VICTORIA — British Columbia's New Democrats named an interim leader on Tuesday, days after Premier David Eby resigned following a crushing defeat in his snap provincial election. Conservative leader John Rustad began assembling a majority government.

Eby called the early vote hoping to secure a fresh mandate, but the gamble collapsed as a Conservative wave swept ridings across the province. The NDP, which had governed British Columbia since 2017, lost its majority and conceded the premiership on election night.

The NDP caucus met in Victoria to select a temporary leader while launching a formal leadership contest expected to run into 2027. The interim leader will guide the opposition and steady a demoralised membership after one of the worst results in the party's recent history.

Rustad, who rebuilt the BC Conservatives from near-irrelevance, told supporters he would prioritise affordability, housing and public safety. His transition team began preparing cabinet appointments and a swearing-in at Government House, with the lieutenant governor expected to invite him to form a government.

The outcome reshaped politics in Canada's westernmost province and handed the federal Conservatives a boost ahead of national contests. Academics at the University of British Columbia said Eby's defeat reflected voter fatigue over cost-of-living pressures and a protest against incumbents.

"British Columbians voted for change, and we will deliver it," Rustad said in Victoria.