CentreBC
CentreBC | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Leader | Elenore Sturko |
| President | Mike Wignall |
| Founder | Karin Kirkpatrick |
| Founded | March 28, 2025 |
| Split from | BC United |
| Headquarters | P.O. Box 19178, RPO Fourth Ave. Vancouver, BC V6K 4R8 |
| Ideology | Conservative liberalism |
| Political position | Centre-right[1] |
| Seats in the Legislative Assembly | 1 / 93 [a]
|
| Website | |
| www | |
CentreBC[b] is a political party in British Columbia, Canada. The party was founded by Karin Kirkpatrick, a former MLA from BC United. The party was created in 2025 after BC United leader Kevin Falcon's refusal to resign as leader following his controversial decision to suspend BC United's 2024 election campaign.[3]
Peter Milobar, MLA for Kamloops Centre, was briefly leader in September of 2026, before rejoining the Conservative Party of British Columbia after a snap election was called.[4]
History
[edit]Two years before the foundation of CentreBC, the British Columbia Liberal Party changed its name to BC United on April 12, 2023. This was to reflect that the BC Liberals had not been affiliated with the Liberal Party of Canada since 1987 and had occupied the right wing of the British Columbian political spectrum as the primary opponent of the left-leaning New Democratic Party since the 1990s. The name change may also have been motivated in order to further separate the party from the federal Liberals where, according to campaign strategist Allie Blades, 'the B.C. Liberal name confused and turned off voters who did not support the federal Liberals.'[5] However, this rebranding was widely seen as a failure, with support for BC United crashing in the provincial opinion polls, and many of its supporters switching to the Conservative Party of British Columbia under leader John Rustad. By August 14, 2024, BC United was projected to earn just 10% of the popular vote and lose all its seats in the upcoming 2024 British Columbia general election. On August 28, BC United leader Kevin Falcon announced that he had suspended the party's election campaign and would be endorsing the BC Conservatives.[6] This decision was criticized by many BC United MLAs, including Karin Kirkpatrick of West Vancouver-Capilano, who called on Falcon to resign. Kirkpatrick decided to continue running as an independent in the next election along with 16 other former BC United candidates; none of them were elected.[citation needed]
In February 2025, Kirkpatrick called on Falcon to resign again; Falcon refused to do so, claiming that the funds needed to hold a leadership election would further sink the now-indebted party into financial ruin.[7] On March 28, 2025, Kirkpatrick founded CentreBC as a new political party, to serve as an option for moderate British Columbian voters who would otherwise have to choose between the Conservatives and the New Democrats.[8][9][10]
On June 20, 2026, Kirkpatrick stepped down as party leader.[11] On July 18, 2026, Mike Bernier, former BC United MLA for Peace River South and former mayor of Dawson Creek, was named the new leader of the party.[12]
On September 18, 2026, following discussions between the two, Mike Bernier resigned the leadership, allowing Kamloops Centre MLA Peter Milobar to become party leader while he and seven other former BC Conservative MLAs[c] joined the party.[13]
After the call of a provincial election on September 22, 2026, Milobar resigned his position as leader to return to the BC Conservatives along with six CentreBC MLAs, excluding Elenore Sturko.[14] Sturko then became the new leader that day.[15]
Party leaders
[edit]| # | Leader | Term of office |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Karin Kirkpatrick | March 28, 2025 – June 20, 2026 |
| 2 | Mike Bernier | July 18, 2026 – September 18, 2026 |
| 3 | Peter Milobar | September 18, 2026 – September 22, 2026 |
| 4 | Elenore Sturko | September 22, 2026 – present |
MLAs
[edit]Former
[edit]Election results
[edit]| Election | Leader | Candidates run | Seats won | Votes | Vote share | Seat change | Position | Result | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Elenore Sturko | 0 / 93 |
0 / 93 |
TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD |
Notes
[edit]- ↑ The party had 8 MLAs, at dissolution, 7 of whom rejoined the Conservative party.
- ↑ Registered with Elections BC as Centre BC[2]
- ↑ Ian Paton, Bruce Banman, Áʼa:líya Warbus, Rosalyn Bird, Teresa Wat, Elenore Sturko, and Donegal Wilson.
References
[edit]- ↑ Lazenby, Alec (September 18, 2026). "Peter Milobar, Mike Bernier announce merger of centre-right alternative parties". Vancouver Sun. Retrieved September 18, 2026.
- ↑ "Registered Political Parties - Information" (PDF). Elections BC. Retrieved July 25, 2025.
- ↑ "Former MLA Karin Kirkpatrick officially launches CentreBC". CentreBC. April 10, 2025. Retrieved July 25, 2025.
- ↑ Collins, Lauren (September 18, 2026). "Milobar taking over Centre B.C., 8 MLAs ready to run as election call looms". The Chilliwack Progress.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ↑ Meissner, Dirk (August 29, 2024). "B.C. United rebrand went 'spectacularly,' said Kevin Falcon. Yes, this was sarcasm". Vancouver Sun. Archived from the original on February 10, 2025. Retrieved August 12, 2025.
- ↑ Larsen, Karin (August 28, 2024). "Kevin Falcon ends B.C. United campaign, throws support to Conservatives". CBC News. Retrieved August 12, 2025.
- ↑ DeRosa, Katie (February 6, 2025). "Calls grow for Kevin Falcon to resign as B.C. United leader, but the party says now's not the time". CBC News. Retrieved July 25, 2025.
- ↑ Boegman, Anton (April 10, 2025). "REGISTRATIONS". The British Columbia Gazette. Government of British Columbia. Retrieved June 14, 2025.
- ↑ "Former B.C. MLA launches new 'pragmatic, centrist' party | Globalnews.ca". Global News. April 10, 2025. Retrieved October 4, 2025.
- ↑ "CentreBC | Balanced Government for British Columbia". July 8, 2025. Archived from the original on August 9, 2025. Retrieved October 4, 2025.
- ↑ "CentreBC Completes Landmark First AGM: New Executive Council Elected, Constitution Adopted, Party Financially Strong". CentreBC. Vancouver. June 20, 2026. Retrieved June 24, 2026.
- ↑ Grochowski, Sarah (July 18, 2026). "Former cabinet minister Mike Bernier named CentreBC leader, positioning party between NDP and Conservatives". Vancouver Sun. Postmedia Network. Retrieved July 18, 2026.
- ↑ "Centrists, former B.C. Conservatives join forces under Milobar as snap election speculation swirls". CBC News. September 18, 2026. Retrieved September 18, 2026.
- ↑ Peters, James (September 22, 2026). "Kamloops Centre MLA Milobar rejoins BC Conservatives". Retrieved September 22, 2026.
- ↑ Collins, Lauren (September 22, 2026). "Surrey's Elenore Sturko named leader of CentreBC as MLAs leave". Penticton Western News. Black Press Media. Retrieved September 23, 2026.