We’ve reviewed the BC Party Platforms so you don’t have to (although we still recommend that you do!).
The BC Conservative Party has put together a “common sense change for British Columbians”. What doesn’t seem like common sense to us, is scrapping the carbon tax, supporting further LNG development and encouraging the expansion of development, mining and logging across BC’s natural lands. We are happy to see acknowledgement of climate change impacts, the need for climate resilience across BC communities, agriculture and energy systems, and support for public transit across the province.
The BC NDP has come up with “an Action Plan for you”. Like the slogan, this plan lacks details or innovation and with each commitment ending with a dot dot dot we’re left with a lot of when and how questions. Mixed messages like using oil & gas development to fund BC’s clean-economy future; planting 300 million trees every year to increase forest resilience yet changing the permitting process with a goal of granting faster access to timber harvesting; or expanding the clean electricity grid to support mines development leave us a little dazed and confused. However BC NDP take a stance to stop methane emissions from oil and gas, and support a just transition working with First Nations, and the youth climate corps.
After reading The BC Green Party’s 72 page platform “Putting People First”, actually seems to put our planet first instead. With strong commitments to increase carbon taxes, remove subsidies for fossil fuel, set an emissions cap and phase out fossil fuels, this plan is innovative and would set BC apart as a supernatural global leader in climate and sustainability. Detailed commitments to biodiversity and old growth protection; wildfire, flooding and other climate responsiveness and resilience for communities; and increasing access to outdoor recreation and sport, show that the Green Party understands putting the BC’s land, water and climate first, is how BC residents and visitors reap the benefits long term.
While we want British Columbian’s to vote for climate, we don’t want to add to the divisiveness. Some key points that run across party platforms shows that regardless of which way we lean, there’s a lot that we can all get behind. Key points all three parties include:
1. CLIMATE FINANCE
- Fund expansion of Public Transit across the province and connect key communities across the Fraser Valley, Chilliwack, Langley, Surrey, Sea to Sky, Northern BC with rail service, Sky Train and rapid bus.
2. RENEWABLE ENERGY
- Develop alternative renewable energy, including wind, solar, geothermal, run-of-river hydro-electricity to meet BC's growing electricity usage.
3. NATURE BASED CLIMATE SOLUTIONS
- Work with First Nations to sustainably manage and protect BC's lands and watersheds, and support community well-being.
- Stop all aerial spraying of glyphosate.
- Help farmers and crops become more climate resilient
4. CLIMATE ADAPTATION
- Enhance climate resilience and preparedness, learning and improving from recent climate events such as the flooding in 2021 or recent record setting wildfire seasons.
- Ensure water security
- Review and improve how wildfires are prevented, managed and responded to including both new technologies and techniques as well as reintroducing First Nations and community responses.
Regardless of who gains a seat in office, POW Canada holds our elected officials accountable to both the promises made in their campaign platforms (see detailed look below), and our national commitment/contribution to the Paris Climate Agreement Targets.
*in red = not aligned with above key points
DETAILED PLATFORM RUNDOWN
BC CONSERVATIVE PARTY
Leader: John Rustad
Link to Party Platform: https://www.conservativebc.ca/ideas
Principles: A common sense change for British Columbians
References to Climate Goals: none.
Strengths include funding, expanding and connecting public transit, supporting a local food system and increasing the climate resilience of hydro power and flood mitigation in BC.
Weaknesses include eliminating carbon taxes and net-zero mandates, supporting LNG development, and encouraging expansion of development, mining and logging across BC’s natural lands.
Alignment with POW's Impact Areas:
Climate Finance
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Carbon Tax:
- Scrap the Eby-Trudeau Carbon Tax and all hidden carbon taxes
- Reduce the cost of goods by scrapping BC’s carbon tax. This ineffective policy has added costs to almost every step in the agriculture supply chain. Removing it will immediately make our food producers more competitive and improve access to local agriculture products.
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Public Transit
- Fund key projects in the Transport 2050 plan, working with municipal leaders and TransLink to identify the highest-priority projects which may include expansions of SkyTrain, Bus Rapid Transit, Rapid Bus, and express and local bus services.
