BC Conservatives tie NDP in first poll under new leader
Kerry-Lynne Findlay debuts with 32% approval as the Opposition gains ground on Premier Eby's governing party.
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The BC Conservatives have pulled even with the BC NDP for the first time in months, according to a new poll conducted after Kerry-Lynne Findlay took over the party leadership just over a week ago.
Findlay's debut approval rating sits at 32 per cent—a third of the province unsure what to make of her, a third disapproving. By contrast, Premier David Eby's approval has slipped to 48 per cent, down from the dominant position his party held last fall when they led by six points.
Both parties now sit at 42 per cent among decided voters, with the BC Greens at 9 per cent. On Vancouver Island, the Conservative ground has tightened further—they're just three points behind the NDP.
Findlay still needs to secure a seat in the legislature. The race to pick her was close enough that two points the other way would have changed the story entirely, suggesting the party's direction hinges on narrow margins and some early media momentum.
Compared to past opposition leaders at similar stages, Findlay's numbers are stronger than Andrew Wilkinson's were in 2018 (24 per cent approval) but weaker than Kevin Falcon's in 2022 (38 per cent). Still, the Opposition this month is outperforming both those earlier versions—10 points ahead of the 2018 Liberals, four points ahead of the 2022 edition.
Nearly half of British Columbians say there's room for a centre-right party that can challenge both the NDP and Conservatives. And 41 per cent think it's time to bring back the BC Liberal brand. The shape of BC politics is far from settled.