Former BC Conservative leader John Rustad will not seek re-election in his riding in the Oct. 24 provincial election, with the party expected to nominate a new candidate there. The political development comes as the BC Conservatives announced business and political leader Pavneet Singh as their candidate in Kelowna-Lake Country-Coldstream. Singh currently serves as the party’s vice-president. The party’s board of directors has also outlined its position on the leadership of interim leader Lorne Doerkson. According to a statement from the board, if Doerkson leads the party to victory in the

BC Green Party MLA Rob Botterell has announced his retirement from politics, opening the door for party leader Emily Lowan to contest the Saanich North and the Islands riding in the upcoming provincial election. Botterell confirmed his decision during a joint news conference with Lowan in Victoria. Lowan will now seek the seat, which has been held by the Greens since Adam Olsen won it in 2017 and was retained by Botterell in the 2024 election. Elections BC records show Botterell was elected with the Green Party in 2024. The riding is considered significant for the BC Greens, given the party’

Crown Counsel has approved charges after a 19-year-old man was allegedly slashed in the face with a blade during an early-morning robbery on Vancouver’s Granville Street last month. Vancouver Police are also asking the public to help identify a second suspect. The incident happened around 3:20 a.m. on August 8 in the 900-block of Granville Street. Police say two men approached the victim and his friends, removed a chain necklace from the victim’s neck and slashed him. The victim suffered a five-inch cut stretching from the tip of his nose, beneath his eye and ending near his eyebrow. On Se

Election activity is intensifying in British Columbia, with Elections B.C. announcing that advance voting will be held from October 16 to 21. Voters will be able to cast their ballots from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. during the advance voting period. Political parties and independent candidates will have until October 3 to enter the race and complete their registration. The 2024 provincial election cost approximately $91 million to conduct. For this election, Elections B.C. has initially requested a budget of $50 million, although the final cost will only be known after the voting process is completed. V

Concerns are being raised about voter fatigue and confusion in B.C. after Premier David Eby announced that provincial elections will be held on October 24. The election will take place just one week after the already scheduled municipal elections, leaving voters with limited time to learn about candidates and make informed decisions. Several leaders, including Union of B.C. Municipalities president Cori Ramsay and Surrey Connect mayoral candidate Brenda Locke, have expressed concerns that overlapping advance-voting dates could confuse voters and potentially affect voter turnout. However, some

A serious crash was reported on Highway 1 in Burnaby late at night. According to B.C. Emergency Health Services, they received a call about the incident at around 12:30 a.m. and transported one person to hospital in serious and critical condition. Due to the severity of the collision, Burnaby RCMP closed Highway 1 between Kensington Avenue and Sprott Street. Corporal Mike Kalanj said it was a very serious collision and that the section of Highway 1 could remain closed until this afternoon as the investigation continues. Details about the vehicles involved have not yet been released, and the id

BC Conservative interim leader Lorne Doerksen has criticized David Eby’s decision to call an early provincial election, describing it as a “cheap and opportunistic” political move. Speaking to the media in Vancouver on Tuesday, Doerksen said the unnecessary election was neither requested by the public nor wanted by British Columbians. Party leader Peter Milobar and MLA Carolyn Elliott were also present at the news conference. The opposition group also criticized the BC NDP’s economic policies. Doerksen accused the NDP government of blaming external factors for its failures and weak eco

B.C. Premier David Eby has formally called a provincial election after meeting with Lieutenant Governor Wendy Cocchia and requesting the dissolution of the legislature. The election is being held two years ahead of schedule. The next provincial election had originally been set for October 21, 2028. The announcement also cancels the Abbotsford-Mission byelection scheduled for September 26, as the riding will now be contested as part of the provincewide general election. The seat had been vacated by B.C. Conservative MLA Rian Gaspar to allow former party leader Kerry-Lynne Findlay to run in the

Party-switching intensifies in B.C. as Surrey South MLA Brent Chapman leaves the B.C. Conservatives and joins the OneBC Party. Chapman, who is the husband of former B.C. Conservative leader Kerry-Lynne Findlay, had been facing continued pressure within the party over controversial social media comments from his past. In a statement, Chapman said he had been a loyal party member for the past 15 years, but recent internal divisions, publicly exposed disagreements and what he described as a decline in the party’s principles had made it difficult for him to remain with the B.C. Conservatives. On