Chris Moore, who was announced as a B.C. United candidate in January, has decided to join the B.C. Conservatives, in the second defection this month for the Official Opposition.
Conservative leader John Rustad announced Moore as the candidate for Powell River-Sunshine Coast on Wednesday.
“It’s great to be able to have this in terms of helping us build momentum and build our team,” Rustad said.
Moore is a former councillor for the District of Sechelt and a real estate agent.
Moore said while campaigning for B.C. United last fall, it became apparent through a “number of the individuals in our constituency and key people that the B.C. United flag wasn’t going to carry the day for us.”
On X, B.C. United wrote Moore “had fundamental differences” with the party “in terms of not competing against the B.C. Conservatives and defending B.C. United from criticisms levied by political opponents. “
The landscape of B.C. provincial politics could be undergoing a major shift with two high-profile defections from the official opposition B.C. United to the third-party B.C. Conservatives, who are ahead of the opposition in the polls.
Earlier this month, Elenore Sturko, MLA for Surrey South, also announced that she was joining the B.C. Conservatives.
In May, B.C. United’s caucus chair, Lorne Doerkson, also defected to the Conservatives.
B.C. NDP MLA Nicholas Simons has held the Powell River-Sunshine Coast riding since 2005.