Full Breakdown
BC NDP Proposes New Tax on Million-Dollar Earners to Fund Health-Care
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New Tax Bracket for Million-Dollar Earners
The British Columbia New Democratic Party (BC NDP) announced that, if re-elected, it will introduce a top-income tax bracket for individuals earning $1 million or more. Party documents outline a tiered structure: income above $1 million would be taxed at 24.5 %, the $265,545-$1 million band at 22.5 %, and the $190,405-$265,545 band at 18.8 %. The changes would affect less than 4 % of provincial earners and apply only to income exceeding each bracket. Projected revenue is $225 million in the 2026/27 tax year, $925 million the following year, and $1 billion in the year after that.
Health-Care Funding Plans
Eby linked the new revenue to a suite of health-care initiatives. He pledged free shingles vaccinations for all adults aged 50 plus and for immunocompromised adults, the addition of 500 health-care workers to support seniors, the removal of user fees, expansion of virtual long-term-care monitoring, and the restart of seven long-term-care projects that had been paused.
Official Statements & Responses
Eby stated that the tax would keep British Columbia’s overall tax rates among the lowest in Canada for medical professionals and middle-income earners, while providing needed resources for seniors. Lowan contended that the province’s “cupboard isn’t bare” and that wealth-based taxation is a more equitable way to generate revenue.
Verbatim Quotes
- “More importantly, when the finance minister starts to build the budget each and every year, our first decision will be to fully fund health care. I want to repeat that because this is very important. Our first decision in every budget will be to fully fund healthcare.” — Lorne Doerkson
- “A Conservative government will establish clear expectations for essential health services in rural and regional communities, and we will create more flexible staffing capacity to avoid emergency room and maternity ward closures,” — Lorne Doerkson
- “Families and workers across B.C. keep hearing the same answer from this government: the money isn’t there,” — Greens Leader Emily Lowan