BC Ballot / Party platforms / Cost of living

Cost of living: what each party would do

What each of BC’s five parties has committed to on the cost of living, with the minimum wage and how the law raises it, Statistics Canada’s figures on prices in BC, and the monthly income and disability assistance rates.

Party sites checked October 6, 2026

Each party on the cost of living

BC Green
- Raise social and disability assistance rates above the poverty line
  Raise the social and disability assistance rates above the poverty line, index them to inflation, and put an end to clawbacks.
  Plan page, bcgreens.ca/our-plan: Our Plan for British Columbia, bcgreens.ca.
- Index social and disability assistance rates to inflation
  Raise the social and disability assistance rates above the poverty line, index them to inflation, and put an end to clawbacks.
  Plan page, bcgreens.ca/our-plan: Our Plan for British Columbia, bcgreens.ca.
- End clawbacks on social and disability assistance
  Raise the social and disability assistance rates above the poverty line, index them to inflation, and put an end to clawbacks.
  Plan page, bcgreens.ca/our-plan: Our Plan for British Columbia, bcgreens.ca.
All BC Green commitments on the cost of living Show three BC Green commitments
- Boost minimum wage increases to build a living wage
  Boost minimum wage increases to build a living wage, and give every worker the chance to join a union with sectoral bargaining.
  Plan page, bcgreens.ca/our-plan: Our Plan for British Columbia, bcgreens.ca.
BC NDP
- Cap retail margins on essentials including milk, eggs, cheese, butter and poultry, at corporate retailers only
  Set a hard ceiling on retail margins for everyday essentials, including milk, eggs, cheese, butter, and poultry, which already have wholesale price management. This applies to corporate retailers only and prevents them from unfairly marking up food for customers and from reducing compensation for local farmers.
  bcndp.ca: Eby will take on grocery giants to protect families from rising costs, October 2.
- Mandate clear, consistent per-unit pricing on the shelf in all stores
  Mandate clear, consistent per-unit pricing on the shelf in all stores.
  bcndp.ca: Eby will take on grocery giants to protect families from rising costs, October 2.
- Ban property controls that block competition between grocery stores
  To level the playing field long term, the plan would also ban real estate controls that block competition between grocery stores, prohibit predatory surveillance pricing, and work with Ottawa to establish a new independent food terminal in the Lower Mainland to help local farmers and smaller grocers thrive.
  bcndp.ca: Eby will take on grocery giants to protect families from rising costs, October 2.
All BC NDP commitments on the cost of living Show three BC NDP commitments
- Crack down on corporate price gouging
  To protect drivers from rising prices at the pumps, David Eby will suspend a portion of the provincial gas tax to provide immediate relief, and he will crack down on corporate price gouging.
  bcndp.ca: Eby’s plan will cut gas prices by up to 30 cents a litre, crack down on gouging, October 1. Also posted: Eby will take on grocery giants to protect families from rising costs, October 2.
- Empower the BC Utilities Commission to enforce strict pricing rules on gas through a “price guard”
  The plan also includes a “price guard”, which will empower the BC Utilities Commission to enforce strict pricing rules and cap excess industry margins.
  bcndp.ca: Eby’s plan will cut gas prices by up to 30 cents a litre, crack down on gouging, October 1.
- Empower the BC Utilities Commission to cap excess industry margins on gas through a “price guard”
  The plan also includes a “price guard”, which will empower the BC Utilities Commission to enforce strict pricing rules and cap excess industry margins.
  bcndp.ca: Eby’s plan will cut gas prices by up to 30 cents a litre, crack down on gouging, October 1.
- Lower costs for middle-class British Columbians
  The BC NDP will continue to support B.C. producers through the trade war, lower costs for middle-class British Columbians and invest in healthcare - ensuring those at the very top pay their fair share to support healthcare and lower costs for everyone.
  bcndp.ca: BC Conservative promise points again to healthcare cuts, higher costs, September 29. Also posted: Doerkson’s first campaign commitment confirms healthcare to “take the brunt” of their cuts, September 27 · David Eby launches election with plan to build B.C. strong amid Trump’s attacks, September 22.
- Keep costs down for families
  Support workers and businesses facing tariffs, keep costs down for families and strengthen the health care and public services British Columbians rely on more than ever during a trade war.
  bcndp.ca: David Eby launches election with plan to build B.C. strong amid Trump’s attacks, September 22.
CentreBC
No commitment published Checked Oct 6
Conservative
No commitment published Checked Oct 6
OneBC
No commitment published Checked Oct 6

