By Canadian Press

Leaders converge on Vancouver Island as B.C. voters break advance polling record

Oct 16, 2024 | 11:25 AM

Leaders of British Columbia’s main political parties have converged on Vancouver Island in the final stage of campaigning before the provincial election on Saturday, with record numbers of voters already casting their ballots in advance polling.

Elections BC says more than 181,000 people voted on Tuesday, breaking a record set on the first day of voting last week.

The election office says 778,000 people have already voted ahead of today’s final day of advance voting.

NDP Leader David Eby and B.C. Conservative counterpart John Rustad both have announcements scheduled in Nanaimo, while Green Party Leader Sonia Furstenau is in Victoria.

The NDP has long regarded the island as a stronghold, but Rustad has said he regards it as winnable territory, while both of the Greens’ two current seats are on the island.

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Eby will also be travelling the island for campaign events in Ladysmith, Duncan and Victoria, while Rustad will be spending much of the day in Nanaimo where he also has an evening campaign rally at a hotel.

British Columbians finally saw the B.C. Conservatives’ platform costings on Tuesday, which Rustad says would result in a deficit nearing $11 billion in the first year of government.

That is more than either the NDP or Greens forecast under their costings, and Rustad says he will balance the books some time in his second term with help from a predicted 5.4 per cent annual economic growth.

The NDP said Rustad’s costings, released four days before election day, mean he will have to “cut supports for people” and he was “making it up as he goes along.”

Furstenau said Rustad was relying on “magical thinking” by predicting 5.4 per cent growth, “without any plan on how to achieve this.”

The NDP and Green platforms would both boost the deficit by about $2.9 billion in the first year, resulting in a $9.6 billion budget shortfall.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 16, 2024.

The Canadian Press