List of premiers of British Columbia

David Eby has been premier of British Columbia since 2022.

The premier of British Columbia is the first minister for the Canadian province of British Columbia. The province was a British crown colony governed by the governors of British Columbia ^[1] before joining Canadian Confederation in 1871. ^[2] Since then, it has had a unicameral Westminster-style parliamentary government, in which the premier is the leader of the party that controls the most seats in the legislative assembly. The premier is British Columbia's head of government, and the king of Canada is its head of state and is represented by the lieutenant governor of British Columbia. The premier picks a cabinet from the elected members to form the Executive Council of British Columbia and presides over that body. ^[3]

Members are first elected to the legislature during general elections. General elections must be conducted every four years from the date of the last election. An election may also take place if the governing party loses the confidence of the legislature by the defeat of a supply bill or tabling of a no-confidence motion. ^[3]

Before 1903, British Columbia did not use a party system; instead, premiers of British Columbia had no official party affiliation and were chosen by elected members of the legislative assembly from among themselves. Candidates ran as "Government", "Opposition", "Independent", or in formulations such as "Opposition independent", indicating their respective positions to the incumbent regime.

British Columbia has had 36 individuals serve as premier since joining Confederation, of which 14 individuals had no party affiliation, three were Conservatives, eight were Liberals, four were Socreds, and seven were New Democrats. The first premier was John Foster McCreight, who was inaugurated in 1871. Joseph Martin spent the shortest time in office, at 106 days. At over twenty years, W. A. C. Bennett spent the longest time in office and is the only premier to serve in more than five parliaments. The incumbent premier is David Eby, who was sworn in on November 18, 2022.

