural gas production by 2032 and more than tripling it by 2035, ending emissions limits, replacing the province’s carbon tax framework, and seeking to re-engage energy companies that left the LNG sector after 2018.

Outgoing Premier David Eby of the NDP called the election two years early while holding a majority. He resigned as party leader in his concession speech Saturday night, accepting responsibility for the outcome. Eby retained his own seat in Vancouver-Point Grey. The NDP had entered the campaign with 47 seats after the 2024 election; the Conservatives held 44 at that time but had fallen to 29 official seats by the time the legislature was dissolved.

The Conservatives gained ground across the Lower Mainland, including sweeps in Surrey, Delta, and Richmond, along with additional seats in Vancouver. Preliminary results showed the Conservatives with roughly 48 percent of the popular vote and the NDP with about 37 percent. Voter turnout appeared lower than in recent elections, with early figures around 43 to 45 percent of registered voters.

Prime Minister Mark Carney congratulated Doerkson and said he looked forward to working with him on housing, energy development, and building a stronger British Columbia and Canada. The Conservatives had faced internal divisions and leadership changes in the months before the election; Doerkson assumed the interim leadership weeks earlier. Final seat counts remain subject to remaining ballot counts, including mail-in ballots.