- Develop a business case to analyze Fraser Valley regional rail between Chilliwack, Abbotsford, the Langley SkyTrain, and Surrey.
- Expand regional transit service in the Sea-to-Sky corridor and consider extending TransLink services to Squamish.
- Invest in BC Transit services across the province, focusing on high-growth areas where services just haven’t kept up.
- Fully fund TransLink for two years to maintain uninterrupted, reliable service. Commuters shouldn’t need to worry about whether they can get to work or school. We will ensure full funding for transit as the financial model is audited.
- Audit and reform TransLink's financial model to ensure the long-term availability of funding that not just maintains service, but fuels expansion for the future.
- Support transit-oriented communities: People deserve to live in complete communities near transit, not just dormitories. Bill 47 (Transit Oriented Areas) will be amended to ensure each new transit-oriented community is providing space for grocery stores and small businesses within walking distance of home.
Renewable Energy
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LNG
- Build on BC’s LNG success story and double production by “getting to yes” for the range of proposed LNG plants which have the potential to create a new major industry for BC.
- Reverse the NDP’s radical plans to ban natural gas heating and non-electric vehicles.
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Hydro, Solar, Wind
- Accelerate BC Hydro’s 10-year transmission and distribution capital plan to keep pace with population growth and proactive maintenance needs.
- Support BC Hydro’s drought resilience efforts, which include capital projects and improved forecasting and monitoring technology.
- Consider all power sources that could keep BC’s energy mix independent, low cost, and green.
- Get the most out our hydroelectric dams by supporting BC Hydro in capital upgrades that add capacity and extend lifespans.
- Analyze the business case for geothermal power generation. 16 potential sites have been identified in BC, which have the potential to produce clean and reliable electricity.
- Support the development of alternative renewable energy where and when the economics make sense for BC – including wind, solar, and run-of-river hydroelectricity.
- Support the expansion of hydrogen production and refueling capacity as long as taxpayers can realize a return on investment.
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Nuclear
- Amend the Clean Energy Act to allow for nuclear power in the province’s energy mix.
- Put safety first by conducting a comprehensive review of small modular reactor (SMR) seismic hazard resilience.
- Expand the British Columbia Energy Regulator’s mandate to include nuclear power.
- Become a partner in Canada’s Small Modular Reactor Action Plan alongside Alberta, Saskatchewan, Yukon, Ontario, New Brunswick and PEI.
- Commit to having a small modular reactor operating by 2035 - if and only if the business case makes sense, seismic safety is addressed, and the idea has the confidence of the public.
- Work with First Nations as partners in BC’s energy future.
- We will immediately repeal the Step Code, the radical “Net-Zero” mandate, [on housing]
Nature-Based Climate Solutions
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Land Use & Rights
- The Conservative Party of BC is committed to the strategic and collaborative return of land to First Nations, enabling bands to forge their own economic future.
- Return 20% of BC’s forests to First Nations, enabling Indigenous groups to manage these resources sustainably and in line with their traditions and values.
- Support activities that bring both economic and environmental benefits for Indigenous communities, such as the use of forestry byproducts in local power generation
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Agriculture & Pollinators
- Invest in agricultural R&D, focusing on disease-resistant crops, climate-resilient farming practices, and innovative technologies to improve crop varieties and livestock productivity.
- Improve crop productivity by providing financial incentives for farmers to employ yield-increasing measures, including both conventional and alternative practices such as crop rotation, organic farming, and regenerative agriculture.
- Help farmers access the capital needed to replant and nurture crops after the devastation of recent extreme weather events such as the heat dome and back-to-back cold snaps in our changing climate. Existing replant supports are insufficient.
- Expand the Buy BC program to prioritize locally-produced dairy, fruits, wines, grains, meats, and other products on store shelves, giving British Columbians more access to home-grown products.
- Increase local food processing by creating tax incentives that encourage dairy and fruit processors as well as other food manufacturing facilities to operate in BC. This boosts local manufacturing, reduces reliance on imports, and supports BC farmers by creating local markets for their products.
