B.C. Conservatives have lost one-third of elected MLAs since 2024 triumph
Fourteen of 44 MLAs elected under the Conservative banner in 2024 have since departed—some expelled, others resigned over leadership disputes. The party came within three seats of forming government.
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The B.C. Conservative Party has lost one-third of the MLAs it elected in the 2024 provincial election, as departures over leadership and ideology have thinned its once-promising caucus.
Fourteen of the original 44 Conservative MLAs are no longer with the party. Their departures began under then-leader John Rustad: Dallas Brodie was expelled in March 2025 over podcast comments about residential-school survivors; Tara Armstrong and Jordan Kealy left in solidarity with Brodie; Elenore Sturko was expelled in September 2025 after Rustad accused her of plotting against him; and Amelia Boultbee left in October 2025 expressing concerns the party was becoming a "smaller-tent party." Boultbee later crossed the floor to the NDP.
Under interim leader Trevor Halford, Hon Chan was expelled in March 2026 following domestic assault allegations. But the most significant departures came after Kerry-Lynne Findlay took over as leader. Peter Milobar, the Conservatives' finance critic, left caucus on Aug. 14, saying his values no longer aligned with the party's new direction. Ten days later, agriculture critic Ian Paton departed, announcing plans with Milobar to form a new centre-right party.
The departures represent defections, expulsions, and resignations spanning ideological rifts within the party. Milobar and Paton both cited concerns about the party's rightward trajectory under Findlay. Sturko acknowledged having conversations with colleagues about leadership concerns but denied plotting. The cascade of exits stands in stark contrast to the party's stunning 2024 result, when it came within three seats of forming government.
What is the current size of the Conservative caucus, and how does it rank against the NDP and other opposition parties in the legislature?
Why did Peter Milobar and Ian Paton cite a 'push to the right' under Kerry-Lynne Findlay when the party won 44 seats in 2024 running as a conservative platform?
We'll update this story as answers emerge.
The facts
How many B.C. Conservative MLAs have left the party since the 2024 election?
Fourteen of the 44 MLAs elected under the Conservative banner in 2024 have since departed through expulsion, resignation, or floor-crossing.
Why did Ian Paton leave the B.C. Conservative Party?
Ian Paton, the agriculture critic, departed on August 24, 2026, citing concerns about the party's rightward trajectory under leader Kerry-Lynne Findlay and announcing plans with Peter Milobar to form a new centre-right party.
