Overview
- The province projects a $13.3 billion deficit next year, lifts the base personal income tax rate by 0.54 percentage points for the first time in 26 years, and plans 15,000 public‑sector job reductions over three years.
- Multiple capital projects are paused or rescheduled, including seven long‑term care homes, a cancer centre and student housing, with the University of Victoria’s residence expansion delayed to 2034.
- On Vancouver Island, long‑term care projects in Nanaimo and the Western Communities rise to $350 million and $325 million with completions moved to 2029, Campbell River’s timeline is to be confirmed, and value engineering lowers per‑bed estimates to about $1.09–$1.17 million after earlier reports up to $1.8 million.
- Seniors Advocate Dan Levitt warns delays will deepen shortages, citing an average 10‑month wait, roughly 7,000 people waiting, a current shortfall of about 2,000 beds, and a projected need for 16,000 beds over the next decade.
- Bailey says rescheduling avoids the government “competing against ourselves” and inflating costs, as unions, business groups and opposition parties denounce the budget and raise concerns about service impacts and the axing of the Office of the Merit Commissioner.