About a year ago, Canadian research company Leger reported that David Eby’s NDP government held support of 48 percent of voters. This was a ten-point lead over the Conservatives.
This week, the nonprofit Angus Reid Institute reported the fractured BC Conservatives held an eight-point lead over the NDP.
September 24, 2026 – Just two days after BC NDP leader David Eby dissolved the British Columbia legislature and called a snap election, party supporters, candidates, volunteers and donors may be questioning the wisdom of his political gamble, as the opposition BC Conservatives jump out to a commanding – but early – eight-point lead in vote intention over the incumbent.
New data from the non-profit Angus Reid Institute finds the now-newly-re-re-united right-of-centre movement, coalesced once again under the BC Conservatives – this time under their third leader in less than a year – has the support of 43 per cent of B.C. voters, compared to 35 per cent for the New Democrats.
In what may prove to be one of the greatest misjudgments in the modern history of politics in British Columbia, David Eby chose to call a provincial election. The fact that campaigns for BC’s quadrennial local elections were already underway mattered little to the NDP Premier. Four ministers, including future NDP leader Ravi Kahlon, have decided not to remain on Eby’s sinking ship.
Eby said he is running to protect British Columbians from Donald Trump. The reality is that he expected to benefit from American political dysfunction. Eby looked at a poll that concluded three-quarters of Canadians backed Mark Carney’s resolute response to the American blowhard.
One IN-SIGHTS reader asked if Eby might have settled on issues that will matter years after Trump has been deposed.
Crime? Indigenous relations? Homelessness? Essential Services clawbacks? Cancelled projects. Condo Buyouts? Housing? Health Care? Education? Environmental protection? Forestry practices? How did the NDP convert itself into “LNG Forever!”
Too much? Too soon? For what?
Lawn signs haven’t appeared yet but…
https://www.kelownanow.com/watercooler/news/news/Provincial/Trio_of_David_Eby_s_ministers_will_not_seek_re_election_for_the_BC_NDP/
93 seats in BC Legislature
Safe NDP seats listed at
https://338canada.com/bc/ndp.htm
Who Declined to Run
[safe seat] Ravi Kahlon, Delta North, Minister of Health
[safe seat] Brenda Bailey, Vancouver – South Granville, former Minister of Finance
[safe seat] Lana Popham, Saanich South, Minister of Agriculture and Food
[toss up] Kelly Greene, Richmond-Steveston Minister of Emergency Management and Climate Readiness
21 September seat count
47 NDP
39 Conservative Party of BC,
02 BC Green Party,
02 Independents
47 Seats = NDP Majority (but 4 ministers just resigned)
All Fly No Ointment?
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/new-poll-shows-two-thirds-not-in-favour-of-early-election-9.7357659
New poll shows two-thirds not in favour of early election in B.C.
David Eby’s early election gamble may have reversed the B.C. NDP’s fortunes, at least according to one opinion poll.
New data from the Angus Reid Institute shows the B.C. Conservatives, led by Lorne Doerkson, holding 43 per cent support among respondents — an eight-point lead over the NDP’s 35 per cent.
It’s a change from the four point lead the governing New Democrats had over the Official
Opposition before Kerry Lynne Findlay resigned last week.
“There’s a lot of unhappiness with this government and now there’s some, ‘How dare you go to the polls,'” said Shachi Kurl, Angus Reid Institute president.
Two-thirds of those polled — including half of the NDP voters — say Eby is putting his own interests ahead of the interests of British Columbians.
Katrina Chen, a former NDP cabinet minister who was on Eby’s leadership team in 2022, says Eby’s decision to call a snap election is “risky.”
He “still has lot of work to do” to prove to British Columbians that his government’s policies are putting people first, Chen said.
“People are really watching and waiting to see how Eby is going to prove himself that he is investing in people, which is good for our economy. It’s not just focusing on the trade war alone,” she said.
This week, four NDP cabinet ministers announced they’re not seeking re-election.
They include: Ravi Kahlon, who has been in charge of the housing, jobs and health portfolios and has long been considered a B.C. NDP leadership contender;
Brenda Bailey, who stepped back as finance minister after a cancer diagnosis this summer;
Lana Popham, a five-term MLA who has served as agriculture minister; and
Kelly Greene, who served as the emergency management minister.
Greene has been critical of the NDP government’s decision to give the green light to the expansion of the Tilbury LNG facility in Delta.
Chen says the loss of those MLAs is “definitely going to make an impact.”
“This election, given it’s two years early, does put a lot of current politicians, incumbents into a very tough position in terms of: ‘Do I do this again, my riding is facing a lot of challenges.’ People may not be happy with this government,” she said.
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