Tanking in the polls, Eby takes tough questions in Maple Ridge

Tanking in the polls, Eby takes tough questions in Maple Ridge

Published 8:00 am Wednesday, March 18, 2026

B.C. Premier David Eby faced tough questions from the media during his stop in Maple Ridge, as the morning news on March 18 had him nosediving in public approval polls.

The Angus Reid Institute conducted a poll that showed Eby’s approval rating at a low of 37 per cent – down 16 points from a year ago, when it stood at 53 per cent.

Despite the move to permanent daylight savings time, Eby is falling back while other premiers spring ahead, Angus Reid quipped.

The premier blamed hard times caused by U.S. President Donald Trump’s tarriffs and other factors, for the low mark.

“I know that British Columbians are facing big challenges out there. We have faced dramatic impacts from the trade war with the United States, we’ve had a couple of challenging decisions about our reconciliation work that we are doing with first nations, and we’ve had a very hard budget,” he told reporters.

The province faces increased demand for health care services, declining revenue from natural resources due to low global prices, and now high gas prices due to the U.S. war in Iran, Eby said.

“These pressures are not unique to British Columbia, they’re across the country,” he added.

He referred to the controversial Cowichan Tribes decision which created uncertainty regarding private property rights, and the B.C. budget that included a record $13.3 billion deficit.

However, he asserts the NDP caucus remains united, while the BC Conservative party is in the middle of a leadership race, after leader John Rustad resigned at the end of last year. And they have had five mlas leave their caucus, after resigning or being removed.

“You look at our side, we’re solid, we know where we’re going, driving the provincial economy, we’ve got a plan, the plan is working,” said Eby.

On the issue of maternity diversions that see women who are expecting sent away from Ridge Meadows Hospital to neighbouring facilities, he said the province is grappling with a lack of specialist physicians.

READ ALSO: Premier announces $2 million for Maple Ridge company

The latest diversion was announced this week for March 18 until March 23. There have been seven diversions since December, each lasting several days. Peace Arch Hospital in White Rock has been similarly impacted by maternity diversions.

“We face a serious shortage of key medical professionals in the province, especially in smaller regional hospitals,” said Eby. adding his government has “put in a lot of work on that.”

He said the province has the first new medical school to open in Western Canada in a generation at the SFU campus in Surrey.

B.C. has also recruited more than 400 American doctors, nurses and health professionals, and more than 1,200 applied for positions.

“105 of those doctors and nurses came to Fraser Health,” he said. “Recruiting those doctors and nurses, including ob-gyns, not only saves us money in terms of training, it means they hit the ground running.”

READ ALSO: ‘Crisis’ in maternity care continues at Ridge Meadows Hospital

He was also asked about traffic safety with the change to daylight saving time.

His government engaged with Yukon, which made the change in 2020, to see if they saw any dramatic impacts due to permanent daylight savings time, as well as other parts of the province that have already made the change.

“Whether it’s in the morning when it’s dark, or at the end of the day when it’s dark, we need to make sure that people are safe,” he said. “What this change does, is it give us more light at the end of the day, during rush hour when more people are on the road, when more people are out and about, increasing traffic safety.”

He said the province will monitor any impacts as a result of the time change.