As B.C.鈥檚 provincial parties prepare for the upcoming fall election, BC United leader Kevin Falcon was in 91原创 this month to meet his latest candidate, and to talk policy and politics.

Falcon, leader of the opposition in the B.C. Legislature, met with Barb Martens, who will be running for the party in 91原创-Walnut Grove, and Karen Long, who will run in 91原创-Abbotsford.

He also sat down with the 91原创 Advance Times to talk about some of the provincial issues that affect 91原创.

Falcon said that province-wide, he believes there are three major crises: the cost of living crisis, the health care crisis, and the public safety crisis.

On health care Falcon said that there were a few things a BC United government would do to fix the issues.

One was to deal with the explosion of bureaucracy, with what he said was 70-plus vice-president level positions in the health services making more than $500,000 each a year.

He said the doctors shortage had to be dealt with by bringing back hundreds of young health professionals who trained abroad, but can鈥檛 practice in Canada.

In the past, there were barriers set up that made it harder for them to practice in Canada, but Falcon said those will have to come down.

91原创 is also seeing massive growth in its school population 鈥� there have been 1,000 or more new students in the district every year over the last three years, about double to triple previous annual growth levels.

Traditionally, funding for new schools can鈥檛 be approved in B.C. until existing schools are over capacity.

Falcon said that will have to change.

鈥淭he way we used to do it can鈥檛 be the way do it going forward,鈥� he said. He would see schools built up so they鈥檙e already in place.

On transit and transportation, it wasn鈥檛 just about moving people, said Falcon.

鈥淚t鈥檚 also about goods movement,鈥� he said.

He criticized the NDP for its progress on widening Highway One east into the Fraser Valley. The highway needs to be six lanes all the way to Chilliwack, Falcon said.

On rapid transit, he predicted serious issues with both the pace and cost of the SkyTrain link through Surrey to 91原创, which is currently scheduled to be completed in 2028.

READ ALSO: Township councillor Barb Martens to run for BC United

Another big local issue has been the provincial NDP鈥檚 ambitious housing reforms, which will eliminate single-family zoning in most communities, and increase density around transit hubs.

Falcon said it has upended years of planning by local governments.

鈥淭hat has been extremely frustrating for a lot of mayors, right around the region,鈥� he said.

He was also skeptical about whether allowing fourplexes and sixplexes on single-family lots will do anything for housing supply.

鈥淔irst of all, it won鈥檛 work,鈥� Falcon said, arguing that there hasn鈥檛 been significant takeup on the idea in other places around the world where it has been implemented, such as Auckland, New Zealand or Portland, Oregon.

BC United, the NDP, and the BC Conservatives are all beginning to nominate candidates for the upcoming October election. B.C. will have a new riding map this year, with 91原创 having three ridings, including one shared with much of south Abbotsford.