WATCH: B.C. NDP platform promises to scrap interest on student loans, raise corporate taxes and add a real estate speculation tax. Tess van Straaten reports.
B.C. NDP leader John Horgan has been making lots of election promises over the last few days.
But on Thursday, he officially unveiled the party’s platform and it which includes hundreds of millions of dollars in new spending.
The NDP’s promising to introduce a two per cent real estate speculation tax and eliminate interest on student loans.
The platform includes $717 million in new spending for the current fiscal year but to pay for it, they need to raise taxes.
Horgan plans to increase corporate taxes as well as income tax on the top two per cent.
He also wants to use the LNG prosperity fund to eliminate bridge tolls.
They’re also expecting to raise about $100 million on the real estate speculation tax that anyone who owns a home here and doesn’t pay income tax in a Canada will have to pay.
“We’re going to make sure that the property speculators in our housing market are taxed if they are not paying taxes in B.C., they are not growing our province, they’re just growing their pocket books,” says Horgan.
But new details on the MSP promise have the NDP upholding the Liberal plan to cut MSP premiums by 50 per cent next January and then eliminate fees altogether within four years.
Christy Clark on North Coast keeping LNG dreams alive
B.C. Liberal leader Christy Clark was on the North Coast, campaigning in Kitimat, Prince Rupert and Terrace.
Clark says that while the dream of a prosperous LNG industry for B.C. might be delayed, it’s not dead.
During the 2013 election, the Liberals three LNG facilities would be operational by 2020 — bringing close to 100,000 jobs to the region.
“Let’s make sure that British Columbia and our LNG industry stays strong, let’s create jobs for working people across the province, let’s build a bright future for all of the people we love,” Clark said.
Green Party leader Andrew Weaver campaigning on Island
Green Party leader Andrew Weaver was campaigning in the Cowichan Valley Thursday with Cowichan candidate Sonia Fursteneau.
The Greens are campaigning hard in the area and their chances for an all-important break-through are good, given Fursteneau’s activism and high-profile over the Shawnigan Lake contaminated soil controversy.
Weaver spent the afternoon campaigning in Sidney with Saanich North & the Islands candidate Adam Olsen.
To view party platforms and Vancouver Island riding profiles click here
Tess van Straaten
