VICTORIA—British Columbia would hold a referendum next year on proportional representation as part of an agreement that would see the NDP form a minority government with the support of the Green party.

The two parties have also agreed to ban corporate and union donations to political parties, as well as contributions from non-residents of B.C.

The parties said Tuesday they would use “every tool available” to stop the expansion of Kinder Morgan’s Trans Mountain pipeline, and would refer the Site C hydroelectric dam to the B.C. Utilities Commission to determine its economic viability.

NDP Leader John Horgan said they have a responsibility to “defend” the coastline of British Columbia and that is why the two parties want to stop the pipeline, which would increase tanker traffic sevenfold off B.C.’s coast.

Read more: Kinder Morgan Canada shares slip in debut with pipeline uncertainty in B.C.

Horgan and Green Leader Andrew Weaver signed the deal in front of their caucuses at the legislature in Victoria.

Although she appeared resigned to the outcome, Premier Christy Clark said she is not ready to walk away from office before recalling the legislature to see if she can get support to continue governing.

Clark appears resigned to losing a confidence motion, opening the way for the second-place NDP to be given a chance to form a government by Lt.-Gov. Judith Guichon. Ultimately, Clark said, it would be up to the lieutenant-governor to decide whether the NDP gets the green light or whether a new election is called.

“What’s most important is this basic principle, that if there is going to be a transfer of power in this province, and it certainly seems like there will be, it shouldn’t be done behind closed doors,” she told a news conference in Vancouver.

“Should the government fail the test of confidence in the house, as seems likely, I would be given the job of leader of the opposition. And I’m more than ready and willing to take that job on.”

Clark was speaking for the first time since the NDP and Greens announced a deal on Monday to topple the Liberals from power after no party won a majority of seats in a provincial election three weeks ago.

She said she plans to bring the house back in June and made the decision to test the will of the legislature after consulting constitutional experts.

The Liberals have been in power for 16 years. They took 43 seats in the election, one short of a majority, compared to 41 for the NDP and three for the Greens.

Under the terms of the NDP-Green agreement, the referendum on proportional representation would take place when municipal elections are held in the fall of the 2018.

For the first time in Canadian history, the results of the election left the Green party holding the balance of power.

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The Greens went into negotiations with the other two parties making three key demands: getting official party status in the legislature, an electoral system based on proportional representation and political fundraising reform.

The Greens and NDP have supported a system of proportional representation that accounts for the number of seats each party gets in the legislature based on their percentage of the popular vote.

Horgan has said he wouldn’t want to change the electoral system without a referendum. Weaver has said his preference is to implement proportional representation and then after two elections hold a referendum on whether people want to keep it.

Two previous referendums on proportional representation have failed in B.C.

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