Former B.C. Conservative leader John Rustad not running for re-election

The Nechako Lakes MLA was ejected from the Conservative caucus in the leadup to Kerry-Lynne Findlay's resignation as leader, but was invited to rejoin by interim leader Lorne Doerksen.

Rustad foreshadowed his departure in a statement posted to social media on Monday, when he said it was "time for an older generation of politicians to step aside."

The party statement said it would never have reached where it is today "without his conviction, hard work and willingness to stand up when few others would."

John Rustad hails 'historic night' for B.C. Conservatives

Rustad was a former B.C. Liberal cabinet minister, before he was kicked out of the party by then-leader Kevin Falcon over social media posts questioning climate science .

He initially sat as an Independent before joining the Conservatives in 2023, giving the party their first seat in the legislature in decades.