Linda Hepner, the representative for Surrey-Serpentine River, quit the B.C. Conservative caucus on Sunday. Her departure marks the 14th member lost by the party since August, leaving them with 24 seats in the legislature.
The ouster of John Rustad and the 14th caucus departure
The resignation of Linda Hepner , a former mayor of Surrey, serves as a stark indicaator of the instability currently gripping the B.C. Conservative Party. According to reports from CTV News and CBC News, Hepner is the 14th MLA the party has lost since August, with 10 members resigning and three being removed from the caucus. This exodus has left the party with only 24 remaining MLAs.
The primary catalyst for Hepner's exit was the recent removal of former leader John Rustad from the caucus. Hepner expressed that removing experienced voices, particularly Rustad who helped build the party from a single member, was "beyond the pale of common sense." The purge also claimed Surrey-White Rock MLA Trevor Halford and Skeena MLA Claire Rattée, further hollowing out the party's legislative presence.
Kerry-Lynne Findlay's struggle to maintain a 24-member caucus
The current leader of the B.C. Conservative Party,Kerry-Lynne Findlay, is facing a severe crisis of confidence from within her own ranks. Linda Hepner told CBC News that she had lost faith in the willingness of Kerry-Lynne Findlay to seek experienced advice or consider perspectives outside of a small, immediate circle. Hepner described the internal state of the party as a "distracting cacophony of voices" that have lost touch with the actual concerns of British Columbians.
Adding to the turmoil is the revelation that a private investigator was hired to look into critics of Kerry-Lynne Findlay. Hepner noted in her resignation statement that her tolerance for this level of upheaval had been exhausted. this internal warfare comes at a time when Findlay is attempting to secure her own seat in the legislature, as she was not in office when she won the leadership contest on May 30, 2026.
A collapse from 44 seats to a fractured opposition
The rapid decline of the B.C. Conservative caucus is particularly jarring given the party's recent electoral performance. In the last provincial election, the B.C. Conservatives won 44 seats, placing them narrowly behind the B.C. nDP's 47 seats. The loss of 20 members since August has effectively neutralized their ability to act as a cohesive opposition force in the legislature.
This fragmentation occurs against a backdrop of high-stakes provincial politics. As reported by CTV News, there is intensifying speculation that Premier David Eby may call a snap election. If such an event occurs, the B.C. Conservatives would enter the race not as a unified front of 44 members, but as a fractured group struggling to deefine its leadership and core identity.
Whether Linda Hepner will seek a new party banner
While Linda Hepner has stated she will continue to serve the constituents of Surrey-Serpentine River, her future political affiliation remains an open question. When questioned about her plans to join a different party, Hepner did not provide a response, leaving it unclear if she will sit as an independent or migrate to another political organization.
The party's viability will face an immediate test on September 26, when Kerry-Lynne Findlay runs in a byelection for the Abbotsford-Mission riding. Findlay will face challengers from the NDP, Green, Libertarian, and CentreBC parties. Whether the B.C. conservatives can stabilize their remaining 24 MLAs before this vote will likely determine if the party can survive its current leadership crisis.
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