Best performing province has an NDP government

[marcus]

I have voted for all 3 parties since the 90's, both at the federal and provincial levels. For the NDP, it has happened once at the provincial level, when Christy Clark's corrupt government made it impossible to even consider voting for them.

Since being voted to power two years ago, I couldn't be happier with what Horgan and the NDP have done. They have done a great job in governing the province the right way. They've followed up with pretty much everything they had promised including their policies in regards to the environment, economics and etc. They have taken effective steps curtailing and controlling foreign money going into the real estate industry. Although a bit late, we are also seeing real effort and steps being taken in stopping money laundering from infesting and corrupting our system. Economically, business is buzzing. British Columbia currently has the lowest unemployment rate in all of Canada. This is significant.

It’s often said that British Columbia is a resource-based province. In actual fact, the reality is a lot more complex. While it’s true that much of BC was built on natural resources, and that even today sectors like technology and construction have a certain amount of inter-relationships with the resource sector, the basis of our economy has overwhelmingly shifted to service-based industries. More than 4/5 of us work in services and over 76% of our GDP comes from those sectors.

It’s also important to note that a significant part of our economy is based on small businesses. Small businesses make up 98% of all businesses here in BC, more than any other province.

Although economics can be complex and numbers can tell different stories depending on how they’re interpreted, some data speaks for itself. Here’s a chart breaking down the main sources of GDP in British Columbia:

It's time to give credit where credit is due. This NDP government is doing an excellent job, especially when it comes to the economy. It's also important to point out that we can have a thriving economy without needing to lean on the energy and natural resource sector. It's a reminder to the resource based provincial economies that it's not healthy to put all of your eggs in one basket.

 

Edited May 16, 2019 by marcus

[egghead]

Did you miss the money laundering news? 

[Zeitgeist]

The current BC NDP government is the biggest threat to national unity.  

[marcus]

2 hours ago, egghead said:

Did you miss the money laundering news? 

Looks like you didn't read the post. I did say:

Although a bit late, we are finally seeing real effort and steps being taken in stopping money laundering from infesting and corrupting our system.

The money laundering did not start when NDP came to power 2 years ago. It has been going for a long time. It thrived under the provincial Liberals (really, the Conservatives). Did you miss that part or are you going to blame it on the NDP? 

[egghead]

4 minutes ago, marcus said:

Looks like you didn't read the post. I did say:

Although a bit late, we are finally seeing real effort and steps being taken in stopping money laundering from infesting and corrupting our system.

The money laundering did not start when NDP came to power 2 years ago. It has been going for a long time. It thrived under the provincial Liberals (really, the Conservatives). Did you miss that part or are you going to blame it on the NDP? 

I read your post.

Did you read your chart? Financial and real estate had the biggest bar. The $ laundering did not start two years (I believed systematic laundering started around 2012~2013), but it peaked around couple years ago. Anyway, my point was that we needed to wait couple years before we are "blowing NDP trumpet." Of course, if LNG project is a go,  NDP cannot lose.

[Shady]

How much it cost to fill up a tank of gas? 

[QuebecOverCanada]

Performing so well you can't afford a place to live for you and your family and can't fill up your gas tank as the prices are too high.

A-MA-ZING

It just needs the food supply shortages and the unemployment line for the socialist utopia to materialize fully.

[ironstone]

The first thing you mentioned was the NDP environmental policy.

https://nationalpost.com/news/politics/yes-anti-pipeline-vancouver-really-is-north-americas-largest-exporter-of-coal

BC is really screwing over Alberta,big surprise.

[DogOnPorch]

BC is actually four provinces in one.

One is the Lower Mainland/Vancouver Island. 

Two is Southern BC centered on the OK Valley.

Three is everything North of 100 Mile House and West of the Rockies.

Four is East of the Rockies. The flat bits...

[marcus]

On 5/16/2019 at 6:13 PM, QuebecOverCanada said:

Performing so well you can't afford a place to live for you and your family and can't fill up your gas tank as the prices are too high.

A-MA-ZING

It just needs the food supply shortages and the unemployment line for the socialist utopia to materialize fully.

Economically, this socialist utopia is doing a lot better than every single province in Canada. Does that make your partisan hack brain waves tickle your brain? Why can't you be happy for BC? 

Vancouver is a desirable place to live. It's a coastal city and it's small in land size. It has mountains, it has beaches, it's progressive, it has good public transportation, it is safe, it has a thriving tech sector and it rarely goes below 0 in temperature. It's an amazing city all around. This is why Vancouver is expensive like other desirable cities are. Cities like San Fran, New York, Sydney, Toronto, etc. It's foolish to blame housing prices on the NDP. In fact, prices have gone down in many places since the NDP came to power. This was due to the foreign buyers' tax and other policies put into place. That said, Vancouver does not represent BC. You can find affordable places to live in other locations in the province. 

