BC Conservatives pull past BC United in latest poll; premier cautions voters

Editor’s note: This article previously included Abacus Data from federal polling, not provincial polling. This article and headline have been updated.

As the Conservative Party of BC sees a bump in support in another poll, B.C.’s premier is warning voters to do their research before casting a ballot.

Premier David Eby says the Conservative Party denies human-caused climate change, questions vaccine efficacy, and draws on the worst traditions of populism tearing apart the United States.

“It’s not helpful for us as a province. It won’t help us grow, it won’t help us be successful in the world, and actually, it will take us backwards very significantly,” he said.

“I encourage people to look at the actual real beliefs of the Conservative Party of British Columbia when they cast their vote ten months from now, and that will be part of our message as we move forward.”

According to Abacus Data, the B.C. Conservatives pulled into second place with a vote share of 26 per cent, behind the provincial NDP with 44 per cent, with BC United in third with 17 per cent.

Eby’s party has seen a drop since the last election of four per cent, with the Conservatives up by 24 per cent.

Abacus says regionally, the BC NDP is ahead by 22 points in Metro Vancouver but “statistically tied” with the BC Conservatives in the Interior and the Northern regions.

The next provincial election is planned for October 2024. BC United, formerly the BC Liberals, is the party losing points to the Conservatives’ gain.

Political analysts believe the BC Conservative bump is due to the federal Conservative party gaining popularity, despite the two parties not being affiliated.