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10 months ago

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B.C. Conservatives’ leadership race: who’s in, who’s out and what’s next

British Columbia’s Conservative Party has officially launched its leadership contest, with the party set to name a new leader on May 30, 2026. The race follows a turbulent internal period that ended with former leader John Rustad stepping aside, and it’s shaping up as a compressed, high-stakes sprint focused on fundraising, membership growth, and party unity.

Key Takeaways

  • The B.C. Conservative leadership race concludes with a new leader announced on May 30, 2026.
  • Candidates face major entry costs: $115,000 in fees plus a $20,000 compliance deposit tied to rules and fines.
  • Six candidates have declared so far, ranging from sitting MLAs to former cabinet experience and outsider voices.
  • Several prominent names have declined to run.
  • Former Pattison Food Group president Darrell Jones says he is seriously considering a late entry.

The Deep Dive
The party’s contest framework sets a clear bar for would-be leaders: demonstrate organizational capacity early, particularly on fundraising and compliance. Under the published rules, leadership hopefuls must pay $115,000 in fees, plus a $20,000 deposit tied to compliance and potential fines. The structure is intended to ensure the next leader can finance a province-wide campaign operation, but it also raises the barrier to entry for candidates without a strong fundraising network.

So far, the declared field includes a half-dozen candidates:

Peter Milobar (MLA for Kamloops Centre and former Kamloops mayor) has joined the race emphasizing accountability and building the Conservatives into a credible “government-in-waiting.”

Iain Black (a former B.C. Liberal cabinet minister who also ran federally as a Conservative candidate in 2025) argues his blend of cabinet and private-sector experience makes him “election-ready.”

Yuri Fulmer (businessman, chancellor of Capilano University, and former Conservative candidate) is framing his bid around party unity after a year of internal division.

Sheldon Clare (MLA for Prince George–North Cariboo) has defended the party’s high entry fees as a sign the next leader must be able to fundraise at scale.

Caroline Elliott (political commentator and former B.C. United vice-president) is emphasizing culture-and-identity debates and what she describes as a pushback against “ideology” in public life.

Warren Hamm (a Rossland contractor and advocate) is positioning himself as an outsider option in the contest.

On the opt-out list, several names discussed early have publicly declined. Gavin Dew, the Conservative MLA for Kelowna-Mission, has said he will not run, citing family priorities and cautioning the party against internal distractions and “culture war” detours. Aaron Gunn, the federal MP for North Island–Powell River, has also ruled himself out, pointing to the risk of triggering a federal by-election that could affect the balance of power in Ottawa. Interim leader Trevor Halford has also indicated he does not intend to seek the role permanently.

Likely to enter / considering: Darrell Jones
One of the biggest “what’s next” questions is whether the field expands. Darrell Jones, the former president of the Pattison Food Group and widely recognized as the public face of “Darrell’s Deals” at Save-On-Foods, has said he is giving serious consideration to entering the leadership contest. Jones has pointed to affordability, housing, public safety, and access to reliable health care as the issues driving his decision, adding that he plans to keep listening before making a final call.

Darrell Jones is a B.C.-based grocery and retail executive best known for his decades-long career at Save-On-Foods and the broader Jim Pattison retail portfolio. He began in the food business in Cranbrook, B.C., as a retail grocery clerk at an Overwaitea store and worked his way through progressively senior roles across 23 stores and communities. He became president of Save-On-Foods in 2012 and, in 2021, was named president of the newly formed Pattison Food Group, overseeing food, drug, wholesale, and specialty retail operations spanning hundreds of stores and tens of thousands of employees. He has also served in community and charitable leadership roles, including as chair of the BC Children’s Hospital Foundation, and became widely known outside the business world through his on-camera role promoting “Darrell’s Deals.”

Why It Matters
This leadership contest will help determine whether the B.C. Conservatives can unify after a bruising internal period and present themselves as a credible province-wide alternative. The tight timeline and steep entry costs put fundraising and organizational discipline at the center of the race factors that can shape who competes, how broadly they can campaign, and what kind of coalition they can build.

It will also influence the party’s public brand heading into the spring vote. A leader who can broaden support, especially on kitchen-table issues like affordability, housing, public safety, and health care, could expand the party’s reach. But a contest dominated by internal disputes risks narrowing its appeal. A potential late entry by a high-profile executive like Darrell Jones could further shift the race toward managerial competence and cost-of-living priorities as the May 30, 2026 decision approaches.

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BC STORIES

Kelowna Centre may have a new MLA by Friday

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57 minutes ago

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November 5, 2026

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After nearly two weeks of uncertainty, Kelowna Centre residents could soon find out who will represent them in the B.C. legislature.

Just 132 votes separate NDP candidate Loyal Wooldridge and B.C. Conservative incumbent Kristina Loewen, with the outcome of the closely contested race still hanging on ballots that have yet to be counted.

Elections BC says the final count for the province’s 44th provincial general election begins Friday and will conclude no later than Nov. 10.