Gas prices are higher than other provinces. Sure. They have always been. Under the previous government and now the NDP. Here are the reasons:

Taxes

Here's a list of all the taxes you pay on a litre of gas in B.C.:

• Provincial motor fuel tax (Metro Vancouver) — 1.75 cents 
• Provincial motor fuel tax (everywhere else in B.C.) — 7.75 cents.
• B.C.'s carbon tax — 8.89 cents.
• The B.C. Transportation Finance Authority tax — 6.75 cents.
• TransLink tax (If you live in Metro Vancouver) — 17 cents, increasing to 18.5 cents on July 1.
• Transit tax (If you live in Victoria) — 5.5 cents.
• Federal excise tax — 10 cents.
• Finally, pay the five per cent Goods and Services Tax on top of the total price.

When you add it all up, you're paying more than 60 cents a litre in tax if you live in Metro Vancouver.

Limited supply

B.C. only has two oil refineries - one in Prince George that produces about 12,000 barrels a day and one in Burnaby that has a capacity of about 55,000 barrels a day. The Burnaby refinery provides gas to Metro Vancouver and Vancouver Island, but it can't come close to meeting the region's fuel demands. To make up the difference, B.C. brings in petroleum from Alberta through the Trans Mountain Pipeline or from other countries.

B.C. has high fuel standards

B.C.'s emission standards are some of the highest you'll find anywhere. All gas and diesel that is sold in B.C. must include renewable materials and meet the province's carbon targets.

Edited May 21, 2019 by marcus

[Guest]

9 hours ago, marcus said:

Vancouver is a desirable place to live.

I'd argue against that.  Or do you mean Vancouver specifically?  Not the Lower Mainland?

It's certainly a desirable place to have relatives you can visit.

[WestCanMan]

19 hours ago, marcus said:

I have voted for all 3 parties since the 90's, both at the federal and provincial levels. For the NDP, it has happened once at the provincial level, when Christy Clark's corrupt government made it impossible to even consider voting for them.

Since being voted to power two years ago, I couldn't be happier with what Horgan and the NDP have done. They have done a great job in governing the province the right way. They've followed up with pretty much everything they had promised including their policies in regards to the environment, economics and etc. They have taken effective steps curtailing and controlling foreign money going into the real estate industry. Although a bit late, we are also seeing real effort and steps being taken in stopping money laundering from infesting and corrupting our system. Economically, business is buzzing. British Columbia currently has the lowest unemployment rate in all of Canada. This is significant.

It’s often said that British Columbia is a resource-based province. In actual fact, the reality is a lot more complex. While it’s true that much of BC was built on natural resources, and that even today sectors like technology and construction have a certain amount of inter-relationships with the resource sector, the basis of our economy has overwhelmingly shifted to service-based industries. More than 4/5 of us work in services and over 76% of our GDP comes from those sectors.

It’s also important to note that a significant part of our economy is based on small businesses. Small businesses make up 98% of all businesses here in BC, more than any other province.

Although economics can be complex and numbers can tell different stories depending on how they’re interpreted, some data speaks for itself. Here’s a chart breaking down the main sources of GDP in British Columbia:

It's time to give credit where credit is due. This NDP government is doing an excellent job, especially when it comes to the economy. It's also important to point out that we can have a thriving economy without needing to lean on the energy and natural resource sector. It's a reminder to the resource based provincial economies that it's not healthy to put all of your eggs in one basket.

 

I live in BC, and what I find scary about those numbers is that it's mostly based on our own circular economy. The top 5 things on that list have nothing to do with bringing money into the province, unless the purchase of real estate by foreigners counts. And regardless of the sale of real estate, money coming in from China is a big part of our economy.

If the economy here slows down it's easy to see real estate, the service industry, retail and construction all taking a big hit at the same time. 

Gas has hit $2/litre here in some places. The cost of living is going up all across the board.

I'd personally love it if our economy stays strong but it's not fundamentally solid.

[Neil Austen]

I have to agree with the OP. Every time a NDP government was in charge of BC, we had balanced budgets.

[QuebecOverCanada]

14 hours ago, marcus said:

Economically, this socialist utopia is doing a lot better than every single province in Canada.

Not even.

Even in Québec, the people can buy a house really easily and fill their tanks. In BC, it's only for the rich. 

The poor will just have to use public transit I guess and get coughed/sneezed at in the morning by a stranger before going to work, while the rich will drive their brand new TESLA inc. 

[egghead]

9 hours ago, QuebecOverCanada said:

Not even.

Even in Québec, the people can buy a house really easily and fill their tanks. In BC, it's only for the rich. 

The poor will just have to use public transit I guess and get coughed/sneezed at in the morning by a stranger before going to work, while the rich will drive their brand new TESLA inc. 

Rich get richer 

Driving an electric vehicle will save thousands: BC Hydro report

https://globalnews.ca/news/5287694/driving-electric-vehicle-save-thousands-new-bc-hydro-report/

 

Anyway, the cost of living in BC increases at least 15% in the last 12 months. 

