NANAIMO, BC — BC Conservative leadership candidate Iain Black today unveiled a focused plan to revive struggling Main Streets throughout the province, restore safe communities, and rebuild the conditions for small businesses to thrive — warning that under David Eby’s government, “economic decline and social disorder have become the new normal.”
“Small businesses are the backbone of British Columbia’s economy, yet they’re being crushed by taxes, red tape, crime, and disorder on our streets,” said Black. “We cannot have thriving Main Streets without safe streets and a government that understands how the economy actually works.”
Small businesses represent 98% of all businesses in B.C. and employ over one million people — but closures, rising costs, and public safety concerns are hollowing out commercial districts across the province.
Iain’s Get Main Street Back on Track Plan
Black’s plan combines economic action with public safety and mental health reforms:
Lower Costs & Grow the Economy
- Reinstate the Small Business Roundtable with a mandate to deliver actionable recommendations to government – every quarter;
- Rollback overall regulation levels to at least 10% below 2017 (pre-NDP) levels
- Eliminate the Employer Payroll Tax;
- Implement full first-year write-offs for productivity-enhancing investments;
- Review and roll back taxes and fees that hurt local investment; and
- Repeal costly Community Benefits Agreements (CBA) delaying infrastructure.
“Government should be a partner in growth — not the biggest obstacle,” Black said. “We will declare war on the deficit by growing the economy, not by taxing struggling businesses into the ground.”
Restore Safe Streets & Tackle Disorder
- Expand policing focused on gangs, extortion, trafficking, and organized crime;
- Redevelop Riverview as a global treatment & research centre for mental health, and addictions recovery;
- Build new, secure treatment facilities for those unable to care for themselves; and
- Strengthen victim supports and restore police operational independence.
“Business owners are tired of being told to accept theft, vandalism, and intimidation as the cost of doing business, and they are afraid to report extortion,” said Black. “Safe streets and communities are not optional — they are the foundation of a functioning economy and civil society.”
Cut Red Tape & Restore Confidence
In addition to the rollback of the overall regulation count to at least 10% below 2017 (pre-NDP) levels, above:
- Moratorium on new business regulations and tax increases;
- One-in, two-out rule for small-business regulations; and
- Mandatory sunset clauses on any new rules & regulations.
“Entrepreneurs don’t need more bureaucracy — they need government to get out of the way,” Black said.
Black added the next election will be about whether B.C. continues down a path of decline or chooses renewal.
“Our downtowns should be places families want to visit — not places businesses are fleeing,” he said. “We can have compassion and order. We can support recovery and restore safety. And we can make British Columbia the best place in Canada to start and grow a business again.”
“Main Streets built this province. It’s time government started fighting for them.”