Doerkson says B.C. Conservatives’ 3.2% growth forecast is “absolutely doable”

British Columbia Conservative interim leader Lorne Doerkson said Monday the party’s projection of 3.2 per cent economic growth by 2029 is about one percentage point more optimistic than the New Democrats’ previous budget forecast. The figure is more than 50 per cent higher than the 2.1 per cent average growth forecast in B.C.’s last budget, and considerably higher than recent national-level projections by the Bank of Canada and the International Monetary Fund.

The elevated forecast underpins parts of the Conservatives’ costed platform, which says it would generate $2.6 billion in new revenue over three years. Ross Hickey, an associate professor of economics at the University of B.C.’s Okanagan campus, called the platform “a little bit thin on the details and a little bit thick in terms of wishful thinking.” At a campaign stop in Maple Ridge, B.C., in the final days before the Oct. 24 provincial election, Doerkson said 3.2 per cent growth was “absolutely doable.” He said he had spoken with many industries that were waiting for a change in government before investing in the province. Doerkson also said “fear” under the previous NDP government had deterred investment in industries including natural gas, forestry, mining and agriculture.

The Conservative platform, unveiled Sunday, promises to reduce a forecast $14-billion deficit to $10.8 billion, based on gross domestic product growth of 2.5 per cent next year, 2.8 per cent the following year and 3.2 per cent in 2029. NDP Leader David Eby said the Conservatives were “torquing the numbers” and that their platform had “major omissions” in explaining how the party would pay for its plans. At a campaign stop in Vancouver on Monday, Eby said the party had not costed basic commitments, including its proposed cut to the provincial sales tax on alcohol, which he said would cost almost $300 million. He said the aim was to minimize the reality of cuts the Conservatives would have to make.

Hickey said the Conservative calculations assume B.C.’s economy would grow at a certain pace, but the proposals have not been tested, and many factors affecting growth are beyond the provincial government’s control. In an interview, he said growth would ultimately depend more on what was happening in the global economy than on who was premier. Simply saying “we’re pro-growth” and concluding that the economy would grow more “doesn’t add up to me,” he said. Hickey added that the NDP probably had projections and ideas that were “equally silly,” and likened campaign promises across the political spectrum to works of fiction. “What’s missing in a lot of these is the plan of how the actions lead to the outcome,” he said.

The NDP platform projects about $1.8 billion in new revenue by the 2029 fiscal year, citing “targeted economic growth” following final investment decisions on major projects, such as the second phase of LNG Canada’s facility in Kitimat.

Monday’s campaign also turned to Alberta’s referendum on whether the province should remain in Canada or seek to separate from the country. Eby pointed to three Conservative candidates who had apparently joined a Facebook group linked to Alberta’s separatist movement. Doerkson called the NDP leader’s attempts to impugn his patriotism “disgusting.” He said the B.C. Conservatives stood for a strong and united Canada, but did not directly answer a question about possible separatist views within his party.

The Conservative platform promises to save $7 billion over four years by cutting annual contingency funding from $5 billion to $3 billion. The party would shift contingency expenses to ministerial budgets, but has not explained whether or how ministries would balance their books as a result. NDP candidate Adrian Dix, who has led B.C.’s health and energy ministries, said contingency funding had mostly covered “health-care caseload pressures and unavoidable expenses,” such as fighting wildfires. At a campaign news conference Monday, he said Doerkson’s plan began with a $1-billion cut for the rest of this year. “That means cuts this year to surgeries, to primary care clinics, and reduced services in hospitals,” he said.

Doerkson said there had been “misrepresentations” about his party’s plans and that the Conservatives would “fully fund health care.” He said the party was also looking at attrition, which he said was reflected in its plan for the public service sector.

The Canadian Press report, with files from Chuck Chiang and Nono Shen, was first published Oct. 19, 2026.