The B.C. Conservatives have released their fully-costed platform just days before the provincial election, facing criticism for the timing and their economic projections. The platform promises $2.6 billion in new revenue and projects overall economic growth of 3.2% by 2029, a figure significantly higher than recent forecasts by the Bank of Canada and the International Monetary Fund. Conservative Leader Lorne Doerkson defended the numbers, calling the growth projection "absolutely doable."
Critics, including B.C. NDP Leader David Eby, have questioned the realism of the Conservatives' growth estimates. Nicholas Schmitt, a professor emeritus at Simon Fraser University, noted the difficulty in assessing such projections given current economic volatility, particularly the uncertain U.S.-Canada relationship.
The platform also aims to shrink the provincial deficit to $10.8 billion by 2030 through spending cuts, including a hiring freeze and reductions in consultant spending. The B.C. NDP has accused the Conservatives of planning health-care cuts, a claim Doerkson denied, emphasizing a commitment to public health care.
Health-care spending has been a key debate, with the Conservatives promising to protect public health care and expand services, while the NDP warns of potential privatization and service reductions under a Conservative government. Schmitt suggested that if the projected growth does not materialize, spending cuts would be necessary, potentially impacting health care and other services.