- Launch land access incentives by providing tax relief or subsidies for small farmers renting land, making it more affordable for new entrants and small-scale operators to access land for agricultural use. This could include programs to convert unused or underused public land into small farm plots.
- Support BC’s aquaculture sector which provides an important source of food and economic development in rural BC.
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Biodiversity & Pollinators
- To create healthier habitats, the stop all aerial spraying of glyphosate.
- Enhance pollinator populations by supporting farmers to employ beneficial practices for the bee population, improving crown land stewardship practices, and introducing policy changes to augment BC’s supply of pollinators.
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Development on Wilderness Land
- Build new towns: BC is blessed with an abundance of land, but the NDP refuses to use it to end the housing shortage. We will identify land outside the Agricultural Land Reserve that has the potential to support beautiful new communities.
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Mining, Logging & Resource Extraction
- Encourage exploration: Mining begins with exploration, which itself supports thousands of professional jobs We will reverse the NDP’s unprecedented March 2024 cabinet orders which make exploration effectively impossible in certain areas of BC.
- Establish BC as a global hub for critical minerals: We commit to “getting to yes” in as timely a manner as possible – working with, not against, project proponents to satisfy all environmental and safety requirements.
- Make sure that if you build it, you clean it: We will design tougher and smarter protections to ensure that those who build mines are truly responsible for all remediation costs at closure – not taxpayers.
- Maintain BC’s high environmental and safety standards:No compromises, no shortcuts, no excuses.
- Define the land area that will be prioritized for the harvest of primary forest products.
- Define the land area that will be prioritized for meeting biodiversity goals, where sourcing forest products will be of secondary value.
- Undertake a core review of all factors contributing to BC’s uncompetitive cost structure.
Climate Adaptation
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Flood & Water
- Renew BC’s flood mitigation infrastructure so the 2021 floods cannot happen again. We will establish permanent flood protection in high-risk agricultural areas like the Sumas Prairie, safeguarding our farmland, infrastructure, and supply chains.
- Plan for water sustainability in partnership with farmers and ranchers to balance the water needs of food producers and local communities. These plans should include climate resilience measures and protections to sustain food production during droughts or floods.
- Comprehensively research and monitor the state of BC’s water supply by measures including a research chair to conduct ongoing study into the state of water reserves and availability in BC for people, agriculture, and wildlife.
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Wildfires
- To reduce the risk of catastrophic wildfires, re-introduce the option of using controlled burns for prevention and containment.
- Maximize the use of wetter species within ecosystems historically dominated by wildfires - helping to keep wildfires on the ground and allow for more opportunities to stop wildfires from spreading. More diverse species mixes in specific areas will also enhance wildlife habitat value.
- Implement more selective logging, fuel load management, and species mix in interface areas. The objective is to reduce the risk of catastrophic wildfires in areas adjacent to communities.
- Focus harvesting on areas damaged by wildfires or forest health issues. By responding quickly, we can better-utilize the damaged fibre while doing the necessary work of rehabilitation and accelerated reforestation.
- Undertake a complete review of how wildfires are managed in BC.
- Work with contractors and the private sector to empower them to be able to act quickly in response to emerging wildfire issues.
- Provide local people and communities with training and equipment.
- Ensure local volunteers and contractors are be able to call-in to support their efforts.
- Work with universities to support the research and implementation of new technologies and methods for firefighting.
BC NDP
Leader: David Eby
Link to Party Platform: https://www.bcndp.ca/actionplan
Principles: An Action Plan for you
References to Climate Goals: 2025 methane reduction target, on our way to achieving a 75% reduction by the industry by 2030....
Strengths include commiting to tackling methane emissions,
Weaknesses include a lack of detail or explanation on how and when the platform will be implemented, and with a lack of results on issues like old-growth forests in the previous term it’s hard to maintain trust.
