In the lead-up to the Oct. 19 provincial election, Black Press Media asked the candidates in Victoria-Swan Lake a series of three questions.
What do you see as the most pressing issue for your riding, and what would you do to address it?
Nina Krieger – B.C. NDP: People want a health-care system that will be there for them when they need it most. Our communities are growing and we need a strong public health-care system that grows along with them. In the last few months, we’ve seen thousands of people connected to primary care in the Island Health region. We are starting to see results and now is not the time for cuts.
David Eby and the B.C. NDP are hiring more doctors and nurses and breaking down barriers to bring internationally trained health-care workers off the sidelines and into our hospitals and clinics.
I want to see continued efforts to strengthen our public health-care system to support healthy, thriving communities.
Tim Taylor – B.C. Conservatives
Black Press Media has made multiple attempts to contact B.C. Conservative candidate for Victoria-Swan Lake Tim Taylor and his party for a response to the questions but did not receive a response by the deadline.
Chistina Winter – B.C. Greens: Affordability – many of the people living in our community are living precariously, and the band-aid solutions we’ve gotten from the government don’t address the root causes of the issue. People on disability and social assistance are kept living in poverty, minimum wage isn’t sufficient to cover costs, and the lack of childcare forces parents to make tough choices about how and when to work. People are going hungry because they can’t afford food and rent at the same time. Corporate profits are prioritized over actual affordable housing and many members of our community are being priced out.
Well-being needs to be placed at the centre of how we measure success. I support livable amounts for people on disability, social assistance, and those making minimum wage. We will develop a universal, accessible, and well-compensated Early Childhood Education system that delivers $10-a-day childcare for all. Our vacancy control policy will stop the rapid rise of rental prices, and our housing plan will create non-market housing on public land which will remain truly affordable. By addressing affordability, we can substantially increase the well-being of our community.
How do you balance the need for housing affordability with homeowners’ desire to not lose money on their investment?
Winter: The impact of high housing costs is eroding both the economy and the overall livability of our communities. For too long, B.C.’s housing system has served primarily as a mechanism for increasing wealth, rather than ensuring fair access to housing for all. The financialization of housing – where corporate investors buy properties and drive up prices – has been a major factor in rising unaffordability across the province. We need stronger action to curb this trend and protect housing for prospective owners and renters alike. It is time to take decisive action to ensure that homes are for people, not for profit. Everyone deserves a home they can afford.
Our approach to building non-market housing does not directly compete with the private market and will help to stabilize house prices. Our vacancy control policy will stabilize rental rates, further helping to stabilize house prices. A stable market is good for homeowners, as well as people looking to get on the property ladder.
Krieger: I hear from people in my community every day who are struggling. They say they may never be able to afford a home. It’s tough. Interest rates are high and families are up against speculators who want to cash in on our housing market.
Everyone should be able to afford a home and build a life in the community they love.
That’s why I’m proud to run with David Eby and the B.C. NDP team. He’s tackling housing costs by taking on speculators, cutting red tape and restricting short-term rentals, turning thousands of units into homes.
How would your party meet the public’s demand for spending on health care, housing, transportation, infrastructure, homelessness, etc., without raising taxes or ballooning the deficit?
Krieger: When you look across the country, B.C.’s economy is strong – and yet many people here are still struggling. We need to continue to invest in the services people need while continuing to build a strong economy that works better for people.
B.C. has the fastest-growing economy of any major province and we’ve created more than 250,000 jobs since 2017, with the highest wage growth among provinces. We're investing in skills training and making education more accessible.
John Rustad and the B.C. Conservatives are going to cost you more. From MSP premiums, to ICBC rates, to welcoming speculators back into the housing market, Rustad will look out for everyone at the top and make you pay. We can’t afford that.
Winter: Tax policy is essential in shaping our society and economy, enabling the government to fund vital services like education, health care and infrastructure necessary for a functioning society. Moreover, tax policy creates the economic landscape by establishing incentives, influencing demand and supply, and signalling to both domestic and international audiences that British Columbia is a secure place for investment.
The design of our tax system can either enhance or undermine equity and social justice. It is essential that people have confidence that our tax system is fair and treats everyone and their contributions equally. An effective tax system should be efficient, easy to navigate and difficult to manipulate.
The B.C. Greens will undertake a systematic review of British Columbia’s entire tax and transfer system. This would look not just at what is and isn’t taxed and to what extent, but also how the system treats different groups, including both census families and individuals, corporations, and high-income individuals and companies. The government must take an active role in creating a fairer, more efficient tax system that will help reduce inequality and ensure that the wealth generated in B.C. benefits everyone.
