The Conservative Party of BC is promising to implement a tax rebate for housing costs while the NDP announced reforms to health care, as the parties continue on the campaign trail ahead of the Oct. 19 election.
Conservative Party leader John Rustad announced the rebate plan in Surrey on Sept. 23, saying it would provide relief to renters and homeowners. If Rustad is elected as premier, he said he would offer a tax rebate of $3,000 per month for housing costs.
“People are being punished by having to pay for sky-high housing costs with their after-tax income,” Rustad said in a release.
The proposed rebate will start with Budget 2026 and exempt $1,500 per month, increasing by $500 each year until it reaches $3,000 a month, the party said, noting that the plan is designed to target the middle class with tax relief. The plan will not exceed $900 million for Budget 2026, the party added.
“This is not another band-aid solution,” Rustad said. “This is real relief for British Columbians who are working hard but getting squeezed by rising housing costs.”
Meanwhile, NDP leader David Eby said if his party is re-elected, his government will work to connect more people to family doctors faster.
“People need more doctors and shorter waits so routine conditions don’t go untreated, and so they don’t have to wait at the hospital,” Eby said in Burnaby on Sept. 23.
Eby said his party would expand the role of pharmacists by allowing them to test and prescribe for more common conditions, like strep throat. They’ll also be permitted to offer referrals like UTI testing.
The NDP said it was also committed to cutting back on how much time doctors spend on paperwork, increasing the number of physician assistants, and offering provisional licences for doctors, nurses, and midwives trained in Canada. Those trained overseas could also qualify for the licenses within six weeks, the release said.
Eby said his party has already taken action to connect more people to family doctors.
“It’s making a difference, and these new actions will connect more people faster. We can have a province where everyone has access to care,” he said.
The B.C. election campaign period officially started on Sept. 21. The vote is scheduled for Oct. 19.
