VICTORIA — A new report from the Business Council of British Columbia (BCBC) is highlighting what it feels is the pressing need to strengthen B.C.’s public finances.
Coined B.C.’s Deteriorating Fiscal Position: Cause for Concern, the report details record deficits, rising debt levels and repeated credit rating downgrades.
It states B.C. is set to run the largest operating deficit relative to its economy among Canadian provinces in 2024/25, with a projected shortfall of 2.1 per cent of GDP. The deficit, along with significant capital spending, will see taxpayer-supported debt climb to 28.8 per cent of GDP by 2026/27.
“The cost of servicing provincial debt now consumes an amount equivalent to half of B.C.’s K-12 school education budget,” a release states. “By 2026/27, this burden is projected to cost approximately $600 per British Columbian annually.”
The report comes after the new NDP cabinet was recently sworn in.
“The new cabinet has a critical opportunity to address these issues head-on,” says David Williams, BCBC’s vice-president of policy. “The choices made by the government will determine whether B.C. can regain a sustainable fiscal footing and secure its economic future.”
The business council has made several recommendations. They are as follows:
- Returning to a balanced budget;
- returning taxpayer-supported debt to no more than 20 per cent of GDP; or
- reducing debt servicing costs to 3-4 per cent of total government expenditures.
“While B.C. is facing the largest deficit relative to the size of its economy and the fastest-rising debt levels in the country, this is a challenge we can overcome,” says Williams. “Turning around B.C.’s public finances is achievable, but it demands a sharp focus on disciplined spending and fostering economic growth.”
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