NDP projected to lose 10 seats in B.C., capping a miserable night for the party
Several long-time NDP MPs projected to lose their seats in the province
Canada's New Democratic Party had a bad night on Monday, going from 24 seats down to seven across the country.
In particular, it lost a number of seats in British Columbia, which has historically been home to several safe ridings for the party.
Prior to the 2025 federal election, more than half of the NDP's total seats were in B.C., but that number is now down from 13 to a projected three, as of 12:30 a.m. PT Tuesday.
The party lost a significant portion of the vote share, down from 29.4 per cent in the 2021 election to about 13 per cent in 2025.
Among those who lost their seats was NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh, who said in his concession speech that he would be stepping down once a new leader is appointed.
Singh, 46, became the leader of the NDP in 2017, and MP for Burnaby South in 2019. On Monday, he lost to the Liberal Party's Wade Chang, a young lawyer and entrepreneur.
But Singh wasn't the only long-time NDP MP to fall; in New Westminster-Burnaby, Peter Julian — who began his career with the NDP in 2004 — was projected to lose his Lower Mainland seat and come in third behind new candidates from the Liberals and Conservatives.
In the province's northwest, Taylor Bachrach lost the Skeena-Bulkley Valley seat he's held since he took over from Nathan Cullen in 2019. The riding, which was won by former MLA Ellis Ross for the Conservatives, has been an NDP stronghold since it was created in 2004.
Island changes colours
Vancouver Island's colours changed drastically on Monday night, with only one of the six NDP ridings there remaining with the party — Courtenay-Alberni incumbent Gord Johns holding on for another term.
In North Island-Powell River, Conservative candidate Aaron Gunn, who was the subject of much controversy during the election campaign, is projected to beat the NDP's Tanille Johnston by more than 3,000 votes.
Nanaimo-Ladysmith and Cowichan-Malahat-Langford are also expected to turn Conservative, as of 12:30 a.m. PT.
Meanwhile, the southern Island ridings of Victoria and Esquimalt-Saanich-Sooke opted for Liberal candidates by a wide margin.
Which other NDP seats flipped?
As of 12:30 a.m. PT Tuesday, Port Moody-Coquitlam Liberal candidate Zoe Royer, a school trustee and former city councillor, was projected to take the seat from NDP incumbent Bonita Zarillo.
In the Interior, Helena Konanz is projected to win Similkameen-South Okanagan-West Kootenay, formerly held by the NDP's Richard Cannings, who did not seek re-election this year.
Which NDP MPs remain in B.C.?
Along with Johns in Courtenay-Alberni, Jenny Kwan is expected to hold onto her seat in Vancouver East after early polling showed she risked losing it to the riding's Liberal candidate. Kwan has held the riding for nearly 10 years.
Bordering incumbent Don Davies is projected to keep his Vancouver Kingsway seat after one of the tightest races in the country on Monday night.
What happened?
UBC political scientist Stewart Prest said the NDP was squeezed out because the party just didn't have what it takes to deal with threats from U.S. President Donald Trump compared to the Liberals and Conservatives.
"They consistently weren't able to occupy a strong position on the issue that Canadians were most focused on," he said. "They just weren't there on the question of how to deal with Donald Trump."
There were also signs of strategic voting, when someone casts their vote not for the party that best aligns with their values, but to block another party from winning.
As well, some of B.C.'s NDP MPs, like Richard Cannings and Randall Garrison, did not seek re-election, giving new candidates and parties a shot in traditionally NDP areas.
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