CBC Lite Sections News • Canada • British Columbia BRITISH COLUMBIA VOTES B.C. Conservatives projected to win 1st majority in nearly a century after Eby's election gamble backfires Posted: October 25, 2026 1:30 AM | Last Updated: 7 hours ago Premier-designate Lorne Doerkson says province is 'definitely blue' as Eby resigns NDP leadership Embed | CBC News projects a B.C. Conservative majority government Open full embed in new tab Loading external pages may require significantly more data usage than loading CBC Lite story pages. The Latest * The B.C. Conservatives have toppled the incumbent B.C. NDP to win a majority government, CBC News projects, the party's first since 1928. * "B.C. is definitely blue," Premier-designate Lorne Doerkson said in a jubilant victory speech. * David Eby, who called an election two years early in hopes his party would win a stronger, fourth term, resigned as premier and NDP leader in his concession speech. * Green Party Leader Emily Lowan was projected to win her first seat in the legislature, while the leaders of OneBC and CentreBC were both projected to lose their seats. * For riding-by-riding results, tap here. Updates 📌 Pinned Updates 📌 Pinned 9 hours ago Historic win projected for the B.C. Conservative Party Justin McElroy Image | Premier-designate Lorne Doerkson arrives for his victory speech on election night. (Ethan Cairns/The Canadian Press) (BUTTON) Load image Open image in new tab All election nights are historic — but this projected Conservative Party victory will be talked about a little bit more than most campaigns. Five weeks ago, Kerry-Lynne Findlay resigned as their leader. The party was in disarray. Many MLAs elected under their banner had fled to CentreBC. Lorne Doerkson was vacationing in Africa. Today, Doerkson is the incoming premier. The Conservative Party has formed government for the first time in this province since 1928. The New Democrats could have their smallest caucus since the 2001 election, when they were reduced to just two seats. The decision by the Conservatives to quickly coalesce around Doerkson, pivot their message to the economy, and install former B.C. Liberal organizers as their campaign managers will be studied and debated for years. But it’s likely the bigger focus will be on Eby’s decision to follow through with a snap election even after Findlay’s resignation. While many people will say many things about the choice, it brings to mind the adage often attributed to Napoleon Bonaparte: "Never interrupt your enemy when he is making a mistake." What a difference five weeks makes. Timeline 9 hours ago Historic win projected for the B.C. Conservative Party Justin McElroy Image | Premier-designate Lorne Doerkson arrives for his victory speech on election night. (Ethan Cairns/The Canadian Press) (BUTTON) Load image Open image in new tab All election nights are historic — but this projected Conservative Party victory will be talked about a little bit more than most campaigns. Five weeks ago, Kerry-Lynne Findlay resigned as their leader. The party was in disarray. Many MLAs elected under their banner had fled to CentreBC. Lorne Doerkson was vacationing in Africa. Today, Doerkson is the incoming premier. The Conservative Party has formed government for the first time in this province since 1928. The New Democrats could have their smallest caucus since the 2001 election, when they were reduced to just two seats. The decision by the Conservatives to quickly coalesce around Doerkson, pivot their message to the economy, and install former B.C. Liberal organizers as their campaign managers will be studied and debated for years. But it’s likely the bigger focus will be on Eby’s decision to follow through with a snap election even after Findlay’s resignation. While many people will say many things about the choice, it brings to mind the adage often attributed to Napoleon Bonaparte: "Never interrupt your enemy when he is making a mistake." What a difference five weeks makes. 