On the eve of the provincial election officially kicking off, B.C. United has confirmed it will have no candidates on the ballot anywhere in the province.
The party, which had served as Official Opposition in the B.C. legislature, had previously indicated it may run a handful of candidates in select ridings in order to avoid being deregistered by Elections B.C.
But on Friday, an email from B.C. United’s deputy campaign manager said that would no longer be the case.
“Following further conversations with Elections B.C., B.C. United’s party executive has decided not to run any candidates in the upcoming 2024 provincial election,” said an email attributed to deputy campaign manager Adam Wilson.
“Furthermore, to ensure compliance with the B.C. Elections Act, the party executive has made the decision not to produce or share any materials in relation to the upcoming provincial election for the duration of the campaign period.”
Elections B.C. communications director Andrew Watson told CBC News in an email that the party would continue to be registered, but that could change if it doesn’t run any candidates in the next provincial election, which is scheduled to happen no later than October 2028.
“A party can choose not to run any candidates in an election and remain a registered political party. However, if a party does not run any candidates in an election it must run at least two candidates in the next election. Otherwise it will be automatically deregistered,” Watson said.
Elections B.C. also said that some B.C. United candidates may erroneously appear on its election list until it is finalized in the days ahead.
The decision not to run any candidates comes days after B.C. United asked taxpayers to bail them out for upwards of $1 million for the severance owed to 25 of the party caucus employees who are about to lose their jobs.
The party brought the request to the Legislative Assembly Management Committee (LAMC) on Monday because it doesn’t have enough money to cover the severances.
B.C. United will remain the Official Opposition until Sept. 21 when the writ is dropped in advance of the Oct. 19 provincial election.
WATCH | Taxpayers may be on the hook for B.C. United collapse:
The party says it doesn’t have enough money to cover the severance owed to 25 caucus employees who are about to lose their jobs, and now taxpayers could be covering some of the cost. Government House leader Ravi Kahlon says it’s only fair to pick up the tab for the people who have been working in good faith for the party.