Lorne Doerkson leads B.C. Conservatives to power with thumping two-thirds majority

VANCOUVER – Premier-designate Lorne Doerkson is wasting no time after his Conservatives swept into power last night in British Columbia, announcing a former deputy to the premier to lead his transition team. 

Kim Henderson spent more than a decade serving the previous Liberal governments of Christy Clark and Gordon Campbell as deputy minister, cabinet secretary and head of the B.C. public service. 

A statement from the B.C. Conservatives says she will be chair of the transition team on a volunteer basis and will be taking an unpaid leave from the pipeline firm Trans Mountain Corp. where she took on the post of interim vice-president a year ago. 

While a few ridings remain undeclared after last night’s election, it was resounding victory for Doerkson’s party with more than two-thirds of the 93-seat legislature going to the Conservatives. 

The resounding win even drew the attention of the White House, with U.S. President Donald Trump posting on his social media account that the Conservative Party has won in British Columbia for the first time in almost 100 years.

The post is accompanied by a composite of photos of Trump, Prime Minister Mark Carney, the B.C. Legislature and a map of Canada with the province coloured in red. 

Doerkson said during his election speech last night that he will follow through on campaign promises to supercharge the provincial economy.

Outgoing Premier David Eby announced his resignation as NDP leader, although he won his seat in Vancouver-Point Grey. 

Doerkson’s statement released Sunday says B.C. residents have voted for change and it’s the Conservative’s responsibility to deliver it. 

“That begins with building a government that is capable, disciplined and ready to get to work,” he says in the statement. 

Doerkson says Henderson’s experience, judgment and leadership will be invaluable as the party prepares to govern. 

“I am incredibly grateful that she has agreed to take on this responsibility. British Columbians have placed their trust in us, and we will honour that trust by being ready to deliver from day one,” he says. 

Eby’s decision to call a snap election two years early will go down as one of the most disastrous miscalculations in Canadian political history.

The NDP has been reduced to about 27 ridings and the Greens won two, with Leader Emily Lowan securing a seat on Vancouver Island.

Preliminary results show the popular vote went to the Conservatives with about 48 per cent of the vote, while the NDP won about 37 per cent and the Greens 11 per cent.

Doerkson, who emerged from obscurity when he was named interim leader of the Conservatives just two days before Eby’s fateful election call on Sept. 22, is expected to stage his first news conference as premier-designate today.

Preliminary turnout was about 1.8 million, representing about 48 per cent of registered voters.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 25, 2026.