Conservative Party of BC now more popular than BC United, pollster claims

The Conservative Party of BC has leapfrogged the official opposition in popularity, according to a new poll.

Research Co.’s new survey, based on an online survey of 800 people between Jan. 22–24, has the 121-year-old party on 25 per cent, compared to BC United’s 17 per cent.

The NDP came out comfortably ahead in the poll with 46 per cent, while the Greens won the backing of 11 per cent of participants.

The Conservative Party of BC – not officially connected to its national namesake, which was formed in 2003 – has two MLAs, both of them former BC Liberals.

The BC Liberals have 26 MLAs.

According to the poll, the two centre-right parties – if they merged – would win 56 per cent of the vote.

Nearly a third (32 per cent) of participants said they’d like to see that happen, while 45 per cent said they’d prefer the parties to stay separate.

“More than four-in-five voters who supported the John Horgan-led BC NDP in 2020 (83 per cent) are staying with the party under a new leader,” said Mario Canseco, president of Research Co.

“Only 41 per cent of voters who backed the BC Liberals under Andrew Wilkinson would cast a ballot for BC United.”

According to the survey, the NDP is the most popular party on Vancouver Island, in Metro Vancouver, the Fraser Valley and Southern BC.

In Northern BC, the BC Conservatives have a one-point lead over the NDP.

The biggest issues for voters are housing, homelessness, poverty, health care, the economy and crime, according to Research Co.

Premier David Eby’s approval rating was 53 per cent among the respondents.

According to national poll analysts 338Canada, the NDP would win 78 seats if an election were held now.

They predict BC United would get eight seats, while the BC Conservatives would win five.

See Research Co.'s data here.