British Columbia’s snap election campaign intensified Thursday as NDP Leader David Eby unveiled measures to reduce gasoline prices, while interim Conservative Leader Lorne Doerkson welcomed the federal government’s decision to fast-track the proposed Pacific Link pipeline.
Eby announced a two-part plan aimed at easing fuel costs for British Columbians ahead of the October 24 provincial election. His proposal includes a temporary 10-cent-per-litre reduction in the provincial motor fuel tax on gasoline and diesel, alongside a permanent price regulation system designed to limit costs at the pumps.
According to Eby, the measures could save an average two-car household up to $100 per month, while costing the provincial government approximately $250 million. Additional details about the proposed program are expected to be released later.
If re-elected, the NDP would direct the B.C. Utilities Commission to establish a maximum price that gas stations could charge consumers. The price ceiling would be adjusted weekly to reflect fluctuations in benchmark crude oil prices.
Speaking at a gas station in Surrey, Eby argued that government intervention was necessary to protect consumers from excessive fuel prices. He accused major oil and gas companies of taking advantage of international conflicts to increase profits while drivers and commercial truckers face rising costs.
However, Doerkson questioned the credibility of Eby’s latest affordability pledge, pointing to an unfulfilled commitment from the 2024 provincial election.
During that campaign, Eby promised a $1,000 rebate for the average household. The government subsequently abandoned the proposed payment, with then-finance minister Brenda Bailey announcing in February 2025 that the province’s deficit made the rebate unaffordable.
Meanwhile, Doerkson used a campaign appearance in Vancouver to endorse Ottawa’s decision to designate the Pacific Link pipeline as a project of national interest.
The Conservative leader also expressed support for a second pipeline connecting northern Alberta to British Columbia’s southern coast, arguing that expanding energy infrastructure would strengthen the provincial economy and improve Canada’s energy self-sufficiency.
The pipeline announcement has emerged as a significant issue in the provincial campaign, highlighting differing approaches to energy development and affordability.
The B.C. Green Party also made a major campaign announcement Thursday, naming former provincial chief coroner Lisa Lapointe as its candidate in Saanich South. She will face NDP candidate Richard Zussman, a former Global TV reporter.
Lapointe, who served as B.C.’s chief coroner for 13 years, has repeatedly advocated for changes to the province’s response to the toxic drug crisis.
Her candidacy coincided with the Greens’ release of their platform on the issue, which emphasizes access to regulated alternatives, voluntary treatment, medical care and housing for people who use drugs.
Lapointe has previously criticized the NDP government’s handling of the crisis, arguing that provincial officials disregarded expert recommendations to establish a safer drug supply without prescription requirements.
Her announcement follows a B.C. Supreme Court decision overturning criminal convictions against the founders of a compassion club that distributed safer drugs. The court gave the provincial government six months to revise legislation prohibiting the activity, finding that the law criminalized potentially life-saving conduct.
With the October 24 election approaching, affordability, energy infrastructure and the toxic drug crisis have become prominent issues in the campaign, as the province’s major parties outline competing policy proposals.