Alignment with POW's Impact Areas:
Climate Finance
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Clean Energy
- Leverage our clean energy to attract global investment: Market BC to global companies that are making climate action a priority | A new Clean Economy Transition fund will use revenues raised from oil and gas development, including LNG, to build BC’s clean-economy future, attracting even more investment....
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Public Transit
- Connecting the province with an expanded bus service
- Building on our BC North bus service, we’ll deploy a new fleet of express buses between key transportation hubs around the province....
- Providing more affordable transit options in Metro Vancouver
- Completing the Surrey to Langley SkyTrain | Finishing the Broadway Subway | Three new Bus Rapid Transit corridors: Park Royal to Metrotown; Surrey Centre to White Rock; Maple Ridge to Langley | Moving towards SkyTrain or light rail to the North Shore....
- Connecting communities in the Fraser Valley
- Expand the West Coast Express to Chilliwack | A new rail service through the Valley | Move forward with the next leg of the Fraser Valley Highway 1 Corridor Improvement project, widening the highway out to Chilliwack, including climate resiliency to prevent flooding....
- Exploring the viability of bringing commuter rail back to key routes
- We’ll develop a business plan to evaluate commuter rail options, including Vancouver to Squamish, Whistler and Pemberton to help address crowding and traffic in this fast-growing corridor....
- Reviewing all private delivery models within BC Transit
- So we can make sure British Columbians are getting the best value for their tax dollars and the best service for their needs....
Renewable Energy
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Oil & Gas
- Reducing carbon pollution by taking on the biggest polluters. As BC’s biggest polluters, oil and gas companies need to reduce their methane emissions. And we’re making it happen. BC is on track to exceed its 2025 methane reduction target, on our way to achieving a 75% reduction by the industry by 2030....
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Hydro, Wind, Solar
- Helping you take advantage of clean energy home improvements: Our solar panel and home battery rebates will help you create and store energy, and lower your hydro bill by putting electricity onto the grid. And we’ll bulk purchase heat pumps, and pass the savings on to you to help you lower your heating bill and make your home energy efficient....
- Cutting your home heating and energy costs: We’ll keep hydro rates low and – through rebates for energy-efficiency upgrades – you can save more by installing solar panels, storing power in home solar batteries, and even putting electricity back into the grid....
- Make BC a clean-energy superpower: Transition BC’s economy from overreliance on fossil fuels to clean, affordable and reliable sources of energy | Doubling electricity generation by 2050, with calls for power every two years to grow more renewable sources like wind and solar....
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EVs
- Creating an EV future for you – and your kids: People here are switching to electric vehicles faster than expected. We’ll keep it going by doubling public chargers across the province by 2030 to encourage more people to switch. And we’ll move BC’s school bus fleet to electric for a clean-energy ride to school....
Nature-Based Climate Solutions
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Land Use and Rights:
- Expanding BC parks, recreation sites and trails for family enjoyment: Adding more campsites in BC parks, including large-group-capacity sites for family gatherings | Expanding recreation sites/facilities, particularly for accessibility | Maintaining access roads, building new trails and infrastructure....
- Moving BC closer to its goal of protecting 30% of provincial lands by 2030. We’re working with First Nations, Ottawa and communities on a shared, ambitious commitment to defend and preserve critical, at-risk areas of biodiversity.
- Completing action on the Old Growth Strategic Review’s 14 recommendations.
- Double the land held in BC’s new and existing community forests | Plant more than 300 million trees every year to help increase forest resilience | Improve stewardship of BC forests through new Forest Landscape Planning Tables....
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Biodiversity
- Driving a made-in-BC strategy to defend BC’s biodiversity. Our province is home to the richest, most complex and diverse biodiversity in Canada. Working jointly with First Nations and our other partners, we’re breaking from outdated conservation models with a fully science-based approach to protect that diversity....
- Protecting and restoring watersheds, waterways and old growth: Expanding salmon restoration in estuaries, inter-tidal zones, and spawning habitats |
- Phasing out the herbicide glyphosate (Round-Up), protecting watersheds and communities |
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Mining, Logging & Resource Extraction
- Position BC’s mining industry for global opportunities: Guaranteeing permit review timelines for priority critical mineral projects while maintaining environmental and safety standards | A new Critical Minerals Office to advance projects to final investment | A long-term strategy to attract investment and jobs....
