The British Columbia Green Party has decided not to run candidates in two coming by-elections, said leader Jane Sterk.

"The last by-elections have not been very good for us," she said. "They aren't really a friend to smaller parties. They may be friendlier to the Conservatives. We'll see."

Running candidates would also trigger the need for an audit, if the party has raised $10,000 or more in the year, Sterk said. "It's a very time consuming and money consuming process," she said. "It seems punitive from our perspective."

The by-elections in Port Moody-Coquitlam and Chilliwack-Hope became necessary when BC Liberal MLAs Iain Black and Barry Penner resigned respectively. Premier Christy Clark is yet to call the by-elections, which she is required to do within six months of a resignation.

The NDP recently announced former Port Moody mayor Joe Trasolini will run in Port Moody-Coquitlam, but is yet to select a candidate for Chilliwack-Hope. The BC Conservatives have said they'll run Christine Clarke in Port Moody-Coquitlam and will have a nomination process in the new year in the other constituency.

The BC Liberals have yet to pick candidates for the two races.

Sterk said the Green Party is busy raising funds and working on its strategy for the 2013 general election.

Andrew MacLeod is The Tyee’s Legislative Bureau Chief in Victoria. Reach him here.