On May 27, 2023, David Eby announces that he is heading to Asia to promote B.C. trade.
He says that he is the first premier in Canada to go to Asia since the beginning of COVID.
Totally false. Why? Former Alberta premier, Jason Kenney, went to Asia on August 27, 2022 to promote Alberta trade.
On the last day of the premier’s Canada-wide conference meeting held in Victoria on July 17, 2022, Jason Kenney made this announcement in Victoria. If David Eby was keeping up with the news, he would have known this.
On December 12, 2022. David Eby announces that he is proposing to freeze ICBC rates for two years. The B.C. Utilities Commission approved this freeze effective April 1, 2023.
I myself renewed my car insurance on May 29, 2023. My insurance cost $84 more per year than in 2022. Proves that the rate freeze is not being administered.
On May 27, 2023, David Eby, while talking about the Asia trip, mentions that the B.C. NDP government got rid of B.C. medical billings that has saved employers great savings on their expenses.
Not true. Why? Using the City of Vancouver as an example, under the old system of having B.C. medical billings, the City of Vancouver paid out $4 million to B.C. medical in one year. These amounts were then added to the employee paycheques as a taxable benefit to have statutory deductions taken off on their paycheques.
With the extra deductions, this made the total net pay lower. With this taxable benefit gone, the net payroll is now higher.
The B.C. NDP government had to create a new tax to recover the lost revenue from B.C. medical billings. They created an employer health care tax which is 1.95 per cent of the total yearly payroll.
Now with this new tax, the City of Vancouver must pay $9.5 million per year. This is now $5.5 million more per year or a 137.5 per cent increase. This has now caused the City of Vancouver to increase yearly property taxes.
If the NDP knew the difference between a debit and credit, which they prove they do not, would have to keep the B.C. medical billing as is, and just lower our personal tax rates in B.C.
Unbelievable!
Joe Sawchuk,
Duncan