Bomb threat sent to BC NDP campaign office on Vancouver Island

B.C. NDP leader David Eby waves as he gets back on his bus after a campaign stop at a supporter's farm, in Surrey, B.C., on Friday, September 20, 2024. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck

A BC NDP campaign office in Campbell River received a bomb threat Friday afternoon, according to the party.

A campaign manager received the threat while working at the Campbell River office, which is part of the North Island riding, campaign spokesperson Heather Stoutenburg said in a statement.

“Police were immediately alerted and our staff was asked to temporarily vacate that campaign office,” she wrote.

Video from the scene, which the BC NDP says was taken by a campaign volunteer, shows police cars in a parking lot.

The nearby polling station at Coast Discovery Inn continued to operate during the incident, and Elections BC didn’t hear from any voters that they had issues accessing it, communications director Andrew Watson told CTV News.

He said voting data shows that fewer people cast ballots Friday evening, but whether or not that was due to the bomb threat or simply the time of day can’t be determined.

The polling station was open for advance voting Saturday and turnout has been steady, Watson added.

Speaking at a campaign event in Langley Saturday, NDP leader David Eby said his team won’t be intimidated and thanked police for their efforts.

“Violence has absolutely no place in our politics. We see other parts of the world where people have to endure violence as part of the democratic process, and we don’t want that in British Columbia,” he said.

Eby was on the campaign trail in Campbell River Friday, but said he was not present at the time of the threat.

He added he’s not aware of any other threats to his party during the campaign.

The Campbell River RCMP confirmed Tuesday that a bomb threat was received and the campaign office temporarily closed.

“Police were able to confirm through the investigation that the threat was not credible and there was never any actual risk to the public,” wrote Const. Maury Tyre.

He said police are still investigating the origin of the threat.