WATCH: Eby calls snap election, cites 'existential threat' posed by Trump

Premie— NDP Leader David Eby has called a snap election, putting an end to weeks of speculation.

Lieutenant Governor Wendy Cocchia granted his request, thus sending British Columbians to the polls on October 24 — just seven days after the municipal elections conclude.

During an announcement outside Government House in Victoria, Eby argued that this was an "existential moment" for the province, and made it clear that the election would centre around who is best equipped to combat the economic threats from President Donald Trump.

He equated the actions of the president to a wildfire, and suggested that voters have a choice to create a "fire break" against economic attacks and "Trump-style politics."

Eby went on to suggest that the BC Conservatives and their subsidiaries "want us to be more like the Americans," though he did not provide any examples of that alleged conduct.

"They like the culture war, division, and chaos," he said, "and they believe that we should be acquiescing [to Trump]."

When asked whether he was "fighting this election against Donald Trump or against opposition leaders," Eby reiterated his belief that threats from the US are the biggest issue of our time, and that his party is best equipped to fight them.

A growing number of municipal candidates have spoken out against the possibility of a snap election overlapping with the local contests, and the Union of BC Municipalities even passed an emergency resolution on the issue.

Eby told them he would "consider" their concerns.

When pressed on the potential for voter confusion, Eby said, "I have confidence in their ability to understand what's going on."

Eby also said he "fundamentally disagree[s] with the claim that calling an election with a majority and a recovering opposition concurrently with municipal races was "opportunism."

"There is never a bad time to go to British Columbians to ask the right direction," he added.

More to come...