Legislative Assembly of British Columbia

Legislative Assembly of British Columbia
Legislative Assembly of British Columbia
43rd Parliament of British Columbia
Type
Type	Unicameral house of the Legislature of British Columbia
Sovereign	The lieutenant governor (representing the King of Canada)
History
Founded	July 20, 1871
Preceded by	Legislative Council
Leadership
Speaker	Raj Chouhan
Premier	David Eby, NDP ; since November 18, 2022
Leader of the Opposition	John Rustad, Conservative ; since November 12, 2024
Government House leader	Mike Farnworth, NDP ; since November 18, 2024
Opposition House leader	Á'a:líya Warbus, Conservative ; since November 20, 2024
Structure
Seats	93
Political groups	His Majesty's Government New Democratic (47); Confidence and supply Green (2); His Majesty's Loyal Opposition Conservative (41); Other Parties OneBC (2); Independent (1);
Elections
Last election	October 19, 2024
Next election	On or before October 21, 2028
Meeting place
	Parliament Buildings, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
Website
	www.leg.bc.ca

The Legislative Assembly of British Columbia (French: Assemblée législative de la Colombie-Britannique) is the deliberative assembly of the Legislature of British Columbia, in the province of British Columbia, Canada. The other component of the Legislature is the lieutenant governor of British Columbia. The assembly has 93 elected members^[3] and meets in Victoria. Members are elected from provincial ridings and are referred to as members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs). Bills passed by the assembly are given royal assent by the lieutenant governor in the name of the King of Canada.^[4]

The current legislature is the 43rd Parliament. The most recent general election was held on October 19, 2024. Proceedings of the Legislative Assembly are broadcast by Hansard Broadcasting Services.

Location

From 1856 to 1860, the Legislature of the Colony of Vancouver Island met at Bachelor's Hall at Fort Victoria.^[5] From 1860 to 1898 it was housed in the first permanent building at Legislative Hall or Legislative Council Court, a two-storey wooden building along with four other buildings (Land Office, Colonial Office, Supreme Court, and Treasury) known colloquially as "The Birdcages" because of their shape (burned 1957).^[6]^[7] Since 1898, the Legislature has been located in the British Columbia Parliament Buildings,^[8] which features a 150-metre-long facade (500 ft), central dome, two end pavilions, and a gilded statue of George Vancouver.

Recent parliaments

Parliament	Period		Government Premier of British Columbia			Opposition Leader of the Opposition
Parliament	Start	End	Party		Name	Party		Name
30th 1972 election	1972	1975		New Democratic	Dave Barrett		Social Credit	W. A. C. Bennett Bill Bennett
31st 1975 election	1976	1979		Social Credit	Bill Bennett		NDP	Dave Barrett
32nd 1979 election	1979	1983		Social Credit	Bill Bennett		NDP	Dave Barrett
33rd 1983 election	1983	1986		Social Credit	Bill Bennett Bill Vander Zalm		NDP	Dave Barrett Bob Skelly
34th 1986 election	1987	1991		Social Credit	Bill Vander Zalm Rita Johnston		NDP	Bob Skelly Mike Harcourt
35th 1991 election	1991	1996		NDP	Mike Harcourt Glen Clark		Liberal	Gordon Wilson Fred Gingell Gordon Campbell
36th 1996 election	1996	2001		NDP	Glen Clark Dan Miller Ujjal Dosanjh		Liberal	Gordon Campbell
37th 2001 election	2001	2005		Liberal	Gordon Campbell		NDP	Joy MacPhail
38th 2005 election	2005	2009		Liberal	Gordon Campbell		NDP	Carole James
39th 2009 election	2009	2013		Liberal	Gordon Campbell Christy Clark		NDP	Carole James Dawn Black Adrian Dix
40th 2013 election	2013	2017		Liberal	Christy Clark		NDP	Adrian Dix John Horgan
41st 2017 election	2017	2020		Liberal	Christy Clark		NDP	John Horgan
41st 2017 election	2017	2020		NDP	John Horgan		Liberal	Christy Clark Rich Coleman Andrew Wilkinson
42nd 2020 election	2020	2024		NDP	John Horgan David Eby		Liberal	Andrew Wilkinson Shirley Bond Kevin Falcon
42nd 2020 election	2020	2024		NDP	John Horgan David Eby		United	Kevin Falcon
43rd 2024 election	2024	present		NDP	David Eby		Conservative	John Rustad

Officeholders

Since 2024

Speaker

Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia: Raj Chouhan (NDP)

Other chair occupants

Deputy speaker; chair, Committee of the Whole: Mable Elmore (New Democratic Party)
Assistant deputy speaker: Lorne Doerkson (Conservative)

