B.C. Greens mull role of potential kingmaker after tight election

Two B.C. Green MLAs could be the difference as the provincial election sits on a knife's edge, with the full results not to be known for several days.

As of 9 p.m. PT Monday, the NDP were leading or elected in 46 seats, the Conservatives in 45 seats and the B.C. Greens were elected in two seats. In the B.C. Legislature, 47 seats are required to form a majority government.

Based on preliminary results, the winners of 11 ridings remain too close to call — with the NDP leading in six of those, and the Conservatives in five. Full election results are not expected at least until Oct. 26, when Elections B.C. says it will begin counting about 49,000 absentee and mail-in ballots.

The elections agency says manual recounts will also be held on Oct. 26-28 in two ridings where NDP candidates led B.C. Conservatives by fewer than 100 votes after the initial count ended on Sunday.

That leaves the Green Party in the role of potential kingmaker.

If the results hold, some political observers have said the Greens could form a supply-and-confidence agreement with the NDP, similar to the arrangement made after the 2017 provincial election, in order for the New Democrats to form a government.

However, that will depend on the two first-time Green MLAs in the legislature — who have both said they aim to provide an alternative to the B.C. NDP and Conservatives.

Complicating the matter further is the fact that party leader Sonia Furstenau lost her seat in the election.

"As [Furstenau] mentioned in her concession speech, and certainly we've talked since ... we're going to carry on and work together to tackle the issues and, you know, advance the platform of the Green Party," said newly elected Saanich North and the Islands MLA Rob Botterell.

Botterell was elected in former Green MLA Adam Olsen's seat, and the retired lawyer said he has the full support of Furstenau and Olsen in his role as a first-time MLA.

In response to questions about whether he had been approached for a confidence-and-supply deal, Botterell said his party was still waiting for the full election picture to develop first.

"We're really looking forward to charting the path forward once we know the final results," he said. "My experience is it's best to take things one step at a time."

Botterell will be joined by fellow first-time MLA Jeremy Valeriote, who won the West Vancouver-Sea to Sky riding — an area that has historically been represented by centre-right parties.

Valeriote was projected to win the seat in 2020 before a recount handed it to Jordan Sturdy of the B.C. Liberal Party.