B.C. Conservatives expected to release costs of promises days before election

By The Canadian Press on October 15, 2024.

VANCOUVER – It’s the last week of the British Columbia election campaign after a busy long weekend of promises for the B.C. Conservatives, including a new Children’s Hospital for Surrey.

B.C. Conservative Leader John Rustad is expected to explain how he’s going to pay for all his promises, from the so-called Rustad rebate to exempt up to $3,000 a month of rent or mortgage payments from taxes, to the plan to eliminate the carbon tax.

Rustad also said the Conservatives would eliminate the provincial deficit of nearly $9 billion within two terms of government.

In the battle to win the 10 Surrey ridings, the B.C. Conservative leader promised to build a children’s hospital in the city, complete with an emergency ward, ICU and maternity ward.

Adrian Dix, the health minister under the NDP government, issued a statement in reaction, calling it a hastily made up promise, as construction for a new Surrey hospital is already underway and the expansion at the current hospital includes a new maternity unit and pediatric services.

The NDP has said its platform promises this election would cause government revenue to drop by more than $1.5 billion, while it forecasts the province’s budget deficit to increase next year to $9.6 billion.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 15, 2024.

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