Leaders

Premier of British Columbia: David Eby (New Democratic Party)
Leader of the Opposition: John Rustad (Conservative)
Green Party leader: Jeremy Valeriote (interim)
OneBC leader: Dallas Brodie (interim)

House leaders

Government House leader: Ravi Kahlon (New Democratic Party)
Opposition House leader: Áʼa꞉líya Warbus (Conservative)
Green Party House leader: Rob Botterell
OneBC House leader: Tara Armstrong

Gallery

Photos of the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia

The British Columbia Parliament Buildings
The Parliament Buildings roof with a gilded statue of George Vancouver
The Legislative Chamber

References

^ Larsen, Karen (December 13, 2024). "B.C. NDP and B.C. Greens announce co-operation agreement". CBC News. Archived from the original on December 13, 2024. Retrieved December 14, 2024.
^ "Opposition". Legislative Assembly of British Columbia. Retrieved March 8, 2025.
^ Engagement, Government Communications and Public. "Organizational structure - Province of British Columbia". www2.gov.bc.ca. Archived from the original on April 3, 2024. Retrieved April 5, 2024.
^ "Order of Her Majesty in Council admitting British Columbia into the Union, dated the 16th day of May 1871", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, SI 1871/
^ Duffus, Maureen. "Vancouver Island First Legislature" Archived September 29, 2007, at the Wayback Machine. Vancouver Island History. Accessed 1 September 2022.
^ Harberer, E. (8 April 1876). "Victoria B.C. -The Provincial Public Buildings" Archived December 24, 2004, at the Wayback Machine. Canadian Illustrated News. via University of Victoria. Accessed 1 September 2022.
^ "About Victoria: History". City of Victoria. Archived from the original on April 15, 2009. Retrieved September 1, 2022.
^ "Attractions in Victoria, BC". Archived from the original on May 23, 2007. Retrieved May 31, 2007.

External links

Official website

48°25′10″N 123°22′13″W / 48.41944°N 123.37028°W / 48.41944; -123.37028

[1] Larsen, Karen (December 13, 2024). "B.C. NDP and B.C. Greens announce co-operation agreement". CBC News. Archived from the original on December 13, 2024. Retrieved December 14, 2024.

[2] "Opposition". Legislative Assembly of British Columbia. Retrieved March 8, 2025.

[3] Engagement, Government Communications and Public. "Organizational structure - Province of British Columbia". www2.gov.bc.ca. Archived from the original on April 3, 2024. Retrieved April 5, 2024.

[4] "Order of Her Majesty in Council admitting British Columbia into the Union, dated the 16th day of May 1871", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, SI 1871/

[5] Duffus, Maureen. "Vancouver Island First Legislature" Archived September 29, 2007, at the Wayback Machine. Vancouver Island History. Accessed 1 September 2022.

[6] Harberer, E. (8 April 1876). "Victoria B.C. -The Provincial Public Buildings" Archived December 24, 2004, at the Wayback Machine. Canadian Illustrated News. via University of Victoria. Accessed 1 September 2022.

[7] "About Victoria: History". City of Victoria. Archived from the original on April 15, 2009. Retrieved September 1, 2022.

[8] "Attractions in Victoria, BC". Archived from the original on May 23, 2007. Retrieved May 31, 2007.

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

[6]

[7]

[8]

v t e Provincial political parties in British Columbia
Parties represented in the Legislative Assembly	New Democratic (47) Conservative (41) Green (2) OneBC (2)
Other parties recognized by Elections BC that contested the 2024 election	Christian Heritage Communist Freedom Libertarian
Parties recognized by Elections BC that did not contest the 2024 election	BC Strong BC United BC Vision CentreBC Party of Citizens
Historical parties that were represented in the Legislative Assembly	Democratic Reform Federated Labour People's Progressive Democratic Provincial Reform Social Constructive Social Credit Social Democratic Socialist Unionist United

v t e Politics of British Columbia
Lieutenant governor	Wendy Lisogar-Cocchia Former lieutenant governors
Premier	David Eby Former premiers By time in office Deputy premier
Leader of the Opposition	John Rustad Former Opposition leaders
Speaker of the Legislative Assembly	Raj Chouhan
Legislative Assembly	Current Parliament Former Parliaments
Cabinet	Current Cabinet Current Shadow Cabinet Previous Cabinets Previous Shadow Cabinets
Political parties	Conservative Green New Democratic OneBC more
Elections	Next general election 2024 general election Past elections By-elections Electoral districts
Other Canadian politics	Federal AB SK MB ON QC NB NS PEI NL YT NT NU

Authority control databases
International	ISNI VIAF
National	United States Israel
Other	Yale LUX