VANCOUVER — British Columbians have faced an onslaught of government announcements, party ads and political finger pointing over the last few months.
It was all a prelude to the provincial election campaign, which will officially begin today when Liberal Leader Christy Clark asks the lieutenant governor to dissolve her government.
Which party can generate the most jobs appears to be an early campaign theme for the May 9 vote.
Clark unveiled her party's platform yesterday, promising to freeze income taxes, deliver balance budgets and create jobs in the technology and resource sectors.
New Democrat Leader John Horgan has also offered voters a peek at his platform, saying his party will create jobs in every corner of the province by making public investments to attract more private-sector investment.
The Greens captured a single seat in the legislature last election, but Leader Andrew Weaver is predicting a breakthrough for his party when British Columbians head to the polls in four weeks.
A QUICKFACTS ON BRITISH COLUMBIA ELECTION PROMISES MADE BY THE MAJOR PARTIES
VANCOUVER — Here is a look at some of the promises being made by the three main political parties in British Columbia as the campaign is set to officially begin Tuesday for the May 9 election.
Liberals:
— The cost of the party's promises amounts to $157 million in new spending over three years.
— Four consecutive balanced budgets to eliminate the province's operating debt by 2021.
— A four-year freeze on personal income taxes, and no change to the carbon tax until 2021.
— A cap on bridge tolls and a new tax break for people living in ferry-dependent communities.
— New tax credits to help seniors, including a tax credit for those caring for seniors or family members with disabilities, and doubling a tax credit for seniors who renovate their homes.
NDP:
— A $10-a-day childcare plan based on Quebec's system.
— Eliminate tolls on the Golden Ears and Port Mann bridges linking suburban commuters to Vancouver, while also freezing BC Hydro rates.
— Ban corporate and union donations to political parties.
— Increase the minimum wage, which is slated to rise to $11.35 an hour by September, to $15 an hour.
— Stop plans by Kinder Morgan to expand the Trans Mountain pipeline across B.C. to Burnaby.
Green party:
— Free pre-school for three- and four-year-old children and free daycare for children up to age three who have working parents, while families with a stay-at-home parent would receive up to $500 a month for a child up to the age of two.
— Change the law to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to 40 per cent below 2007 levels by 2030, while extending the carbon tax to fugitive and vented emissions. Fugitive sources are unintentional emissions from the processing and delivery of fossil fuels.
— Increase funding for the public education system over four years, beginning with an additional $220 million in 2017-18 and rising to $1.46 billion in 2020-21.
— Implement grants based on need for post-secondary students, and offer tax forgiveness of up to $2,000 a year for up to five years to help graduates repay debt from tuition fees.
— Establish an emerging economy task force to look at the changing nature of business over the next 10 to 25 years that will report to the government by July 2018.
