Here are five things to know about B.C.'s only televised election debate
British Columbia's three main party leaders took part in the only televised debate on Wednesday night, trading barbs, criticizing their opponents' policies and making their pitch for votes.
Here are five take-aways from the debate between interim B.C. Conservative leader Lorne Doerkson, NDP Leader David Eby and Green Party Leader Emily Lowan:
Conservatives tried to bring down his government 13 times, Eby said.
Eby said neither he nor his party have been perfect while in government, but he defended his snap election call, saying he needed a stronger mandate to respond to tariff threats from the United States.
"This was not a government that was able to deliver the big swings that you and your family need government to be taking for you," he said.
Doerkson said his plan would benefit British Columbians with the lowest incomes
Doerkson said he would pay down the forecasted provincial deficit of $13.8 billion by supercharging the economy without introducing new taxes or raising existing ones.
He also defended plans to give British Columbians a tax cut, which he said would inject $2 billion into the provincial economy.
"When we give a break to business in British Columbia, they spend," he said. "They create an economy."
Top priority to advocate for a better electoral system, Lowan said.
Lowan said her party would push for election process if it held the balance of power in a minority government.
"A voting system where we're not caught between lesser evils, where we are choosing between broken promises or service cuts. And I think we can find that system in proportional representation."
Eby leaves a trail of broken promises, his opponents said.
Doerkson said B.C. residents no longer believe Eby.
"You have had a decade to try to fix what's happening in this province," Doerkson said.
Lowan noted Eby's decision to slow construction on seven long-term care projects.
"This year's election bribes are next year's broken promises."
Eby promised last week that the seven projects are back on track.
A surprise appearance by party leaders who didn't meet the threshold to take part in the debate.
CentreBC Leader Elenore Sturko and interim OneBC leader Dallas Brodie delivered taped messages near the end of Wednesday's debate. They were once caucus colleagues within the Conservatives but split off.
Sturko described her party as socially progressive and fiscally responsible, saying she would bring a centrist voice to Victoria.
Brodie said her party would push for a 25 per cent income tax cut for both individuals and corporations, while promising to end the "greed and corruption" of what she called the reconciliation industry.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 15, 2026.
By The Canadian Press | Copyright 2026, The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.
Fry and Sim face off in Vancouver, but other mayoral candidates reject spoiler label
Vancouver mayoral candidates Ken Sim and Pete Fry view each other as their main rival in the battle for City Hall.
But while recent polling suggests the mayoral race is indeed a faceoff between incumbent Sim and two-term Green Councillor Fry, there are three other big-name candidates who reject the label of spoiler.
Kareem Allam — Sim's former chief of staff turned litigation adversary — is running with the Vancouver Liberals, which is not affiliated with the federal party.
"The pollsters don't always get it right. Municipal government is also the hardest level to poll. It's got its tricks and nuances, especially in an at-large system," he said in an interview Tuesday.
The Vancouver race culminates Saturday, when municipalities across British Columbia go to the polls.
Interest in the Vancouver race appears high. The City of Vancouver says more than 103,000 people have voted in advance, up 60 per cent from roughly 65,000 voters over five advance days in 2022.
Sim, who is campaigning for a second term as mayor with the right-of-centre ABC Vancouver, said while he would be the first to admit he didn't get everything right during his tenure, he believes he can lead the city in the right direction.
"We've gotten some pretty significant things done, but there's way more work to do," he said in an interview Wednesday.
Other candidates include Rebecca Bligh, a two-term councillor who helped get Sim elected with ABC Vancouver in 2022 and is now running with Vote Vancouver, and TEAM candidate Colleen Hardwick, a former councillor.
Allam, Hardwick and Bligh all rejected the notion their candidacies could split the centre or centre-right vote.
"The question is not left or right. The question is about who we are serving at city hall," Hardwick said Tuesday.
Bligh said she was running to govern for Vancouver's ignored middle class, and polling did not change how she campaigned.
"It's anyone's race," she said in an interview Wednesday.
Fry, son of longtime Liberal MP Hedy Fry, has acknowledged benefiting from the narrowing of the progressive field, after the withdrawals of William Azaroff from OneCity Vancouver and Stephanie Allen for COPE Vancouver.
After ending his candidacy, Azaroff appeared at City Hall with Fry, who praised him for running a serious campaign that "raised real issues" such as housing, small business and affordability.
"I think folks are excited to be able to talk up a viable alternative to Ken Sim as the mayor of Vancouver and really reset," Fry said in an interview Tuesday.
He added that Azaroff's withdrawal was recognition that he was the person best suited to defeat Sim.
Bligh said she's a progressive candidate with a centrist platform. Meanwhile, Allam said he believed he was taking votes from Sim and Fry equally.
The candidates' platforms all emphasize quality-of-life issues, including affordability and public safety. Sim's promises include a zero per cent property tax increase.
The election ballot also includes two plebiscite questions on public safety.