- Build out the physical and workforce resources BC’s mining industry needs: Expanding the electricity grid to support mines with clean energy | Upgrading key highways in the northwest | Establishing union-led training programs to help workers keep pace with the changing nature of mining....
- Create more good-paying forest jobs: A Forest Value Fund will fast-track wood-manufacturing facilities and the re-tooling of mills to process second growth timber | Get more jobs per tree by tying our working forest resources to mills that employ BC workers | Accelerate the growth of engineered-wood production.
- We’ll make sure resource development provides lasting benefits to communities in the northwest through the Resource Benefits Alliance, and to First Nations through continued revenue sharing and new equity ownership opportunities....
- Provide better access to fibre:Increasing fibre security for primary, secondary users and value-added manufacturers by working towards a harvest of 45 million cubic metres per year | Completing a full review of BC Timber Sales to improve access to public timber and drive better outcomes for workers and communities....
- Defend the forest industry, communities and workers: Identifying reforms in the stumpage system in light of punishing tariffs | Pushing Ottawa to take tough tariff action now |
- Secure a more sustainable future for First Nations and forest communities: Working toward First Nation agreements that make sure industry only pays once for stumpage – benefiting rural, remote and First Nation communities | Bringing efficiencies to the permitting process with a goal of granting faster access to timber harvesting.
- Partnering to ensure healthy, productive and sustainable forests: These partnerships will continue to drive forestry innovation and good-paying jobs, protect old growth and ecosystems, and expand working community forests to build a strong future for all forest workers.
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Agriculture
- Build resilience for farmers and farms: Protect farmers’ crops and livelihoods through a topped-up perennial crop renewal program | Expand the agricultural Extreme Weather Preparedness Fund to help farmers and ranchers prepare and protect their farms and animals from extreme-weather emergencies....
Climate Adaptation
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Youth Engagement
- Engaging youth to build a stronger future: We’ll expand the Youth Climate Corps, providing training and paid work for young people between age 17-30 who want to start their careers by making a difference on climate action in their communities in a way that makes those communities safer and more prosperous.
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Wildfires
- Defending people in BC against the threat from a changing climate: Partnering with First Nations and communities to proactively move highly flammable woody material, prune stands and remove debris to slow or stop the spread of wildfires and protect primary water sources for communities....
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Water & Flooding
- Making sure BC communities have secure sources of clean water for the future: We’ll put land use and watershed planning in the hands of local communities, farmers and businesses – in partnership with First Nations – and fund those communities to identify and prioritize local water use....
- Preventing the kind of flooding we saw in the Sumas Prairie in 2021: As we move forward widening Highway 1 out to Chilliwack, we will build in climate resiliency....
BC GREENS
Leader: Sonia Furstenau
Link to Party Platform: https://bcgreens2024.ca/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/BCGreens-Platform-2024.pdf
Principles: Putting people first.
References to Climate Goals: Develop a new Climate Action Plan, ensuring emission reduction targets are supported by measurable actions. Accelerate BC’s target of near-zero methane emissions from the oil and gas sector.
Strengths include a comprehensive plan to address climate change, through strong climate finance, a just transition away from fossil fuels, and commitments to protect the diverse natural landscapes of BC, drawing clear connections to how that creates well-being for British Columbians.
Weaknesses include a very long document to read.
Alignment with POW's Impact Areas:
Climate Finance
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Taxes, Subsidies & Incentives
- Continue with planned increases to the price of emissions, by $15 per year. The price is currently $80 per tonne. We will increase this to $95 in 2025, $110 in 2026, $125 in 2027, etc.
- Remove the annual emissions limits for industry, established under the output-based pricing system. Every tonne (or liter) emitted will be subject to the same fee regime. Include emissions relating to venting and non-compression and non-processing activities in the oil and gas sector. End the use of compliance mechanisms and carbon offsets.
