Eby says NDP needs to be ‘election ready’ in B.C., but offers no date

B.C. Premier David Eby says he’s told his legislators that they need to be “election ready,” amid disruption posed by the trade war with the United States.

The premier said both Elections BC and the NDP caucus have been warned to be prepared for an election, although he did not offer any details about its timing.

“I don’t have any election announcements to make today,” he said at an unrelated news conference on Wednesday.

“I do recognize for British Columbians to be able to have a say about the direction of our province, given the incredible disruption that Donald Trump has brought to our economy, and to our politics here in the province.”

But there is also disruption within the Opposition B.C. Conservative Party, with nine members leaving as they criticize new leader Kerry-Lynne Findlay, who’s running in a byelection Sept. 26 for a seat in the legislature.

“She’s out there campaigning, and I understand she has lost a number of votes, and those just are caucus members,” he quipped.

The NDP government is less than halfway through its mandate after winning a one-seat majority over the B.C. Conservatives under former leader John Rustad on Oct. 19, 2024. The Greens won two seats.

The province has a fixed election date set for October 2028.

A statement from Elections BC on Wednesday said it is conducting “preparatory activities” in case an election is called early, such as inquiring about spaces for voting places, restocking supplies like ballot boxes and preparing to recruit election officials.

“Based on the current landscape in B.C., timelines for procuring election materials in the face of global supply chain challenges, and recent public commentary and speculation, we have determined we need to assume an increased readiness state,” the statement said.

UBC political scientist Stewart Prest said if an early election is called, Eby will have to find a way to justify the decision that avoids being seen as opportunistic.

“I think the charitable interpretation would be that this is a moment where, with an opposition in disarray and the province facing such significant challenges, that voters deserve the opportunity to weigh in on who should be representing them in the legislature, and you can certainly make that case,” he said.

“But the counter argument is that the NDP has a stable governing majority and the only … group that seems clearly to benefit from the timing of the election would be the NDP in extending their government for another two years.

Eby said if an election was held sooner, the question in the front of mind for many British Columbians would be about the best course for the province.

“There are two very different proposals on the table from the major political parties in the province,” he said.

One Conservative member is now with the NDP, but the party’s standing in the legislature remains the same at 47 seats after the death of New Democrat Joan Phillip this summer.

The Conservative Party of B.C. has 28 members, after shedding more than a dozen people since the election.

There are 14 Independents, half of whom have joined an unnamed party under the interim leadership of former Conservative member Peter Milobar.

The Greens have two seats, while there are two vacancies, with one of those to be filled in this month’s byelection where Findlay is attempting to win a seat in Abbotsford-Mission.

Under B.C.’s Election Act, if a general election is called before voting day for the byelection of Sept. 26, the byelection is cancelled.

Timing of a snap election could give potential voters reasons to dislike the NDP, Prest said.

“Going to the polls just before the byelection happens, the Conservatives can cry foul over snatching away an imminent victory for Ms. Findlay, and we’ll never know if that’s the case,” he said.

“Waiting until just after she wins the seat, the Conservatives can argue that the NDP is insisting on a do-over, and they’re not willing to listen to the population in Abbotsford-Mission.”

A statement from the provincial Green Party said calling an election two years early would be an attempt to “prey on British Columbians’ fear and uncertainty in the face of rising climate disasters and a trade war with Trump.”

“The B.C. NDP and Premier Eby have a majority. They can pass any legislation they want,” the statement said.

“They’ve yet to use that power to address the reality that life is getting harder, more expensive, and less safe for British Columbians. So, if Premier Eby wants a performance review, the BC Greens are ready to give him one,” the statement said.

The provincial Conservatives did not immediately respond to questions about a possible snap election. Findlay is scheduled to speak to the media on Thursday at the Union of B.C. Municipalities convention.

Eby said Cheryl Oates, his former acting chief of staff, would manage the party’s campaign for the next election, whenever it is called.

“So, we are election ready at the NDP,” he said.

Any vote would also come against the backdrop of several polls that show Eby’s approval rate rising while Findlay’s falls.

The premier was asked if his government was doing better politically than financially, with figures out this week showing the deficit rising to another record of $13.8 billion.

“So, I think, you know, those polls and approval ratings are going to go up and down,” he said.

“But our government has remained focused on a couple of things: growing the economy to pay for public services people need and actually delivering those public services for British Columbia.”

The premier made his comments at a news conference in Surrey, where he announced that about 80 per cent of B.C. residents now have a family doctor or nurse practitioner.

Prest said if British Columbians go to the polls early, the NDP needs to be prepared for the “judgment of history” if things don’t work out, noting that “there is always a risk when you invite the judgment of the population that it doesn’t go your way,”

“If this ends up being a loss for the NDP, it will go down in history as an egregious own-goal for the party, particularly considering the polarization between them and the leading Opposition party,” he said.

“Putting this version of the Conservative Party into power would be something that people remember for some time to come.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 16, 2026.

Ashley Joannou and Wolfgang Depner, The Canadian Press