B.C. Premier David Eby arrives at Government House, with election call expected

VICTORIA – B.C. Premier David Eby has arrived at Government House in Victoria, amid expectations he will call a snap election.

The premier, who is less than two years into his mandate, has called reporters to the official residence of Lt.-Gov. Wendy Cocchia where it’s thought he will ask her to dissolve the legislature and set off an election campaign.

Elections BC has previously said that if an election is called Tuesday, the final voting day will be on Oct. 24, which is one week after municipal elections across the province.

It comes after the Opposition British Columbia Conservatives scrapped an appearance by new interim leader Lorne Doerkson, citing a possible election.

Eby said last week that his caucus needed to be “election ready.” 

He noted the party’s standing remained the same at 47 of 93 seats after gaining former Conservative legislator Amelia Boultbee in July, while New Democrat Joan Philip died in August.

The B.C. Conservative caucus has 29 members, while there are two Greens, two vacant seats and 13 Independents — some of whom are members of the new CentreBC party. 

The governing NDP has made a series of campaign-style announcements since Eby’s election comments, including a temporary pause of the expansion of the provincial sales tax and an order that BC Ferries’ next round of vessels be built in British Columbia.

Infrastructure Minister Bowinn Ma on Monday announced that the government had renewed plans for the expansion of Burnaby Hospital, while the expansion of an LNG project received environmental approval by the province and subsequent federal backing.

Agriculture Minister Lana Popham, meanwhile, said she would not be running for a sixth term after 17 years in elected office.

The expected election call comes after weeks of upheaval in the Conservative ranks, with Kerry-Lynne Findlay resigning as leader on Sunday and being replaced by Doerkson.

Findlay had planned to remain as the Conservative candidate in the Abbotsford-Mission byelection scheduled for Saturday, but an election call would cancel that vote. 

Doerkson’s news conference on Tuesday would have been his first public event with his caucus since being appointed after Sunday’s resignation of Findlay.

He has moved swiftly to reconstruct the party’s parliamentary group, which grew to 29 members on Monday with the return of five MLAs who either quit in recent weeks or were kicked out by Findlay in the dying days of her leadership.

The Conservatives have been trying to put up a united front after the recent turmoil as election expectations grow.

Doerkson also asked for donations on Monday.

“When that call comes, our groundwork must already be finished,” he told potential donors by email.

“A snap election leaves zero lead time, which means our infrastructure, candidate support networks and messaging must be ready to fire the second the writ drops.”

The NDP caucus met Sunday night to discuss election plans and Findlay’s exit. 

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 22, 2026.