Left-leaning New Democratic Party to form British Columbia government after tight election win

By Nia Williams

Incumbent Premier David Eby's New Democratic Party (NDP) is set to form the next government of British Columbia after edging ahead in a final tally of ballots on Monday, more than a week after the Oct. 19 vote took place.

The NDP was leading or elected in 47 seats - just enough to form a majority government - in Canada's westernmost province, while John Rustad's Conservative Party of British Columbia had 44 seats and the BC Green Party won two.

Eby met on Monday with British Columbia's lieutenant governor, Janet Austin, who asked him to form the next government, the premier said in a statement.

"Based on today's final vote count, and pending judicial recounts, British Columbians have asked our BC NDP team to lead our province for a third time," Eby said.

Voters had to wait nine days for the final count by Elections BC after initial results showed no party had won enough seats to form a majority government. Two electoral districts will still likely face a judicial recount because the margins of victory were so slim.

The left-leaning NDP's reelection secures it another four years in power, following a campaign in which healthcare, housing and high living costs emerged as top voter concerns.

Eby has promised to spend more on B.C.'s schools and mental-health facilities and incentivize housing construction in the province, which has Canada's highest cost of living.

The NDP won reelection despite rising voter concerns about crime and public safety and the government's drug policy, including a pilot project to allow open use of some illegal drugs.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's Liberal government faces similar concerns about affordability on a national scale and must hold a federal election within a year.

The NDP has held power in B.C. for seven years, and the Conservatives gained support rapidly over the last two years, suggesting disillusionment with the incumbent government, analysts said.

B.C., a vast mountainous province with resources including natural gas and forestry, has long been seen as a climate policy leader in Canada and is home of the country's nascent liquefied natural gas export industry.

The NDP's victory safeguards provincial climate measures such as its clean fuel standard. It means any new LNG terminals must plan to produce zero carbon emissions on a net basis by 2030 to secure provincial approval.

Eby promised to scrap the province's increasingly unpopular carbon tax if the federal government dropped it as a legal requirement for British Columbia.