British Columbia's Conservative leadership race entered a sharper phase this week as Peter Milobar, the party's house leader and one-time finance critic, announced a fresh round of caucus endorsements. The MLA for Kamloops-North Thompson now claims the public support of seven sitting caucus members, putting him ahead of the field on declared internal backing with two weeks until the membership ballot opens.
Milobar's pitch leans heavily on his record at the legislature — particularly his line of questioning on the provincial budget and the cost-of-living file — while sidestepping the broader question of how the party should position itself relative to BC United and the BC NDP government.
The endorsements come at a moment when the BC Conservative caucus is itself divided over the leadership question. Some members have publicly backed competing candidates from outside the caucus, including a former federal staffer and a small-business owner from the Okanagan, both of whom argue the party needs a fresh face after its breakthrough 2024 result.
Party strategists familiar with the race say the membership numbers are likely to determine the outcome more than caucus endorsements. Sales remained open through late February, and observers expect the leadership executive to disclose a final tally before the ballot opens. Mail-in ballots are expected to be the dominant voting channel.
British Columbia heads to the polls no later than October 2028. Conservative MLAs say the leadership process must wrap by mid-summer to allow the new leader to organize for the by-election cycle and prepare a slate for the next general election.
Fine Times Canada has reached out to the campaigns of the other declared candidates for response.