BC Conservative interim Leader Lorne Doerkson (L) speaks in Vancouver on Sept. 22, 2026, and B.C. NDP Leader David Eby speaks in Surrey, B.C., on Sept. 23, 2026, during provincial election campaign stops. The Canadian Press/Darryl Dyck
The poll, conducted Sept. 22 to 24, suggested that 43 percent of respondents among decided and leaning voters support the BC Conservatives, compared to 35 percent who say they support the provincial NDP.
“The reversal of fortune for the BC NDP has been swift: as recently as ten days ago, the governing party had a slim four-point advantage over the BC Conservatives,” Angus Reid noted in a report on the poll released Sept. 24.
Among decided and leaning voters, the poll put the BC Greens at 9 percent and other parties at a combined 9 percent. The survey did not detail the level of support for OneBC and CentreBC separately.
The survey also said that 20 percent of all respondents said they were initially undecided on how they would cast their vote.
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Reversal
Angus Reid said in its report that the calling of the snap election while the governing NDP still has over two years left in its mandate may be adding to voter dissatisfaction, with 62 percent of respondents saying it was “too soon” to go to the polls.
A majority of respondents also agreed with the statement that Eby was “putting trying to stay in power over the interests of the province,” including 51 percent of those who voted for his party in 2024.
Among all respondents who said they voted for the BC NDP in the previous election, 62 percent said they plan to vote for the party again, compared with 80 percent of those who said they voted for the BC Conservatives last provincial election and plan to do so in this one.
A further 16 percent of 2024 BC NDP voters said they were undecided, 10 percent said they now support the BC Green Party, and 6 percent said they were shifting their support to the BC Conservatives.
Despite the surge in support for the BC Conservatives, the poll showed significant doubts about their capability to govern the province, with 56 percent of respondents saying they agreed that the party is “not ready to govern B.C.,” including 22 percent of those who say they currently support the BC Tories.
In terms of the campaign issues that hold the most importance for British Columbians, the poll found cost of living and inflation in top spot for 59 percent of respondents, trailed by healthcare at 42 percent, the economy and employment at 28 percent, and housing affordability and public safety tied at 25 percent each.
Concern over U.S. tariffs, cited by Eby as one of the main justifications for calling a snap election and seeking a stronger mandate, ranked as an important issue for only 15 percent of respondents.
‘Early Days’
The provincial election is scheduled for Oct. 24, and Angus Reid noted it is “early days.”
The pollster said the views of the electorate remain unenthusiastic, with three-in-five respondents saying they were not enthusiastic about voting and 39 percent stating they did not feel there was a good choice if they had to select between the BC Conservatives or BC NDP.
Angus Reid further noted that much uncertainty remains among many voters about how they will actually cast their ballot on election day.
“It is early days in the campaign however, as underscored by the one-in-five who say they are undecided about their vote choice, and the fact that only 35 per cent say they are ‘very certain’ about which party they will support,” the institute said.
