Elenore Sturko says she chose to remain with CentreBC after meeting with party leader Peter Milobar, as all other CentreBC MLAs rejoined the British Columbia Conservatives ahead of the Oct. 24 election.
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Elenore Sturko has become the leader and only incumbent legislator of CentreBC after the party’s remaining MLAs returned to the British Columbia Conservatives, leaving the former RCMP officer to carry the small, centrist outfit into the early provincial election called this week.
Sturko said she and other CentreBC legislators met with the party’s short-lived leader, Peter Milobar, who told them of an offer to bring them back to the Conservatives. She described the days leading to the decision as “an emotional roller-coaster” and said the meeting was not hostile, though she said there were “a few tears.”
The political shift follows NDP Leader David Eby’s decision to call an early election for Oct. 24, a development that has set a fast-moving agenda for British Columbia parties, including the smaller groups seeking to retain or attract voters who feel there is no “political home.” Sturko said she was disappointed that the other MLAs left CentreBC, but she said she was also clear about the choice she made: staying with CentreBC.
Sturko’s move marks the second time she has been left to rebuild her political position after being cut off from a governing-leaning caucus. She said she was previously kicked out of the BC Conservatives by then-leader John Rustad, accusing her of plotting against his leadership. She later joined the Conservatives’ orbit as a star recruit, before leaving BC United in June 2024 ahead of the election.
In explaining why she stayed, Sturko said her expulsion from the Conservatives gave her the chance “to stand on my own on the things that really matter to me.” She said she does not hold a grudge about what happened with Rustad, describing a recent encounter in which they shared a hug and laughed. She said she is not seeking to repair a damaged relationship so much as acting on a set of commitments that led her to remain with CentreBC.
CentreBC’s rise and contraction has been swift. The party was formed in March 2025 by former BC United legislator Karin Kirkpatrick and, according to Sturko, moved from the political margins to having eight legislators before later stripping back to only her. The latest change reduces CentreBC to a single seatholder following the departures of the other MLAs.
On Wednesday, CentreBC announced a new candidate, former BC Green leader Andrew Weaver, who will run in Oak Bay-Gordon Head. The appointment is significant for Sturko’s leadership because it brings a widely known figure into a riding Weaver represented for more than seven years until 2020, giving CentreBC a clearer presence in at least one constituency as the campaign period begins.
Weaver characterized his decision as driven by a desire to support “the sake of democracy,” saying he was prompted to run when Eby called a snap election this week. In the same interview, Weaver indicated he would not return to the Green party and said he has supported the B.C. Conservatives under John Rustad, while still arguing that the Conservatives would not be an option for him personally because of what he described as internal conflict within that party.
Weaver said he has “enormous respect” for Sturko and indicated that his decision involved the practical possibility of working alongside her within CentreBC. He described CentreBC as a vehicle he could support, positioning it as an alternative for voters seeking choices beyond the traditional parties.
Milobar, who led CentreBC only briefly, said the party represents “a viable, serious, legitimate voting option.” He promised the party would focus on economic issues, health care and public safety. After the leadership shift, Sturko said she expected her role would involve stepping up when asked about becoming leader.
With Sturko now leading CentreBC and Weaver set to run in Oak Bay-Gordon Head, the key question for the party is whether it can use the remaining time before Oct. 24 to re-establish credibility with voters who view the election as a contest that has not yet offered them a clear fit. For Vancouver-area readers, that contest includes Oak Bay-Gordon Head, where Weaver will appear on the ballot under the CentreBC banner.
Sturko has framed her decision as a continuation of a personal political promise—staying aligned with CentreBC rather than returning to the Conservatives. Her leadership, however, comes with a narrow base: after the other CentreBC MLAs rejoined the Conservatives, CentreBC is starting the election campaign with one sitting legislator and one newly announced candidate. The results will determine whether the party’s centrist message can translate into measurable support as the Oct. 24 vote approaches.
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