The non-binding questions ask voters if they're in favour of the city "strengthening its laws to forbid open-air hard drug use in public spaces," which is already illegal in B.C. The other asks if the city should ask the province to convert portions of the old St. Paul's hospital into a "secure medical facility" with 100-plus involuntary care beds.
Hardwick called the questions a "populist election tactic," while other critics said they aren't realistic.
Sim said strengthening the city health bylaw — regulating conduct such as smoking in common areas — would allow officers to issue tickets or confiscate drugs without arrests. The involuntary care question, he said, is about asking the province to fulfil its accountability to people who pose a risk to their own safety or others.
Fry said he supports managing drug use in public spaces, but differs from Sim in believing that people should be diverted to supervised consumption sites or shelters.
His platform focuses on housing, transportation and the economy. "Folks should be able to have a good life in this city, he said.
Bligh said Sim's property tax freezes protect wealthy landowners and undercut critical services. She said she would work with the federal government to leverage city-owned land and provide free transit for youth.
Hardwick said the key to livability in Vancouver is effective city planning. She said she wanted to repeal the city's official development plan and re-establish neighbourhood planning offices
Allam said he wants to bring youth back to Vancouver by improving affordability through jobs and housing, and investing in parks and community centres.
He said his platform cuts across ideologies, and distanced himself from Sim, who filed a lawsuit in May 2025 alleging Allam falsely accused him of drinking and driving.
Sim faces his own defamation lawsuit from councillor Sean Orr, filed after falsely accusing Orr of distributing illegal drugs in comments to Chinese-speaking reporters.
Trials in both cases are far off.
For now, the focus is on the ballot box.
"I think people will be surprised at the results," Allam said.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 15, 2026.
By Marissa Birnie | Copyright 2026, The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.
Health ministers set to meet in Winnipeg after Ottawa announces funding extension
Canadian health ministers meet in Winnipeg today after the federal government announced it would extend funding for mental health, addictions and home care by one year.
Federal Health Minister Marjorie Michel made the announcement on social media late Wednesday, saying the extension represents $1.2 billion in funding.
The existing funding was set to expire next year.
Manitoba Health Minister Uzoma Asagwara is to host provincial and territorial counterparts today, and Michel is to co-chair Friday's meeting.
Provincial health ministers had said they were worried about "profound and negative" effects on patients and health-care jobs if the federal funding agreements weren't renewed in this year's budget.
Provinces and territories also raised concerns about the future of the Canada Health Transfer as the federal budget states the minimum growth rate will drop to three per cent from five per cent in 2028.
Asagwara says after meeting with Michel that she has shared the unanimous concerns of health ministers and is keen to hear more on federal health funding.
"I am thrilled to be able to say that I feel Minister Michel has been listening," Asagwara said Wednesday.
"I look forward to hearing some news from the minister on this, we all do."
Linda Silas, president of the Canadian Federation of Nurses Unions, said funding commitments should be a priority.
She said the federal government can't lose sight of the importance of health care as it ramps up spending on defence and other priorities.
"There has to be a just balance, and we have to see our health-care system as an investment, as a human rights issue, and as proud Canadians, it's the core of our fabric, and we need to hear our prime minister speak more loudly about it."
The Canadian Medical Association said in a release Wednesday that the meeting is an important opportunity for the federal government to provide certainty on funding to provinces and territories.
The association said strong and reliable federal funding to maintain universal health care is foundational to growing Canada's economy.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 15, 2026.
By Ian Bickis | Copyright 2026, The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.

13 choses qu'on veut vraiment voir lors de L'heure de vérité à OD Chez Nous
Le moment tant attendu de la saison d'OD Chez Nous, L'heure de vérité, sera diffusé le dimanche 6 décembre dès 18 h 30 et voici treize choses que les téléspectateurs espèrent voir.
Dès les premières semaines de l'aventure, plusieurs triangles amoureux et alliances se sont formés, créant ainsi des ambiguïtés et des déceptions pour certains participants.
D'autres candidats ont également entretenu des relations houleuses pendant leur parcours et il risque d'y avoir quelques règlements de compte.
Ça sent définitivement la bisbille.
La sélection de l'éditeur : Voici les régions qui ont encore le droit de se rassembler à Noël au Québec
Le commentaire de Jay Du Temple à Éloïse
C'est le moment le plus attendu de la saison depuis que Jay a mentionné à Éloïse, au souper avant son départ volontaire, qu'il exprimerait sa façon de penser à L'heure de vérité.
Les réactions de Carl
À plusieurs moments, Carl avec un C s'est emporté envers certaines situations.
On pense, entre autres, à quand il cherchait à boycotter le vote pour éliminer un couple, au moment où il voulait s'assurer qu'Andréanne buvait de l'eau après le party ou quand il a frappé les caméras qui suivaient Andréanne en larmes.
On verra si les autres candidats ont été aussi irrités par son comportement en visionnant les épisodes que certains membres du public et s'ils lui demanderont des comptes par rapport à ses actions.
