Conservatives sweep Maple Ridge and Pitt Meadows as NDP’s Lisa Beare loses seat

The BC Conservatives won both Maple Ridge East and Maple Ridge-Pitt Meadows on Saturday, as part of a decisive political shift across the province.

The local results mirror a Conservative surge that has ended the nearly decade-long BC NDP’s rule in government and delivered a majority government.

According to Elections BC’s poll count from Oct. 25., the Conservatives are leading in 63 of the province’s 93 ridings, compared with 28 for the NDP and two for the Greens.

Maple Ridge-Pitt Meadows: Morneau defeats Beare

With 90 out of 91 polls reporting, Conservative Doug Morneau holds an 850-vote lead over incumbent NDP MLA Lisa Beare in Maple Ridge-Pitt Meadows, taking 10,837 votes, or 48.3 percent of valid ballots cast.

Beare received 9,987 votes, or 44.5 percent, while CentreBC candidate Jordan Simmons finished third with 822 votes (3.7 percent), followed by OneBC candidate Susan Einarsson with 773 votes (3.4 percent).

The result marks a significant reversal from the 2024 election, when Beare defeated Conservative Mike Morden by 2,579 votes, capturing nearly 55 percent of the vote.

Beare, who was first elected in 2017, has represented the area for nearly a decade and served in several provincial cabinet positions.

Her defeat would end the NDP’s hold on the riding and give the Conservatives representation in both of the area’s provincial constituencies.

“To the people of Maple Ridge and Pitt Meadows, thank you for the trust you have placed in me over these past nine years. It has been the honour and privilege of my life to represent you,” Beare said. “Together, we’ve accomplished so much for our community. From new schools and childcare spaces to an urgent and primary care centre, critical highway improvements, upgrades to recreation facilities, and investments in water and dyke infrastructure. 

“These are things that will make a difference in our community for generations to come, and I’m incredibly proud of what we’ve achieved together.

The race also saw a substantial shift in the two major parties’ vote shares. Conservative support climbed from 45.1 percent in 2024 to 48.3 percent, while the NDP’s share fell from 54.9 per cent to 44.5 percent.

Maple Ridge East: Mok wins commanding lead

In Maple Ridge East, incumbent Conservative MLA Lawrence Mok is headed for re-election with a considerably larger margin.

With 84 of 85 polls reporting, Mok received 12,061 votes, representing 53.6 percent of valid ballots, compared with 8,398 votes, or 37.3 percent, for NDP challenger Hudson Campbell.

Green Party candidate Daniel Kite finished third with 1,711 votes (7.6 percent), while independent Chris Hatchwell received 331 votes (1.5 percent).

Mok’s lead of 3,663 votes puts him comfortably ahead of his nearest challenger, reinforcing Conservative support in the eastern portion of Maple Ridge.

First elected in 2024, Mok entered the legislature as part of the Conservative opposition. His re-election would see him return to Victoria with his party positioned to form government for the first time.

“I am incredibly grateful and honoured to have once again earned the trust and support of our community. It is a privilege to continue serving as your re-elected MLA, and I look forward to representing you as part of the government in Victoria,” Mok said. “Maple Ridge has been my home for more than 30 years, and serving the people of this community is a responsibility I take very seriously. There is much work ahead of us, and I remain committed to listening, working hard, and delivering meaningful results for the people I represent.”

The results also highlight a divide in the strength of Conservative support across Maple Ridge, with Mok securing a substantial lead compared to Maple Ridge-Pitt Meadows, which was considerably closer.

A major political shift for the region

The election results could have significant implications for Maple Ridge and Pitt Meadows, particularly as both municipalities grapple with rapid population growth, housing affordability, transportation infrastructure and public safety.

With Conservatives poised to form a majority government, both communities would be represented by MLAs belonging to the governing party rather than having their representation split between government and opposition.

The change comes at a pivotal time for Maple Ridge, where voters rejected three major recreation borrowing proposals in the Oct. 17 municipal election and elected Jerry Kok as their new mayor.

For Pitt Meadows, provincial decisions on agricultural land, transportation, flood protection and infrastructure funding remain important local issues.

The Conservatives’ success in the two local ridings also reflects a broader provincial shift away from the NDP.

Across British Columbia, preliminary results show the Conservatives receiving approximately 48.1 percent of the popular vote, compared with 37.4 percent for the NDP and 11 percent for the Greens.

Results not yet official

Although all advance and election-day ballot boxes have been counted in both local ridings, Elections BC cautions that the results remain preliminary.

Mail-in and absentee ballots are scheduled to be counted during the final count from Nov. 6 to 10, meaning vote totals and margins could still change.

As of Oct. 26, Morneau leads Beare by 850 votes in Maple Ridge-Pitt Meadows, while Mok leads Campbell by 3,663 votes in Maple Ridge East.

The results have not yet been officially finalized.