Some B.C. legislators qualified for full pension a day before election

VICTORIA — British Columbia’s snap election on Saturday was held a day after a dozen legislators crossed the threshold for a full pension, including four NDP MLAs who lost their ridings or did not run.

The clerk’s office says the pensions of legislators first elected on Oct. 24, 2020 became vested on Friday, Oct. 23.

Nine NDP MLAs crossed the six-year-threshold the day before Saturday’s election, while premier-designate Lorne Doerkson is among three Conservative legislators who reached the benchmark that day.

Former ministers Brenda Bailey and Kelly Greene did not seek re-election, while Susie Chant and Harwinder Sandhu lost their re-election bids.

The NDP’s Brittny Anderson, Jennifer Whiteside, Niki Sharma, Josie Osborne and Grace Lore were all re-elected, as were Conservatives Bruce Banman, Trevor Halford and Doerkson, and all are now eligible for a full pension when they turn 65.

Legislators contribute 11 per cent of their pensionable earnings to their plan, and receive an annual pension equivalent to the average of their top three years as MLAs.

The basic salary for a legislator is about $122,000, while ministers receive a top-up of about $61,000.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 28, 2026.

Wolfgang Depner, The Canadian Press