Conservatives in chaos as eight join CentreBC and Eby says no decision on early vote

The self-destruction of the British Columbia Conservatives has birthed a right-of-centre alternative in the provincial legislature, which faces the prospect of an early election call by Premier David Eby to take advantage of chaos in Opposition ranks.

CentreBC will become the third largest party in the legislature after eight former B.C. Conservative legislators announced they would join, including former finance minister Peter Milobar who becomes its leader.

Friday’s announcement that reshapes the political landscape in B.C. came hours after ongoing upheaval within the Conservatives saw three legislators expelled from caucus — former leader John Rustad, former interim leader Trevor Halford, and Skeena MLA Claire Rattée.

Their departures bring to 12 the losses for the official Opposition caucus since Kerry Lynne-Findlay took over as leader in May.

The divisions stem largely from ideological differences in Milobar’s former party — which he once hoped to lead — with its ranks cobbled together after the implosion of the BC United party on the eve of the 2024 provincial election.

Milobar said of the upheaval among the Conservatives, that under Findlay, it “was always the plan to remove any and all members that are considered not extreme right enough, by either not signing nomination papers, or by moving forward and kicking them out of the caucus on the eve of an election.”

Asked if CentreBC would split votes with the Conservatives, he said it came down to policy.

“(Based) on the actions over the last several hours especially, that is a party … that is going to lean heavily into the culture wars. This not what British Columbians are concerned about on a nightly basis,” he said.

In addition to Milobar, the legislators joining CentreBC include six other recent defectors from the Conservatives — Bruce Banman, Rosalyn Bird, Ian Paton, Teresa Wat, A’a:liya Warbus and Donegal Wilson. They had said previously they would form their own party.

The eighth legislator is Elenore Sturko, who was kicked out of the Conservatives last year.

CentreBC’s previous leaders, Mike Bernier and Karin Kirkpatrick, posed for a photo in Vancouver with the party’s new legislators, except Paton who is on a cruise.

CentreBC was formed in March 2025 and it announced this summer that Bernier, a former legislator and cabinet minister, would lead the party. But Bernier said on Friday he was stepping aside for Milobar.

“What Mike and myself have been doing quite literally over the last few weeks (is) trying to build a coalition of two parties to come together as one, trying to take dramatic aggressive steps to get ready for a general election that’s unnecessary in its timing,” Milobar said.

He called the Conservatives a “clown college,” and said CentreBC planned to run candidates in all 93 ridings for an early election that he believes is both imminent and “ridiculous” for Eby to be considering.

Milobar called the party a “viable, serious, legitimate voting option,” promising it would focus on economic issues, health care and public safety.

Eby was asked about an early provincial vote at the Union of B.C. Municipalities convention in Vancouver, just before CentreBC announced its new recruits.

“We haven’t made any decisions yet,” he told the outgoing president of the union Cori Ramsay.

But he said he didn’t think it was “ever wrong to ask British Columbians about which direction we should go,” while later telling reporters “I don’t have any announcement about an election today.”

He weighed in on the state of British Columbia’s main opposition party, saying no one should “pretend that the chaos on the Conservative side is new.”

Eby also questioned whether Milobar’s party represented anything new, given his past association with the Conservatives, BC United and the B.C. Liberals.

Local government officials have asked Eby not to call a provincial vote during the municipal election campaign period that starts on Saturday, ahead of voting on Oct. 17.

The premier said he would take the wishes of local leaders “under advisement.”

The municipal leaders passed an emergency resolution on the last day of their convention calling on the provincial government not to trigger an early vote “to preserve the integrity of the municipal election process.”

Eby said he was aware of the resolution passed on the floor and he understood “the anxiety of candidates in the room.”

“The issues faced by local governments are crucial for the future of the province. It’s important that they have the attention that they need, and I understand why local leaders would be concerned about overlapping elections.”

He said the government would consider the resolution, like it does all resolutions that come forward from local governments.

Milobar’s resignation from the Conservative caucus in August triggered an exodus that continued on Friday.

Findlay said on social media that Rustad, Halford and Rattée had been removed from caucus “effective immediately.”

“With an election potentially on the horizon, our focus must be on British Columbians and defeating David Eby’s NDP government,” she said.

“The BC Conservative Party is the only free-enterprise team equipped with a fully funded campaign to take on the NDP, and we need everyone focused on building our movement and preparing to win.”

Rattée issued a scathing statement saying Findlay must resign immediately, and said she was among at least 10 caucus members who signed a letter this week asking Findlay to quit.

“That she is attempting to remove B.C. Conservative incumbent MLAs on the eve of a potential snap election is yet another example of her demonstrating poor judgment that doesn’t befit someone attempting to become premier,” Rattée said.

Rattée said Findlay was driving key members of her team “into situations that will undoubtedly split votes and give more seats to the NDP.”

She disputed whether Findlay had the authority to have her removed from the party.

Halford said on social media he intended to seek re-election in Surrey-White Rock. “Let me clear,” he said. “I’m not going anywhere.”

Findlay said Thursday that she had no intention of resigning, either.

In addition to the caucus depletion, recent upheaval in the Conservative ranks has included the revelation that a private investigator was hired to look into some MLAs, including Rattée.

Lawyer Bruce Hallsor, a King’s counsel, told The Canadian Press on Thursday that he was retained by the party look into the claims about the private eye, and he had found the Conservatives’ former executive director Elaine Allan hired the investigator.

Allan, who served briefly as executive director of the party until being relieved of her duties last month, has not responded to requests for comment.

Rattée said in Friday’s statement that she was saddened to find out she had come under investigation, calling it a “complete lapse of judgment” by those involved.

The B.C. Conservative caucus numbered 44 after the 2024 election but it has now dropped to 25. The NDP has 47 members, representing a one-seat majority, while there are two Green MLAs and two vacancies.

Seventeen MLAs are listed by the legislature as Independents, including those who are joining CentreBC.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 18, 2026.

Wolfgang Depner, The Canadian Press