Premiers of British Columbia

No.	Portrait	Name (Birth–Death)	Term of office		Electoral mandates (Assembly)	Political party		Riding	Cabinet	Ref.
1		John Foster McCreight (1827–1913)	14 November 1871	23 December 1872	Title created (caretaker government)⁠ 1871 election  (1st Leg.)		Non-partisan	MLA for Victoria City	McCreight ministry
2		Amor De Cosmos (1825–1897)	23 December 1872	11 February 1874	Appointment (1st Leg.)		Non-partisan	MLA for Victoria	De Cosmos ministry
3 [a] (1 of 2)		George Anthony Walkem (1834–1908)	11 February 1874	1 February 1876	Appointment (1st Leg.)⁠ 1875 election  (2nd Leg.)		Non-partisan	MLA for Cariboo	1st Walkem ministry
4		Andrew Charles Elliott (1829–1889)	1 February 1876	25 June 1878	Appointment (2nd Leg.)		Non-partisan	MLA for Victoria City	Elliott ministry
5 [a] (2 of 2)		George Anthony Walkem (1834–1908)	25 June 1878	13 June 1882	1878 election  (3rd Leg.)		Non-partisan	MLA for Cariboo	2nd Walkem ministry
6		Robert Beaven (1836–1920)	13 June 1882	29 January 1883	Appointment (3rd Leg.)⁠ 1882 election  (4th Leg.)		Non-partisan	MLA for Victoria City	Beaven ministry
7		William Smithe (1842–1887)	29 January 1883	28 March 1887	Appointment (4th Leg.)⁠ 1886 election  (5th Leg.)		Non-partisan	MLA for Cowichan	Smithe ministry
8		Alexander Edmund Batson Davie (1847–1889)	1 April 1887	1 August 1889	Appointment (5th Leg.)		Non-partisan	MLA for Lillooet	A. E. B. Davie ministry
9		John Robson (1824–1892)	2 August 1889	29 June 1892	Appointment (5th Leg.)⁠ 1890 election  (6th Leg.)		Non-partisan	MLA for New Westminster (1889–1890) MLA for Cariboo [b] (1890–1892)	Robson ministry
10		Theodore Davie (1852–1898)	2 July 1892	4 March 1895	Appointment (6th Leg.)⁠ 1894 election  (7th Leg.)		Non-partisan	MLA for Cowichan-Alberni	T. Davie ministry
11		John Herbert Turner (1834–1923)	4 March 1895	15 August 1898	Appointment (7th Leg.)		Non-partisan	MLA for Victoria City	Turner ministry
12		Charles Augustus Semlin (1836–1927)	15 August 1898	28 February 1900	1898 election  (8th Leg.)		Non-partisan	MLA for Yale-West	Semlin ministry
13		Joseph Martin (1852–1923)	28 February 1900	15 June 1900	Appointment (8th Leg.)		Non-partisan	MLA for Vancouver City	Martin ministry
			Immediately lost a confidence vote 28 to 1 upon being appointed but formed a cabinet and governed for another three months anyway
14		James Dunsmuir (1851–1920)	15 June 1900	21 November 1902	1900 election  (9th Leg.)		Non-partisan	MLA for South Nanaimo	Dunsmuir ministry
15		Edward Gawler Prior (1853–1920)	21 November 1902	1 June 1903	Appointment (9th Leg.)		Non-partisan	MLA for Victoria City	Prior ministry
16		Richard McBride (1870–1917)	1 June 1903	15 December 1915	Appointment (9th Leg.)⁠ 1903 election  (10th Leg.)⁠ 1907 election  (11th Leg.)⁠ 1909 election  (12th Leg.)⁠ 1912 election  (13th Leg.)		Conservative (Ldr. 1903)	MLA for Westminster-Dewdney (1903) MLA for Dewdney (1903–1907) MLA for Victoria City [c] [d] (1907–1915)	McBride ministry
			Led first partisan administration. During First World War, the provincial government purchased and took possession of two submarines to defend the province from the threat of German attack; quickly transferred by order of the federal government to the Royal Canadian Navy in August 1914. Created the province's first university, the University of British Columbia.
17		William John Bowser (1867–1933)	15 December 1915	23 November 1916	Appointment (13th Leg.)		Conservative (Ldr. 1915)	MLA for Vancouver City	Bowser ministry
18		Harlan Carey Brewster (1870–1918)	23 November 1916	1 March 1918	1916 election  (14th Leg.)		Liberal (Ldr. 1912)	MLA for Victoria City [e]	Brewster ministry
			Brought in women's suffrage, instituted prohibition, and combatted political corruption
19		John Oliver (1856–1927)	6 March 1918	17 August 1927	Appointment (14th Leg.)⁠ 1920 election  (15th Leg.)⁠ 1924 election  (16th Leg.)		Liberal (Ldr. 1918)	MLA for Dewdney (1918–1920) MLA for Victoria City [f] (1920–1924) MLA for Nelson (1924–1927)	Oliver ministry