The rules in plain words

Minimum wage

The minimum wage is the lowest hourly wage an employer may pay most employees: $18.25 an hour since June 1, 2026. Employment Standards Act, section 16; minimum wage page; Employment Standards Act, RSBC 1996, c. 113
Since June 1, 2024 the minimum wage rises every June 1 by the same percentage as BC's All-items Consumer Price Index, rounded to the nearest 5 cents. It does not fall if the index falls. Employment Standards Act, section 16.2; Employment standards: minimum wage

Read the Employment Standards Act at BC Laws

Income and disability assistance

Income assistance pays a single person up to $1,060 a month. Disability assistance pays a single person up to $1,483.50 a month, for payments issued for the December 2025 benefit month. On income assistance page; On disability assistance page; On disability assistance
The earnings exemption is the amount a person on assistance may earn that does not change the monthly payment: $16,200 a year for a single person on disability assistance. For a single person on income assistance the exemption is $600 a month. Annual earnings exemption page; On income assistance page; Disability assistance: annual earnings exemption

Gas prices and rent

The Fuel Price Transparency Act requires a responsible person to submit prescribed fuel data where the regulations require it, and the BC Utilities Commission says it administers the Act. Fuel Price Transparency Act, section 5; BCUC, Gas Prices BC
Rent may rise once every 12 months, by at most 2.3% in 2026 and 2.2% in 2027. The housing page has the full rule. Residential Tenancy Branch, rent increases page

Prices and wages

Minimum wage Per hour, as of June 1, 2026: $18.25 Employment standards: minimum wage
Consumer prices, all items Percentage change, August 2025 to August 2026, British Columbia: 3.0% Statistics Canada, Table 18-10-0004-13
Consumer prices, food Percentage change, August 2025 to August 2026, British Columbia: 3.3% Statistics Canada, Table 18-10-0004-13
Regular gasoline, Vancouver Cents per litre, monthly average retail price, August 2026: 206.7 Statistics Canada, Table 18-10-0001-01
Income assistance, single person A month: Up to $1,060 On income assistance
Disability assistance, single person A month, for payments issued for the December 2025 benefit month: Up to $1,483.50 On disability assistance, page last updated December 1, 2025

Recorded votes

November 26, 2019
Second reading of Bill 42, Fuel Price Transparency Act: passed, 82 to 0
82 for 0 against 5 did not vote
Votes and Proceedings

The tables

Consumer Price Index, British Columbia, percentage change, August 2025 to August 2026, by major group

Group	Percentage change, August 2025 to August 2026
All-items	3.0
Food	3.3
Shelter	1.5
Household operations, furnishings and equipment	1.2
Clothing and footwear	0.0
Transportation	6.0
Health and personal care	3.4
Recreation, education and reading	7.2
Alcoholic beverages, tobacco products and recreational cannabis	0.2

Statistics Canada: “The Consumer Price Index (CPI) is not a cost-of-living index.”

Source: Table 18-10-0004-13, Consumer Price Index by product group, monthly, percentage change, not seasonally adjusted, Canada, provinces, Whitehorse, Yellowknife and Iqaluit.

Monthly average retail prices for selected products, British Columbia, dollars

Product	March 2026	April 2026	May 2026	June 2026	July 2026
Milk, 4 litres	6.21	6.23	6.27	6.25	6.23
Eggs, 1 dozen	5.49	5.58	5.69	5.63	5.75
Butter, 454 grams	5.62	6.34	5.80	6.13	6.12
Block cheese, 500 grams	7.33	7.18	7.30	7.32	7.39
Whole chicken, per kilogram	9.33	8.67	10.06	9.13	8.34
White bread, 675 grams	4.12	3.86	3.82	4.17	4.04

Statistics Canada: “Therefore, users should exercise caution when comparing average prices over time as average prices may not be fully comparable from one month to another and should not be used as a representative measure of pure price change through time.”

Source: Table 18-10-0245-01, Monthly average retail prices for selected products.

Minimum wage by year, per hour