Premier's speech to B.C.'s mayors and councillors includes no new promises

Premier David Eby addresses the Union of B.C. Municipalities conference in Vancouver on Thursday, Sept. 19, 2024. (UBCM / Flickr.com)

In one of the final speeches he makes before the provincial election campaign period formally begins, Premier David Eby promised a gathering of B.C.'s mayors that he would continue to work closely with them if he's returned to government, but didn't make any last-minute spending announcements.

He made the comments at the annual Union of B.C. Municipalities convention in Vancouver, where more than 2,000 delegates – including councilors, stakeholders, public sector unions, and special interest groups – were registered for the week-long gathering.

He alluded to new policy announcements coming after the writ drops and he reveals his party's platform and priorities if they form government again.

Eby referenced the pressures of inflation and population growth in the province, insisting, “the only solution is working together to deal with it.”

Traditionally, premiers have made big funding or policy announcements at the end of the conference in election years, including the surprise axing of the Coquihalla Highway tolls, but Eby focused on recapping his government’s accomplishments and then took questions from delegates following his formal remarks.

When CTV News asked why there weren’t any pre-election goodies, Eby said his government had asked UBCM to shift the dates of the convention, but since they decided not to, he’s “not in a position to be making platform announcements right now, many of which will have significant positive impacts for local governments." His party's full election platform will be coming soon, he said.

In a wide-ranging, campaign-style speech, he made references to Conservative policies, namely around climate change and health-care policy, warning of what he claims are the implications of a change in government.

While Eby touted a recent reduction in rent in some B.C. cities and insisted this housing policies are starting to have an impact, he also acknowledged a weakness on the health-care front.

"There is serious work that we’re doing on health care," he said. "It’s not meeting your expectations and it’s not meeting my expectations. "

On Friday, the leaders of the BC Green and BC Conservative parties will address delegates and close out the convention.