			Developed the produce industry in the Okanagan Valley, and tried to persuade the federal government to lower the freight rate for rail transport. In 1923, hosted the visit of Warren Harding to Vancouver, the first ever visit of a sitting United States President to Canada.
20		John Duncan MacLean (1873–1948)	20 August 1927	21 August 1928	Appointment (16th Leg.)		Liberal (Ldr. 1927)	MLA for Yale	MacLean ministry
21		Simon Fraser Tolmie (1867–1937)	21 August 1928	15 November 1933	1928 election  (17th Leg.)		Conservative (Ldr. 1926)	MLA for Saanich	Tolmie ministry
			Attempted to apply "business principles to the business of government" during the Great Depression hit. Unemployment reached 28% – the highest in Canada. Set up relief camps. The Kidd Report recommended such sharp cuts to social services that the Conservative Party split and decided to run no candidates in the 1933 election. Local riding associations that supported Tolmie ran "Unionist" candidates while those supporting former premier Bowser stood "non-partisan" candidates and others ran as Independent Conservatives, resulting in electoral collapse and only 2 Conservative MLAs (one pro-Bowser, one pro-Tolmie) being returned and Tolmie losing his own seat.
22		Thomas Dufferin Pattullo (1873–1956)	15 November 1933	9 December 1941	1933 election  (18th Leg.)⁠ 1937 election  (19th Leg.)⁠ 1941 election  (20th Leg.)		Liberal (Ldr. 1929)	MLA for Prince Rupert	Pattullo ministry
			Attempted to extend government services and relief to the unemployed during the Great Depression. Re-elected in 1937 using the slogan "socialized capitalism". Failed to win a majority in 1941 and removed as leader by his party when he was unwilling to form a coalition government with the Conservative Party to keep the Co-operative Commonwealth Federation out of power.
23		John Hart (1879–1957)	9 December 1941	29 December 1947	Appointment (20th Leg.)⁠ 1945 election  (21st Leg.)		Liberal (Ldr. 1941)	MLA for Victoria City	Hart ministry	[Co.]
			Became Liberal leader and premier in order to form a coalition government with the Conservatives, which his predecessor had refused to do, in order to keep the socialist CCF out of power. Undertook an ambitious program of rural electrification, hydroelectric and highway construction. Built Highway 97 to northern British Columbia and relaunched the Bridge River Power Project, which was the province's first major hydroelectric development. Established the BC Power Commission to provide power to smaller communities that were not serviced by private utilities.
24		Boss Johnson (1890–1964)	29 December 1947	1 August 1952	Appointment (21st Leg.)⁠ 1949 election  (22nd Leg.)		Liberal (Ldr. 1947)	MLA for New Westminster	Johnson ministry	[Co.]
			Introduced compulsory health insurance, and a 3% provincial sales tax to pay for it, expanded the highway system, extended the Pacific Great Eastern Railway, and negotiated the Alcan Agreement, which facilitated construction of the Kenney Dam. Coalition government collapsed when Conservatives left to form the Official Opposition in January 1952, leaving Johnson to lead a straight Liberal government until its defeat in that year's general election.
25		W. A. C. Bennett (1900–1979)	1 August 1952	15 September 1972	1952 election  (23rd Leg.)⁠ 1953 election  (24th Leg.)⁠ 1956 election  (25th Leg.)⁠ 1960 election  (26th Leg.)⁠ 1963 election  (27th Leg.)⁠ 1966 election  (28th Leg.)⁠ 1969 election  (29th Leg.)		Social Credit	MLA for South Okanagan	W. A. C. Bennett ministry
			Longest-serving premier. Oversaw rapid expansion of the province's highway system and BC Rail, creation of BC Ferries, BC Hydro, and the Bank of British Columbia, hydro-electric dam-building projects on the Columbia and Peace Rivers and the creation of the University of Victoria and Simon Fraser University.
26		Dave Barrett (1930–2018)	15 September 1972	22 December 1975	1972 election  (30th Leg.)		New Democratic (Ldr. 1970)	MLA for Coquitlam	Barrett ministry
