Overview
- Industry leaders held a Vancouver news conference on Feb. 24 calling for the planned tax change to be abandoned.
- The expansion is slated for Oct. 1, with the province saying it brings B.C. in line with other jurisdictions.
- Greater Vancouver Board of Trade CEO Bridgitte Anderson says the measure discourages investment and was not discussed in pre-budget consultations.
- Mining Association of B.C. president Michael Goehring calls the move “one step forward, two steps back,” warning of significant unintended consequences for the sector.
- Budget 2026 also raised some income taxes, removed certain PST exemptions, and projects a deficit of about $13.3 billion, which business groups cite in their criticism.