Tuesday September 22, 2026 | VICTORIA, BC [Posted at 1:25 pm, updated 1:38 pm PT]
Political editorial analysis by Mary P Brooke | Island Social Trends
Telling British Columbians that calling a snap election is about establishing a ‘fire break’ against economic attack and Trump-style politics, Premier (NDP leader) David Eby made the anticipated election call announcement today at 12:15 pm PT.
He made the announcement outside Government House in Victoria after the Lieutenant Governor agreed to his request to dissolve the 43rd Parliament of BC.
The Fall Session of the Legislative Assembly would have started October 5. This also cancels a by-election in Abbotsford-Mission where former BC Conservative Party leader Kerry-Lynne Findlay was running to get a seat in the legislature.
“The moment is here. Let’s meet it together,” said Eby in delivering his prepared notes.
Staying the course:
“British Columbians deserve a say in what happens next, in the kind of province we are going to build,” said Eby today. He describes a province here that “stands up for itself or follow Donald Trump” which he describes as a source of MAGA-style division and culture wars that have seeped over the border into BC (and other parts of Canada).
“Conservatives have had four leaders in two years, it’s been chaos on their side the whole time,” said Eby as part of his rationale for calling an election that is two-years ahead of the scheduled October 2028 date.
He feels that his NDP government has responded properly and well to the economic challenges due mainly to attacks from the United States on Canada’s economy and sovereignty.
All about Trump:
Much of Eby’s remarks today were a version of recounting what the federal Liberal government is doing to strengthen the national economy (with 13 provinces and territories along for the process as Team Canada). He avoided criticizing his opponents until pressed on that during the media questions.
The NDP leader says it’s a clear choice between his party that has governed for nine years which has a “commitment to build, stand shoulder to shoulder across Canada” versus what he calls the “chaos, cuts, cozying up to Trump”.
Two concurrent elections:
Eby has side-stepped last week’s request from the Union of BC Municipalities (UBCM) to not call a snap election that would run concurrently with the municipal and school trustee election campaigns that are currently underway.
The municipal election is set for Saturday October 17. And now the provincial election is now set for Saturday October 24.
Urgency of the moment:
Why call an election now?
“The conditions have changed, by the hour,” said Eby today when answering media questions. He again articulated the urgency of the moment both economically and in terms of Canadian sovereignty, including that there are continual “new threats from the White House” and tariffs on Canada’s core industries.
“The chaos on the other side is their offering to British Columbia,” says Eby about the BC Conservatives, CentreBC and OneBC (a trio of centre-right parties comprised of a mix of MLAs that were all first elected under the BC Conservative banner in 2024).
“They’ve had four leaders in two years. Acquiescence, giving up, cuts — an embarrassing, pale vision of what British Columbia could be,” said Eby today about the BC Conservatives and parties on the right.
Analysis:
While Eby has strong reasons from at least two strong vantage points (needing to continue building a strong and independent economy in BC, and trying to assure a centrist NDP majority government for another four years), holding the election now is putting British Columbians into overload.
The turnout for both municipal and provincial elections will be compromised. Some voters may not show up for either, especially if they are confused about candidates, timing, and parties — and notably, if they are struggling with their own issues in employment, business or family affordability. Personal and everyday concerns may just produce a very low voter turnout.
If the parties on the right get organized, this could be the end of the NDP government as we’ve known it since 2017 (and in the years leading up to that from 2005 as Horgan worked his way to bringing the NDP to government in 2017).
There are enough people who are frustrated with current conditions in BC — who either think that a change of government or party leadership will fix that (i.e. handing a gift to the BC Conservatives and/or CentreBC if they manage a coalition).
Eby has taken a huge risk that could see the entire NDP initiative collapse on October 24. Last week he expressed worry about having just a one-seat majority and “two MLAs with cancer” (implying they won’t be available or vote, or even return). He is thinking in terms of numbers there, and perhaps missing the bigger picture about how stressed British Columbians are with ‘everything’ (lack of affordability, losing jobs) and, frankly, how most people won’t have enough political intel to make the NDP-choice that he sees as obvious.
The frustration level is likely to have people ‘voting with their feet’, i.e. voting for an alternative to the NDP, or not showing up — two weekends in a row — to vote at all. Eby was surprised at barely achieving a majority in the October 2024 election; he may have seriously miscalculated the timing of calling this election which could very much backfire on him.
BC Conservatives:
“David Eby has handed BC a chance for change – let’s take it!,” the BC Conservatives say today in a news release.
BC Greens:
“This snap election will be costly, it isn’t wanted, and it continues this government’s track record of putting its interests ahead of everyday people. British Columbians weren’t due back at the polls until 2028 — now they’re being asked to vote early, right on top of another election,” says Emily Lowan, BC Green leader in a statement today.
Fair Vote Canada:
“The only reason we’re wasting millions of dollars on an unnecessary, opportunistic snap election is first-past-the-post,” says Fair Vote Canada in a statement this afternoon. “First-past-the-post has caused chaos on the political right in BC.”