Here are five things to know about B.C.’s only televised election debate

VANCOUVER — British Columbia’s three main party leaders took part in the only televised debate in the provincial election on Wednesday night, trading barbs, criticizing their opponents’ policies and making their pitch for votes.

Here are five take-aways from the debate between interim B.C. Conservative leader Lorne Doerkson, NDP Leader David Eby and Green Party Leader Emily Lowan:

EBY: CONSERVATIVES TRIED TO BRING DOWN GOVERNMENT 13 TIMES

Eby said neither he nor his party have been perfect while in government, but he defended his snap election call, saying he needed a stronger mandate to respond to tariff threats from the United States.

“This was not a government that was able to deliver the big swings that you and your family need government to be taking for you,” he said of his own one-seat-majority administration that the Conservatives repeatedly tried to topple.

DOERKSON SAYS PLAN WILL HELP LOW-INCOME EARNERS

Doerkson said he would pay down the forecasted provincial deficit of about $14 billion by supercharging the economy without introducing new taxes or raising existing ones.

He also defended plans to give British Columbians a tax cut, which he said would inject $2 billion into the provincial economy.

“When we give a break to business in British Columbia, they spend,” he said. “They create an economy.”

GREENS’ TOP PRIORITY IS ELECTORAL REFORM

Lowan said her party would push for changes to the election process if it held the balance of power in a minority government.

“A voting system where we’re not caught between lesser evils, where we are choosing between broken promises or service cuts. And I think we can find that system in proportional representation.”

OPPONENTS TARGET EBY’S ‘BROKEN PROMISES’

Doerkson said B.C. residents no longer believe Eby.

“You have had a decade to try to fix what’s happening in this province,” Doerkson said.

Lowan noted Eby’s decision to slow construction on seven long-term care projects.

“This year’s election bribes are next year’s broken promises.”

Eby promised last week that the seven projects were back on track.

SURPRISE APPEARANCE BY OTHER PARTY LEADERS

CentreBC Leader Elenore Sturko and interim OneBC leader Dallas Brodie made unexpected appearances, delivering taped messages near the end of Wednesday’s debate. They were once caucus colleagues within the Conservatives.

Sturko described her party as socially progressive and fiscally responsible, saying she would bring a centrist voice to Victoria.

Brodie said her party would push for a 25 per cent income tax cut for both individuals and corporations, while promising to end the “greed and corruption” of what she called the reconciliation industry.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 15, 2026.

The Canadian Press