Provincewide, there are an estimated 150,000 certification envelopes containing ballots that will be reviewed during the final count.

The ballots include vote-by-mail ballots, assisted telephone voting ballots and absentee ballots cast at special voting opportunities or on final voting day.

Under the Election Act, these ballots are counted during the final count. Before being counted, certification envelopes are checked against the voters list to confirm each voter was eligible and voted only once.

The process is familiar to both Wooldridge and Loewen, who faced a similarly close contest in the 2024 provincial election.

Loewen led Wooldridge by 148 votes on election night in 2024, but that margin narrowed to just 40 votes following a judicial recount.

Separate from the outstanding ballots being counted across the province, automatic recounts are required in the Burnaby-South Metrotown and Ladysmith-Oceanside electoral districts because the margins between the top two candidates are 100 votes or fewer.

Counting will begin at 8 a.m. and results will be updated every 30 minutes on the Elections BC website as the final count progresses.

Elections BC will declare a candidate elected in each electoral district once the final count is complete.

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BC STORIES

Quebec Suspect Arrested and Extradited in Fatal Highway 97 Hit-and-Run Investigation

Dominic Kavanagh Latreille was arrested in Quebec and returned to B.C. to face charges over a fatal 2025 hit-and-run on Highway 97 near Oliver.

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3 hours ago

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November 5, 2026

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Suspect Extradited to B.C. Following Arrest

A man wanted in connection with a deadly hit-and-run collision near Oliver has been taken into custody in Quebec and returned to British Columbia to face charges.

Dominic Kavanagh Latreille was arrested on Oct. 14 in Drummondville, Quebec, by RCMP members working alongside the Sûreté du Québec. The arrest came four months after the BC Prosecution Service approved a charge against him on June 5, 2026, for failing to remain at the scene of a crash. Following his arrest, BC Sheriffs escorted Latreille back to B.C., where he appeared in court on Oct. 15 and was remanded in custody.

Details of the June 2025 Crash

emergency responders were called to a single-vehicle incident along Highway 97 south of Oliver, in the vicinity of Cassini Cellars Winery, on June 15, 2025. A 22-year-old male pedestrian was struck and pronounced dead at the scene, while the driver involved fled the area.

Investigators with the BC Highway Patrol eventually identified a suspect through investigative work and tips received from the community. The charge against Latreille has not been proven in court.

Police Appeal for Further Details

Authorities expressed appreciation to community members who assisted in the investigation, while noting that the case remains open for additional information.

“BC Highway Patrol would also like to thank members of the public who provided valuable assistance and information during this investigation, and we continue to encourage anyone who may have additional information about this collision to contact BC Highway Patrol – Keremeos at 250-499-2250 and quote file (2100) 2025-1881,” BC Highway Patrol stated in a release.

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BC STORIES

Why Ottawa Is Guaranteeing $3-Billion for the Fraser River Crossing No Matter What BC Builds

Ottawa maintains its $3B commitment for the George Massey Tunnel replacement, supporting Premier-designate Lorne Doerkson whether BC builds a tunnel or bridge.

Published

3 hours ago

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November 5, 2026

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Federal Government Backs Fraser River Infrastructure

The federal government is maintaining its $3-billion financial commitment to replace the 65-year-old George Massey Tunnel, regardless of whether British Columbia constructs a bridge or a new tunnel.

Federal Transport Minister Steven MacKinnon affirmed the funding stance in Delta on Friday, Oct. 30. Speaking at an event designating the Roberts Bank Terminal 2 port expansion as a project of national interest, MacKinnon stated that Ottawa supports the river crossing method chosen by the province. He noted the federal investment aims to support regional trade infrastructure, traffic circulation across the Lower Mainland, and local quality of life.

Provincial Debates over Bridge and Tunnel Options

The federal backing follows a $20-billion joint agreement signed in July, which originally slotted the $3-billion federal contribution toward an eight-lane immersed-tube tunnel. That provincial project, initially announced by the BC NDP government in August 2021 with a $4.15-billion estimate and 2030 completion date, saw its design-build contract canceled in June due to unresolved commercial terms. By July, updated provincial disclosures indicated the tunnel project cost had escalated to $8.5 billion, with completion pushed to September 2031.

During the recent provincial election campaign, Conservative Leader and Premier-designate Lorne Doerkson pledged to cancel the tunnel initiative in favor of a 10-lane bridge. Doerkson estimated the bridge option would cost $6 billion and take five years to construct, claiming the resulting $2.5-billion savings compared to the revised tunnel cost could fund a new women and children’s hospital in Surrey. Doerkson stated at Friday’s event that residents simply want the crossing completed and noted he has discussed the project with Prime Minister Mark Carney.

BC NDP Leader David Eby previously criticized the proposal to switch to a bridge, describing the abandonment of the active tunnel project as unreasonable. Eby warned that scrapping the tunnel plans would discard $581 million already spent and prolong the overall project timeline.

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