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Lorne Doerkson, BC premier candidate, said he was “very humbled” by his party’s win and vowed to earn the trust British Columbians have placed in him.
Doerkson’s BC Conservative Party cruised to a resounding victory Saturday night, with Global News projecting a majority government less than an hour after polls closed.
“I’m very pleased that yesterday British Columbians voted for change and they voted for it,” Doerkson said Sunday in his first official press conference after election day. “Communities across this province, from the Peace to the Island, from the Kootenays to the Coast put their trust in us… Those funds were loaned to us for a specific purpose and must be earned back every day.”
Previously a relatively unknown backbench MLA, the man took the reins of the party as interim leader ahead of the election after Kerry-Lynne Findlay stepped down amid a flurry of departures.
On Sunday, his party was projected to win 64 seats, a total the party has not surpassed since the BC Liberal Party won 77 seats in 2001.
Outgoing Prime Minister David Eby triggered the election less than two years into his term, and initially said it was necessary in response to US President Donald Trump’s tariffs, although he later shifted his focus to the issue of affordability, which was a key part of Doerkson’s campaign.
Doerkson emphasized that he is an ally of British Columbia when asked about Trump reposting about the Conservative victory on his Truth Social platform.
“I am an ally of British Columbia and we should have taken this opportunity years ago to protect ourselves from these attacks,” Doerkson said. “My focus is on improving our economy… There is no end in sight, where I believe we can support a variety of industries that will protect us from these attacks.”
Work to form a government has already begun, with the prime minister-designate saying he has spoken with Lieutenant Governor Wendy Cocchia and named Kim Henderson as head of the government’s transition team. Henderson previously served as deputy minister under Premier Christy Clark.
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“When this party was inaugurated, the first day it was ready and started running,” he said.
He said his government would conduct an independent review of the province’s finances on day one to “get to the bottom of things,” and promised that the public would have a “complete picture” before the budget was tabled.
He also reiterated his campaign promise, stating that in the first 100 days, an expert commission would consider keeping emergency rooms open and reducing wait times.
But the first priority, Doerkson said, is raising the basic personal exemption to $32,000, which would mean about $1,000 a year “back in the pockets” of British Columbian workers.
“These are serious times, communities are strained, the economy is at a standstill and too many British Columbians no longer believe that government can get anything done,” he said.
Although the BC Conservative Party achieved a resounding victory, they also won a majority with the lowest voter turnout in decades. Preliminary numbers from Elections BC show 48 per cent of those eligible to vote. Before this year, no provincial election in history had seen voter turnout fall below 50 percent.
Doerkson’s party is projected to win 64 seats with 48.05 percent of the vote, while the NDP gets 27 seats and 37.38 percent. The Green Party won two seats and took 10.97 percent.
During the campaign, Eby questioned whether Doerkson would remain prime minister in the future. As interim leader of the party, he is not currently permitted to stand for leadership elections.
When asked if he would stay, Doerkson said that was an “administrative detail” that would see information provided “in the near future.”
“But I will remain the leader of the party and I am very happy to be the premier-elect of British Columbia at this time,” he added.
The next Prime Minister also faced questions regarding his stance on repealing the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (DRIPA).
He stressed he was committed to working with First Nations as premier, but remained firm on his plans.
“This has not worked in this province, and frankly, it has caused more problems to date than I thought,” Doerkson said, questioning what has been done to solve the problems in the province.
Congratulations for the future prime minister came from across the province and country, and Doerkson added that he had heard them from “a number of First Nations,” including during his ride on the Cariboo Chilcotin.
Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew congratulated Doerkson on his win and thanked Eby for his friendship over the past few years.
But Kinew was cautious when asked about Doerkson’s policies regarding DRIPA and the rights of indigenous peoples.
“I think the election results in BC should be of concern to every elected politician and every consultant out there for this reason,” Kinew said. “This is a reminder that what we do is not a game. When you are elected to serve the people of your province or country, it is a serious responsibility that should not be taken lightly.”
An inauguration date for Doerkson’s administration has not been announced and he did not say whether there would be a fall session, although he did not rule out the possibility.
—with files from Amy Judd of Global News
© 2026 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.
