By Adam Berls

environmental platforms

BC United will scrap CleanBC plan if elected

Nov 22, 2023 | 2:57 PM

PRINCE GEORGE — With a provincial election in the not too distant future, provincial parties are releasing more parts of their platform, and the BC United Party has released their plan to scrap the NDP’s CleanBC Plan.

“What the NDP want to do is say, we are going to try and hit 2050 targets by 2030. And that means a massive reduction in economic activity in British Columbia that will disproportionately affect rural and northern British Columbia, by the way, for what benefit? It’ll have virtually no impact on global emissions.” – Kevin Falcon, Leader of BC United Party

BC United says that “the NDP’s ‘Cost B.C.’ scheme will slam the brakes on our economy, seeing growth slow to just 0.4 per cent in 2030 and see household incomes plummet by $11,000 annually and see B.C. lose 200,000 jobs.”

CleanBC is the provincial government’s plan to lower climate-changing emissions by 40% by 2030. Targets and goals set out in CleanBC include:

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• A reduction of methane emissions from the oil and gas sector will lower emissions by 75% below 2014 levels by 2030
• By 2030, all new buildings will be zero carbon, and all new space and water heating equipment will meet the highest standards for efficiency
• Completing B.C.’s Electric Highway by 2024 and target having 10,000 public EV charging stations by 2030
• B.C.’s carbon tax will meet or exceed federal carbon price requirements, while considering impacts to household affordability
• By 2030, ZEVs will account for 90% of all new light-duty vehicle sales in the province (and targets of 26% by 2026 and 100% by 2035).

Reaction to the party’s plan was swift, with Environment and Climate Change Minister George Heyman, saying in a statement to CKPG News that:

““Kevin Falcon has proven that he’ll pander to climate deniers like John Rustad no matter what it costs people. CleanBC is reducing emissions and creating jobs. Ripping it up would set us back and hurt our economy. The costs of climate change are too high not to act. And people are paying the price for that: BC has spent billions responding to wildfires and floods. People want to create jobs while also protecting our environment. That’s what we’re doing. Kevin Falcon showed yesterday that he can’t be counted on to do either one.”

Falcon says that BC United’s plan would replace it with commonsense measures that focus on real climate results while providing more jobs, higher incomes and lower taxes. Under the plan, if elected, BC United would:

• Go all in on LNG
• Prioritize private sector innovation
• Invest in climate-resilient infrastructure
• End the electric vehicle (EV) subsidy
• Cut wildfire emissions

Falcon reiterated that this plan will help grow the economy and flight climate change.

“I just think there needs to be a sense of urgency. We all know climate is changing. We all know we have to adapt … We want to make sure we have a green, beautiful province to live in. We want to support biodiversity.” – Kevin Falcon, Leader of BC United Party

The Premier, Brenda Bailey, Minister of Jobs, Economic Development and Innovation and industry leaders will be holding a town hall on Thursday regarding building a stronger, clean economy for everyone in B.C.

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Twitter: @AdamBerls

Email: Adam.Berls@pattisonmedia.com