7 hours ago What type of Conservative government will we get? Justin McElroy Image | Doerkson on stage tonight. (Chris Helgren/Reuters) (BUTTON) Load image Open image in new tab Throughout the campaign, Eby warned that while Doerkson might be a "good guy," he was a “Trojan horse” for far-right ideas. The B.C. NDP highlighted discarded candidates and past comments by members of the Conservative caucus as a sign about what could happen on culture war issues. Many supporters argued online that if elected premier, Doerkson would be quickly replaced by North Island-Powell River MP Aaron Gunn or former provincial leadership candidate Caroline Elliott. B.C. Conservative organizers see it differently, particularly since most of them under Doerkson are former B.C. Liberal heavyweights who were cast aside under former leader Kerry-Lynne Findlay. They believe Doerkson will be premier for many years, that the election vindicated Doerkson's message – which was more moderate than Findlay's and Rustad's – and that they will be able to balance social and fiscal issues over the next four years while keeping their caucus in check. The next four years will show which side is more accurate. But given the Conservative Party’s success tonight, you can't blame their team for feeling optimistic. 8 hours ago Where the B.C. Conservatives picked up seats Tara Carman Embed | Conservatives elect 2nd largest caucus in B.C. history Open full embed in new tab Loading external pages may require significantly more data usage than loading CBC Lite story pages. CBC News is currently projecting at least 11 wins for B.C. Conservatives in ridings that were previously held by the NDP, all but one in Metro Vancouver. Many of the seats were in Surrey and the Tri-Cities. They are: * Delta North, where B.C. Conservative Monica Mohan has defeated the NDP’s Todd Schierling. The riding was previously held by the NDP’s Ravi Kahlon, who had been the MLA since 2017 and held multiple cabinet positions. * North Vancouver-Seymour, where CBC projects B.C. Conservative Lynne Block has defeated the NDP’s Susie Chant. Chant won the riding easily in 2024 by more than 5,000 votes. The NDP has held the riding since 2017. * Coquitlam-Burke Mountain, where B.C. Conservative Ryan Peterson has unseated former NDP cabinet minister Jodie Wickens. * Coquitlam-Maillardville, where the NDP’s Jennifer Blatherwick was defeated by B.C. Conservative Matt Liang. * Port Moody-Burquitlam, where B.C. Conservative John McEwen defeated the NDP’s Rick Glumac. * Richmond Steveston, where B.C. Conservative Gordon Zhang defeated the NDP’s Bruce Kong. * Surrey-Fleetwood, where B.C. Conservative Garry Purewal defeated the NDP’s Jagrup Brar. * Surrey-Guildford, where B.C. Conservative Garry Thind defeated the NDP’s Garry Begg. The riding saw a close race in 2024, decided by just 22 votes. * Surrey Newton, where B.C. Conservative Harj Dhaliwal defeated the NDP’s Jessie Sunner. * Vancouver-Langara, where B.C. Conservative Jaime Stein defeated the NDP’s Sunita Dhir. * Vernon-Lumby, where B.C. Conservative Kevin Acton defeated the NDP’s Harwinder Sandhu. 8 hours ago Some NDP cabinet ministers lose seats Lauren Vanderdeen Image | Jodie Wickens, who was minister of children and family development, with David Eby during a campaign stop in Coquitlam, B.C., on Thursday. (Rich Lam/The Canadian Press) (BUTTON) Load image Open image in new tab Six members of the NDP cabinet are projected to lose their seats at this point: * Jagrup Brar in Surrey-Fleetwood, who was minister of mining and critical minerals * Jessie Sunner in Surrey Newton, who was former minister of post-secondary education and future skills * Rick Glumac in Port Moody-Burquitlam, who was minister of state for artificial intelligence and new technologies * Jodie Wickens in Coquitlam-Burke Mountain, who was minister of children and family development. * Anne Kang in Burnaby Centre, who was minister of tourism, arts and sport * Terry Yung in Vancouver-Yaletown, who was minister of state for community safety and integrated services There are still two races in which cabinet ministers are running that CBC News has not yet projected; 15 former cabinet ministers have kept their seats. Some cabinet ministers decided not to run in this snap election, including former health minister Ravi Kahlon, former minister of emergency management Kelly Greene, and former agriculture minister Lana Popham. 8 hours ago Eby has lost the election. What is his legacy? Justin McElroy Image | CANADA-POLITICS/BRITISH COLUMBIA (Jennifer Gauthier/Reuters) (BUTTON) Load image Open image in new tab David Eby’s four years as premier of British Columbia have come to a close, and he has resigned as leader of the B.C. NDP as the party looks set for its worst election result in 25 years. Eby was heralded as an effective opposition critic against the B.C. Liberals on the housing and money laundering files. As attorney general, he led a number of tough files, including ICBC reform and the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act (DRIPA), and did well enough that no one from the party establishment challenged him for the leadership when John Horgan retired. But being an effective premier is different than being an effective cabinet minister. Eby's reign as leader was marked by decreasing rental rates and a focus on building more housing, but also escalating deficits and a series of backtracks: on drug decriminalization, on the carbon tax, and on attempts to change DRIPA. The Conservatives centred their campaign around people’s lack of enthusiasm for Eby, and it worked in spades. The passage of time often rehabilitates the reputations of past leaders — but in the immediate aftermath of a disastrous election, Eby’s legacy is decidedly mixed. 