Building BC strong in partnership with First Nations

We’re working together with First Nations to build a stronger, more secure future for everyone in B.C.: bringing economic certainty, protecting our environment, and creating lasting opportunities across the province.

We have a plan to

• Partner with First Nations to speed up delivery of major clean energy and natural resource projects that create good-paying jobs for people in every part of the province.
• Deliver expanded healthcare services and better housing and infrastructure across rural and urban communities.
• Work together to protect watersheds, restore forests, and manage emergency and climate risks as partners.

Support for wildfire-impacted families

Wildfires can change a family's life in a matter of minutes. For people who have lost their homes, their belongings or their ability to earn a living, the road to recovery can be long and difficult.

We have a plan to

• Match donations to the Canadian Red Cross up to $20 million for people affected by this summer's wildfires, including to support those who are uninsured and underinsured.
• Support rebuilding public infrastructure, including road repairs, debris removal, and soil remediation on municipal properties.

Investing in more affordable public transit

We’re investing in expanding affordable, accessible transit to keep people and our economy moving. The BC NDP has made the largest expansion of public transit services in BC's history since 2017, including SkyTrain, rapid transit, and increased service in communities across the province. We also made public transit free for kids 12 and under to help families with everyday costs. But there’s more to do.

We have a plan to

• Boost funding to BC Transit by $40 million per year to support service expansions and improve connections between communities across BC.
• Work with the federal government and TransLink to deliver Rapid Bus Transit to better connect people and communities in Metro Vancouver.
• Continue working with TransLink to develop a sustainable, long-term revenue model, without raising costs for drivers who are already getting hit at the pumps.

Doubling funding for public libraries

British Columbians are increasingly squeezed on their entertainment and news costs by paywalled information and escalating subscription prices. Public libraries are one of the last free sources of high-quality entertainment and information we can count on, and they play a critical role in combating disinformation and censorship.

We have a plan to

• Immediately and permanently double annual provincial funding to B.C.’s public libraries from $14 million to $28 million to support longer operating hours, expanded digital collections, and enhanced free community programming.

Keeping people safe and BC communities strong

B.C. is a beautiful place to live, with vibrant communities, but like so many places across Canada and around the world, we’re facing challenges. That’s why we’ve been working on the ground across the province to make our communities safe – and it’s making a difference. And there’s more work to do.

We have a plan to

• Tackle repeat violent offenders and chronic property crime by making permanent and doubling funding for the Repeat Violent Offending Intervention Initiative (ReVOII) and Chronic Property Offending Intervention Initiative (C-POII) that are getting results.
• Hire 50 additional Crown prosecutors and dedicate a unit to focus on extortion, racketeering and gang violence. Pairing this work with the BC Extortion Task Force would put more criminals behind bars.
• Strike a BC Retail Theft Task Force that brings together the RCMP, municipal police, and federal agencies to go after the organized criminals who are targeting businesses.
• Make sure that crime doesn’t pay by seizing gang assets like luxury vehicles, properties, and businesses used as fronts.
• Pursue immediate penalties for people caught with illegal guns or involved in gang activity, wherever the law allows, such as driving suspensions and loss of access to business licenses.

Locals-first ferry reservation pilot

Ferries are vital lifelines for island and coastal communities, but growing tourist demand and high travel volumes can make it difficult for locals to access essential services, medical appointments, and family obligations on the mainland. Establishing a dedicated reservation pilot for local residents ensures coastal communities get priority access to the ferry sailings they rely on every day.

We have a plan to

• Launch a "Locals First" ferry reservation pilot program to reserve dedicated space for local ferry-dependent residents.
• Give local residents priority booking windows so local families, workers, and patients can secure travel for medical care, work, and essential travel before visitors fill spots.
• The pilot would begin on two routes: Horseshoe Bay – Langdale (Sunshine Coast) and Westview (Powell River) – Little River (Comox).
• Beyond the initial pilot, a BC NDP government would work with BC Ferries and other ferry-dependent communities to improve access for local residents on both reservable and first-come, first-served routes.