Blue Wave Over the Rockies: B.C. Fires Eby, Hires Doerkson
Ninety-eight years. That's how long British Columbia waited for a Conservative government. It took one snap election and one very confident premier to end the drought.
By Jason LaFace | Alberta Radio
Saturday, October 24, 2026
B.C. is definitely blue
The projections are in, and they aren't close. The B.C. Conservatives are projected to win a majority government in the 93-seat legislature, the first Conservative government in British Columbia since 1928. Lorne Doerkson, the 58-year-old MLA for Cariboo-Chilcotin, is the premier-designate. His summary of the night: "B.C. is definitely blue." Hard to argue with that.
The NDP is projected to drop to about 16 seats and become the Official Opposition, which would be its smallest caucus since 2001. The Greens are projected at about two seats, with 26-year-old leader Emily Lowan winning Saanich North and the Islands. These are projections. Final counting runs Nov. 6 to 10, and Elections B.C. makes the results official on Nov. 18. Recounts are possible in close ridings. The direction of the night is not in doubt.
The worst-timed election since... ever?
Let's review David Eby's strategy. Weeks before the writ dropped, the Conservative leader, Kerry-Lynne Findlay, resigned. The right had spent a year splintering into OneBC and CentreBC. The opposition was installing an interim leader. If you're a premier looking at that board, you might think: now's my moment.
Eby thought exactly that. He went ahead with the snap election, the writ dropped Sept. 22, and the Conservatives handed the keys to Doerkson. Less than five weeks later, the interim guy is premier and the man who called the vote is out of a job. That's not a gamble that backfired. That's walking into the casino, pushing every chip onto red, and watching the wheel land on blue.
To his credit, Eby conceded, accepted "full responsibility," and resigned as premier and as NDP leader. That's more accountability than we usually see from that side of the aisle. But the lesson writes itself: never call an election because you think your opponents are too disorganized to beat you. Voters can organize themselves just fine.
How the right put itself back together
This win didn't come from nowhere. The defections to CentreBC stopped, the party turned the campaign toward the economy, and it brought in experienced organizers from the old B.C. Liberal machine. The splinter parties paid the price: CentreBC leader Elenore Sturko lost in Surrey-Cloverdale, and OneBC leader Dallas Brodie lost in Vancouver-Quilchena. Turns out voters want a government, not a group chat.
It wasn't flawless. The Conservative platform, which targets a $10.8-billion deficit by 2030 with "restraint, not austerity," came out after advance voting had already started. Doerkson will have to show he can run a province with more discipline than he released a costed plan.
What Doerkson promised
Gas, and lots of it. Doubling natural gas production by 2032 and tripling it by 2035.
Less red tape. Cutting the paperwork that keeps projects stuck in permitting purgatory.
Lower taxes. A $1,000 tax cut and no new taxes.
Open for business. A Vancouver business summit next year.
DRIPA. The party campaigned on repealing B.C.'s Indigenous-rights law, while Doerkson promised to build the future "as partners" with First Nations. That will be the first real test of this government, and it's one he'll have to handle with care, not slogans.
Why Alberta should be smiling
For years, Alberta's biggest problem out west wasn't Ottawa. It was the government between us and the Pacific. Now the province next door has a premier promising to triple gas production. A pro-resource, pro-gas government in Victoria could line up with Alberta on pipelines, LNG and pushing back on federal overreach. Nothing's signed yet, but the conversation just got a whole lot easier.
And the timing is something. Five days ago, Albertans voted to remain in Canada by roughly three to one. Now our neighbour has voted for the same kind of change at the ballot box. The West doesn't need to leave to be heard. It needs governments that will actually build.
What's next
Doerkson's swearing-in and cabinet are still to be announced. The NDP now gets a leadership race and plenty of time to think about calendar management. Final counts come Nov. 6 to 10, and official results Nov. 18.
Congratulations, British Columbia. Welcome to the blue side of the mountains.
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Source: Os1ris News Aggregation