			Reformed the welfare system, established the province's Labour Relations Board, and expanded the public sector. Reformed Legislative Assembly by introducing question period and full Hansard transcripts of legislative proceedings. Brought in the Agricultural Land Reserve (ALR) to protect the supply of farm land and Insurance Corporation of British Columbia to provide public car insurance.
27		Bill Bennett (1932–2015)	22 December 1975	6 August 1986	1975 election  (31st Leg.)⁠ 1979 election  (32nd Leg.)⁠ 1983 election  (33rd Leg.)		Social Credit (Ldr. 1973)	MLA for South Okanagan (1975–1979) MLA for Okanagan South (1979–1986)	B. Bennett ministry
			Implemented significant cuts to social services and education and repealed labour laws, resulting in a general strike. Spent hundreds of millions of dollars on Expo 86 and the construction of BC Place, Vancouver's SkyTrain rapid transit system, and the Vancouver Convention Centre. Built the Coquihalla Highway.
28		Bill Vander Zalm (b. 1934)	6 August 1986	2 April 1991	Appointment (33rd Leg.)⁠ 1986 election  (34th Leg.)		Social Credit (Ldr. 1986)	MLA for Richmond	Vander Zalm ministry
			Granted five community colleges authority to grant baccalaureate degrees (Cariboo, Fraser Valley, Kwantlen, Malaspina, and Okanagan). Built Phase 3 of the Coquihalla Highway. Forced to resign due to Fantasy Gardens conflict of interest controversy.
29		Rita Johnston (b. 1935)	2 April 1991	5 November 1991	Appointment (34th Leg.)		Social Credit (Ldr. 1991)	MLA for Surrey-Newton	Johnston ministry
30		Mike Harcourt (b. 1943)	5 November 1991	22 February 1996	1991 election  (35th Leg.)		New Democratic (Ldr. 1987)	MLA for Vancouver-Mount Pleasant	Harcourt ministry
			Reformed the welfare system. Resigned due to Bingogate.
31		Glen Clark (b. 1957)	22 February 1996	25 August 1999	Appointment (35th Leg.)⁠ 1996 election  (36th Leg.)		New Democratic (Ldr. 1996)	MLA for Vancouver-Kingsway	G. Clark ministry
			Signed the Nisga'a Final Agreement, continued welfare reform. Resigned due to the Fast Ferry Scandal and Casinogate.
32		Dan Miller (b. 1944)	25 August 1999	24 February 2000	Appointment (36th Leg.)		New Democratic (Ldr. 1999)	MLA for North Coast	Miller ministry
33		Ujjal Dosanjh (b. 1947)	24 February 2000	5 June 2001	Appointment (36th Leg.)		New Democratic (Ldr. 2000)	MLA for Vancouver-Kensington	Dosanjh ministry
			Created the Sex Offenders Registry
34		Gordon Campbell (b. 1948)	5 June 2001	14 March 2011	2001 election  (37th Leg.)⁠ 2005 election  (38th Leg.)⁠ 2009 election  (39th Leg.)		Liberal (Ldr. 1993)	MLA for Vancouver-Point Grey	Campbell ministry
			Privatized BC Rail, hosted the 2010 Winter Olympics, oversaw the launch of the Canada Line, introduced the provincial carbon tax, oversaw the completion of Golden Ears Bridge, resigned in HST controversy
35		Christy Clark (b. 1965)	14 March 2011	18 July 2017	Appointment (39th Leg.)⁠ 2013 election  (40th Leg.)⁠ 2017 election  (41st Leg.)		Liberal (Ldr. 2011)	MLA for Vancouver-Point Grey (2011–2013) MLA for N/A [g] (2013) MLA for Westside-Kelowna (2013–2017) MLA for Kelowna West (2017)	C. Clark ministry	[h]
			Increased minimum wage from $8.00/hr to $10.25/hr, oversaw completion of the Gateway Program, introduced Family Day statutory holiday, oversaw completion of Evergreen Extension. Resigned after she lost the confidence of the Assembly.
36		John Horgan (1959–2024)	18 July 2017	18 November 2022	Appointment (41st Leg.)⁠ 2020 election  (42nd Leg.)		New Democratic (Ldr. 2014)	MLA for Langford-Juan de Fuca	Horgan ministry	[h]
			Continued construction of Site C dam, replaced medical service plan fee with payroll tax, increased minimum wage from $10.25/hr to $15.65/hr, indexed minimum wage to inflation.
37		David Eby (b. 1976)	18 November 2022	incumbent	Appointment (42nd Leg.)⁠ 2024 election  (43rd Leg.)		New Democratic (Ldr. 2022)	MLA for Vancouver-Point Grey	Eby ministry
Min. Led a minority government Co. Led a coalition government