8 hours ago In midst of loss, Eby still projected to win seat Lauren Vanderdeen Image | CANADA-POLITICS/BRITISH COLUMBIA (Jennifer Gauthier/Reuters) (BUTTON) Load image Open image in new tab Eby is projected to win his seat in the Vancouver-Point Grey riding, despite losing the premiership. Eby was first elected as the MLA for Vancouver–Point Grey in 2013, defeating then-premier Christy Clark. He was re-elected in 2017, 2020 and 2024, securing a fourth term as MLA. 8 hours ago Green Party leader celebrates winning seat, braces for Conservative majority Emily Fagan Embed | FULL SPEECH: Green Party Leader Emily Lowan speaks after party wins 2 seats Open full embed in new tab Loading external pages may require significantly more data usage than loading CBC Lite story pages. Lowan has taken the stage amid a shower of confetti to address a room of supporters celebrating the party holding two seats in the legislature. Lowan has been projected to win the Vancouver Island riding of Saanich North and the Islands. She says that over the next four years her job is to be a voice for those she believes will be harmed by a B.C. Conservative government. "We may have a small caucus, but tonight we have inherited an enormous responsibility, and that is to hold a majority Conservative government to account," she says. "We're holding the weight of the joy of this victory, and what comes tomorrow." She says her party will stand with and fight for those impacted by anticipated cuts and attacks on human rights. 8 hours ago Tight races in some ridings Maryse Zeidler and Brady Strachan Image | Elxn BC Green-20261024 (Chad Hipolito/The Canadian Press) (BUTTON) Load image Open image in new tab While CBC News has projected a Conservative majority, there are still some tight races throughout the province. At the watch party for Conservative incumbent Brennan Day for Courtenay-Comox, the mood is mixed. On the one hand people are feeling good about the Conservative win, but they're also hesitant. It's been a tight race all night, just like it was two years ago. But in the past hour, the NDP's Will Cole-Hamilton has taken the lead. CBC News spoke with Day earlier, and he said it's been a long couple of months for him. He went into this campaign as an Independent after he briefly left the party caucus under Kerry-Lynne Findlay's leadership. Meanwhile in the Interior, the Kelowna Centre riding remains a close race and the lead has changed hands through the night from the NDP’s Loyal Wooldridge to incumbent Kristina Loewen for the Conservatives. Conservative supporters have been cheering loudly as they’ve watched Loewen increase her lead as results continue to come in. If she succeeds, it will be a map of blue across the Okanagan. 9 hours ago Doerkson ends his speech with a rallying cry Lauren Vanderdeen Image | ELXN BC Conservatives 20261024 (Ethan Cairns/The Canadian Press) (BUTTON) Load image Open image in new tab Doerkson shared a message to First Nations. "This future is one we will build together as partners with the certainty all of us needs," Doerkson said. His party campaigned on repealing the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act, which was unanimously passed in 2019. It's the province's framework for reconciliation, but the Conservatives said it has created "unnecessary uncertainty." "I am going to give this job everything that I have got, I promise you that," Doerkson says. "And I also promise you that I won't get it all perfect. But when I don't, I'm going to tell you and then I will get back to work." He says he wants to shake every hand in the room tonight. 9 hours ago Doerkson outlines future of Conservative majority Lauren Vanderdeen Image | Elxn BC Conservatives 20261024 (Ethan Cairns/The Canadian Press) (BUTTON) Load image Open image in new tab Doerkson is making promises in his victory speech. He says Vancouver will host a business summit next year that will be the "envy of the world." "We will welcome capital back to our province," Doerkson says. He promises to double natural gas production by 2032 and triple it by 2035. He wants to cut red tape "like never before." "We will be the catalyst, I promise you that. But you are the engine." And another pledge: a $1,000 tax cut and no new taxes. 