Provisional results released on Sunday indicate the opposition Conservative Party has won the provincial election in British Columbia, securing 64 of the 93 legislative seats and delivering the party its first provincial victory since 1928. The outcome brings an end to nine years of New Democrat governance.
The New Democrats, a left-of-center party that opposed new oil pipelines and supported a ban on tankers along the province's northern coast, took 27 seats in the vote.
Energy policy was at the forefront of the Conservative platform. The new government has pledged an aggressive expansion of liquefied natural gas production, promising to double output by 2032 and to increase it by more than threefold by 2035. The party also said it would end emissions limits and replace the province's carbon tax framework.
Conservative leader Lorne Doerkson, who will become the next premier, framed the victory around an economic and regulatory reset. "I believe in energy... We will cut red tape like it’s never been cut before," he said in his victory speech, adding that his administration would "supercharge" British Columbia. The Conservatives also announced plans to host a business summit in Vancouver next year.
As part of their strategy to rebuild the LNG sector, the Conservatives said they would reach out to energy providers that had left the province's LNG industry since 2018, including ExxonMobil, Chevron and Woodside.
Voter priorities heading into the election included cost-of-living pressures, healthcare concerns, and the ongoing trade dispute with the United States under President Donald Trump, according to polling cited around the campaign. New Democrat Premier David Eby had called for a strong mandate to confront tariff threats from the United States.
Provisional results announced on Sunday set the stage for a significant policy shift in British Columbia, especially in energy and climate-related regulation. The incoming government's stated moves - lifting emissions limits, altering carbon taxation, and targeting rapid LNG production growth - point to material changes for the province's energy industry and associated economic activity.
Further confirmation of the final seat count and the Conservative government’s policy roll-out will clarify the near-term implications for businesses operating in the province and for markets watching Canadian natural gas developments.