Both major parties kicked off the second week of British Columbia’s provincial election campaign Monday with plans to expand the province’s natural resource sector.
B.C. NDP Leader David Eby was at the Port of Prince Rupert, where he pledged that a re-elected NDP government would double critical mineral exports over the next five years.
Eby also said the port would be expanded to become Canada’s second-largest port by 2030.
He said the province would provide an additional $5 million for the Prince Rupert Port Authority to double the number of cruise ship passengers that visit the port.
B.C. Conservative interim leader Lorne Doerkson said in Vancouver that liquified natural gas (LNG) expansion would be key to the party’s energy strategy if they form government on Oct. 24.
Doerkson said a Conservative government would triple LNG production by 2035 by reducing permitting and approval time.
The NDP’s Ravi Parmar, who is running for re-election in Langford–Highlands, said in Victoria that B.C. is already on track to more than triple LNG production by 2035, pointing to five projects that are either under construction, permitted or awaiting final investment decision.
Meanwhile, B.C. Green leader Emily Lowan was in Saanich on Monday to detail her party’s childcare platform.
The Greens said they would expand the $10-dollar-a-day childcare program across the province, after the NDP government paused expansion of the program earlier this year. They would also aim for universal free childcare coverage by 2031.