9 hours ago Doerkson full of joy in victory speech Lauren Vanderdeen Image | Elxn BC Conservatives 20261024 (Ethan Cairns/The Canadian Press) (BUTTON) Load image Open image in new tab Lorne Doerkson has walked out to Fleetwood Mac's Don't Stop for his victory speech. He entered Conservative headquarters to sparklers, celebrations and jubilant hugs. "B.C. is definitely blue," yells Doerkson. He's thanking candidates, supporters and all voters. Doerkson, who has been repeatedly described as mild-mannered during this campaign, is full of energy and excitement. This is not a mild-mannered speech. "I have had a lot of coffee in the last couple of weeks. Frankly, I've had quite a bit tonight," he said. He promised he will work as hard as the volunteers worked on the campaign — and he's promising to "supercharge British Columbia." He says it won't happen on one street or one city, but all over. "A mill running in Quesnel keeps a trucker working in Surrey. A mine opening in the north keeps a port busy in Delta. It's one economy and it runs through every town on our map in British Columbia." 9 hours ago Emily Lowan projected to win 1st seat as MLA Lauren Vanderdeen Image | Lowan, right, hugs a friend tonight. (Chad Hipolito/The Canadian Press) (BUTTON) Load image Open image in new tab CBC News is projecting B.C. Green Party Leader Emily Lowan will be the next MLA for Saanich North and the Islands. Elected as party leader last year, Lowan did not have a seat in the legislature. In her first campaign for public office, she ran in the riding formerly held by the Greens' Rob Botterell. Lowan, 26, has previously worked as a climate activist and a policy researcher. 9 hours ago Eby resigns as premier, B.C. NDP leader as he concedes election Tara Carman Embed | FULL SPEECH: David Eby concedes and resigns as NDP leader Open full embed in new tab Loading external pages may require significantly more data usage than loading CBC Lite story pages. Eby is giving his concession speech at a downtown Vancouver hotel. He says he congratulated Doerkson on winning a majority government. “The people of British Columbia have asked us to be the Official Opposition," Eby said. “It breaks my heart and I accept full responsibility for that outcome.” He then offered his resignation as premier and B.C. NDP leader. Eby he’s looking forward to spending more time with his wife and three young children. “My family has paid a very significant cost for this work," he said. He ended his speech by telling his wife, Dr. Cailey Lynch, that he loves her and saying, “let’s go home." 10 hours ago Sturko ousted in Surrey-Cloverdale, CBC News projects Lauren Vanderdeen Embed | CentreBC Leader Elenore Sturko loses seat Open full embed in new tab Loading external pages may require significantly more data usage than loading CBC Lite story pages. Elenore Sturko, leader of CentreBC, has lost her seat in Surrey-Cloverdale, CBC News projects. Sturko was first elected in 2022 as a B.C. Liberal, which later became B.C. United. She made headlines as one of the first defectors to the B.C. Conservatives and was re-elected in 2024. In September 2025, former party leader John Rustad kicked Sturko out of the Conservative caucus. She then sat as an Independent in the legislature. Last month, Sturko was one of several former Conservative MLAs who joined CentreBC under the leadership of Peter Milobar. While others returned to the Conservatives when Kerry-Lynne Findlay stepped down as leader, Sturko stayed with CentreBC and became its leader. Correction: A previous version of this post said Sturko ran in Surrey-Cloverdale. In fact, she ran in Surrey South. 10 hours ago Dallas Brodie projected to lose seat Lauren Vanderdeen Embed | OneBC interim leader Dallas Brodie says getting just 1 candidate elected 'would be phenomenal' Open full embed in new tab Loading external pages may require significantly more data usage than loading CBC Lite story pages. OneBC Leader Dallas Brodie is projected to lose her seat in Vancouver-Quilchena. Brodie was elected in 2024 with the B.C. Conservatives, but then-leader John Rustad kicked out of the caucus five months after the election for her comments about residential school survivors. Brodie formed OneBC as a party for social conservatives with Tara Armstrong, an MLA who resigned from the Conservatives in solidarity with Brodie. The two split up in late 2025. This past summer, Brodie survived a recall campaign that failed to get even a quarter of the number of signatures needed to remove her from office. 