The Conservative Party of B.C. has released its costed platform just days before the provincial election, saying its plan will see a balanced budget within two terms.
Party leader John Rustad introduced the platform costs at a press conference at the University of British Columbia campus on Oct. 15.
“I’m not going to be coming in and being draconian and say there should be cuts,” he said. “We want to make sure we protect the front-line services that are needed in B.C.”
B.C. was the first region in North America to implement a carbon tax in 2008. Provinces are required by the federal government to impose the federal carbon tax scheme if they don’t have a carbon pricing system of their own.
The party has also promised a rent and mortgage rebate to begin in 2026, and to reduce small business tax to 1 percent.
Rustad also said his party would perform an audit on government spending, called the Taxpayer Respect Audit.
“Common Sense Change for BC calls for new additions to BC’s operating budget that total $2.3 billion across Budget 2025 and Budget 2026,” the platform said.
Included in those costs are an additional $55 million for public security initiatives such as hiring more sheriffs and judges, and expanding addictions treatment in jails.
An extra $1.1 billion is allocated for housing construction initiatives like tax incentives; $60 million more for education to build new schools and make homeschool and other alternatives more available.
The plan budgets $900 million increase in health-care spending for 2025, and $500 million more in 2026, as well as an additional $38 million for addictions treatment.
The party’s plan also includes spending an extra $37 million on child care, including increasing the affordable child care benefit and adding 24-hour child-care spaces. If elected, the Conservatives would spend an additional $10 million on economic reconciliation with the Indigenous community, including clean water and housing on reserves.
Spending would increase by $610 million for capital projects and expansion of public transportation, including paying for TransLink for two years, according to the plan. Provincial investment in the agriculture sector would also increase by $90 million under a Conservative government.
Rustad’s plan would provide an additional $10 million in capital funding for tech companies and senior care would see a $142 million increase to cover an expansion of home care and add more long-term care beds.
Conservatives would also increase spending on reproductive health by $55 million to cover the second round of IVF treatments, cervical and ovarian cancer research and treatment, and make adoption less expensive.
NDP Costed Platform
BC’s NDP previously released its costed platform on Oct. 3, estimating a spending increase of $2.9 billion over the next three years, leading to a deficit of roughly $9.6 million. One of the largest promises the party has made is a $1,000-per-household grocery rebate to be introduced in 2025.Green Party Leader Sonia Furstenau was also critical of Rustad’s plan, calling it “messy” and “outdated.” She said it ignored poverty, inequality, and science.
She said her party was the only one offering a “progressive vision” for the province built on clean energy, equality, and opportunity.
B.C. voters go to the polls on Oct. 19.
