British Columbia has traded in economic growth for punishing taxation.
And that's why investment and people are leaving and avoiding the province.
So say B.C. Conservative interim leader Trevor Halford and Kelowna-Mission MLA Gavin Dew in an interview with NowMedia Group.
"The storm is here. And, it's bad," said Halford, who is also the MLA for Surrey-White Rock.
"This was a budget (last month by Premier David Eby's NDP) based on taxation. This was nickel and diming British Columbians when they can least afford to be nickel and dimed.
Budget 2026 carries a projected deficit of $13.3 billion, hikes the lowest personal tax rate and expands the provincial sales tax to a bunch of new goods and services like clothes and professional services.
Kelowna-Mission MLA Gavin Dew echoed those concerns, saying new provincial sales tax (PST) expansions on services such as accounting, security and property management will ultimately be passed on to consumers.
“Put yourself in the shoes of a storefront small business,” Dew said.
“You’re paying more for security, more for accounting, more for everything.”
He described a “tax-on-tax” effect that increases costs across the economy, from housing construction to municipal infrastructure.
“You’re going to pay more in property taxes… more for building homes… more in strata fees,” Dew said.
The impact is already being felt, according to Halford, who said business owners are choosing to expand outside the province.
“I met with restaurant chains representing 200 locations. Every one of them said they’re not opening new locations in B.C. — they’re opening elsewhere,” he said.
“Every one of those costs compounds and ends up down to the consumer at the end of the day,” he said.
The MLAs argued the changes will further discourage investment in B.C., with uncertainty already driving capital “south of the border and even east.”
Halford said the province’s record deficit should have prompted a more “creative” and growth-focused budget.
“Unfortunately, it looks like it’s going to get worse before it gets better,” he added.
Meantime, rising crime is also scaring investors away from B.C.
“People don’t feel safe… and that factors into whether someone decides to open a business here or somewhere else,” said Halford.
Halford pointed to ongoing issues such as repeat offenders and what he described as a “revolving door” justice system.
“You’ve got the same individuals cycling in and out, creating chaos in communities,” he said.
Dew added that business owners are increasingly forced to hire private security, adding another layer of cost.
“Government has failed to protect small businesses… and now they’re taxing the security those businesses are forced to hire,” he said.
Beyond crime, both MLAs said broader policy uncertainty — including land-use legislation and regulatory changes — is deterring investment.
“If you’re in a boardroom anywhere in the world looking at B.C., you’re asking two things: is there certainty and is there credibility?” Halford said.
He argued the province is lacking both, which is pushing capital elsewhere.
“We need certainty back in the marketplace,” he said.
