Unravelling the complicated past of B.C.’s newest pipeline conflict
B.C. has until the end of November to decide if the Prince Rupert Gas Transmission...
British Columbia voters will elect a new government when they head to the polls this fall in the 2024 B.C. election.
Election day in B.C. is Oct. 19.
The provincial election is set to have major consequences for B.C.’s environmental policies, from old-growth logging and liquefied natural gas (LNG) export projects to protected areas and biodiversity.
Polls show the BC Conservatives, which have not elected an MLA since the 1970s, are statistically tied with the governing BC NDP, led by Premier David Eby. Support for BC United and the BC Greens — the de facto opposition on environmental issues in the legislature with just two MLAs, including leader Sonia Furstenau — is trailing far behind.
The BC Conservatives are led by John Rustad, who was kicked out of the BC Liberal Party in 2022 for questioning climate change science.
BC United, led by Kevin Falcon, struggled to gain the attention of voters following an inopportune name change (from BC Liberals). In late August, Falcon stunned many followers when he announced he was suspending BC United’s election campaign and urged supporters to vote for the BC Conservatives.
The BC United caucus and staff were given little notice of Falcon’s unilateral decision; some party candidates learned about it while campaigning or when reporters called to ask for comment.
Only three of BC United’s seven incumbent MLAs have agreed to run under the BC Conservative banner. Several veteran BC United MLAs announced their retirement, while others vowed to remain on the ballot as independents.
B.C. election polling shows the BC NDP and the BC Conservatives in a neck-and-neck race to win over voters.
Here’s a brief look at what the different parties pledge. Read on for our coverage on the B.C. election 2024.
Prior to becoming premier, Eby said continued expansion of B.C.’s fossil fuel infrastructure will prevent the province from meeting its climate goals. Yet the BC NDP government greenlighted LNG Canada and approved the Cedar LNG project in 2023. Both projects will be supplied fracked gas via the contentious Coastal GasLink pipeline.
Four other LNG projects are also at various stages of development — and construction began in August on another contentious pipeline to supply them with mainly fracked gas.
The NDP government has also not fully delivered on promises to protect the province’s remaining old-growth forests and safeguard species at risk of extinction.
If elected, the BC Conservatives say they will bring “common sense” back to government by balancing the budget.
The party pledges to continue and enhance support for natural resource extraction like old-growth logging and “dramatically” expanding B.C.’s natural gas production and LNG export facilities, while getting new pipelines built.
The BC Conservatives also say they will crack down on people who protest such projects. They promise to roll back many environmental policies backed by the NDP government, including the carbon tax, the low-carbon fuel standard and conservation targets to protect nature. They also say they would repeal B.C.’s Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act.
Following an investigation into TC Energy’s lobbying activities by The Narwhal, Furstenau, the BC Green Party leader, called for all LNG expansion to be cancelled and for all candidates in the 2024 B.C. election to commit to refrain from working as lobbyists for the fossil fuel industry after leaving politics.
The BC Green Party also released a drought response plan, including a proposal to update B.C.’s Water Sustainability Act to prioritize ecosystems and food security over industrial usage.
To protect old-growth forest ecosystems, the Greens support forestry revenue-dependent First Nations and other communities to create jobs in environmentally sustainable industries like tourism and clean energy. The party has also proposed passing a law to protect endangered species and to transition all open net-pen salmon farms in B.C. to land-based aquaculture systems.
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