I'm not as cynical as you but there are grains of truth in your insight...

DRIPA and the Cowichan court case was tearing the party apart from the inside, the public sector union negotiations were prolonged fights that hemorrhaged labour support, whatever they did negotiate combined with US tariff-related economic slowdowns blew big holes in the already optimistic budget. The LNG pipeline stuff and deal with the feds helped with funding Massey replacement tunnel and some of the problems with the budget, at the expense of the environmentally-minded BCNDP cohort. I think part of Eby's calculation in calling the election is that he couldn't get much done over the next 2 years to enact his promises with his own slim caucus majority strongly divided.