NDP and Greens propose tax hikes on rich as B.C. election heats up
The NDP would raise income tax on top earners and create a new bracket for incomes above $1 million; Greens propose a wealth tax on super-rich holdings.
Sources · CCPA Research
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British Columbia's NDP has proposed hiking income taxes for the province's top earners as the election campaign accelerates, while the Green Party is pushing a wealth tax aimed at the super-rich.
The NDP proposal would increase tax rates on the top two income brackets by two percentage points each and create a new bracket for income above $1 million. Individuals earning below $190,405 would be unaffected. A two-earner family each earning $190,405 (household total $380,810) would pay no additional tax under the plan. The NDP's proposal targets the top three per cent of individual income earners in B.C. An individual with taxable income of $250,000 would pay an additional $1,192 in income tax; one earning $500,000 would pay an additional $6,192.
The province's 2026 budget paused annual bracket adjustments normally made for inflation—a move described as a stealth tax increase. Current brackets will remain the same in 2027 and subsequent years.
The wealth tax would largely target holdings of financial assets beyond property, which is already subject to property taxes in B.C. The NDP proposal is expected to face criticism from top earners in B.C., though it is expected to be fairly popular among voters.
Premier David Eby has been pivoting toward populist meat-and-potatoes issues in recent weeks, a shift that contrasts with his four-year track record as premier. The province has projected larger deficits over the next three years as growth forecasts have fallen.
The B.C. election is set for October 24.
What are the details of the Green Party's wealth tax proposal, and how would it differ from the NDP's income-tax approach?
How much revenue would the NDP's tax increases generate annually, and how would it be allocated?
We'll update this story as answers emerge.
By the numbers
How much more would a B.C. resident earning $250,000 pay in income tax under the NDP proposal?
An individual with taxable income of $250,000 would pay an additional $1,192 in income tax under the NDP's plan.
What income threshold triggers the NDP's new top tax bracket?
The NDP proposes creating a new income bracket for earnings above $1 million in British Columbia.
When is the B.C. election scheduled?
The B.C. election is set for October 24, 2026.
