‘Some difficult times’: Six months into deal, B.C. Greens, NDP cite progress, dissent

B.C. Green Party for West Vancouver-Sea to Sky MLA elect Jeremy Valeriote answers questions from media after providing a statement in Victoria, Wednesday, Oct. 23, 2024. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chad Hipolito

The interim leader of the British Columbia Green Party says there have been “some difficult times and some occasional disagreements” since his party’s confidence deal with the NDP government.

But Jeremy Valeriote says he’s proud of what the two sides have been able to accomplish.

The first six months of Co-operation and Responsible Government Accord haven’t been entirely smooth, with the Greens publicly disagreeing with the government’s legislative response to U.S. tariffs, its moves on LNG and the decision to ditch the consumer carbon tax.

But Valeriote says at a briefing to mark the first half year of the accord that it was designed to maintain the Greens’ ability to be an effective opposition.

Deputy premier Niki Sharma says while the two sides might not always agree, progress is being made on all the promises in the accord including those around housing, health care and the environment.

The NDP won a one-seat majority in last year’s provincial election, while the Greens have a two-member caucus.

The deal requires that the Greens support the NDP in confidence votes but allows the smaller party to “determine its own position in relation to any policy or legislative matter” not set out in the agreement.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 5, 2025.