- Introduce a windfall profits tax on oil and gas companies.
- Increase the industrial carbon tax and redirect revenue from industrial carbon pricing to fund climate action in communities. Eliminate loopholes that allow large industries to pollute and cause climate damage.
- End all subsidies and public financing for fossil fuel infrastructure, including capital cost recovery and discounted electricity rates for LNG facilities. Reallocate subsidies and public financing from fossil fuels towards renewable energy development and production.
- Create a carbon offset policy for the province based on the principles of the Science Based Targets Initiative (SBTi).
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Community Resilience
- Develop new rebate programs to incentivize deep energy retrofits for housing providers, tenants, and landlords, helping to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and keep rents low.
- Provide financial support to households that cannot afford the upfront capital costs of zero-carbon technologies, such as heat pumps, to promote sustainable housing.
- Negotiate with the federal government to create a dedicated funding stream for community resilience projects, including neighbourhood-level emergency preparedness and resilience-building programs.
- Connect carbon tax revenue directly to community climate action initiatives, including diking system improvements and wildfire prevention measures.
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Transportation
- We will implement a free public transit system for all people in British Columbia.
- Allocate funds to address existing public transit infrastructure and operational needs across the region.
- Reduce the subsidy that car drivers receive to promote equitable transportation funding.
- We will require the Government to spend at least as much on public transit, walking, and cycling as on highway infrastructure and operations.
- We will provide immediate funding for TransLink to maintain and expand service levels in 2025.
- We will expand the Clean Incentive Vehicle (CIVC) program to allow retrofitted electric vehicles to be eligible for grants, incentivizing the transition to greener transport options.
- Support the conversion of gasoline and diesel vehicles to electric vehicles by extending financial incentives to EV retrofits, ensuring that older vehicles can also contribute to emissions reductions.
Renewable Energy
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Oil & Gas
- Commit to a Fossil-Free Future: Set a date to phase out gas production in the province.
- Stop permitting new fracking wells.
- Prohibit any new LNG projects. Stop permitting new pipelines. Direct the BC Environmental Assessment Office to allow the 2014 environmental certificate for the Prince Rupert Gas Transmission pipeline to expire.
- Fully implement the oil and gas emissions cap as a backstop to upcoming federal regulations to meet or exceed BC’s oil and gas emissions targets.
- Implement a province-wide policy to prevent oil and gas hookups in new buildings, accelerating the transition to clean energy in the housing sector.
- Reduce Methane Emissions: Eliminate venting and flaring, and compressor emissions. Commit to reviewing the province’s methane regulations by the end of 2027 to align with global best practices.
- Prohibit fossil fuel advertising: Ban oil and gas advertisements in the province
- Ban Gas in New Buildings: Enforce a province-wide ban on gas hookups in all new buildings to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
- We will stop public funds from being used for BC Hydro infrastructure that supports LNG projects. Existing LNG projects will be required to cover their own electricity generation and transmission costs, prioritizing BC’s energy resources for residential use and sustainable industries.
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Hydro, Solar, Wind
- Establish a renewable procurement timetable for renewable energy projects with defined annual procurement targets and parameters.
- Invest in research and development of geothermal energy production. Investigate a technology transfer from oil and gas drilling to geothermal energy production.
- Invest $20 million annually for education and training programs to address the skills shortage in the renewable energy sector and to retrain oil and gas workers. Invest in a BC Clean Energy Institute in Northwest BC to drive innovation and training.
- Invest $20 million annually in small-scale distributed solar projects, with a goal of having solar account for 15% of electricity generation by 2035. Ensure these projects are economically viable and accessible to low- and moderate-income households.
- Expand the Community Net Metering program to allow British Columbians to own a share of community-scale solar energy production, receiving credits on their electricity bills for the energy produced.
- Expand funding for the Community Energy Diesel Reduction program to help Indigenous communities transition off diesel and connect to clean power and storage solutions
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Transportation
- Advance the electrification of medium- and heavy- duty vehicles (MHDVs) and expand electric vehicle (EV) infrastructure.
