Peter Milobar, the finance critic for the opposition B.C. Conservatives and MLA for Kamloops Centre, has entered the race to lead the Conservative Party of B.C., as the party formally launches its leadership contest with May 30, 2026, set as the announcement date for the new leader.
Milobar made the announcement outside the B.C. Legislature on Firday, unveiling a campaign branded with the slogan “Ready to lead BC.” The former longtime mayor of Kamloops framed his bid as the first step toward unseating the NDP and forming government in the next provincial election.
“I am pleased to announce that I will be seeking the leadership for the B.C. Conservative Party,” Milobar said, speaking just metres from Premier David Eby’s office. He rejected suggestions the party is too divided to govern, saying his experience in caucus over the past year shows a team working seriously to become “a government in waiting.”
Milobar opened his remarks by thanking his wife, Leanne, whom he credited as his most important campaign organizer across eight election campaigns at the municipal, provincial and federal levels. He said her absence from the announcement was due to the imminent birth of the couple’s fourth grandchild.
A former mayor of Kamloops who is currently in his third term as a Member of the Legislative Assembly, Milobar said his leadership would focus on restoring accountability across government, particularly in health care, public safety, affordability and economic development. As finance critic, he sharply criticized the NDP’s nine-year record, arguing the province has seen “the erosion of almost every single thing,” from health services to public safety.
On health care, Milobar described the system as being in crisis, pointing to emergency room closures, staffing shortages and uncertainty around maternity care, including in his own Kamloops riding. He accused the government of withholding key performance data and pledged clear benchmarks, transparency and consequences for failure under a Conservative government.
“When we set targets, we will report out on them,” he said. “If we’re not meeting them, we’ll explain why and adjust.”
Milobar also focused heavily on crime and public safety, arguing that rising street disorder has placed growing strain on small businesses and driven closures in urban cores. He said government must restore consequences for repeat property crime while ensuring communities are safe both day and night.
On education and affordability, Milobar warned that young British Columbians increasingly see no future in the province. He tied the issue to his own family history, describing how his immigrant grandparents built a better life through hard work—an opportunity he said is now slipping away for many.
He also reiterated his opposition to the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act, calling for its repeal and replacement with a new reconciliation framework grounded in Supreme Court rulings and constitutional obligations. Milobar argued DRIPA has created uncertainty, stalled projects and contributed to disputes both between and within First Nations.
Milobar said policy announcements and endorsements will roll out gradually during the leadership race, which he described as “a marathon, not a sprint.” He said his immediate goal is to move from his current seat in the legislature to the opposition leader’s chair—and ultimately across the chamber to the premier’s office after the next general election.
Milobar joins a growing field of candidates seeking to replace former leader John Rustad, who stepped down last month. Other recent entrants include political commentator Caroline Elliott and Iain Black, a former cabinet minister in the BC Liberal government under Gordon Campbell. They join B.C. Conservative MLA Sheldon Clare, entrepreneur Yuri Fulmer and Rossland contractor Warren Hamm in the race.
“I know how to win elections,” Milobar said. “After I win the leadership of the B.C. Conservatives, we will come together as one cohesive team and move forward for the betterment of British Columbians.”
— Peter Milobar (@PeterMilobar) January 16, 2026