List of premiers by time in office

Rank	Premier	Total time in office	Dates in office	Mandates	Party
1	W. A. C. Bennett	20 years, 45 days	August 1, 1952 – September 15, 1972	7	█  Social Credit
2	Richard McBride	12 years, 197 days	June 1, 1903 – December 15, 1915	5	█  Conservative
3	Bill Bennett	10 years, 227 days	December 22, 1975 – August 6, 1986	3	█  Social Credit
4	Gordon Campbell	9 years, 282 days	June 5, 2001 – March 14, 2011	3	█  Liberal
5	John Oliver	9 years, 164 days	March 6, 1918 – August 17, 1927	3	█  Liberal
6	Thomas Dufferin Pattullo	8 years, 24 days	November 15, 1933 – December 9, 1941	3	█  Liberal
7	Christy Clark	6 years, 126 days	March 14, 2011 – July 18, 2017	3	█  Liberal
8	John Hart	6 years, 20 days	December 9, 1941 – December 29, 1947	2	█  Liberal
9	George Anthony Walkem	5 years, 343 days	February 11, 1874 – February 1, 1876 June 25, 1878 – June 13, 1882	3	█  Non-partisan
10	John Horgan	5 years, 123 days	July 18, 2017 – November 18, 2022	2	█  New Democratic
11	Simon Fraser Tolmie	5 years, 86 days	August 21, 1928 – November 15, 1933	1	█  Conservative
12	Bill Vander Zalm	4 years, 239 days	August 6, 1986 – April 2, 1991	2	█  Social Credit
13	Boss Johnson	4 years, 216 days	December 29, 1947 – August 1, 1952	2	█  Liberal
14	Mike Harcourt	4 years, 109 days	November 5, 1991 – February 22, 1996	1	█  New Democratic
15	William Smithe	4 years, 58 days	January 29, 1883 – March 28, 1887	2	█  Non-partisan
16	Glen Clark	3 years, 184 days	February 22, 1996 – August 25, 1999	2	█  New Democratic
17	John Herbert Turner	3 years, 164 days	March 4, 1895 – August 15, 1898	1	█  Non-partisan
18	Dave Barrett	3 years, 98 days	September 15, 1972 – December 22, 1975	1	█  New Democratic
19	John Robson	2 years, 332 days	August 2, 1889 – June 29, 1892	2	█  Non-partisan
20	David Eby	2 years, 297 days	November 18, 2022 – present	2	█  New Democratic
21	Theodore Davie	2 years, 243 days	July 2, 1892 – March 4, 1895	2	█  Non-partisan
22	James Dunsmuir	2 years, 159 days	June 15, 1900 – November 21, 1902	1	█  Non-partisan
23	Andrew Charles Elliott	2 years, 144 days	February 1, 1876 – June 25, 1878	1	█  Non-partisan
24	Alexander E. B. Davie	2 years, 122 days	April 1, 1887 – August 1, 1889	1	█  Non-partisan
25	Charles Augustus Semlin	1 year, 196 days	August 15, 1898 – February 27, 1900	1	█  Non-partisan
26	Ujjal Dosanjh	1 year, 101 days	February 24, 2000 – June 5, 2001	1	█  New Democratic
27	Harlan Carey Brewster	1 year, 98 days	November 23, 1916 – March 1, 1918	1	█  Liberal
28	Amor De Cosmos	1 year, 50 days	December 23, 1872 – February 11, 1874	1	█  Non-partisan
29	John Foster McCreight	1 year, 39 days	November 14, 1871 – December 23, 1872	1	█  Non-partisan
30	John Duncan MacLean	1 year, 1 day	August 20, 1927 – August 21, 1928	1	█  Liberal
31	William John Bowser	344 days	December 15, 1915 – November 23, 1916	1	█  Conservative
32	Robert Beaven	230 days	June 13, 1882 – January 29, 1883	1	█  Non-partisan
33	Rita Johnston	217 days	April 2, 1991 – November 5, 1991	1	█  Social Credit
34	Edward Gawler Prior	192 days	November 21, 1902 – June 1, 1903	1	█  Non-partisan
35	Dan Miller	183 days	August 25, 1999 – February 24, 2000	1	█  New Democratic
36	Joseph Martin	107 days	February 28, 1900 – June 15, 1900	1	█  Non-partisan

