Nechako Lakes MLA John Rustad will not seek the leadership of the B.C. Conservative Party again.
In a Facebook post on Sunday (Feb. 15) Rustad said he made the decision after a lot of reflection.
“This decision is not about the importance of the moment we are in. It is exactly because this moment matters that I am making it,” he wrote.
“British Columbia needs a Conservative Party that is united, focused, and ready to form government. The best thing I can do for the party, and ultimately for the province, is to support the next leader and help ensure we come out of this process stronger, not divided.”
Rustad stepped down as leader in December 2025 after a tumultuous fall session in which the party board and caucus voted for his ouster. Under his leadership, five MLAs were either removed from or quit the Conservative caucus.
Rustad did obtain nomination papers, saying many people, including his wife, were pushing him to make another run at it.
Before backing out, his rationale for considering running was, he said, because of what he sees as an affordability crisis and the collapsing forestry industry. He contrasted this with the hot-button social issues that motivate some within the Conservative Party, such as gender identity education and narratives about residential schools.
“I’ve talked to many people, mill workers, former mill workers, that are looking at it and saying, I could give a rat’s backside about all those social issues,” he said. “What I care about is the fact that I’ve lost my job and I’m not gonna pay the mortgage.”
Nevertheless, he felt that entering the race, which is now packed with 10 candidates, might be too divisive.
“The stakes for British Columbians are too high for distractions, personality fights, or internal noise,” he said in the post.
“Families are getting squeezed harder every month, and too many people feel like their government has stopped listening. Health care is under strain. Public safety is a growing concern. Communities are asking why the basics are slipping and why problems that should have been dealt with years ago are still getting worse.”
The vote for a new leader will be held at a leadership convention on May 30. Several deadlines for significant financial payments must be met along the way, with a total of $115,000 due from each candidate.
“In the days ahead, I will be encouraging our members and supporters to stay engaged, stay focused, and rally behind whoever earns the responsibility of leading this party forward,” Rustad wrote. “We need to be ready to defeat the NDP and deliver real change for British Columbians.”
– With files from Mark Page