B.C. Premier David Eby heads into this weekend’s NDP convention in Victoria seeking another strong leadership endorsement, but he arrives under significantly more scrutiny than he faced two years ago, when he secured 93 per cent support from delegates. Since then, the political landscape has shifted dramatically: the 2025 election left the NDP clinging to a bare majority by a single seat, internal coalition strains have grown, and key allies in labour and First Nations communities have voiced dissatisfaction with his government.
Eby says he hopes for a “healthy majority” in his leadership review and sees the convention as a chance to hear directly from members across the province — their ideas, critiques and concerns. But the context is starkly different from 2023. The NDP won 47 seats, just one more than the resurgent BC Conservatives’ 44, in an election analysts have described as a “near-death experience” for the governing party. That razor-thin margin — and a year of political turbulence since — is expected to shape the mood among delegates.
The convention follows the end of the longest public service strike in B.C. history. The eight-week walkout by the BC General Employees’ Union ended Thursday after members accepted a contract, but the strike left deep tensions between labour and the government. Other major unions — including teachers and nurses — also have expired contracts, representing hundreds of thousands of workers. Meanwhile, the BC Ferry and Marine Workers’ Union continues to criticize BC Ferries for contracting new ships to a Chinese state-owned shipyard. Union leaders warn the government is risking alienation of a core part of the NDP’s traditional base.
“If the provincial government doesn’t recognize the value of more than half a million unionized workers in B.C., it can be a challenge,” said Eric McNeely, provincial president of the BC Ferry and Marine Workers’ Union. He added that while unions may not win elections, “they can certainly help you lose one.”
Eby is also under pressure from environmentalists and First Nations, some of whom say the government sidelined their rights by passing Bill 14 and Bill 15 — legislation designed to fast-track natural resource projects. Robert Phillips of the First Nations Summit said many leaders felt shut out of consultations, heightening frustration within the NDP’s governing coalition. Yet others see the bills as opportunities for new projects, reinforcing the delicate balance Eby must maintain.
This delicate moment coincides with heightened tensions surrounding the Cowichan Tribes’ Aboriginal title case. A B.C. Supreme Court judge recently ruled that the Cowichan Tribes hold Aboriginal title over roughly 300 hectares near the Fraser River — invalidating Crown and private titles in the area. The decision has provoked widespread concern among homeowners and businesses, prompting the province to appeal and Eby to acknowledge the “great amount of uncertainty” created by the ruling while promising to protect private property rights.
Political observers say Eby must emerge from the convention with a commanding leadership mandate. UBC political scientist Stewart Prest warned that anything near the 70 per cent threshold — the score BC Conservative leader John Rustad received from his party — would intensify questions about Eby’s leadership. Prest said Eby needs to clear at least 75 per cent to convincingly claim broad support.
Prest also expects delegates to confront Eby over persistent budget deficits and the government’s “big bets” on housing, health, and education investments — spending that has left the province with limited flexibility as economic conditions shift. He predicts the premier will get an “earful” from members frustrated that the NDP has not managed to pull ahead of a Conservative Party that has repeatedly stumbled.
As the convention begins, Eby must navigate internal relationships, repair trust with unions and First Nations, and reassure members that his government can deliver stable leadership after a turbulent year. The gathering marks a pivotal test of whether the NDP coalition is still holding — or beginning to fray.