Political parties by time in office

By premier's party

Party		Time in office (days)	#	Premiers
	Liberal Party	17,010 [i]	8	Harlan Carey Brewster, John Oliver, John Duncan MacLean, Duff Pattullo, John Hart [i] , Boss Johnson [i] , Gordon Campbell, and Christy Clark
	Social Credit Party	13,151	4	W. A. C. Bennett, Bill Bennett, Bill Vander Zalm, and Rita Johnston
	New Democratic Party	7,677	7	Dave Barrett, Mike Harcourt, Glen Clark, Dan Miller, Ujjal Dosanjh, John Horgan, and David Eby (incumbent)
	Conservative Party	6,839	3	Richard McBride, William John Bowser, and Simon Fraser Tolmie

By cabinet's party

Party		Time in office (days)	#	Cabinets
	Liberal Party	13,317	7	Brewster, Oliver, MacLean, Pattullo, Johnson [j] , Campbell, and C. Clark
	Social Credit Party	13,151	4	W. A. C. Bennett, B. Bennett, Vander Zalm, and Johnston
	New Democratic Party	7,677	7	Barrett, Harcourt, G. Clark, Miller, Dosanjh, Horgan, and Eby (incumbent)
	Conservative Party	6,839	3	McBride ministry, Bowser ministry, and Tolmie ministry
	Liberal–Conservative coalition	3,694	2	Hart, and Johnson [j]

See also

• Canada portal

• List of British Columbian ministries
• Leader of the Opposition (British Columbia)

Notes

1. Unlike other Canadian jurisdictions, British Columbia's legislative library follows the American convention of giving multiple ordinal numbers to premiers who serve non-consecutive terms. George Anthony Walkem is therefore both the third and fifth premier.
2. In the 1890 election, Robson also won the seat in the riding of Westminster but turned it down.
3. In the 1907 election, McBride also won the seat in the riding of Dewdney but turned it down.
4. In the 1909 election, McBride also won the seat in the riding of Yale but turned it down.
5. In the 1916 election, Brewster also won the seat in the riding of Alberni but turned it down.
6. In the 1920 election, Oliver also won the seat in the riding of Delta but turned it down.
7. Christy Clark lost her seat in the 2013 British Columbia general election and served as premier without a constituency for 56 days until elected in a by-election.
8. C. Clark's government remained in office after the 2017 election until defeated 44 to 42 on a confidence vote less than a week into the legislative session. The lieutenant governor asked Horgan to form a government on the strength of a confidence and supply agreement between the NDP and the Green Party. Horgan led a minority government for the remainder of the 41st Parliament until the 2020 election, when the NDP attained a majority.
9. This number includes the entire premierships of John Hart and Boss Johnson, as they were Liberal party members, despite them leading coalition governments with some Conservative MLAs.
10. Boss Johnson led a coalition majority government from December 29, 1947 to January 18, 1952, and a Liberal minority government from January 18, 1952 to August 1, 1952.

References

1. "History and Heritage of British Columbia". BritishColumbia.com. Archived from the original on November 2, 2008. Retrieved November 5, 2008.
2. "British Columbia – Canadian Confederation". Library and Archives Canada. August 9, 2006. Archived from the original on June 21, 2008. Retrieved November 5, 2008.
3. "The Office of the Lieutenant Governor and the Legislature – Province of British Columbia". Province of British Columbia. Retrieved November 5, 2008.

General

• "Premiers of British Columbia, 1871–today". Province of British Columbia. Archived from the original on June 4, 2013. Retrieved April 26, 2011.
• "British Columbia". The Canadian Encyclopedia . Retrieved October 8, 2019.