- Expand the EV charging infrastructure across BC to support the growing number of electric vehicles and facilitate their use in rural and urban areas.
Nature-Based Climate Solutions
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Land Use & Rights
- Align land legislation with Indigenous rights and ensure public participation in the process.
- Work with Indigenous communities to establish Indigenous Protected and Conserved Areas (IPCAs), fully upholding those declared by First Nations.
- Achieve 30% land and water protection by 2030, in consultation with First Nations.
- Strengthen and fund BC’s park system, create new provincial parks, and expand camping and recreation opportunities.
- Establish urban tree canopy targets and improve legal protections for urban trees.
- Amend the Private Managed Forest Land Act to ensure basic ecological and cultural protections on private land
- Dedicate funds for private land acquisition to protect old growth forests on private lands.
- Make food production and food security part of the Agricultural Land Commission’s (ALC) mandate to protect and prioritize agricultural use.
- Restrict and regulate foreign ownership of Agricultural Land Reserve (ALR) land to ensure that farmland remains in local hands and supports food security.
- Investigate how to mitigate the impacts of oil and gas operations on agricultural land in the northeast region of the province.
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Biodiversity & Ecosystems
- Immediately enact Species at Risk legislation to safeguard vulnerable species.
- Allocate $120 million to fish and wildlife programs over three years.
- Implement effective targets for old and mature forest retention, and improve riparian protection province-wide, as an interim strategy before Forest Landscape Planning is finalized.
- Invest in a Watershed Security Fund to protect BC’s watersheds (see Watershed Security section).
- Shift from reactive disaster response to proactive resilience building and climate action, including habitat restoration and biodiversity protection.
- Utilize nature-based solutions to protect and conserve ecosystems while augmenting natural assets with green infrastructure.
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Mining, Logging, Resource Extraction
- Create an integrated and independent compliance and enforcement regime for the Ministry of Energy and Mines. Address industry’s disproportionate access to government in decision-making processes.
- Lower thresholds for mandatory environmental assessments and close loopholes that allow projects to avoid assessments.
- Increase oversight and independence of the BC Conservation Officer Service and other Natural Resource Compliance Officers. Reform the Mining Sector
- Modernize BC’s mining and mineral staking regimes and Mineral Tenure Act to respect Indigenous rights and reduce risks to our watersheds and communities.
- Establish an industry-levied fund to mitigate the costs of mining pollution and disasters, including the rehabilitation of abandoned mines.
- Designate certain areas, including salmon rivers, as off-limits to mining.
- Immediately establish conservation of ecosystem health and biodiversity of BC’s forests as an overarching priority, with timber supply being one benefit (for more information, see our Environment plank)
- Establish a Chief Ecologist as a counterpart to the Chief Forester to ensure multiple values are adequately incorporated into timber supply analysis and other decision-making
- Reduce the Annual Allowable Cut to ecologically and economically sustainable levels.
- Stop clearcut industrial logging and adopt logging practices that emulate natural disturbance regimes, such as selective logging, commercial thinning, and longer stand rotations. Improve silviculture practices.
- Ban the use of glyphosate and other chemical herbicides.
- Implement all 14 recommendations of the Old Growth Strategic Review in partnership with First Nations.
- Defer harvesting in the most at-risk old growth forests, as outlined by the Old Growth Technical Advisory Panel.
- Fully fund the protection of old forests and compensate First Nations for any lost revenues due to deferrals.
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Agriculture & Aquaculture
- Transition all open net-pen salmon farms in BC to land-based aquaculture systems.
- Restore and protect salmon habitat to ensure the survival of key species.
- Invest $9 million to bolster local food systems. Rebuild our local food processing, storage and distribution systems. Support small-scale, cooperatively-owned infrastructure and businesses, including grocery retailers.
- Develop policies to facilitate public institutional procurement of local food, ensuring schools, hospitals and other institutions prioritize locally produced food.
- Invest in farmers markets, community-supported agriculture, and non-profit food hubs.
