VANCOUVER — Highlights of the British Columbia NDP's platform in the Oct. 24 election campaign:
— Families with an annual household income under $125,000 would get a one-time $1,000 COVID-19 recovery benefit, with the benefit going to others on a sliding scale up to a household income of $175,000.
— Individuals with an income of up to $62,000 would receive the $500 recovery benefit, with others getting help up to an income of $87,000.
— A 10-year plan would be launched to improve cancer care, including in rural communities that would also see more money spent on new equipment, screening, diagnosis and treatment services.
— Once it is available and approved, the COVID-19 vaccine would be free to everyone.
— The province would build a new medical school to train more doctors.
— Rents would be frozen until the end of next year, followed by a permanent cap on rent increases set at the rate of inflation.
— The province would spend an additional $3 billion a year for three years to build schools and hospitals, which would create 18,000 new jobs a year.
— New platform spending would cost about $2.2 billion in the 2020-21 fiscal year, excluding the $3-billion annual capital commitment to build new schools and hospitals.
— The platform promises in the following 2021-22 fiscal year would cost $2 billion and 2.7 billion in 2022-23.
— The platform would increase the deficit in 2020-21 from a projected $12.8 billion to $15 billion.
— A previous pledge to bring in $10-a-day child care would be expanded to include free transit for kids up to age 12.
— The NDP would work with the federal government to decriminalize simple possession of small amounts of illicit drugs for personal use because of the opioid crisis.
— ICBC surpluses during the pandemic would be returned to drivers through premium rebates.
— The provincial sales tax would be removed on the purchase of electric bikes.
— The province would begin phasing out single-use plastics.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 6, 2020.
The Canadian Press
