Greens Will Not Renew

BC Greens Announce They Will Not Renew CARGA with NDP

February 9 2026 - The BC Green Party announced today that it will not renew the Cooperation and Responsible Government Accord (CARGA) with the BC NDP.

Two statements, one from the Green caucus and one from party leader Emily Lowan, outlined the reasons for ending the agreement.

The Greens said they entered CARGA on March 12, 2025, to work with the NDP on shared priorities including transit, healthcare, and democratic reform.

Both releases cited stalled or unfulfilled commitments, including unspent funds for community health centres, lack of progress on regional transit, and incomplete work on social assistance and disability rates.

The party also raised concerns about the government’s approach to Indigenous rights, specifically citing recent moves to amend the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act (DRIPA), which they said signaled a shift away from shared values in the original agreement.

Both statements noted that decision-making had become more centralized, which the Greens said limited collaboration.

Looking ahead, the Greens said they will continue to advocate for affordability, climate action, Indigenous rights, and policies intended to support working British Columbians. Observers note that the announcement also separates the Greens from the NDP as the legislature moves into its next session.

Background / Fun Fact:  Before 2027 in British Columbia, a party needed at least four members to attain official party status.

After the May  9  2017 provincial election, the BC Greens won three seats. Later that year, the Constitution Amendment Act, 2017 (Bill 5) lowered the threshold for official party status from four MLAs to two, giving small parties access to funding, committee representation, and speaking time.

This rule remains in place and helps explain why even a two-member Green caucus in 2025 could negotiate a formal CARGA agreement with the NDP.

The same rule briefly allowed OneBC, a party formed in June 2025 by two sitting MLAs, to achieve official party status.