British Columbia’s opposition party leaders took aim at the NDP government’s economic record on Tuesday, accusing it of failing to deliver prosperity despite years of spending, while NDP Leader David Eby pointed to a pipeline of major projects worth billions and unveiled new supports for job creation.
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Eby → take → creation
Mr. Eby, Conservative Leader Lorne Doerkson and Green Leader Emily Lowan were speaking at an event hosted by the Greater Vancouver Board of Trade ahead of the Oct. 24 provincial election.
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Eby → speak → election
Each pitched their visions on how to spur economic growth: the NDP’s public investment and government-led partnerships to advance major projects, the Conservatives’ emphasis on cutting taxes and red tape, and the Greens’ call to rethink B.C.’s reliance on natural resources as a driver of economic growth.
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Each → pitch → growth
They spoke to a room of business leaders deeply concerned by the economic trajectory of the province.
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They → speak → province
In her opening remarks, board president and chief executive officer Bridgitte Anderson cited a new member survey showing that 77 per cent believe the economy is on the wrong track, 95 per cent are concerned with the province’s fiscal outlook and 80 per cent lack confidence in the government’s economic strategy.
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cent → cite → strategy
“At times like these, leadership and economic literacy matters,” Ms. Anderson said during her speech.
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Anderson → matter → speech
Acknowledging the economic challenges facing the province, Mr. Eby said his government has attracted major investments by speeding up permitting processes and working with the business sector and Indigenous communities.
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government → acknowledge → sector
He pointed to $130-billion in major projects reaching final investment decisions in the next two years – half of which have already done so – and the province’s target of $200-billion in investment for major projects by 2035.
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half → point → 2035
To encourage further investment, Mr. Eby pledged to make permanent B.C.’s Manufacturing Jobs Fund, which will support manufacturing companies with $60-million in annual funding for capital projects, expand food-processing opportunities across the Agricultural Land Reserve and build a new shipyard in the province in partnership with the federal government.
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which → encourage → government
“The path forward for us as a province is to build,” Mr. Eby said.
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Eby → build → province
After Mr. Eby’s remarks, Mr. Doerkson accused the NDP leader of spending heavily without delivering results, pointing to job losses, mill closures, delays in major liquified natural gas projects, the province’s projected $13.8-billion deficit and repeated credit downgrades.
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Doerkson → accuse → projects
He promised that a Conservative government would permanently repeal the planned provincial sales tax expansion on professional services that Mr. Eby said his government would pause “for the duration of the trade war.”
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government → promise → war
A Conservative government would also establish a 120-day approval framework for major capital projects over $250-million, and cut red tape by passing a law requiring government to eliminate two existing regulations for every new one introduced, Mr. Doerkson said.
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Doerkson → establish → one
“If elected, we are going to move aggressively to put these measures in place and unleash the potential of B.C.,” he said.
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he → elect → B.C.
“We want to be the catalyst for this growth.
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We → want → growth
Ms. Lowan accused successive governments of “pouring more money into the gaping pit of resource extraction” without ensuring such projects translate into prosperity for average British Columbians.
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projects → accuse → Columbians
A Green government envisions resource communities being rebuilt with thousands of union jobs developing the green industry, while keeping more of the resulting wealth in the hands of the workers and communities that generate it, Ms. Lowan said.
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Lowan → envision → it
A tax on the ultra-wealthy would help fund public services, including universal child care, she added.
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she → help → care
“It’s time to have a new debate, to ask who owns our economy, who’s profiting and who’s left carrying the bag,” Ms. Lowan said.
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Lowan → ’ → bag
The board’s survey, released Tuesday, drew 351 responses from members, Ms. Anderson said.
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Anderson → release → members
The top issues were economic vision; attracting capital and major projects; affordability; crime and public safety; B.C.’s Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act; permitting, licensing and red tape; and debt and deficits.
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issues → attract → Peoples
Among other key findings, 76 per cent said B.C.’s housing situation is affecting their business, 85 per cent believe traffic and congestion patterns in the Lower Mainland have worsened in the past four years, and 66 per cent said they feel less safe in Greater Vancouver than they did five years ago.
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they → say → Vancouver
On LNG, 87 per cent support expanding exports to global markets and 83 per cent support a new oil pipeline to B.C.’s southern coast.
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cent → support → coast
The Aporia
