Private sector jobs needed

British Columbia is at an economic crossroads.

For seven years, the NDP government has prioritized government expansion over investing in the private sector. The result? A cost-of-living crisis, a brain drain of talent, and stagnation in industries that should be fueling prosperity for our people.

Now, more than ever, B.C. needs a relentless focus on private sector job creation to ensure every British Columbian sees the benefits of a province awash in talent and resources.

Under the NDP, job growth has been driven by government spending rather than by investments in BC’s business sector.

Bureaucracies have ballooned, while small businesses—the backbone of our economy—struggle under crushing taxes, red tape, and labor shortages. Key industries like forestry, mining, and energy, which should be key drivers of our prosperity, face uncertainty and stagnation due to ideological policies and poor management.

The NDP will likely point to its record of job creation in their upcoming fiscal update, but let’s be clear, those are predominantly public sector jobs paid for by taxpayers. While public sector workers play an important role in our society, they cannot be the foundation of a thriving economy. The longer we rely on government expansion as a growth strategy, the deeper we dig ourselves into an unsustainable fiscal hole.

Since 2022, British Columbia has created one private sector job for every 12 public sector jobs. Over the last five years, public sector employment in BC has grown by a third, while net private sector job growth has been virtually zero. Our public sector is growing at three times the rate of the rest of Canada. However you measure it, it’s not good. And it’s not sustainable.

This imbalance underscores the NDP’s failure to foster an environment where private businesses can thrive. British Columbians need more than government-funded jobs; they need a robust private sector to drive innovation, investment, and long-term prosperity.

The cost of complacency is clear. Young people are leaving BC in search of better opportunities elsewhere. Businesses are struggling to survive. Investors are looking to provinces with more favorable policies. We cannot afford more of the same.

The B.C. Conservative Party has a clear alternative: to create an economic environment where the private sector can flourish, making life better for everyday people and families. This vision is built on three key principles:

1. Cut red tape. Overregulation is strangling innovation. Whether it’s delays in permitting for tech startups or endless red tape for resource projects, the NDP has created a climate of uncertainty. A B.C. Conservative government would streamline approvals, eliminate unnecessary regulations, and fast-track projects that create jobs while respecting environmental standards.

2. Lower taxes. Under the NDP, taxes on individuals and businesses have skyrocketed. The Employer Health Tax, carbon tax, and other levies have driven up costs for everyone. To remain competitive and attract investment, we must reduce the tax burden on both families and businesses.

3. Invest in the right infrastructure. Infrastructure investment shouldn’t just mean spending on government pet projects and playing blacktop politics. It should mean building the roads, ports, and digital infrastructure that allow businesses to grow and trade more efficiently. Investments in transportation, housing, and broadband connectivity are critical to unleashing BC’s economic potential.

Revitalizing BC’s private sector also means providing clear, stable policies for resource industries, doubling down on technology and advanced manufacturing, and supporting sectors like agriculture and tourism that are uniquely tied to our identity. These industries have the potential to create good-paying jobs for British Columbians while positioning B.C. as a leader in Canada’s economy.

British Columbia has everything it needs to lead the nation in economic growth: abundant natural resources, world-class talent, and an entrepreneurial spirit. What is missing is a government that truly believes in the power of the private sector to create jobs and prosperity.

This week’s fiscal update will give us another snapshot of the NDP’s approach. British Columbians deserve better. They deserve more than just numbers on a page. They deserve a government with a real plan to empower the private sector and build a thriving, sustainable economy and the “can-do” attitude to get it done.

As we await the fiscal update, it’s time to move beyond government-funded job creation and start building an economy driven by private sector growth.

The Conservative Party of British Columbia is ready to deliver a plan that works for businesses, families, and future generations.

Gavin Dew is the BC Conservative MLA for Kelowna-Misionn and his party’s Jobs, Economic Development, and Innovation critic.