[Zeitgeist]

The problem with BC is that it’s basically an international retirement home for the rich, pricing middle and low income Canadian born residents out of home ownership.  The economy appears to be doing well because of the constant inflow of internationals who don’t really come to start businesses.  They drive up the cost of living.  I mean, it is a beautiful place to live...For any low-skill workers who happen to give up in frustration, there’s heroin, welfare, and safe injection sites.  Vancouver is one of the nicest cities I’ve seen, though it’s also one of the most desperate places in the country in its poorest areas, like the downtown east side.  I’d never seen hundreds of lost looking men standing on street corners before...

[QuebecOverCanada]

2 hours ago, egghead said:

Rich get richer 

Driving an electric vehicle will save thousands: BC Hydro report

https://globalnews.ca/news/5287694/driving-electric-vehicle-save-thousands-new-bc-hydro-report/

 

Anyway, the cost of living in BC increases at least 15% in the last 12 months. 

Gosh, are the people in BC THAT ugly as in video related to the link? 

That's disgusting to be quite honest, that shouldn't be part of the country. BC deserves the economy it has with the ugliness it breeds, honestly.

[marcus]

On 5/17/2019 at 11:31 AM, QuebecOverCanada said:

Not even.

Even in Québec, the people can buy a house really easily and fill their tanks. In BC, it's only for the rich. 

That's if you equate Vancouver to BC. There are lower prices around BC. But yes, in average, BC seems to be more desirable than Nova Scotia.

Unless you are cheering for a communist government to control home prices, I don't think we will see housing prices in Vancouver equating to most other cities in Canada. This is how supply and demand works. For gas prices, see the second post.

[marcus]

On 5/17/2019 at 9:26 PM, Zeitgeist said:

The problem with BC is that it’s basically an international retirement home for the rich, pricing middle and low income Canadian born residents out of home ownership.  The economy appears to be doing well because of the constant inflow of internationals who don’t really come to start businesses.  They drive up the cost of living.  I mean, it is a beautiful place to live...For any low-skill workers who happen to give up in frustration, there’s heroin, welfare, and safe injection sites.  Vancouver is one of the nicest cities I’ve seen, though it’s also one of the most desperate places in the country in its poorest areas, like the downtown east side.  I’d never seen hundreds of lost looking men standing on street corners before...

You are being far too dramatic. If a family cannot afford to live in Vancouver, and wants to stay in BC, they move to a suburb like Coquitlam or Port Coquitlam. Vancouver has a thriving business sector with both generation x and millennials leading the way.

Vancouver is not only desirable to the international migrants. Many of the Downtown Eastside residents are people who have moved to or even been shipped to from other provinces. It's an easier place to live, especially in the winter for many Canadians who are from broken homes and/or have mental health issues and who are susceptible to addictive and destructive behaviour.

[eyeball]

On 5/17/2019 at 8:16 AM, WestCanMan said:

I live in BC, and what I find scary about those numbers is that it's mostly based on our own circular economy.

The more self-sustaining an economy is the better AFAIC.

What's scarier is that the world probably needs us more than we need it. That makes us a target.

[eyeball]

On 5/17/2019 at 9:26 PM, Zeitgeist said:

I’d never seen hundreds of lost looking men standing on street corners before...

I think those must be Albertans waiting for someone to buy them a bus ticket home. 

[eyeball]

6 hours ago, marcus said:

If a family cannot afford to live in Vancouver, and wants to stay in BC, they move to a suburb like Coquitlam or Port Coquitlam.

Smart families are selling their Vancouver home for enough to buy a nice place elsewhere, set up a STR, and live the dream.

That said I see people from rural BC who are doing the same thing except in Belize, Cuba or Thailand.

Edited May 21, 2019 by eyeball

[WestCanMan]

1 hour ago, eyeball said:

The more self-sustaining an economy is the better AFAIC.

What's scarier is that the world probably needs us more than we need it. That makes us a target.

Self-sustaining is awesome if you're talking about energy reliance. We do well with hydro-electric, oil and LNG.

I'm talking about our overall GDP though. Real Estate, construction, retail, finances, services etc all take a hit at the same time. People don't get their nails done, or build additions to their homes when they're laid off. 

[marcus]

4 hours ago, WestCanMan said:

Self-sustaining is awesome if you're talking about energy reliance. We do well with hydro-electric, oil and LNG.

I'm talking about our overall GDP though. Real Estate, construction, retail, finances, services etc all take a hit at the same time. People don't get their nails done, or build additions to their homes when they're laid off. 

I'm glad that BC is slowly moving away from a resource based economy to a variety of others. I'd love to see an even bigger push to make Vancouver a tech hub. That has its negatives, like even more increase in housing prices, but again, it comes down to how desirable a city is. More desire brings more competition for property.

You're correct when it comes to having all your eggs in one basket. Look at Alberta and the issues they have with low oil prices. We all need to diversify and not rely on one resource or one trading partner. A forward thinking province is one that goes beyond the norm and instead of fighting against the inevitable changes to embracing and adapting with emerging markets.

Edited May 21, 2019 by marcus

[Yzermandius19]

NDP going to blow up British Columbia like they blow up every other province they win an election in. Those who like the NDP are going to hate the backlash they leave in their wake as they hang themselves.

Edited May 21, 2019 by Yzermandius19