List of political parties in British Columbia

Prior to 1903, there was no strong party discipline in the province, and governments rarely lasted more than two years as independent-minded members changed allegiances. MLAs were elected under a myriad of party labels many as Independents, and no one party held strong majorities.

The first party government, in 1903, was Conservative. And disciplined party caucuses have been the backbone of BC provincial politics ever since.

A list of political parties currently registered with Elections BC can be found at the Elections BC website.^[1]

Parties represented in the current Legislative Assembly

	Founded	Ideology	Leader	MLAs	In Legislature	In Government
British Columbia New Democratic Party (known as the Co-operative Commonwealth Federation until 1961)	1933	Social democracy, left-wing populism	David Eby	47	1933–present	1972–1975, 1991–2001, 2017–present
Conservative Party of British Columbia (known as the Progressive Conservative Party from 1942 to 1991)	1903	Conservatism, right-wing populism, Social conservatism	John Rustad	44	1903–1933, 1937–1956, 1971–1979, 1986, 2012, 2023–present	1903–1916, 1928–1933, 1941–1952
Green Party of British Columbia	1985	Green politics	Sonia Furstenau	2	2013–present	none

Current parties outside the legislature

Political parties currently registered to Elections BC as of April 17, 2024.^[2]

	Founded	Ideology	Leader
British Columbia Action Party	2013	Fiscal conservatism	Vacant
BC Cascadia Party	2016	Cascadian separatism	Troy Gibbons
Christian Heritage Party of British Columbia	2010	Christian right, Constitutionalism, Social conservatism	Rod Taylor
Communist Party of British Columbia (known as the Labor-Progressive Party from 1943 until 1959)	1924	Communism, Marxism-Leninism	Kimball Cariou
British Columbia Direct Democracy Party	2020^[3]	Direct democracy	John Walsh
Freedom Party of British Columbia	2023^[4]		Amrit Birring
British Columbia Libertarian Party	1986	Libertarianism	Alex Joehl
Party of Citizens Who Have Decided To Think For Ourselves & Be Our Own Politicians	2001 election (original) 2023 (relaunch)^[5]		Gordon Watson
B.C. Vision	2013	Fiscal conservatism, Green politics	Jagmohan Bhandari
Your Political Party of British Columbia	2002	Open government	James Filipelli

Other parties that have formed governments

Name		Founded	Ideology	Leader	In legislature	In Government
	BC Liberal Party (known as BC United after 2023)	1903	Conservatism, Neoliberalism	Kevin Falcon	1903–1912, 1916–1975, 1991–2024	1916–1928, 1933–1952, 2001–2017
	British Columbia Social Credit Party	1935	Social credit, Conservatism, Right-wing populism	Vacant	1952–1996	1952–1972, 1975–1991

Historical parties that have been represented in the legislature

	Founded	Ideology	In Legislature
Labour/Independent Labour/Federated Labour	N/A	Social democracy	1903–1907, 1920–1924, 1928–1960
Socialist Party of British Columbia	1901	Socialism, Impossiblism	1905–1916
Social Democratic Party of British Columbia	1907	Social democracy	1912–1916
People's Party of British Columbia	N/A	Populism	1920–1924
Provincial Party of British Columbia	1923	Agrarianism	1924–1928
Non Partisan Independent Group	1933	Conservatism	1933–1937
Unionist Party of British Columbia	1933	Conservatism	1933–1937
British Columbia Social Constructive Party	1936	Reformism, Social Democracy	1936–1937
United Party of British Columbia			1986
Progressive Democratic Alliance	1993	Centrism	1993–1997
Reform Party of British Columbia	1983	Right-wing populism	1994–1997
Democratic Reform British Columbia	2005	Centrism, Progressivism, Populism	2005

