The BC Conservatives lead the BC NDP by eight points just days after David Eby called a snap election, according to new polling from the Angus Reid Institute.
Among decided and leaning voters, 43% say they would vote for the BC Conservatives, compared with 35% for the BC NDP.
The poll suggests frustration with the timing of the election could be playing a role.
Nearly two-thirds of British Columbians surveyed, 62%, said it is too soon to hold an election, while just 21% said the timing is right. Even among BC NDP supporters, 52% said the election is coming too soon.
Sixty-five percent of respondents also agreed Eby is putting his own interests ahead of the province by calling the election.
But with one month until election day, the race is far from settled.
One in five respondents said they remain undecided, while only 35% said they are “very certain” about which party they will support.
Despite their eight-point lead, the poll found many voters remain uncertain about the BC Conservatives. Fifty-six percent of respondents said the party is not ready to govern, including 22% of current Conservative supporters.
The BC NDP is also struggling to hold onto some of the voters who supported the party in the 2024 election.
According to the poll, 62% of those who voted NDP in the last provincial election currently plan to vote for the party again. Another 16% are undecided, while 10% now say they would vote for the BC Greens and 6% would vote for the BC Conservatives.
By comparison, 80% of 2024 BC Conservative voters currently say they plan to support the party again.
Cost of living remains the dominant issue heading into the campaign, cited by 59% of respondents, followed by health care at 42%, the economy and jobs at 28%, housing affordability and public safety at 25% each, and the provincial deficit at 24%.
US tariffs and relations with Donald Trump — an issue Eby emphasized when calling the election — were selected by 15% of respondents as one of their most important issues.
The poll also points to broader dissatisfaction with the choices available to voters.
Thirty-nine percent said they do not believe they have a good option between the two leading parties, while 60% described themselves as not enthusiastic about voting in the October 24 election.
The Angus Reid Institute surveyed 801 British Columbian adults online between September 22 and 24. The sample was weighted to reflect the population by region, gender, age, household income, and education.
For comparison purposes, a probability sample of the same size would carry a margin of error of plus or minus 3.5 percentage points, 19 times out of 20.
