Review of the Provincial Election Results - As you already know, the October 24, 2026, BC election produced a Conservative majority led by interim leader Lorne Doerkson, ending the NDP government led by David Eby who subsequently has stepped down as leader.

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The numbers were interesting, shedding light on the crushing defeat of the NDP. Although still not final, the BC Conservatives received 48.1% of the vote, securing 64 of the 93 seats in the legislature, the NDP got 37.4% of the vote and 27 seats, and the Greens got 11% of the vote holding on to their two seats. However, only 48% of eligible voters cast their ballots, the lowest provincial voter turnout in BC in decades.

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These results have led to renewed calls from organisations to rekindle the movement to abandon the unfair first-past-the-post electoral model and adopt proportional representation.

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Furthermore, the CBC reports that the NDP had more than 270,000 fewer votes than it did in the 2024 election at the polls. By comparison, the Conservatives received about 49,000 fewer votes, but the BC Greens increased their vote by over 30,000. The numbers shed light on the results with some voter apathy, and/or a significant drop in NDP support suggesting many of its previous supporters didn’t show up.

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What Can We Expect from a Conservative Government - The Narwhal has summarised the implications for climate action that we can expect over the next four years calling it a significant shift in priorities from the previous administration.

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The Conservative platform paid little attention to climate, with the party’s stated approach emphasizing resource development and energy supply. It has promised to expand natural-gas and LNG production, consider implementing gas-fired power, and produce more electricity from a range of sources. It also supports renewables "where they are economically viable”, and has proposed loosening restrictions on both gas heating and building energy-efficiency standards. The Conservatives have also promised to eliminate the NDP’s “30% by 2030” promise to protect 30 % of provincial lands and waters by 2030.

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This points to a shift away from climate policy centered on emissions reduction and electrification, and toward economic growth, with fossil fuel development as the basis for energy self-sufficiency. Environmental advocates have warned that expanding oil and gas development, opening potentially protected areas to logging and resource extraction, along with weakening environmental protections will increase emissions and risks to ecosystems and endangered species.

Regardless of these results, the Shuswap Climate Action Society will continue to work with all levels of government to provide policies and solutions to lower emissions and protect communities from the impacts of climate change.