Financial commitment to agriculture and craft beer and wine was the focus of the BC NDP in the Okanagan today, sparking spending criticism from the BC Liberals.
BC NDP leader Adrian Dix pledged $8 million annually towards agricultural spending. According to Dix, the money would be used to develop markets, revamp a Buy BC program, and extend an existing program called Grow BC to help orchardists.
“Our agricultural program,” said Dix in a release, “will bring back Buy BC—a successful and widely-supported marketing program to promote B.C.-grown food that was eliminated by the BC Liberals.”
Dix also announced measures to expand the province’s craft beer and wine industry through tax breaks for small distilleries.
In response to the pledge, Minister of Finance Michael de Jong unveiled what the Liberals are calling the NDP’s “spend-o-meter.”
"Mr. Dix and the NDP are spending at an incredible rate and are spending taxpayer’s money—that the taxpayers can't afford," said de Jong.
The Okanagan has been a Liberals’ stronghold provincially, but Dix said the NDP intends to change that by winning a seat in the valley in May.
Jeet Dukhia, who runs an apple orchard in the Okanagan, hopes Dix's agricultural initiatives wins him a seat.
“I’d love it to be New Democrat,” said Dukhia. “Those kinds of things we’re looking for from the NDP and we’re going to work with them.”
With files by CTV British Columbia’s Ed Watson
