Leger poll shows B.C. Conservatives hold narrow lead, but majority doubt their direction
A new survey finds the Conservatives at 39 per cent among decided voters versus 36 per cent for the NDP, a margin within the poll's margin of error.
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A new Leger poll shows B.C. Conservatives leading the NDP, but significant doubts about both parties could reshape the race ahead of the provincial election.
The poll, conducted online Sept. 24-28 among 1,003 B.C. voters, found Conservatives at 39 per cent and the NDP at 36 per cent among decided voters — a 3-point lead that falls within the poll's plus-or-minus 3.1 per cent margin of error. Undecided voters accounted for 13 per cent; the Greens, who gained 4 points in recent months, stood at 13 per cent. Minor parties CentreBC and OneBC each polled at 5 per cent.
Yet the headline numbers mask deeper turbulence. Fifty-eight per cent of voters believe the province is on the wrong track, and only 19 per cent think the NDP has done a good job. But the Conservatives face their own credibility challenges: 57 per cent have concerns about the views of some Conservative candidates, 54 per cent question the credibility of interim leader Lorne Doerkson, and 53 per cent worry about internal party divisions. Forty-three per cent of voters planning to vote Green said they may change their vote.
The snap election itself remains unpopular. Fifty-seven per cent disapprove of Premier David Eby's decision to call an election less than two years after the last one, including 49 per cent of past NDP voters. Eby cited U.S. President Donald Trump and challenges posed by him as the reason for the early call, but Trump and the U.S. ranked only seventh on voters' list of concerns — behind health care, affordability, economy, and public safety.
Steve Mossop, executive vice-president of Leger's Western Canada division, suggested Eby may have miscalculated. "All you've got to do is stand up, with a valid voice, to Trump, and it's going to carry you through the polls and decide an election," Mossop said. "Well, what's happened is that voters have become a little bit fatigued at the rhetoric coming from Trump."
The results partially overlap with an Angus Reid poll released last week, which showed Conservatives with an 8-point advantage and 62 per cent disapproving of the election call.
By the numbers
What were the voting intentions in the Leger poll?
The Leger poll conducted September 24–28, 2026 found the B.C. Conservatives at 39 per cent among decided voters, the NDP at 36 per cent, the Greens at 13 per cent, undecided voters at 13 per cent, and minor parties CentreBC and OneBC each at 5 per cent.
What percentage of B.C. voters disapprove of Premier David Eby's decision to call an early election?
Fifty-seven per cent of B.C. voters disapprove of Premier David Eby's decision to call the election less than two years after the last one, including 49 per cent of those who voted NDP in the past.
How many voters have concerns about B.C. Conservative candidates or their interim leader?
Fifty-seven per cent of B.C. voters have concerns about the views of some Conservative candidates, and 54 per cent question the credibility of interim leader Lorne Doerkson.