The Eby government recently tabled its 2024 budget. According to projections, British Columbia will incur a $7.9 billion operating budget deficit in 2024-25 with large deficits over the next two fiscal years.
Once long-term spending is factored in, including on highways and schools, net debt (total debt minus financial assets) will reach a projected $129 billion by 2026-27—nearly triple the pre-pandemic level in 2019-20.
To be clear, this debt explosion is not just a result of the pandemic. In fact, more than 80 per cent of projected debt accumulation will occur post-pandemic. It’s a direct result of the reckless spending decisions by........