Legislative Assembly of British Columbia

Deliberative assembly of the Legislature 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 (1871-07-20)
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[1]

*   Green (2)

His Majesty's Loyal Opposition[2]

*   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

[edit]

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

[edit]

Parliament  | Period  | Government
Premier of British Columbia | Opposition
Leader of the Opposition

|
|
|

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
| 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

| United | Kevin Falcon
43rd
2024 election | 2024  | present  |  | NDP  | David Eby  |  | Conservative | John Rustad

## Officeholders

[edit]

### Since 2024

[edit]

#### Speaker

[edit]

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

#### Other chair occupants

[edit]

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

#### Leaders

[edit]

* 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

[edit]

* 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

[edit]

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

## See also

[edit]

* Executive Council of British Columbia
* Legislative Council of British Columbia
* List of British Columbia provincial electoral districts (2001–2009)
* British Columbia Legislature raids

## References

[edit]

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.

## External links

[edit]

* Official website

* 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

* v
* t
* e

Canadian legislative bodies

Parliament of Canada|

* Sovereign
* Senate
* House of Commons
* Members
* List

Legislative assemblies|

* Alberta (list)
* British Columbia (list)
* Manitoba (list)
* New Brunswick (list)
* Newfoundland and Labrador (list)
* Northwest Territories (list)
* Nova Scotia (list)
* Nunavut (list)
* Ontario (list)
* Prince Edward Island (list)
* Quebec (list)
* Saskatchewan (list)
* Yukon (list)

Indigenous assemblies|

* Haida Council
* Grand Council of the Crees
* Nisgaʼa Lisims
* Nunatsiavut Assembly
* Six Nations Elected Council

Defunct bodies|

| Provincial upper houses|

* Manitoba
* New Brunswick
* Newfoundland
* Nova Scotia
* Prince Edward Island
* Quebec

|

Territorial bodies|

* Keewatin (Council)
* Northwest Territories (Temporary Council, 1st Council, 2nd Council)

Pre-Confederation bodies|

* British Columbia colonies
* Mainland
* Vancouver Island
* United Colony
* Lower Canada
* Parliament
* Council
* Assembly
* Special Council
* Newfoundland
* Commission
* Province of Canada
* Parliament
* Council
* Assembly
* Province of Quebec
* Council
* Red River Colony
* Council
* Assembly
* Upper Canada
* Parliament
* Council
* Assembly

Authority control databases

International|

* ISNI
* VIAF

National|

* United States
* Israel

Other|

* Yale LUX

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