Eby defends plan to tax those earning $1 million-plus as campaigns address B.C.’s health-care crisis

The Story

BC NDP Leader David Eby defended his party’s proposal to introduce a new tax bracket for people who earn $1 million or more, as election campaigns focused on B.C.’s health-care crisis.

Eby said his party would use revenue from the tax to help pay for health care. He said the plan reflects the idea that successful people can contribute more during a time when British Columbians need strong public services.

BC Conservatives have criticized the proposal as a “doctor’s tax,” arguing it could drive physicians out of the province. BC Conservative leader Lorne Doerkson said the tax would be levied “right at this group of people,” adding he fears it could deter doctors considering coming to B.C. and potentially drive doctors from the province.

On Monday, Doerkson announced the BC Conservatives’ health-care plan, saying they will “build a world-class public health care system” and “maintain health-care funding at the levels that have been approved in 2026.” He said the Conservatives’ first decision in each budget would be to fully fund health care.

Doerkson said the Conservatives would prioritize B.C. students for medical training, fast-track credentialing for foreign-trained Canadian doctors returning to B.C., and automatically recognize credentials from other provinces. He also said the party would enforce zero tolerance for violence in hospitals and reverse emergency room and maternity closures, while increasing rural health-care access.

According to Doerkson, the Conservatives would create a $50 million emergency fund available for rural medical practices to prevent closures and aid recruitment. He said that in the first 100 days after taking office, the Conservatives would establish an expert review panel to examine universally publicly funded health-care systems around the world and recommend practices that could improve health care in B.C.

While in Victoria, Eby also announced his party’s plan to strengthen health care for seniors. He pledged free shingles vaccines for all adults aged 50-plus and for immunocompromised adults, and said the plan would add 500 health-care workers to provide more hands-on support to seniors.

Eby said the NDP would scrap user fees and expand virtual long-term care at home monitoring, while bringing more nurse practitioners, pharmacy services and virtual specialist consultations into long-term care homes. He also said the party would move ahead with seven long-term care projects that had been paused earlier this year and would support fair wages for care workers.

Eby said he believes seniors and people who help build the province are “particularly concerned” about the future of health care. He also said he expects 96 per cent of people in the province would not see any impact from the tax changes.

The BC Greens leader Emily Lowan was also in Victoria on Monday, announcing a separate plan to tax the wealthy. Lowan called it the Fair Share Act, saying it would apply to British Columbians with more than $50 million in wealth, with revenue intended to help fund universal childcare, free public transit and affordable housing.

Lowan said the Greens’ approach would target what wealthy people own, not what they are paid. She said the plan includes a one-time tax on net wealth starting at five per cent above $50 million, increasing to 10 per cent above $100 million and 20 per cent above $1 billion, followed by an ongoing annual tax beginning at two per cent above $50 million, three per cent above $100 million and five per cent above $1 billion.