Singh ‘confident’ he’ll hold his riding as polls suggest challenges for NDP in B.C.

NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh makes an announcement during a campaign stop in St. John's, N.L. on Saturday, April 5, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Christinne Muschi

VANCOUVER — NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh said Tuesday he’s confident that he will win his riding of Burnaby Central as he campaigned in B.C. — the province that was home to nearly half of his caucus when the election began.

Polling aggregator 338 Canada currently predicts that the NDP will win only one seat in B.C. — Vancouver East, represented by New Democrat Jenny Kwan.

“I’m confident that I’ll be able to serve the people of Burnaby Central, and I’m also confident people in this country need New Democrats,” Singh told a Vancouver press conference Tuesday.

Singh went on to cite NDP policy accomplishments through the now-defunct supply and confidence agreement with the federal Liberals, including the dental-care and pharmacare programs.

“If you want us to stay in there fighting for you and your family, you’ve got to vote for us,” Singh said.

A Leger poll for The Canadian Press conducted online between April 4 and 6 suggests the NDP have 11 per cent of committed support in B.C., compared to 45 per cent for the Liberals and 37 per cent for the Conservatives.

In the 2021 election, the Conservatives won 33 per cent of the vote in British Columbia, the NDP received 29 per cent and the Liberals were last among the major parties at 26 per cent.

While the Liberals and Conservatives hold rallies across the country that draw large crowds, the NDP seems to be focusing more on its ground game.

During his Tuesday stop in Vancouver, Singh joined about two dozen striking workers outside a LifeLabs location. The workers have been striking for eight weeks now and pay is a primary issue, said Mandy De Fields of the B.C. General Employees Union.

While on the picket line, Singh shot a few selfie videos while marching in the rain with the striking workers.

Kwan, who spoke with reporters after Singh’s morning campaign announcement, said she and other candidates are focused on door-knocking and getting out the vote.

“What people are doing on the ground is door-knocking, they’re phoning, they’re canvassing, they’re busy actually bringing home the vote,” Kwan said. “That’s what makes the difference. You know, to have a rally, yeah, it feels nice, but that doesn’t necessarily bring you the vote home.”

Kwan added that the issues she hears about most often when meeting with constituents are U.S. tariffs and housing.

The NDP has made housing announcements in Halifax, Toronto and Vancouver in recent days. These are cities where the party says affordability challenges are most acute.

Singh said a government he leads would make foreign homebuyer restrictions permanent, and close loopholes in the existing rules by barring numbered companies and corporate proxies from purchasing homes.

That prohibition would not apply to recreational properties like cottages and cabins.

Singh also said a NDP government would tax as income profits from the sale of a home sold within five years of the seller purchasing the home — unless it is someone’s principal residence.

The NDP leader said this measure is meant to prevent house-flipping.

The Liberals last year extended a ban on foreign residential homebuyers until 2027.

Liberal Leader Mark Carney also discussed his party’s housing plan Tuesday, which would see the federal government get directly involved in building affordable homes.

Murray Rankin, a former B.C. NDP MP and NDP MLA, has endorsed B.C. Liberal candidates Jonathan Wilkinson and Taleeb Noormohamed.

“I think it’s wrong to suggest that in this time… that we need less New Democrats. We need more New Democrats,” Singh said when asked about Rankin’s endorsements.

Vancouver Kingsway NDP candidate Don Davies posted on social media last week that he’s also received an endorsement from Rankin.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 8, 2025.

David Baxter, The Canadian Press