10 hours ago Conservative HQ vibrating with excitement Tarnjit Parmar Image | Supporters hug at the Conservative watch party in Vancouver after seeing new results. (Chris Helgren/Reuters) (BUTTON) Load image Open image in new tab Hundreds of people exploded into cheers as CBC News projected a majority government for the B.C. Conservatives. The Rocky Mountaineer Station is vibrating with energy as party supporters celebrate. The win is a historic one as the Conservative Party of B.C. will form government for the first time in 98 years. Leader Lorne Doerkson is not at the viewing party, but will make a speech to supporters later tonight. 10 hours ago BREAKING: B.C. Conservatives win majority government, CBC News projects Rhianna Schmunk Embed | CBC News projects a B.C. Conservative majority government Open full embed in new tab Loading external pages may require significantly more data usage than loading CBC Lite story pages. The B.C. Conservatives have toppled the incumbent B.C. NDP to win a majority government, CBC News projects, the party's first in nearly a century. The result means voters firmly embraced newcomer leader Lorne Doerkson’s calls for change and sent the Conservative party to lead in the legislature for the first time in 98 years. The triumph for Doerkson, 58, was a powerful rejection of the current government and a seismic victory for an embattled party that sought to appeal to disillusioned voters after nearly a decade of NDP rule. The result also marked a stunning comeback for a party that appeared to not stand a chance at forming government just months ago, having weathered intense political turmoil for months. 10 hours ago Conservative dominance holding Justin McElroy More than 250,000 votes are in at this point, and it’s hard to imagine a better start for the B.C. Conservative Party. Some of the seats they’re currently leading in are due to small vote sizes: it’s extremely unlikely they will end up winning three seats in East Vancouver where they’re currently ahead, for example. But they’re sweeping Richmond and Surrey, and leading in all the swing ridings that they targeted as potential pickups. B.C. is used to long election nights. This one might end up being fairly short. 10 hours ago Doerkson projected to keep seat in Cariboo-Chilcotin Lauren Vanderdeen Image | Doerkson in Vancouver on Friday. (Ethan Cairns/The Canadian Press) (BUTTON) Load image Open image in new tab B.C. Conservative Leader Lorne Doerkson will serve a third term as MLA for Cariboo-Chilcotin, CBC News projects. First elected in 2020 with the B.C. Liberals, before that party changed its name to B.C. United, he was re-elected in 2024 with the B.C. Conservatives. Doerkson was thrust into the spotlight last month after the departure of former party leader Kerry-Lynne Findlay. He was on a flight home from South Africa when he learned his caucus colleagues chose him to replace Findlay. Before becoming an MLA, Doerkson worked in various industries, including in newspapers, automobiles and financial services. In his early 20s, he was a rodeo rider. 10 hours ago Still quiet at the NDP headquarters Katie DeRosa Embed | Somber mood at NDP HQ Open full embed in new tab Loading external pages may require significantly more data usage than loading CBC Lite story pages. It’s a subdued mood at the B.C. NDP headquarters at the Vancouver Marriott Pinnacle Downtown Hotel with a few dozen supporters milling about right now, and about as many journalists as New Democrats. I’m seeing many water glasses and few wine glasses. NDP Leader David Eby is watching the results come in with his wife and kids in a hotel room upstairs. I talked to B.C. General Employees' Union (BCGEU) president Paul Finch, who is hopeful the NDP can hang on to power. He says he’s worried the message about protecting core services like health care and education has been lost on the campaign trail. The BCGEU was critical of the NDP government last year during an eight-week long strike and B.C. Green Party Leader Emily Lowan was a fixture on the picket lines. I asked Finch if he thinks the B.C. Greens could take some of the labour vote that has often gone to the New Democrats. He says it’s too early to tell and is waiting for more results. 