B.C. party leaders lay out competing economic visions at Greater Vancouver Board of Trade

Three B.C. party leaders presented starkly different economic strategies at a Greater Vancouver Board of Trade event Tuesday, setting the stage for a debate scheduled for Wednesday evening.

NDP Leader David Eby said a re-elected government would work with Ottawa to build a new shipyard in B.C. "We can build B.C. Ferries here at home, driving economic opportunity for every British Columbian," he told the board. To fund healthcare and services, Eby proposed raising income taxes on higher earners. "Our taxes are very competitive nationally speaking, but we do require that those who earn a little bit more pay a little bit more," he said.

Conservative Leader Lorne Doerkson positioned his party as the growth option, promising to "supercharge" the economy by suspending PST for three years on qualifying investments including machinery, tools and software. "This tax relief will give B.C. companies powerful incentives to invest, innovate, and expand," Doerkson said. The Conservative strategy relies on increased economic activity filling tax coffers rather than raising rates. Doerkson criticized the NDP for "reckless spending" he said was responsible for poor services and high deficits. "We're spending a lot, but we are not seeing the results that British Columbians expect," he said.

Eby countered that the Conservative platform contains "billions of dollars of unfunded commitments" that would increase the deficit.

Green Party Leader Emily Lowan called for an economic pivot away from resource extraction, arguing it benefits foreign corporations more than British Columbians. "It's time to have a new debate — to ask who owns our economy, who's profiting, and who's left carrying the bag," Lowan said. She criticized both Eby and Doerkson for pledging support for liquefied natural gas extraction and exports. Despite billions in subsidies for resource extraction from all government levels, B.C. receives more revenue from lottery and alcohol sales than from LNG, Lowan noted. The Green Party's tax plan includes wealth taxes on the ultra-wealthy: 5 per cent on wealth above $50 million, 10 per cent above $100 million, and 20 per cent above $1 billion.