- Incentivize regenerative farming practices that build healthier soils, improve water management (e.g., rainwater harvesting systems), reduce energy use and sequester carbon.
- Commit the Ministry of Water, Land and Resource Stewardship to work with farmers to ensure the protection of food crops during drought periods.
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Water & Flooding
- Leverage federal funding to create a $1 billion endowment for the BC Watershed Security Fund. The fund will support community planning, decision-making functions, and natural defenses against floods, fires, droughts, and contamination.
- Provide $75 million annually to the BC Watershed Security Fund to ensure sustainable, long-term investment in watershed management.
- Fund and implement the BC Flood Strategy by 2027 to protect floodplain communities and agricultural land from climate-related flooding risks.
- Invest in building more water storage reservoirs and bolster wetlands to enhance water retention and resilience against drought.
- Protect the province’s water resources to ensure long-term water security.
- Suspend all non-essential industrial water uses, including fracking and water bottling, during periods of severe drought to prioritize essential water needs.
- Mandate the treatment and increased reuse of fracking wastewater to minimize the use of fresh water in fracking operations.
- Implement stricter standards for disposal wells and require baseline and ongoing testing of water systems affected by oil and gas operations.
- Transfer water licensing and permitting authority back to the Water Stewardship Branch, ending preferential treatment for oil and gas companies and ensuring stricter oversight.
- We will commit $100 million to fund the establishment and ongoing support of watershed boards across the province, ensuring their sustainability and effectiveness.
- Set clear environmental and critical flow thresholds to safeguard water ecosystems and ensure sustainable water use across the province.
- Improve the Ministry of Environment’s ability to administer penalties, enhancing compliance with water use regulations and protecting water resources.
Climate Adaptation
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Youth Engagement
- Invest $50 million in a Youth Climate Corps to provide good-paying jobs for youth in restoring and protecting natural systems.
- Invest in Indigenous-led conservation and Indigenous Guardians programs.
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Wildfires
- Dedicate $100 million in annual funding for preventative and harm-reduction measures, including fuel management treatments to mitigate wildfire risks.
- Improve communication about wildfires through engagement, better live updates, more trusted information and more detailed coverage.
- Fully implement all recommendations from the Abbott Chapman report to improve firefighting strategies and community safety. Build on FireSmart and wildland urban interface management programs to foster neighborhood resilience against wildfires.
- Hire additional seasonal and year-round firefighters to ensure adequate staffing.
- Invest $50 million annually in community safety and firefighting responses.
- Increase the scale of fuel treatments, such as forest thinning and fuel removal, to reduce fire hazards.
- Expand the use of prescribed and cultural burning while supporting Indigenous fire stewardship practices.
- Shift forest management focus to include ecosystem health, biodiversity, climate resilience, and community resilience, rather than solely timber production.
- Expand community forests to enhance local management and stewardship.
- Establish a new cooperative and collaborative approach to wildfire management that includes all levels of government—Indigenous, local, and federal. Engage industry, civil society, local experts, non-government organizations, and citizens to leverage diverse resources and knowledge for adapting to landscape and wildfire challenges.
Outdoor Recreation Economy
- Enhance cycling tourism in British Columbia by improving infrastructure and collaborating with local partners to promote cycling and trails as a sustainable travel option. We will work with the BC Cycling Coalition and other local partners to expand and improve cycling tourism across the province. We will focus on improving cycling infrastructure to create safer and more accessible routes for cyclists. Collaborate with Destination BC to promote cycling tourism through targeted marketing and outreach efforts.
- Collaborate with local partners to improve and expand trail networks across the province.
- Support and enhance the amateur sport sector in British Columbia by ensuring adequate funding and resources. Coordinate and collaborate with Sport BC to ensure sufficient funding and support is provided to BC’s amateur sport sector.
- Update the “Pathways to Sport: A Strategic Framework for Sport in British Columbia 2020- 2025” to prepare for the next five years of sport development.
- Through extensive collaboration with sport organizations, set an ambitious plan to improve the access and quality of sports and recreation services across the province.