BC Premier John Horgan just announced that he would step down from his role due to health issues.

“Many of you will know, in fact, I’m pretty sure it’s not a secret, that I have gone through my second bout of cancer and successfully went through 35 radiation treatments. And I am currently cancer-free. My health is good, but my energy flags as the days go by,” Horgan said while speaking to the press.

“So, before I could ask my colleagues what their plans were for the coming two years and beyond, I had to ask myself that… [My wife and I] came to the conclusion that I’m not able to make another six-year commitment to this job,” he continued, adding that a leadership convention will be held in the Fall.

Earlier this year, on May 5, Horgan indicated that he had a firm desire to stay on as leader: 

“I never anticipated that I would be where I am today – no one’s more surprised than me and my Grade 8 teacher at Reynolds High School. Yet here I am. As long as I can keep making a valuable difference, I’m going to keep doing it.”

As he mentioned, Horgan has had two bouts with cancer, the latter of which required 35 rounds of radiation therapy for his throat cancer. Nonetheless, in January, upon finishing his treatment, Horgan tweeted that he was ready to get back to work.

While Horgan cites health issues as the reason for stepping down, the Premier has been at the helm during more than one controversy this year.

BC had some of the strictest COVID measures in the country, including a ‘no exceptions’ vaccine requirement for health care workers. 

Indeed, the government is still in a legal battle over mandates, despite their best efforts. Last month, a judge denied BC Chief Public Health Officer Bonnie Henry’s application to throw out a challenge against her government’s authoritarian COVID vaccine mandates.

Additionally, Horgan himself was on the hot seat for a decision regarding a museum that would cost the province 800 million dollars, while British Columbians struggledwith economic pains and staffing shortages across several industries.

“I made the wrong call. I made a call when British Columbians were thinking about other concerns,” he said last week.