To drive British Columbia’s economic growth in the face of Trump’s trade war and create good jobs for people here, David Eby has committed to bring in new “Built in B.C. and Canada” procurement rules for public infrastructure projects.

“With Donald Trump attacking our workers and businesses, we must become our own best customer – making sure we leverage our historic plan to build schools, hospitals, and transportation projects to create more opportunities for people in B.C.,” said David Eby, BC NDP leader. “Conservatives clearly would have rolled over for Trump, and their cuts would put the projects we’re building all over the province at risk. We can’t afford to abandon B.C. workers in the middle of a trade war.”

BC Conservative MLAs have called for B.C. to “comply” with Trump’s demands, promoted a graphic depicting Western Canada as a “Protectorate of the United States,” and they have said they would have lifted B.C.’s ban on American liquor as a “measure of good faith” while Trump was pushing his 51st state agenda. Senior members of the caucus also met privately with U.S. Ambassador Pete Hoekstra and told him that they would end the U.S. booze ban without getting anything in return.

Eby’s new “Built in BC and Canadian” plan will apply to ministries, Crown agencies and health authorities, and require them to put B.C. and Canadian-made goods and materials to work on public projects, wherever it is viable. It means that where a BC or Canadian supplier is available to supply goods and materials at a competitive price and on time, it must be sourced domestically.

Municipalities will be encouraged to do the same and be helped to source Canadian products for local infrastructure. To demonstrate leadership, this new approach will immediately apply to the construction of the nation-building North Coast Transmission Line. BC Hydro will be directed to build 70% of Phase 1 towers and 100% of Phase 2 towers with Canadian steel.