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Editor’s Note: Hours after Linda Hepner submitted her resignation, Kerry-Lynne Findlay announced on X that she was stepping down as leader of the BC Conservatives.
Nearly two days after three party members were removed from the caucus, BC Conservative Leader Kerry-Lynne Findlay lost another member.
Linda Hepner, MLA for Surrey-Serpentine River, withdrew from the caucus on Sunday and in her resignation letter, obtained by Global News, criticized the party leadership’s “willingness to listen.”
Hepner in an interview cited the firings of Trevor Halford, Claire Rattee and John Rustad on Friday as the main reason she left the caucus.
“I’m confused as to why taking those three leaves was a good strategic decision,” he told Global News in an interview. “At that point, I decided enough was enough.”
He then criticized the party leadership’s move, questioning why the three MLAs were removed given their multiple impacts on the BC Conservatives, including high poll numbers.
Rustad led his party in the last provincial election. Although the NDP still managed a slim majority, the party had its best result ever, winning 44 seats – an increase from the eight seats they won at the time of the dissolution.
Rustad was ousted last year when the caucus voted to replace him as leader with Halford. Rustad stepped down as party leader in December but remained in the caucus until last week when the Legislative Council Clerk’s Office confirmed that he and Halford were no longer members.
“The calculations cannot be added up,” Hepner wrote. “Grassroots members must be listened to, not simply asked.”
The MLA also commented on allegations on Thursday that the party’s former director hired private investigators to investigate 14 people, including party members and a Victoria-based journalist.
Speaking with Global News on Sunday, Hepner said he spoke with Findlay on Saturday and recommended that he step down as leader.
“I said I would resign if I didn’t hear anything and he said, ‘give me more time,” Hepner said. “I gave him all day and sent it [the resignation] this morning.”
He added that he finally heard from Findlay on Sunday morning that he “might make a statement,” but couldn’t say when.
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Hours after Hepner’s resignation, Findlay announced his decision to step down as leader.
Hepner is the 13th MLA to leave the party either voluntarily or after being ousted by party leadership.
Hepner’s departure reduces the party’s caucus to 25 and comes as talk increases that Prime Minister David Eby may call a by-election as early as this week.
Findlay may also have to compete with other parties if an election is held, after former caucus member Peter Milobar became the new leader of the CentreBC party.
Milobar and several MLAs who also left the party in recent weeks had talked about forming a new party, but decided to join CentreBC along with Elenore Sturko, who was dropped from the Conservative caucus last year.
The party is now the third largest party in the legislature, with eight MLAs. Milobar said his focus is on crime and safety on B.C.’s roads, health care and the economy.
When asked if he would join CentreBC, Hepner said no and he would stay where he is. He said he would help anyone “interested in making good decisions so we are ready for the election.”
While he has said he would not seek re-election under Findlay’s leadership, he has not decided whether he would run if a midterm election were held.
An exact date has not yet been announced, but recent funding announcements by the provincial government have hinted at the possibility of elections coming soon even as municipal election campaigns have begun.
Elections BC also recently released a document outlining early voting dates and election days if voting will take place in the coming weeks. It says that if the election were held this Tuesday, British Columbians would go to the polls on October 24, while an election held between September 23 and 29 would result in election day being held on Halloween.
The current scheduled date for the next provincial election is October 21, 2028.
—with files from Amy Judd of Global News
© 2026 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.
