NDP Bloats Bureaucracy, Executive Pay While Paramedic Numbers Fall
VICTORIA, BC: A new Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB) report shows the NDP has turned BC’s government payroll into a runaway train—doubling public sector costs, stuffing management ranks, and leaving the private sector in the dust.
Since 2017, BC has added 210,000 public sector jobs—many in management and executive roles—while private sector job growth has flatlined. In healthcare alone, management roles have increased 36% and union-exempt pay has soared 57%, even as ambulance paramedic staffing has dropped 7%.
“Small businesses are bleeding out on the sidewalk while government sits inside feasting on the taxpayer tab,” said Peter Milobar, Conservative MLA for Kamloops-Centre and Opposition Critic for Finance. “Small business confidence is down. Consumer confidence is down. Youth employment is way down. The only thing up in David Eby’s BC is the size of government”.
CFIB’s survey found 98% of small businesses want government to focus on economic growth, and 94% want a leaner, more efficient public sector—not tax hikes.
“Any business leader would be fielding tough questions if they doubled payroll costs while delivering weak results,” said Gavin Dew, Conservative MLA for Kelowna-Mission and Opposition Critic for Jobs and Growth. “It’s time to stop growing the government and get out of the way so the economy can grow”.
The Conservative Caucus of BC says the NDP’s record $10.9 billion deficit, combined with bloated management costs, is a flashing red light for taxpayers—and proof it’s time for new management in Victoria.
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