Canada
B.C.'s leaders face off tonight. Here's what to watch for.
A new Conservative leader, a Green wealth tax, and an NDP government fighting the polls — the numbers that matter before the 6:15pm debate.
Published: October 14, 2026 · Updated: October 14, 2026 · 1 min read
British Columbia's party leaders meet tonight in the only televised debate of the snap election — NDP Leader David Eby, interim Conservative leader Lorne Doerkson and Green leader Emily Lowan, moderated by Angus Reid Institute president Shachi Kurl. It airs 6:15–8:00pm PT on all major TV and radio networks, with CTV streaming on YouTube.
The context: Doerkson became Conservative leader less than four weeks ago, yet poll aggregation from The Writ makes his party two-to-one favourites — a projected 44.8 per cent of the vote, leading in 51 seats to the NDP's 40 and the Greens' 2, with the NDP winning the most seats in only 31 per cent of simulations. That's the number Eby is debating against tonight.
The Greens released the campaign's first full platform Tuesday: about $9.3 billion a year in new health, education and social-service spending over two fiscal years, funded by a one-time tax on "excessive wealth" raising $22.2 billion in its first year, plus higher taxes on the wealthiest, the Canadian Press reports. At Tuesday's Vancouver Board of Trade dress rehearsal, Eby pledged $60 million for tariff-hit forestry mills and working with Ottawa on a new shipyard to build B.C. ferries at home — before an audience where nearly three-quarters said they're "very concerned" about provincial finances.
The debate ends at 8pm PT / 11pm ET. A full recap lands in our morning edition.
What matters
What happened
B.C.'s only televised leaders' debate airs tonight 6:15–8pm PT.
Why it matters
The snap election is 10 days out; the Conservatives are two-to-one favourites in poll aggregation.
What we know
Doerkson has led the Conservatives for less than a month; the Greens propose a one-time wealth tax; Eby pledged $60M for forestry mills.
What we don’t
Whether the debate moves the numbers; how the new Conservative leader performs under pressure.
What’s next
The debate ends 11pm ET; a full recap lands in the morning edition; B.C. votes Oct. 24.
Sources
- The Canadian Press (via North Bay News) · other
- The Writ · other
- B.C. Broadcast Consortium · other
B.C. electionDavid EbydebateCanada
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