NDP releases full B.C. election platform

New Democratic Party Leader David Eby released his party’s full election platform in Surrey Thursday morning, outlining an “action plan for you” that looks to address housing, affordability, and health-care, amongst other things.

“British Columbia is a beautiful place. It’s where Cailey and I put down roots and started a family. But it’s not always easy. Everywhere I go, I listen to people who motivate me to find solutions to today’s tough challenges,” Eby shared in a statement.

“The challenges we are facing together are what drive me. And working to solve them is what gets me out of bed each morning. In difficult times, you deserve a government that’s on your side – that has your back. Not one that will leave you to fend for yourself and help those who already have the most. That’s a risk nobody can afford right now,” he added.

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The NDP’s plan covers both already-announced promises along with new commitments not yet provided to the public. These include:

“A $1,000 boost for household budgets with a middle-class tax cut, each and every year; Cracking down on speculators and helping create 300,000 more homes for the middle-class; Hiring more healthcare workers than ever before and creating a second medical school to train the next generation of doctors; Supporting people who need help while giving police the tools to keep assault weapons and handguns away from gangs; And expanding training opportunities for family-supporting jobs while fighting climate change and making polluters pay,” the party outlined.

“Ours is a serious plan. We’re on the side of people who work hard and play by the rules. We want to make sure you don’t just get by–you get ahead,” Eby claimed.

“Core to this platform is recognizing that you and your family need support right now, not five years from now,” Eby said Thursday.

The NDP says if elected, it will save families money on groceries by expanding school meals, create more new child care spaces, and “deliver affordable before- and after-school care for children up to age 12.”

It’s also promising to free off-peak transit for seniors, and permitting pets in all purpose-built rentals.

The party’s 64-page platform includes promises of an increased home speculation tax, inflation-matching minimum wage, quarterly PST filings, and a doubling of electricity generation by 2050.

As well, Eby promises a return to balanced budgets, despite running deficits this year and next, but did not specify when that would happen.

Eby explains the NDP will also address blind bidding in the real estate market.

“So when you’re trying to get into the housing market, you’re not overpaying for the home. … to make sure there’s transparency in the bidding process.”

Eby reaffirmed his party’s plan to address public safety.

“On the issue of ensuring a safe community for everybody, I think that whether the issue is seeing people struggling with mental health, addiction, and brain injuries on the streets of our communities or issues of organized crime, ensuring safety for you and your family — everyone needs to feel safe in British Columbia, whether they’re the ones struggling in the streets or whether they’re the community member who just wants that person to get the care that they need and deserve,” he explained.

“We’ll support the people who need help, and we’ll give the police the tools they need to address organized crime.

“One thing that I will promise we will never do, is we will never direct the police not to enforce gun laws in British Columbia. Restricted firearms, handguns, and semi-automatic rifles have no place on the streets of British Columbia, and I will ensure that police not only are able to use resources to enforce the gun laws, but have all of the resources they need to be able to chase down and address gangsters who traffic in firearms and have restricted weapons.”

After Eby’s platform release Thursday, only one party is yet to reveal its plan as the Oct. 19 vote approaches.

BC Green Party Leader Sonia Furstenau revealed her party’s “wellbeing” platform on Tuesday.

On Thursday, she’s making an appearance in West Vancouver to talk about enhancing support for working parents and how a Green government would address “deep poverty.”

The BC Conservatives have yet to reveal its platform, or when it will do that.

The province is approaching the midpoint of the election campaign. Advance voting begins on Oct. 10.

With files from Jack Morse.