10 hours ago Conservative supporters excited Tarnjit Parmar Embed | Early vibes in the B.C. Conservatives' watch party Open full embed in new tab Loading external pages may require significantly more data usage than loading CBC Lite story pages. The crowd here at the B.C. Conservative watch party is elated as early results have the Conservatives in the lead. Hundreds of people at the Rocky Mountaineer Station cheered as the Conservative party got off to a good early start. The CBC Decision Desk is projecting a B.C. Conservative win in West Kelowna-Peachland, where incumbent Conservative Macklin McCall is leading the NDP’s George Morgan by more than 5,000 votes. The Conservatives won the riding in 2024 by more than 6,000 votes. 10 hours ago Early signs good for Conservatives Justin McElroy Image | A supporter tips his cowboy hat at the Conservative watch party in Vancouver. (REUTERS) (BUTTON) Load image Open image in new tab We’ve gotten more than 100,000 votes from across the province at this point, from 89 of 93 ridings, and early returns are very promising for the B.C. Conservative Party. They are leading in more than 60 ridings across the province. While some of those have fewer than 100 votes counted, the overall numbers are 50 per cent for the Conservatives and 38 per cent for the NDP. If that holds, that’s very comfortable majority territory for the Conservatives. 10 hours ago Conservatives jump to early lead as advance votes reported Matt Preprost Image | earlyresults (CBC) (BUTTON) Load image Open image in new tab The B.C. Conservatives have come out with a big lead, according to early results from Elections B.C. The Conservatives are right now leading in more than 60 ridings, with the NDP leading in about 20 ridings. These are the first results coming in from advance polls. Elections B.C. says hand-counted votes cast today shouldn't be ready until around 9 p.m. PT. Early numbers show the Greens leading in two ridings. A total of 47 seats are needed for a majority government. 10 hours ago Battleground Surrey in 2 key ridings Baneet Braich Image | One of the Conservative election night watch parties in Surrey, B.C. (Baneet Braich/CBC) (BUTTON) Load image Open image in new tab I’m in Surrey tonight where I’m keeping a close eye on two key ridings: Surrey-Guildford and Surrey City Centre. The Taj Park Convention Centre is ready to welcome hundreds of B.C. Conservative supporters tonight. Forty tables are set up ready to seat around 400 guests. There's a shiny disco ball spinning above a dance floor, chai is being served and food is being prepped. People are making their way in now. Surrey-Guildford has the battle of the Garrys. Garry Thind is the Conservative candidate who is up against NDP incumbent Garry Begg, who won the seat in 2024 by a margin of just 22 votes. Looking around the hall, 13 large signs with Thind’s name line the walls. Zeeshan Wahla is the Conservative candidate for Surrey City Centre. He is up against NDP incumbent Amna Shah, who defeated Wahla by 232 votes last election. These ridings could be close races. Let's see how the night goes. Lots of anticipation. 11 hours ago Eby watching with family in downtown Vancouver Tara Carman Embed | Eby watches results come in with family Open full embed in new tab Loading external pages may require significantly more data usage than loading CBC Lite story pages. Eby is watching the results come in tonight with his family at a hotel in Vancouver. The first results are starting to come in from advance polls in several ridings now, including Eby’s riding of Vancouver-Point Grey. Featured Media Embed | FULL SPEECH: Conservative Leader Lorne Doerkson's victory speech Open full embed in new tab Loading external pages may require significantly more data usage than loading CBC Lite story pages. Embed | FULL SPEECH: David Eby concedes and resigns as NDP leader Open full embed in new tab Loading external pages may require significantly more data usage than loading CBC Lite story pages. Embed | FULL SPEECH: Green Party Leader Emily Lowan speaks after party wins 2 seats Open full embed in new tab Loading external pages may require significantly more data usage than loading CBC Lite story pages. Embed | Somber mood at NDP HQ Open full embed in new tab Loading external pages may require significantly more data usage than loading CBC Lite story pages. Embed | CentreBC Leader Elenore Sturko loses seat Open full embed in new tab Loading external pages may require significantly more data usage than loading CBC Lite story pages. For images and videos read the full story. 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