Led by interim leader Lorne Doerkson since September 20, 2026, with one detailed plan published by September 30
The Conservative Party of British Columbia is the Official Opposition. Elections BC lists Lorne Doerkson as its interim leader; he took over on September 20, 2026, when Kerry-Lynne Findlay resigned. The party won 44 of 93 seats in 2024. By September 30, 2026 it had published one detailed plan, on natural gas and LNG, plus tax pledges and one-line titles for other policy areas.
WHO THEY ARE
About Conservative Party of BC
In the 2024 election the party ran 93 candidates, won 44 of 93 seats and received 911,153 votes, 43.28 per cent of the valid votes, according to Elections BC’s statement of votes. That result made it the Official Opposition.
Elections BC’s register of parties, dated September 30, 2026, names Lorne Doerkson, MLA for Cariboo-Chilcotin, as interim leader. CBC News reported that the remaining caucus recommended him and the party’s board approved him after Kerry-Lynne Findlay resigned on Sunday, September 20. The party’s own site calls him leader.
During Findlay’s time as leader, from May to September 2026, 14 members left the Conservative caucus, according to CBC News. After Doerkson took over, reporting from September 21 and 22 says John Rustad, Trevor Halford, Scott McInnis, Linda Hepner, Claire Rattée, Brennan Day, Peter Milobar and six other members who had joined CentreBC returned to the Conservatives. The legislature’s member records, read September 30, still list Brennan Day, Peter Milobar, Bruce Banman, Rosalyn Bird, Ian Paton, Teresa Wat, Á’a:líya Warbus and Donegal Wilson as Independent.
Elections BC accepts nominations until October 3, 2026, and its candidate list grows as nominations are accepted. The party’s team page lists its candidates by district, and Doerkson told CBC News the party is working to run a candidate in every district.
The party says it offers “real change” to make the province “safer and more affordable”. Its stated campaign commitments so far are no new taxes, removal of the PST on Canadian alcohol during the U.S. trade dispute, a plan to double LNG production by 2032, and repeal of the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act.
THE TEN ISSUES
Where Conservative Party of BC stands
Every party on this site is covered on the same eleven issues, so nothing is hidden by leaving a subject out. 10 of 11 have published policy behind them.
| Issue | Published position | Commitments |
|---|---|---|
| Housing | Not yet researched | — |
| Health care | Not yet researched | — |
| Cost of living | Not yet researched | 2 |
| Public safety | Not yet researched | — |
| Economy | Not yet researched | 5 |
| Education | Not yet researched | — |
| Climate | Not yet researched | 2 |
| Reconciliation | Not yet researched | 2 |
| Transportation | Not yet researched | — |
| Taxes and budget | Not yet researched | 1 |
| Governance | Nothing published, checked September 30, 2026 | — |
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
7 questions about Conservative Party of BC
Who leads the Conservative Party of BC?
Lorne Doerkson, MLA for Cariboo-Chilcotin, is interim leader. Elections BC’s register lists him, and he took over on September 20, 2026, after Kerry-Lynne Findlay resigned. One candidate page on the party’s site carries the words “Interim Conservative Party Leader” under Caroline Elliott’s name; Elections BC and news reports name Doerkson.
Elections BCGlobal NewsCBC NewsConservative Party of British Columbia
Can an interim leader stay on as premier?
The party constitution bars an interim leader from taking the job permanently, The Canadian Press reported. The party board said it would seek a change, which needs a two-thirds vote of members at a general meeting.
How did the party do in the 2024 election?
It ran 93 candidates, won 44 of 93 seats and received 43.28 per cent of the valid votes, according to Elections BC. That made it the Official Opposition.
Did the members who left in 2026 come back?
Reporting from September 21 and 22, 2026 says John Rustad, Trevor Halford, Scott McInnis, Linda Hepner and Claire Rattée were readmitted, and Peter Milobar and six other members who had joined CentreBC returned. Elenore Sturko stayed with CentreBC.
The Canadian Press, via CBC NewsVista Radio (AM 1150)CFJC Today
Is Jordan Kealy a Conservative candidate?
Kealy won Peace River North as a Conservative in 2024 and left the caucus in March 2025. The legislature lists him as Independent, and Elections BC’s candidate list shows him as Independent, with Curtis Whitford as the Conservative candidate in Peace River North.
Elections BCCJDC-TVLegislative Assembly of British ColumbiaElections BC
Has the party released a full platform?
By September 30, 2026, its platform page said “coming soon” and listed 17 policy titles. The one detailed document was the BC Energy Superpower Plan on natural gas and LNG, released September 28.
Conservative Party of British ColumbiaConservative Party of British Columbia
How is the party funded?
In 2025 the party reported $2,346,337.60 in political contributions and received $1,685,633.05 in public annual allowance from Elections BC, out of total income of $7,570,987.95.
Sources
A source marked SAYS SO ITSELF is the party's own material. It proves what the party claims, not that the claim is true.