Le triangle amoureux entre Julie-Anne, Naadei et Jordan
Le potentiel amoureux se serait peut-être davantage développé entre Naadei et Jordan si Julie-Anne d'OD Grèce n'avait pas fait partie de la twist ultime.
Plusieurs fans pensent même que Naadei aurait choisi Jordan plutôt que Patrick si les choses avaient été différentes, et ils espèrent certainement que la question soit posée à la candidate.
Charles qui voulait « régler des choses » avec Carl
Dans une vidéo partagée par Noovo après son aventure, Charles a mentionné vouloir valider des choses avec son ami :
« Je pense qu'il va falloir que je valide des choses avec Carl. Ce que j'ai vu m'a un peu déçu. »
Donc, Charles se prononcera peut-être sur ce qu'il désirait aborder.
Quand Karine s'est ouverte à Kevin face aux sentiments de Cintia
Pendant la soirée pyjama entre les gars et Karine, cette dernière a dévoilé plusieurs informations suite aux confidences de Cintia, ce qui a semé la bisbille dans les maisons.
Alors, on veut savoir ce qu'auront à dire Cintia et Kevin maintenant qu'ils ont visionné les épisodes.
Jordan qui était déçu de la délibération de Jamie
Après avoir visionné un segment de la délibération précédant l'élimination de Julie-Anne et Karine, Jordan était déçu d'entendre le discours de Jamie :
« Jamie aurait pu mettre ses culottes. […] Il s'est juste retiré, ce n'est pas la première fois. »
Il serait intéressant d'entendre Jordan lui dire ce qu'il pense.
La tension entre Charles-Éloïse et Vincent-Noémie
Suite aux informations rapportées par Éloïse grâce à sa tricherie, Charles a voulu évincer Noémie et Vincent, parce que ce dernier a voulu sortir Éloïse de la maison mixte en début d'aventure.
Comme présenté à La Semaine des 4 Julie dans le premier extrait de L'heure de vérité, Charles et Vincent se confronteront à ce sujet et le dénouement de cette histoire pourra enfin avoir lieu.
Les propos de Julie face à Julie-Anne
Lors de la présentation des anciens candidats qui débarquaient en milieu d'aventure, Julie a passé un commentaire à propos de Julie-Anne parce qu'elle n'avait pas répondu au message de Jordan sur Instagram :
« T'es pas en train de trouver un remède contre le cancer, fille. T'es influenceur tabarn*k. »
Quand Julie-Anne a vu cet extrait lors d'un jeu OD, elle n'a pas eu l'air d'apprécier. Elle décidera donc peut-être de confronter le coup de cœur du public sur le sujet.
Les commentaires sur le couple de Marjorie et Cintia
Après s'être affichées comme étant un couple, Marjorie et Cintia ont eu droit à plusieurs commentaires de la part des autres participants, dont Kevin, qui a comparé leur relation à leurs poitrines.
Cintia s'était dite triste d'entendre ce commentaire qu'elle juge sexiste.
Ce sera peut-être l'occasion pour Kevin de présenter ses excuses face à face maintenant que les filles ont regardé la saison.
Émilia qui confronte Jamie
Au début de la saison, Émilia avait un intérêt pour Jamie et elle l'a sauvé de l'élimination à deux reprises.
Quant à lui, Jamie se dirigeait davantage vers Stacey et il n'a pas protégé Émilia.
Durant le retour des exclus pour le vote en vue d'envoyer un troisième couple en finale, Émilia a d'ailleurs rappelé que sans elle, Jamie ne serait pas en finale.
Un moment croustillant s'annonce si elle décide de lui en parler.
Les sentiments de Karine pour Patrick
À sa sortie d'OD, Karine a confié croire qu'elle aurait eu plus de chances avec Patrick si elle était arrivée plus tôt ou si elle n'avait pas parlé de Naadei à Patrick.
On aimerait bien connaître l'avis de Patrick sur le sujet et que Naadei et Karine puissent revenir sur leur conversation à propos de l'ouverture de la première envers les gars de l'aventure.
La chicane entre Marjorie et Naadei
La dispute entre Naadei et Marjorie lorsque celle-ci a pris la Poppers de Naadei a divisé le public.
Lors d'une entrevue à Rouge FM, Naadei a exprimé ne pas partager d'affinités avec Marjorie et c'est pourquoi il y avait des frictions.
Dans l'extrait divulgué à La semaine des 4 Julie, il semblerait que les deux femmes sont prêtes à régler leur compte et puisqu'elles sont toutes les deux très articulées, ça risque d'être divertissant.
La relation entre Martine et les filles
Lorsqu'elle a été éliminée, Martine a avoué se sentir visée par les filles dans les maisons et avoir eu l'impression que tous les commentaires négatifs étaient dirigés vers elle.
Maintenant que les candidates ont écouté les épisodes, il serait intéressant d'en savoir plus sur leur version des faits.