We conducted a post-mortem assessment of the role that climate change played in the October 2024 BC provincial election, using an original survey of BC voters (n=1099). We find that issues related to the cost-of-living were top-of-mind for BC voters, and find no evidence that the issue of climate change, or the costs of climate policy, played a role in determining vote choice. 

Even if climate change was not top-of-mind, we find that, all else equal, the BC public prefers parties and politicians who take climate change seriously. This is true across supporters of all parties, as well as among non-voters. A strong majority across all parties—at least 7-in-10 British Columbians—want the BC government to make addressing climate change a very high, high, or medium priority. 

In other words, even if climate change did not determine the election, voters still want their government to make climate change a policy priority. 

Authors: Professor Matto Mildenberger, Gabriel De Roche, Ph.D.