Provincial Election Results

After waiting more than a week, while Elections BC completed the final count for the 2024 Provincial General Election, the results are in! The deadlock has ended with the BC New Democratic Party holding onto 47 seats, the BC Conservative Party electing 44 seats, and the BC Green Party maintaining their official party status with 2 seats. With a total of 93 seats up for election, the BC NDP was able to break the threshold of 47 seats to form government, resulting in a razor thin majority.

What this shows is that every vote really does matter! With many ridings coming down to hundreds and in some cases only a few handfuls of votes, this was one of the closest elections in recent BC history. Surrey-Guildford was decided by only 27 votes, and Kelowna Centre had the second closest margin with a 38 vote difference. It’s important to remember that every person who made it to the polls, and every time you spoke to your coworkers, friends, and family about voting made a huge difference in your community!

Not all of us are prepared to have these discussions and make a plan to vote. That’s why the BC Federation of Students launched the Generation Vote Now campaign. This campaign, run by 20 students’ unions that represent more than 250,000 students across B.C., helped to inform, educate, and support students and young adults in planning to vote. And if you got engaged with the Generation Vote Now – by signing up for voting reminders, chatting with us at an info. table, attending an all candidates debate or simply by voting – you made a difference!

Historical Importance

Before even forming, the 43rd Parliament is already set to break historical records. Of the province’s 93 constituencies, 48 candidates that present as women were elected, resulting in gender parity for the first time in a provincial legislature. Having gender parity in the legislature will ensure that leadership and decision-making at all levels of the government will speak directly to British Columbian residents’ needs. Additionally, just under one third of the elected MLAs across the province are Indigenous, Black or other people of colour, mirroring the provinces demographics of a third of residents identifying as part of a racialized group or population.

Possible Paths to Government and Advocacy

You do not have to look far to see the last time British Columbia was in a similar situation following a provincial election. In 2017, with no majority elected, the BC NDP and the BC Greens signed an agreement that provided enough votes between the two parties to ensure a stable government until 2020. Over the next few weeks and months, the three parties will negotiate the guidelines and policy of how the parties can work together to make sure all MLAs are working on behalf of British Columbians.

Regardless of the circumstances, evolving political dynamics between the parties is set to transform governance in British Columbia. The governing BC NDP and the opposition BC Conservatives hold differing outlooks and policy across various issues important to British Columbians such as affordability, housing, healthcare, and education. These are issues that impact everyone in the province, and as students we know they are only compounded on top of the costs of paying high tuition fees, picking up extra shifts at work, and finding enough time for yourself and your friends and family. We can’t let this new government forget that students and youth are the future of the province, and our education is a direct path to solving issues that all British Columbians are facing today. Collaboration within the government and external pressure can lead to more pragmatic actions.

With a small majority government, it’s important to push all parties to work and collaborate to address issues brought up throughout the election. With over 300,000 post-secondary students in the province, we are a primary stakeholder and have a responsibility to make sure our priorities are heard by the government and provide solutions of how supporting and funding the post-secondary sector is in the best interest of the entire province.

What to expect from the New Government

As the dust settles into the new year, there will be a lot of changes occurring in the government. Ranging from six new constituencies echoing the provinces growing population, to the inter-party politics surrounding important issues. From the speeches given by the parties’ leaders, the next government will more than likely focus on bread-and-butter issues that British Columbians face daily, such as affordability, the economy, housing, healthcare, and education.

The British Columbia Federation of Students looks forward to working collaboratively with the provincial government on these issues – we know that a well-funded public post-secondary education has an integral role in meeting the needs of British Columbians. Providing adequate funding to the post-secondary system is necessary to making education affordable and accessible for all, so the issues of today can be solved.  This will ensure that socioeconomic backgrounds are not a barrier to training the health care professionals, education, and skilled workers of the future. Building a robust social safety net, as well as investing in young British Columbians today, will help ensure our communities, economies, and all people can flourish for generations to come.

See the official results of the final count, including who was elected in each riding, on the Elections BC website.