Christy Clark and the BC Liberals aim to continue to rule B.C. with a minority government after neither major party gained enough seats in Tuesday鈥檚 election to secure the 44 seats required for a majority.
The seat count remained virtually deadlocked at the end of the night, with the Liberals declared elected in 43 seats, and the NDP elected in 41, with ongoing uncertainty in some close races that could yet go back and forth.
The BC Greens scored a major breakthrough. They are now elected in three ridings 鈥� leader Andrew Weaver鈥檚 seat in Oak Bay-Gordon Head plus new wins by Adam Olsen in Saanich-North and the Islands, and .
That鈥檚 just short of four seats that would give the Greens official party status.
With a majority elusive, the three probable seats for the Greens now raises the serious possibility that Weaver and his caucus may hold the balance of power in a minority government.
So far the BC Liberals have stacked up about 40.8 per cent of the popular vote, to 39.9 per cent for the NDP and 16.8 per cent for the Greens.
The Liberals broke out to an early lead, but the seats in favour of the NDP grew swiftly as more votes were counted.
New Democrats made inroads in key Metro Vancouver suburbs where they needed to capture Liberal seats to come close to forming government.
Among the casualties of the night was prominent BC Liberal cabinet minister , the former education minister, who conceded defeat to the NDP鈥檚 Jagrup Brar in Surrey-Fleetwood.
Also out are Liberal cabinet ministers Suzanne Anton and Amrik Virk.
Key seats that ended the night too close to call include Courtenay-Comox, where the over Liberal Jim Benninger. That race is expected to go to a judicial recount.
A few other close races could also hinge on the still-to-come count of absentee ballots. Those mail-in ballots take up to two weeks to be counted, so a final result will not be declared until then.
Clark declares Liberals will continue to rule
The three party leaders did not speak to supporters until after midnight.
Liberal leader Christy Clark said she intends to form the next government.
鈥淭onight we won the popular vote,鈥� she said. 鈥淎nd we have also won the most seats. And with absentee ballots still to be counted I am confident they will strengthen our margin of victory.鈥�
She said voters sent the message they want a bigger economy, not a bigger government, while keeping middle class taxes low.
Clark thanked her supporters, as well as those on the opposing campaigns for standing up for what they believe in.
鈥淚t is tough and gutsy to put your name forward for public office and I want to say thank you to all of the candidates,鈥� she said, adding any one who gets into politics to be loved would be 鈥渂etter off getting a dog.鈥�
The Liberal leader also injected a note of humility on the drop in Liberal seats.
鈥淰oters know best. And they reminded us tonight that we are far from perfect,鈥� Clark said.
鈥淏ritish Columbians did tell us they want us to do things differently. They want us to work together. They want us to work across party lines.鈥�
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NDP leader John Horgan urged supporters to hang tight, noting the votes have not all been counted yet.
鈥淭he majority of British Columbians voted for a new government and I believe that鈥檚 what they deserve.鈥�
Horgan said B.C. voters sent a signal they want to take big money out of politics, take action on climate change and move towards proportional representation.
Weaver heralded the breakthrough of his candidates on Vancouver Island.
鈥淚n the days ahead there will be plenty of discussions taking place between all parties,鈥� Weaver said. 鈥淣ow is not the time for those discussions. Now is the time for all Greens across the country to celebrate.鈥�
- Explore our interactive results tracker above to navigate to results for individual ridings.
Officially, Clark remains premier until the government loses a confidence vote in the legislature.
The BC Liberals would have the first option to seek the confidence of the house, which means seeking the support of the Green Party.
However a minority scenario would likely mean negotiations between Green leader Andrew Weaver and both the NDP and Liberals. Weaver has said his preconditions for Green support of a minority government include an end to corporate and union political donations, and a referendum on changing to a proportional representation voting system.
The leaders spent election day on a final push to get out votes after a sometimes bruising 28-day campaign fought on jobs, the economy and the influence of big donors in provincial politics.
NDP tried to make campaign referendum on Clark
The B.C. Liberal party has been in power for 16 years and had hoped to build on four straight majority governments by running on the party鈥檚 record of economic growth and financial stability.
The NDP tried to make Clark鈥檚 leadership as premier the central issue of the campaign. Horgan accused her of being out of touch with average people on issues such as the cost of housing and inadequate education funding.
Weaver鈥檚 pitch features a disavowal of politics as usual. He told voters his party is the only one offering something that鈥檚 different on climate change and on preparing the province for a new economy spurred by technological change.
Negative ads and attacks between the NDP and the Liberals over political fundraising laws that place no limits on corporate and union donations have also been a prime part of the political debate.
The NDP accused the Liberals of dragging their feet on political fundraising by failing to back bills in the legislature that would have banned donations from the corporate and labour sectors. The Liberals shot back by highlighting donations the New Democrats received from the United Steelworkers.
If the Clark Liberals falter and prove unable to govern as a minority, British Columbians could yet be in for a new NDP government that would aim to block the Kinder Morgan pipeline twinning, and potentially unravel BC Liberal megaprojects like the Site C dam and Massey Bridge, while raising taxes on the wealthy and providing new subsidies for child care and to aid renters.
Continued rule by the BC Liberals under Clark would largely maintain course, amid some promises to reduce MSP premiums and cap tolls on the Port Mann and Golden Ears bridges.
One of Clark鈥檚 surprise moves during the campaign was to pledge to ban or tax out of viability U.S. thermal coal exports through B.C. ports in retaliation for U.S. duties on softwood lumber.
鈥� with files from Black Press staff, The Canadian Press