- Registered political parties in British Columbia, as of September 30, 2026 Elections BC · published · checked
- Provincial candidate list, 2026 general election Elections BC · checked
- Statement of votes, 2024 provincial general election Elections BC · checked
- Current party standings Legislative Assembly of British Columbia · checked
- Annual allowances Elections BC · checked
- Financial reporting and political contributions Elections BC · checked
- Financial Reports and Political Contributions System Elections BC · checked
- Hansard, April 1, 2026, afternoon sitting Legislative Assembly of British Columbia · published · checked
- Hansard, April 22, 2026, afternoon sitting Legislative Assembly of British Columbia · published · checked
- Hansard, May 28, 2026, afternoon sitting Legislative Assembly of British Columbia · published · checked
- Conservative Party of BC home page SAYS SO ITSELFConservative Party of British Columbia · checked
- Meet your Conservative team SAYS SO ITSELFConservative Party of British Columbia · checked
- Lorne Doerkson candidate page SAYS SO ITSELFConservative Party of British Columbia · checked
- Caroline Elliott candidate page SAYS SO ITSELFConservative Party of British Columbia · checked
- Our platform SAYS SO ITSELFConservative Party of British Columbia · checked
- Latest news and updates SAYS SO ITSELFConservative Party of British Columbia · checked
- Make British Columbia an Energy Superpower (release) SAYS SO ITSELFConservative Party of British Columbia · published · checked
- BC Energy Superpower Plan (PDF) SAYS SO ITSELFConservative Party of British Columbia · published · checked
- BC Conservatives welcome LNG Canada Phase 2 (statement) SAYS SO ITSELFConservative Party of British Columbia · published · checked
- Conservatives to remove PST from Canadian alcohol (release) SAYS SO ITSELFConservative Party of British Columbia · published · checked
- Conservative Party of BC pledges no new taxes (release) SAYS SO ITSELFConservative Party of British Columbia · published · checked
- Statement from leader Lorne Doerkson on the NDP housing tax plan SAYS SO ITSELFConservative Party of British Columbia · published · checked
- Every Conservative Party of BC MLA approved to run as a candidate (release) SAYS SO ITSELFConservative Party of British Columbia · published · checked
- Statement on National Day for Truth and Reconciliation SAYS SO ITSELFConservative Party of British Columbia · published · checked
- Conservative Party of BC announces Surrey candidates (release) SAYS SO ITSELFConservative Party of British Columbia · published · checked
- White Rock Mayor Megan Knight to run in Surrey South (release) SAYS SO ITSELFConservative Party of British Columbia · published · checked
- The NDP called this election (release) SAYS SO ITSELFConservative Party of British Columbia · published · checked
- Standing up to Trump (release) SAYS SO ITSELFConservative Party of British Columbia · published · checked
- Official documents SAYS SO ITSELFConservative Party of British Columbia · checked
- Vote results, Conservative Party of British Columbia leadership 2026 SAYS SO ITSELFConservative Party of British Columbia · published · checked
- Annual financial report for 2025, with auditors’ report, as posted by the party Conservative Party of British Columbia · checked
- Statements of assets, liabilities, income and expenses for 2024, as posted by the party Conservative Party of British Columbia · checked
- Kerry-Lynne Findlay resigns as leader of the B.C. Conservative Party CBC News · published · checked
- Lorne Doerkson named B.C. Conservatives interim leader following Findlay resignation CBC News · published · checked
- A look back at Kerry-Lynne Findlay’s 4 months as BC Conservative leader Global News · published · checked
- 5 MLAs, including former leader, returning to B.C. Conservative caucus as prospect of election looms The Canadian Press, via CBC News · published · checked
- CentreBC MLAs defect back to the B.C. Conservatives after snap election call Vista Radio (AM 1150) · published · checked
- Kamloops Centre MLA Milobar rejoins BC Conservatives CFJC Today · published · checked
- B.C. Conservatives vow new rule to keep Doerkson leader, as Rustad exits The Canadian Press, via Energeticcity.ca · published · checked
- Former B.C. Conservative leader John Rustad not running for re-election CBC News · published · checked
- Canadian Press report on the Conservative campaign and Caroline Elliott’s candidacy The Canadian Press, via 650 CKOM · published · checked
- Lorne Doerkson talks values as he leads B.C. Conservatives into election CBC News · published · checked
- BC Conservatives promise no new taxes if elected Global News · published · checked
- B.C. Conservative leader pledges to triple LNG production Black Press Media (Agassiz Harrison Observer) · published · checked
- Party leaders make economic, budget promises in Week 2 of B.C. election campaign The Canadian Press, via Yahoo Finance Canada · published · checked
- Doerkson promises to cut PST on Canadian alcohol Black Press Media (The Northern View) · published · checked
- Kerry-Lynne Findlay will be the next leader of the B.C. Conservative Party Black Press Media (Chilliwack Progress) · published · checked
- Jordan Kealy departs from B.C. Conservatives to sit as Independent CJDC-TV · published · checked
- How Rustad and Conservatives reshaped B.C.’s political map Business in Vancouver, via Powell River Peak · published · checked
- Politics in British Columbia The Canadian Encyclopedia · checked
Compare Conservative Party of BC with the other nine parties
Every party is covered on the same eleven issues. The comparison pages put them side by side, one issue at a time, with the source next to each position.