On the last day before the provincial election, David Eby made a final attempt to earn votes that he now desperately needs to win the election he called just weeks ago.
At a media availability outside the Surrey Fleetwood campaign office just after 10 a.m. on Friday, Oct. 23 — under the Surrey-Langley Skytrain Extension — Eby reiterated some of his major campaign promises, such as increasing taxes on high-earners, bringing down the cost of groceries and gas, improving healthcare, and building a SkyTrain to Newton.
“Now these are big swings, and I need — I really need that team of MLAs who [are] going to be focused on delivering that agenda for British Columbia,” he said.
Daily Hive Urbanized joined Eby’s campaign bus on Oct. 23, as he made his final pitch to voters, targeting some of the key battleground ridings in Surrey, the Tri-Cities, and Langley.
Behind in the polls
While the energy of BC NDP staff, volunteers, supporters, and candidates was chipper on the final day, the headlines and polls surrounding Eby’s campaign are not.
Eby called the election at a time when the Conservative Party of British Columbia was in disarray — several MLAs had defected from the party, citing leadership concerns with former leader Kerry-Lynne Findlay.
Eby’s popularity as a premier started going up, despite general discontent with how the province had been run under his leadership. Speculation grew that he would call a snap election, even though it wasn’t scheduled for another two years and he had a majority (albeit a slim one).
David Eby at the final press conference of his campaign on Oct. 23. (Daily Hive/Hanna Hett)
And even though Findlay stepped down as leader on Sept. 20 and the Conservatives just had time to appoint Lorne Doerkson as their interim leader, Eby went ahead and called the snap election two days later.
At the time, he used the rhetoric that had successfully worked for Prime Minister Mark Carney in his own election campaign in April 2025: defence against U.S. President Donald Trump.
“At a time when Donald Trump is creating more uncertainty, the last thing we need is to rip up what’s working. British Columbians deserve the chance to choose whether we build on our progress or put B.C. at risk by rolling over for Donald Trump,” Eby said during his announcement.
But the Trump rhetoric sounded hollow, especially when the BC NDP already had a majority, and when the province was already gearing up for civic elections.
And as it turns out, B.C. residents’ biggest concern was the cost of living. According to an Angus Reid survey, that is 59 per cent of residents’ top concerns. Just 15 per cent said that it was Trump, U.S. tariffs, or the alcohol ban.
Eby has had to pivot over the past several weeks, focusing on his platform promises to help people with affordability and healthcare, along with spreading fear about some of the members of the Conservative Party.
However, Eby has some heavy political baggage to pack with him — including a 13.8 billion dollar deficit, a number of unfulfilled promises, and discontent with how he has handled DRIPA.
But on Oct. 23, polls indicated that the Conservatives could even win a majority government.
“I haven’t been perfect”
The BC NDP leader has acknowledged that he’s made mistakes.
“I know I haven’t been perfect. Our government hasn’t been perfect, but I guarantee you, British Columbia, I will fight every single day for you and your family if you return me to office,” he said at Friday’s press conference.
Eby said that he was “ahead of British Columbians” regarding their understanding of the legislature, when he called the election.
“People were very surprised and frustrated by the election call. I should have done a better job of letting them know how stalled out the legislature was, how frustrating it was to sit there and debate whether or not we should repeal the human rights code instead of focusing on the issues that British Columbians care about — because it was a tied vote in the legislature after we appointed the speaker.”
In an interview with Daily Hive Urbanized, Eby said he will learn from his past mistakes if he is once again elected as premier.
He repeated that he “can get ahead of British Columbians.”
“I know there’s an issue that needs to be resolved and we have a policy change or something we want to do to address it. I can get ahead of where British Columbians are, and I need to do a better job of bringing them along.”
Eby added that there’s “opportunity” for him to listen and learn, and to reflect on what’s been done and how to do it better next time.
He believes that once people move beyond the “team sport” aspect of politics, B.C. residents are “largely on the same page.” He said they want strong public healthcare, support services, an accountable government, and diversified trade away from the U.S.
This is how he plans to govern for all residents, including those who decide to cast a vote for Conservatives. He said they need to show the “material difference that we’re making.”
“I can point to some really positive things about connecting people to family doctors faster than anywhere else in Canada, rents coming down for 24 months in a row, addressing some of these big challenges we face. But for lots of British Columbians, it’s not fast enough. They want more, and they reasonably expect more. And so that’s why I’m asking for the mandate here in the election to be able to deliver and show them what’s possible.”
But Eby said he “struggles” to see how they would work with the Conservatives if the BC NDP is elected with a minority government.
“When you have people who are running who believe that if you’re gay, you’re immoral, or if you’re Muslim, you don’t have a place in British Columbia, or any of the other variety of hateful messages that have been perpetuated by the staff and candidates and the Conservatives, it just makes it really hard to find common ground.”
Despite the unfavourable polls, Eby insists that there’s still a chance.
“The election is not going to be decided by a poll. It’s going to be decided by those people at home, that large group of people who are still undecided about how they’re going to vote, or maybe. They’re thinking about voting green, and so my request to them is to help us build the kind of province that we all want,” he told reporters.
