With 13 per cent unemployment across the country, Richmond’s four MLAs want to see a push for economic recovery, including relief for small businesses but also relief on vehicle insurance.
The four MLAs, all part of the Liberal opposition in the B.C. legislature, took part in a Zoom town hall hosted by the Richmond Chamber of Commerce on Friday morning.
“The best social program is a job,” Linda Reid, MLA for Richmond South Centre, told the Zoom audience as they discussed the need to restart the economy despite a global pandemic.
MLA Jas Johal pointed out the leader of the opposition, Andrew Wilkinson, has asked for temporary relief to help businesses, for example, 60-to-90-day relief for Provincial Sales Tax (PST) and Employer Health Tax (EHT) as well as short-term rent relief and an increase in the tourism marketing budget.
Johal pointed out the economy was thriving before the COVID-19 situation, but in the current situation, he doesn’t think new hospitals or schools will be built or school seismic upgrade projects will be done.
“All those things the government had promised before have been thrown out,” Johal said. Furthermore, gains made in getting elective surgeries have also been “thrown out the window.” The government announced on Thursday that 30,000 elective surgeries were cancelled because of COVID-19.
“The new normal has completely changed everything – it’s a 180-degree turn,” he said.
He said there also needs to be a conversation about attracting major business and investments.
“It’s not just about cutting, which we’re going to have to do in some cases, or at least deferring, it’s about attracting that business,” Johal said.
Johal said he’s heard rumours about deficits around $10 to $12 billion – although, he added, this information rests with the finance ministry.
To help British Columbians weather losses in income, Johal suggested an across-the-board cut to ICBC rates by 10 per cent. He said insurance companies across North America are cutting rates between 10 and 25 per cent whereas ICBC has offered a $48 reduction in fees for those cancelling their insurance.
“This is where I think ICBC has part of their public perception challenge - this is a classic example of that,” Johal said.
While MLA Joh Yap, who represents Richmond-Steveston, said there is “no magic” to get B.C. back on track, he’d like to see a focus on “incentivizing the private sector.”
