B.C. Premier David Eby Calls Abbotsford-Mission By-Election for September 26 Amid Conservative Turmoil

VICTORIA, B.C. — British Columbia Premier David Eby has officially issued the warrant for a provincial by-election in the Fraser Valley electoral district of Abbotsford-Mission, setting voting day for Saturday, September 26, 2026. The snap contest represents a pivotal political test for B.C. Conservative Party Leader Kerry-Lynne Findlay, who is campaigning to secure a seat in the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia amidst severe internal party turmoil and a string of high-profile caucus defections.

The seat in Abbotsford-Mission became vacant earlier this month when newly elected Conservative MLA Reann Gasper resigned her legislative mandate to clear an electoral path for Findlay, who was chosen as party leader in May but did not hold a seat in the legislature. Gasper was subsequently appointed as Findlay’s deputy chief of staff, drawing criticism from political opponents over the mechanics of the succession arrangement and the utilization of public legislative resources.

Findlay faces a formidable electoral challenge from the governing B.C. New Democratic Party (NDP), which announced that former provincial cabinet minister Pam Alexis will stand as their candidate. Alexis, who previously served as the minister of agriculture and food and spent years as the mayor of Mission, represented the constituency from 2020 until the 2024 general election, where she was edged out by fewer than 3,000 votes. In launching her campaign, Alexis emphasized government priorities surrounding healthcare capacity, regional flood mitigation infrastructure, and housing affordability, contrasting her platform with internal disputes within the official opposition.

The by-election arrives at a deeply destabilizing juncture for the B.C. Conservative Party. Over the past month, six sitting Conservative MLAs have formally resigned from the party caucus to sit as independents, citing acute disagreements with Findlay’s executive leadership, organizational strategy, and political messaging. Among the defectors are veteran legislators Peter Milobar and Ian Paton, who announced exploratory efforts to establish a new moderate, center-right political alternative. Milobar noted that the expedited September 26 by-election timeline would make it challenging for their nascent organization to field a vetted candidate in time for the September 5 nomination cutoff, leaving the immediate contest primarily between the NDP and Conservatives.

In response to the internal fractures, Findlay issued a public appeal for party unity, framing the Abbotsford-Mission contest as an opportunity for conservative voters to send a clear message to the Eby government regarding fiscal discipline, resource development, and public safety. Findlay scheduled a caucus summit in Richmond to consolidate executive support and stabilize party operations following the departure of several key administrative staff members, including the party’s president and executive director.

Elections BC confirmed that formal candidate nominations will close at 1:00 p.m. on Friday, September 5, with advance voting scheduled to operate from September 18 through September 23 across local community centers. With the balance of legislative debate closely monitored by all parties in Victoria, the outcome in Abbotsford-Mission is widely viewed as a definitive referendum on Findlay’s leadership viability and the evolving realignment of British Columbia's political landscape.