BC Conservatives keep full public funding despite losing a quarter of their MLAs
Ten MLAs have departed the party in three months under Kerry-Lynne Findlay's leadership, but the per-vote subsidy formula means taxpayer funding stays unchanged.
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The BC Conservative Party will pocket $1.89 million in annual public funding in 2026 despite hemorrhaging MLAs at an unprecedented rate under new leader Kerry-Lynne Findlay.
Since Findlay took over three months ago, 10 of the party's 44 elected MLAs have quit the caucus. One MLA, Reann Gasper of Abbotsford-Mission, resigned specifically to clear the way for Findlay to run in a byelection. The remaining departures cited concerns about the party's direction under Findlay's leadership. The Conservatives now hold 28 seats.
Under British Columbia's per-vote subsidy system, introduced in 2017 when the province banned corporate and union donations to parties, funding is pegged to votes received in the previous general election—not tied to how many MLAs a party currently holds. If an MLA leaves, the former party keeps its per-vote subsidy intact. The Conservatives will receive $1.89 per vote based on their 2024 election performance, yielding nearly $1.8 million annually. The subsidy rises with inflation each year.
Three parties qualified for the subsidy in 2026: the NDP, which received the most votes, gets the largest payment of nearly $1.8 million; the BC Conservatives; and the BC Green Party at about $328,000. To qualify, a party must have received at least 2 per cent of votes cast provincewide or at least 5 per cent in all electoral districts where it endorsed candidates.
Stewart Prest, a lecturer in political science at the University of British Columbia, says the optics are awkward. "There is something odd about the sight of the B.C. Conservatives remaining so flush and essentially undamaged despite the departure of a quarter of their caucus, which by some logic should affect a quarter of their taxpayer subsidy," Prest said. He notes the subsidy's original logic—preventing elections decided by "whichever party has the best access to well-heeled dollars" and blocking "money going to fringe voices"—still holds value. But he flagged a gap in the design: "If a party radicalizes after an election in a way that alienates a significant portion of its membership, should it be entitled to keep that per-vote subsidy? It turns out that's a very good question to ask and perhaps should have been examined a little more carefully."
If the per-vote subsidy is meant to stabilize party funding for a 'crucial public service,' should it adjust when a quarter of a caucus walks out in protest of leadership?
How much public funding did the BC Conservatives receive in 2023 and 2024, the baseline years before the 2024 election that now determines their subsidy?
We'll update this story as answers emerge.
By the numbers
How much annual public funding does the BC Conservative Party receive in 2026?
The BC Conservative Party receives $1.89 million in annual public funding in 2026, calculated at $1.89 per vote based on their 2024 election performance.
How many BC Conservative MLAs have left the party since Kerry-Lynne Findlay became leader?
Ten of the party's original 44 elected MLAs have departed since Findlay took over three months ago, leaving the Conservatives with 28 seats.
How does BC's per-vote subsidy system affect party funding when MLAs leave?
Under British Columbia's per-vote subsidy system introduced in 2017, funding is based on votes received in the previous general election rather than current MLA count, so a party retains its full subsidy even if MLAs depart.