The key battleground: Surrey
After Eby’s morning press conference, he stopped in the Surrey-Fleetwood campaign office, where volunteers and NDP supporters are trying to re-elect Jagrup Brar. He stopped at Mithila Sweets and Restaurant for tea and snacks with NDP candidate Sikander Singh Kang, who is running in Surrey-Serpentine and trying to flip it from the Conservatives. Later, he would return to Surrey North.
This is no surprise, as many agree that Surrey is key to the outcome of this provincial election.
Eby at a press conference in Surrey on Oct. 23. (Hanna Hett/Daily Hive)
Both the BC NDP and the Conservatives have made major promises for the City of Surrey in the campaign’s final weeks and days, including the Newtown SkyTrain extension and building Surrey’s third hospital.
The results of the previous provincial election two years ago help explain the fierce attention on Surrey. Surrey-named ridings, including Surrey-White Rock, account for 10 of the 93 provincial electoral districts across B.C.
“We have seen David Eby say he’s really open to all the ideas that Doug McCallum has, and I think that’s an indicator that he really needs the people who voted for DougMcCallum to also vote for the NDP,” said Stewart Prest, a political science professor at the University of British Columbia, in a recent interview with Daily Hive Urbanized.
In the October 2024 provincial election, the Conservatives, under then-party leader John Rustad, won six of the 10 Surrey-area constituencies, including Surrey-White Rock, while the BC NDP won four. Six ridings were decided by fewer than 1,000 votes. The closest was Surrey-Guildford, where the BC NDP’s Garry Begg prevailed by the slimmest of margins — just 22 votes — helping the party reach the 47 seats needed for a majority in the 93-seat legislature in Victoria.
Bellwether ridings
Eby also stopped at the BC NDP Tri-Cities campaign office, which represents candidates from four ridings: New Westminster-Coquitlam, Port Moody-Burquitlam, Coquitlam-Burke Mountain, Coquitlam-Maillardville, and Port Coquitlam.
“If things really go well for the Conservatives in ridings like that, then the Conservatives are going to win. So they are, in that sense, bellwether riding[s],” said Prest.
As Eby entered the office, supporters and volunteers clapped and chanted “NDP.” He joined the four candidates who are re-running for their seat under the NDP banner, and thanked everyone for their support.
David Eby visits the Tri-Cities campaign office. From left to right: Jennifer Blatherwick (Coquitlam-Maillardville), Mike Farnworth (Port Coquitlam), Jodie Wickens (Coquitlam-Burke Mountain) and Rick Glumac (Port Moody-Burquitlam). (Hanna Hett/Daily Hive)
This included Jodie Wickens, who is fighting for another term to represent Coquitlam-Burke Mountain, where she first won in 2024. She told Daily Hive Urbanized that she’s “feeling great” about her campaign.
She understands that Coquitlam-Burke Mountain is a close riding, but says it isn’t any different from previous elections.
“I never take a single vote for granted in a campaign. You always have to let people know what you stand for, what’s at stake, why you want to represent the community, and so every election I’ve ever run, I’ve always felt a sense of urgency,” she told Daily Hive Urbanized.
Trying to flip blue to orange
Eby’s campaign bus ventured out to Langley, where he joined the two NDP candidates and stopped at a few shops — a Persian market for fruit, a candy shop, and a coffee shop. Eby and the candidates also shared words of encouragement with one another. He stopped to introduce himself to residents and offered to take photos with them.
Holly Issac is running for a seat in Langley-Walnut Grove, trying to flip it from blue to orange.
“It’ll be close, but it’s doable,” she said.
In 2024, Conservative candidate Misty Van Popta won with 49.56 per cent of the vote. The NDP candidate at the time, Megan Dykeman, won with 44.77 per cent of the vote, with the Green candidate, Rylee Mac Lean, garnering 5.13 per cent.
She said she decided to run because she believes in the NDP values.
“Making sure that people can get through and have the supports that they need and have somebody there who’s actually willing to listen and sit down and make sure that their voices can be heard.”
Why is Eby running?
Daily Hive Urbanized asked Eby a similar question — why he wants the job as B.C.’s premier.
He said he feels like he can make a difference for people, and that’s where he gets satisfaction from his work.
David Eby surrounded by news media at an Oct. 23 press conference. (Hanna Hett/Daily Hive
But the job comes with sacrifice. As a father of three young kids, it means he has to spend time away from them.
“And that’s partly why I’m asking British Columbians to vote in this election.”
He reiterated that the configuration of the legislature didn’t let them “deliver” what they wanted for British Columbians.
“And so yes, we could have sat for two more years in a locked battle with the Conservatives and tied votes, and them attempting to bring down the government. But right now, we need a government that’s going to be delivering for British Columbians on all of the priorities that they have for us.”
“If I’m spending time away from my kids, if I’m spending time away from my family, I want to know for sure that we’re a legislature that’s able to deliver really meaningful change for British Columbians, and that’s what I’m asking British Columbians for.”
Polls for the provincial election close at 8 p.m. tonight.