Historical parties that never had seats in the legislature

4BC (2017 election)
Action Party (2001 iteration)
Advocational International Democratic Party of British Columbia (2006–2014
All Nations Party of British Columbia (2001 election–2005)
Allegiance Party
Alternative Party of British Columbia (?–2005)
Annexation Party of British Columbia (2003–2009)
BC Ecosocialists
BC First Party (2010–2018)
BC Independence Party (2021-2024)^[6]
British Columbia Party
Canadian Alliance Party of British Columbia (?–2005)
Central Party (British Columbia) (2001 election)
Centre Democratic Party (2000–2005)
Christian Democratic Party (1952 and 1953 elections)
Citizens Action Party (BC Grey Party) (2002–2009)
Citizens First Party (2017)
Citizens Alliance Now (?–2007) (2001 election)
Citizens Commonwealth Federation (2001 election)
Common Sense, Community, Family Party (1996 election)
Council of British Columbians (2001 election)
Confederation Party of British Columbia (2003–2009)
Constructive Party (1937 election)
British Columbia Cultural Action Party
Democratic Alliance (2004–2005)
Democratic Futures Party (2003–2009)
Democratic Idealists Party (2002)
Emancipation Party (1941 election)
Emerged Democracy Party of British Columbia (2004–2009) (2005 election)
Enterprise Party of British Columbia
Excalibur Party
Family Coalition Party of British Columbia (1991 and 1996 elections)
Feminist Initiative of BC (2005–2008)
For British Columbia (4BC)
Free Canadian Party (2003–2008)
Freedom Party of British Columbia (2001–2009) (2001 and 2005 elections)
Gay Alliance Toward Equality (1979 election)
Green Go (Green Wing/Rhino) (1991 election)
Helping Hand Party (2011–2013)
Human Race Party (1991 election)
Idealists Party (2003–2008)
Independent New Hope Party (1979 election)
Individual Rights Party of British Columbia (2011–2013)
Financial Justice Party (1937 election)
Labour Party (2004–2009)
Labour Representation Committee (1952 election)
Land Air Water Party (2015–2018) (2017 election)
League for Socialist Action (1975 election)
Link BC (2002–2009)
Marijuana Party (2000–2019) (2001, 2005, 2009, and 2013 elections)
Millionaires Party (2002–2008)
Moderate Democratic Movement (2003–2008) (2005 election)
Nation Alliance Party (2007–2012) (2009 election)
Natural Law Party of British Columbia (199?–2005)
New Republican Party (2017–2019) (2017 election)
New Wave Party (2011–2015)
North American Labour Party (1975 and 1979 elections)
Patriot Party (2001–2013)
People's Co-operative Commonwealth Federation (1945 election)
People's Front (Marxist–Leninist) (1986 election – 2017)
People's Party (1945, 1953 and 1956 elections)
Planting Seeds Party (2006–2008)
Platinum Party of Employers Who Think and Act to Increase Awareness
ProBC
Progressive Nationalist Party (Bloc BC Party) (2004–2013)
Refederation Party (formerly Western Refederation Party; Western Independence Party)
Religious Political Brotherhood (1941 election)
Renewal Party of British Columbia (2004–2008)
Revolutionary Marxist Group (1975 election)
Rural BC Party (2018–2023)
Revolutionary Workers Party 1945–1953
The Sex Party (2005–2012) (2005 and 2009 elections)
Social Conservative Party (1969 election)
Socialist Labour Party
United Front (1933 election)
United Peoples Action Party (2003–2006)
Unparty: The Consensus-Building Party (formerly the People's Senate Party)
Vancouver Island Party (2016–2020)
Victory Without Debt Party (1941 election)
Western Canada Concept Party of British Columbia (1980–2013)
Western Independence Party (1979 election)
Western National Party (1983 election)
Western Reform (2001 election)
Wexit BC (2019–2022)
Work Less Party of British Columbia (2003–2017)
Unity Party (2001–2008) (2001 & 2005 election)
Youth Coalition (2000–2009)

References

^ "Elections BC website". Archived from the original on 2009-01-30. Retrieved 2009-01-29.
^ Registered political Parties elections.bc.ca
^ "Volume CLX, No. 27". The British Columbia Gazette. Government of British Columbia. 2 July 2020. Retrieved 18 August 2023.
^ "About". Freedom Party of British Columbia. Retrieved 23 July 2023.
^ "Volume CLXIII, No. 34". The British Columbia Gazette. Government of British Columbia. 24 August 2023. Retrieved 1 September 2023.
^ "Volume CLXI, No. 13". The British Columbia Gazette. Government of British Columbia. 1 April 2021. Retrieved 18 August 2023.

[1] "Elections BC website". Archived from the original on 2009-01-30. Retrieved 2009-01-29.

[2] Registered political Parties elections.bc.ca

[3] "Volume CLX, No. 27". The British Columbia Gazette. Government of British Columbia. 2 July 2020. Retrieved 18 August 2023.

[4] "About". Freedom Party of British Columbia. Retrieved 23 July 2023.

[5] "Volume CLXIII, No. 34". The British Columbia Gazette. Government of British Columbia. 24 August 2023. Retrieved 1 September 2023.

[6] "Volume CLXI, No. 13". The British Columbia Gazette. Government of British Columbia. 1 April 2021. Retrieved 18 August 2023.

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v t e Politics of British Columbia
Lieutenant governor	Janet Austin Former lieutenant governors
Premier	David Eby Former premiers By time in office
Leader of the Opposition	John Rustad Former Opposition leaders
Speaker of the Legislative Assembly	Raj Chouhan
Legislative Assembly	Current Parliament Former Parliaments
Cabinet	Cabinets: Current Cabinet Current Shadow Cabinet Previous Cabinets Previous Shadow Cabinets Cabinet positions: Lieutenant governor Premier Deputy premier Attorney general more
Political parties	Conservative Green New Democratic 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

v t e Provincial political parties in British Columbia
Parties represented in the Legislative Assembly	New Democratic (47) Conservative (44) Green (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	Action Cascadia Direct Democracy BC United Vision Party of Citizens Your Political Party
Historical parties represented in the Legislative Assembly	Democratic Reform Federated Labour Liberal People's Progressive Democratic Provincial Reform Social Constructive Social Credit Social Democratic Socialist Unionist United

v t e Political parties in Canada (by jurisdiction)
Federal
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Territorial	Yukon
Municipal	Montreal Vancouver