The provincial writ has dropped for the Oct. 24 B.C. election, with parties outlining platforms and nomination deadlines set for Oct. 3.
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The provincial election campaign is now officially underway after the writ dropped for British Columbia’s Oct. 24 vote, with parties and leaders beginning the push to secure seats in the legislature.
Premier David Eby and the BC NDP opened their campaign day at the Canada-U.S. border, placing U.S. President Donald Trump and related economic uncertainty at the centre of their pitch to voters. Eby said the NDP will expand recruitment efforts for U.S. health-care workers and seek to attract Canadian doctors back to work in Canada.
Eby also described additional targets for recruitment beyond people currently working in the U.S. health-care system, saying the program would reach “Canadians who are working in American health care right now” who he said may feel “unease.”
The NDP campaign period is starting with a shifting roster in the party’s parliamentary group. Brenda Bailey has added her name to other MLAs publicly stating they will not seek re-election, reducing the pool of veteran candidates heading into the campaign.
On the opposition side, the B.C. Conservatives are attempting to project unity under interim leader Lorne Doerkson, who is expected to lead the party if it forms government. In public remarks, Doerkson thanked Peter Milobar and others for their role in what he characterized as a push against “10 years of NDP mismanagement,” as the party reorganizes after recent leadership disruptions.
The Conservative lineup is also intersecting with emerging or reconfigured political labels. Former Green Party leader Andrew Weaver is running for the seat of Oak Bay–Gordon Head under CentreBC, which is now led by former Conservative-turned-independent Elenore Sturko, according to the election campaign overview.
Weaver said his candidacy is not focused solely on Trump, but rather on what he described as “cynicism in politics” and the need for candidates who he says show integrity and honesty about why they enter public life.
The BC Greens are also seeking to add to their presence, with Leader Emily Lowan aiming for a first seat in Saanich North and the Islands. The campaign information notes that Rob Botterell is stepping aside after serving two years as the member for that riding.
Nomination timelines are set ahead of the Oct. 24 election, with anyone seeking to run required to submit nomination papers by Oct. 3.
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