B.C. NDP Leader David Eby says his campaign will require public infrastructure projects to prioritize B.C. and Canadian materials, including direction for the North Coast Transmission Line.
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B.C. NDP Leader David Eby, speaking on day three of the provincial election campaign, said the party will introduce new procurement rules requiring public infrastructure projects to prioritize materials made in British Columbia and Canada.
Eby said the approach is intended to ensure B.C. does not “abandon B.C. workers in the middle of a trade war,” framing the plan as a response to the policy direction he associates with U.S. President Donald Trump.
Under the proposed rules, Eby said the standards would apply to ministries, Crown agencies and health authorities, with an emphasis on using B.C. and Canadian-made materials wherever possible.
Eby added that the procurement policy would apply immediately to the construction of the North Coast Transmission Line in Northern B.C., directing BC Hydro to build 70 per cent of Phase 1 towers and 100 per cent of Phase 2 towers using Canadian steel.
Eby also said minimum requirements for using B.C. and Canadian-made goods would be put in place, while penalties would apply to U.S.-made goods and materials, which he said would count against those requirements.
Alongside Eby’s announcement, the B.C. Green Party said it was adding two candidates to its election slate. Leader Emily Lowan announced Raj Sahota in Victoria-Beacon Hill and David Evans in Juan de Fuca-Malahat.
Lowan said Sahota is a lawyer and a longtime member of the Pacifica Housing Advisory Association board, while Evans is an entrepreneur who developed a community hub and cafe before selling it in 2023.
The campaign update also said BC Conservatives and CentreBC did not have events scheduled for the day in question.
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