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The BC Conservative caucus has suffered another blow, with Surrey-Serpentine River MLA Linda Hepner resigning from caucus on Sunday. Her departure follows the removal of three party members just two days earlier, deepening a crisis for leader Kerry-Lynne Findlay ahead of a potential snap election.
In her resignation letter to Findlay, obtained by Global News, Hepner cited the party leadership’s failure to listen to experienced voices. She specifically pointed to the removal of MLAs Trevor Halford, Claire Rattee, and John Rustad on Friday as a key reason for her decision.
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“To me, it is beyond the pale of common sense to remove experienced voices rather than find a way to listen to them,” Hepner wrote. She also questioned how leadership could ask grassroots Conservatives to rally behind the party while simultaneously pushing out long-serving members.
“The math simply does not add up,” she added. “Grassroots members should be listened to, not simply appealed to.”
A Party Under Pressure
Hepner’s resignation makes her the 13th MLA to leave the BC Conservative party, either voluntarily or after being removed by leadership. Her exit reduces the caucus to 25 members.
The departures come at a particularly difficult time. Premier David Eby may call a snap election as soon as this week, and the party is navigating serious internal divisions.
Hepner also referenced allegations that surfaced on Thursday. A former party director reportedly hired a private investigator to look into 14 individuals, including party members and a Victoria-based journalist. The allegations have added further pressure on the party’s leadership.
John Rustad, whose removal triggered much of the current turmoil, had led the BC Conservatives in the last provincial election. Under his leadership, the party won 44 seats — its strongest result in recent history — though the NDP still secured a slim majority. Rustad later lost a caucus vote to Halford, who replaced him as leader. He resigned as party leader in December but remained in caucus until last week, when the Office of the Clerk of the Legislative Assembly confirmed both he and Halford were no longer members.
A New Rival Party Emerges
Beyond internal fractures, Findlay may also face a new political competitor if an election is called. Former Conservative caucus member Peter Milobar has become the new leader of the CentreBC party.
Milobar and several MLAs who left the Conservatives in recent weeks had initially discussed forming an entirely new party. Instead, they chose to join CentreBC, along with Eleanor Sturko, who was ejected from the Conservative caucus last year.
CentreBC now holds eight seats, making it the third-largest party in the legislature. Milobar says the party will focus on crime and public safety, health care, and the economy.
Election Could Come Soon
No election date has been officially announced. However, a recent wave of provincial government funding announcements has fuelled speculation that Premier Eby is preparing to call a vote.
Elections BC recently released a document outlining potential voting dates. It states that if an election call comes by this Tuesday, British Columbians would head to the polls on October 24. An election called between September 23 and 29 would place election day on October 31.
The province’s next scheduled election is currently set for October 21, 2028. However, the growing signs of an early vote suggest that date may not hold.
