Conservative Party of BC releases economic plan with PST cut and permitting changes
Lorne Doerkson announced the Conservative Party of BC's economic platform in Surrey on October 7, proposing to scrap the PST on business investment for three years and pass a 120-day permitting law for major projects.
Announcement. A campaign, a party or the City chose to say this. voche.me reports it as their claim. Read the original report on conservativebc.ca.
The Conservative Party of British Columbia released its economic platform on October 7, 2026, in Surrey. Party leader Lorne Doerkson announced the plan, which the party says would encourage business investment, reduce regulatory requirements, and grow the province's resource sector.
What the party proposes
The Conservative Party of BC says it would scrap the provincial sales tax on business machinery, equipment, and software for three years. It would also create an expert panel to deliver a tax simplification plan within 180 days of taking office, and appoint a minister specifically responsible for reducing regulations.
On major projects, the party says it would pass a 120 Day Permitting Act requiring a government decision on permit applications for projects over $250 million within that window. It says it would also reduce regulations to 2017 levels by the end of a first term, under a rule that would require two regulations to be removed for every new one added.
The party's announcement also includes plans for a Premier's Technology Council and what it calls a BC Energy Superpower Plan, with a stated goal of doubling natural gas production by 2032.
The party's figures
The Conservative Party of BC's announcement cited several economic figures to support its case. The party says 26,000 full-time jobs were lost in August 2026 alone, and that the provincial unemployment rate stands at 6.5%. It says 21 lumber mills have closed since 2023. The party puts the provincial deficit at $13.8 billion, which it describes as a record, and says the province has received eight credit downgrades since 2023. It also says the NDP government announced $1.3 billion in tax increases during the campaign.
These figures come from the party's own announcement. voche.me has not independently verified them.
In the release, Doerkson is quoted as saying: "David Eby's NDP have taxed and regulated our economy into decline, chasing away the investment and jobs that families depend on." No response from the BC NDP appeared in the party's announcement.
What voters can do
The announcement covers platform commitments, not a schedule. Voting day is October 24, 2026. Advance voting runs October 16 to 21. If you want to see how each party's economic proposals compare, the party pages on this site list platform commitments as they are announced.
Questions this story answers
What is the Conservative Party of BC's economic plan?
The Conservative Party of BC released its economic platform on October 7, 2026, in Surrey. According to the party, the plan includes scrapping the provincial sales tax on business machinery, equipment, and software for three years, passing a law that would require a decision on permit applications for projects over $250 million within 120 days, and reducing regulations to 2017 levels by the end of a first term. These are the party's own proposals and have not been independently costed or verified.
What would the Conservative plan do about the PST?
The Conservative Party of BC says it would scrap the provincial sales tax on business machinery, equipment, and software for three years. The party says this is intended to encourage businesses to invest in new equipment and technology. This is the party's own proposal; no independent cost estimate appears in the announcement.
What is the 120 Day Permitting Act?
The Conservative Party of BC says it would pass a 120 Day Permitting Act requiring the government to issue a decision on permit applications for major projects over $250 million within 120 days. The party says the current process takes much longer and discourages investment. This is the party's proposal; no study of current average approval times is cited in the announcement.
What figures did the Conservatives cite about BC's economy?
The Conservative Party of BC's announcement cited a number of economic figures: 26,000 full-time jobs lost in August 2026, a provincial unemployment rate of 6.5%, 21 lumber mills closed since 2023, a provincial deficit of $13.8 billion described by the party as a record, eight credit downgrades since 2023, and $1.3 billion in tax increases the party says were announced during the campaign. These figures come from the party's own announcement and have not been independently verified.
What is the Conservative plan for natural gas?
The Conservative Party of BC says it would implement a 'BC Energy Superpower Plan' with a goal of doubling natural gas production by 2032. The announcement does not include a breakdown of how that increase would be achieved. This is the party's own target.
When is the BC provincial election?
The British Columbia general election is on Saturday, October 24, 2026. Advance voting runs from October 16 to 21. You can register to vote and check your voting place through the Elections BC website. To be eligible to vote you must be a Canadian citizen and at least 18 years old on voting day.
Who is Lorne Doerkson?
Lorne Doerkson is the leader of the Conservative Party of British Columbia and a candidate in the BC provincial election on October 24, 2026. He announced this economic platform at an event in Surrey on October 7. You can read his candidate profile on this site at /bc/provincial-2026/candidates/lorne-doerkson.
Where can I compare party platforms on the economy?
Each party's page on this site lists its announced platform commitments. You can read about the Conservative Party of BC at /bc/provincial-2026/parties/conservative-party-of-bc, the BC NDP at /bc/provincial-2026/parties/bc-ndp, and the BC Green Party at /bc/provincial-2026/parties/bc-green-party.
Sources
The pages this story draws on. Open one to check a claim yourself.
- Conservative Party of BC – Supercharge British Columbia's Economyconservativebc.ca
- Elections BC – Key dates for the 2026 provincial electionelections.bc.ca
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