No clear winner in British Columbia election, with most votes counted

The two main parties contesting an election in the western Canadian province of British Columbia were tied after most votes had been counted, provisional results showed on Sunday, and it could be days before a winner emerges.

The incumbent left-leaning New Democratic Party (NDP), in power for seven years, had won 40 seats and was leading in six while the right-leaning Conservative Party had won 40 and was leading in five. The Green Party had won two.

The Canadian Broadcasting Corp said the result could depend on out-of-district votes and mail-in ballots, with the latter not due to be fully counted until Oct. 26.

A party needs 47 seats in the provincial legislature to capture a majority in what is traditionally one of Canada's greenest provinces.

The Conservatives, who benefited from voter fatigue with the NDP government, promised to scrap a longstanding tax on carbon emissions and clean fuel standard and also expand the liquefied natural gas export industry.

The result could mirror that of the 2017 election, when the Green Party held the balance of power after neither of the main parties won a majority. The then Liberal Party won more seats but the NDP took power after signing a deal with the Greens.