BACKGROUNDER 

Igniting BC's Tech Future

BC’s tech sector is a cornerstone of our employment base: a private sector success story supporting over 150,000 high-quality jobs throughout the province. Both home-grown and international technology companies have seen the potential in BC’s educated and ambitious workforce.

The success story is under threat from the NDP, which is failing to address the key barriers for continued growth of tech in BC. And sometimes, they’re making it worse.

Tech leaders are saying that the NDP’s failure on housing is a primary barrier for recruitment and expansion. Combined with income tax hikes introduced by the NDP, it’s just not worth it for many of the most skilled tech workers to locate in BC. If workers aren’t allowed to keep the fruits of their labour due to out-of-control government spending and housing failure, it is not a pro-worker government.

The NDP has also failed to address the lack of capital availability facing early-stage companies, and they continue to impose outdated government procurement practices that shut-out innovative BC-based companies. 

Our approach will create the conditions that attracts investment, empowers BC businesses to scale, and keeps top talent in BC.

 

Attracting and retaining tech talent

BC tech firms are punished by NDP failures like high income taxes, unaffordable housing, and inadequate childcare. These policies have pushed away both junior and senior talent, with many workers choosing to live and work in jurisdictions that reward success rather than punish it. The Conservative Party of BC will:

  • End the housing shortage: By Getting BC Building and boosting housing starts, we will ease the housing affordability crisis, making it easier for tech workers - especially junior employees - to live and thrive in BC.
  • Make BC the destination of choice for professionals: BC has a lot to offer, but NDP out-of-control spending causes high taxes that drive tech professionals elsewhere. We recognize that the tech workforce has flexibility in where to live, and we want them to choose BC.
  • Invest in home-grown talent: We will direct more post-secondary funding to programs that give students the skills to succeed in tech and that enhance BC’s research & development capacity.

 

Government as a partner, not an obstacle

BC tech entrepreneurs consistently report being disadvantaged by a lack of access to the start-up capital needed to scale, compared to other parts of North America. Promising entrepreneurs are forced to seek capital and opportunities elsewhere, which often leads to relocations outside BC or buy-outs by foreign companies.

Additionally, the NDP’s risk-averse approach to procurement has favored large multinational companies, leaving local innovators sidelined and missing opportunities to improve government services with modern solutions. The Conservative Party of BC will:

  • Boost access to capital for early-stage firms: Working in partnership with the private sector, we will work to close the gap in access to early-stage capital that often prevents BC entrepreneurs from scaling at the rate of their peers elsewhere.
  • Modernize procurement to drive local innovation: We will modernize procurement practices to ensure that local tech innovators have a fair shot at government contracts. This will boost the reputation of BC tech firms, help attract investors, and make government services more efficient.
  • Drive cross-sector collaboration: Major local economic sectors like forestry, mining, agriculture, healthcare, and education stand to benefit from made-in-BC tech innovation. We will work with key sectors to accelerate the adoption of innovative technology developed by BC firms.

 

Responsible leadership in AI

The NDP has failed to capitalize on BC’s potential to be a leader in artificial intelligence technology. Without the foresight to identify what needs to be in place to succeed, BC risks becoming a passenger in a phenomenon which has the potential to reshape our economy and government services.

AI presents enormous economic potential, but it requires strong leadership to harness its benefits responsibly. The Conservative Party of BC will:

  • Develop a BC AI Strategy: We will drive growth in AI by investing in talent development, attracting investment, and equipping start-ups with the tools needed to compete on a global scale.
  • Support local AI model training: With privacy as the top priority, we will explore opportunities to leverage BC data in training AI models to produce next-generation applications that have potential to improve the efficiency and quality of services.
  • Ensure ethical AI governance: Our AI strategy will include clear regulations for responsible development and use of AI technologies, with a focus on transparency, accountability, and human oversight.

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Conservatives are committed to making sure BC is a place where innovators can thrive. We will realize BC’s potential to become a global leader in technology – creating good jobs, driving growth, and securing a prosperous future for all British Columbians.