Some of BC’s political parties have spoken out on the federal government’s newly released Budget 2026, which will guide Canada’s spending for the year to come.
Budget 2026: Masters of our destiny was released on Thursday, November 5th, and focuses on three overarching goals when it comes to federal spending.
The goals include catalyzing growth, delivering for people and strengthening sovereignty.
Each of these goals comes with several action points the Canadian government plans to implement in order to lower the deficit-to-GDP ratio while building the economy and helping residents with affordability.
Recently-elected premier-designate Lorne Doerkson was the first of BC’s political leaders to comment on the new federal budget.
His Conservative Party of BC won a super majority in the October provincial election, and welcomes the budget and its goals.
“British Columbia is open for business and ready to build,” said Doerkson.
“Today’s federal budget is an encouraging and ambitious statement about Canada’s economic future and British Columbia’s place in it.”
He noted that he wanted to recognize the efforts of Prime Minister Mark Carney and Finance Minister François-Philippe Champagne in their commitment to growing the economy and creating jobs.
“Across energy, ports, mining, forestry and trade, this budget recognizes the tremendous potential we have here in British Columbia,” Doerkson continued.
“The federal focus on projects such as Roberts Bank Terminal 2, LNG Canada Phase 2, the North Coast Transmission Line and Red Chris, alongside Pacific Link and support for the George Massey Crossing, presents significant opportunities for investment and good-paying jobs.”
Doerkson added that the BC government is ready to work with Ottawa, First Nations, communities and industry to advance these opportunities and ensure BC residents share in the benefits.
The BC Green Party was not as enthusiastic about the budget.
Emily Lowan, leader of the BC Greens and MLA-elect for Saanich North and the Islands, released a statement in response to the budget, criticizing many aspects of it.
“This is a central banker’s budget: billions in corporate handouts with incremental relief measures failing to tackle the root cause of the affordability crisis,” said Lowan.
“It’s disappointing to see incoming Premier Lorne Doerkson not stand up for working British Columbians when it comes to how this budget will affect them.”
In her statement, Lowan was critical of the federal government relying on what she called “corporate welfare,” saying it would not trickle down to everyday British Columbians as intended, but instead would continue to make billionaires and foreign shareholders richer.
She noted she hoped the budget would have included initiatives such as public grocery stores, social housing at scale and more public healthcare investments.
“Instead, a quarter of this budget is dedicated to what the federal government is calling ‘productivity mega deductions,’” continued Lowan.
“According to the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives, this allows corporations to write off capital investments on their taxes and about 30% (or $10.6 billion) of this handout will go to oil and gas corporations, who will make $90 billion in windfall profits this year alone.”
In conclusion, Lowan expressed disappointment in the federal government for not taking action against the extremely wealthy in order to help reduce the deficit and supply funding for more services to help everyday people.
The outgoing BC NDP and their interim leader Jennifer Whiteside have not made a statement on the new federal budget.
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