The BC Conservatives have responded to the BC NDP's latest Labour Force Survey, with Kelowna-Mission MLA and Jobs, Economic Development and Innovation Critic Gavin Dew claiming that it's not worth celebrating just yet.
He argued that while unemployment is lower than average, the numbers fail to address the "core problem" of BC's economy — a lack of private sector growth.
"[JEDI Minister Diane Gibson] is touting job gains, but the truth is that BC’s private sector job creation has been dead last in Canada for years," Dew lamented. "There’s nothing here to run a victory lap about. Since the pandemic, the NDP has relied on public sector hiring to pad their numbers. That’s not real economic growth — that's taxpayers footing the bill for government expansion while the private sector struggles to create opportunities."
According to the Canadian Federation of Independent Business, confidence in small business in BC is still below pre-pandemic levels. While 13,300 public sector jobs have been added in the province, 6,400 private sector jobs were lost.
"Businesses in BC are being strangled by red tape, high costs, and endless barriers," Dew continued. "The NDP keeps claiming they’re 'building a clean economy,' but what we really need is an economy that works."
He argued that "real economic strength comes from private sector growth, not bigger government," suggesting that if the province keeps going down the same path, it will result in "more debt, higher taxes, and more BC jobs and investment fleeing BC for warmer climates."
"We need a government that works with job creators, not against them," Dew concluded. "The NDP's spin can't hide the fact that BC's economy is underperforming. David Eby has done generational damage; it's time to get serious about turning things around."