Former BC premier John Horgan dies of cancer at 65

Get the best of Vancouver in your inbox, every Tuesday and Thursday. Sign up for our free newsletter.

Known as one of the most popular, respected, and successful premiers in British Columbia history, former NDP leader John Horgan has died after a third battle with cancer. He was 65 years old.

Born in Victoria, Horgan worked his way up through the political ranks through a variety of jobs, including serving as a legislative assistant on multiple occasions, as well as chief of staff to interim NPD premier Dan Miller for six months at the turn of the millennium.

He was first elected as an MLA in 2005, winning his second leadership bid for the BC NDP in 2014. 

Horgan became premier in 2017 after the NDP and the Green Party banded together to defeat former BC Liberal leader Christy Clark.

A subsequent early election call in the fall of 2020 saw the NDP win a party record of 57 seats, with Horgan leading the province until deciding to step down in 2022.

Major accomplishments during Horgan’s time in office included stewarding the province through the Covid-19 pandemic and developing strategies for dealing with a mushrooming toxic drug crisis alongside climate-change wildfires and flooding. Under his guidance, the NDP eliminated the medical services plan premium, and pushed for a $10-a-day child care throughout the province.

Those decisions and more made him one of the most popular premiers in BC’s history, with his approval rating consistently sitting north of 60 per cent.

Horgan cited health reasons when he announced he was stepping down as premier. In the early 2000s, he fought and won a battle with bladder cancer. While premier, he was diagnosed with throat cancer in 2021. During a follow-up for his throat cancer earlier this year, it was discovered he had thyroid cancer.

After leaving BC politics, Horgan was appointed Canada’s ambassador to Germany, which saw him relocate to Berlin. He returned to BC earlier this year for end-of-life care at the BC Cancer Centre at Victoria’s Royal Jubilee Hospital.

In a release, current BC NDP Premier David Eby describes Horgan as a leader who looked out for everyone, regardless of their political beliefs. 

“He sought to address injustice wherever he saw it—using his time in office to help build a better, stronger British Columbia for everyone,” Eby says. “His achievements are too numerous to mention, but he was a consequential premier at a critical time in our history. He encouraged all of us to strive to be our better selves.”

Horgan leaves behind his wife Ellie and grown sons Nate and Evan.