New Democratic Party of B.C. leader David Eby was in Surrey Monday (Oct. 14) to talk about car insurance. 

One supporter on hand called his mom in Alberta and another supporter from Ontario was a part of the Zoom announcement; both said they paid much more in Ontario (approximately $4,000 per year) and Alberta (approximately $2,600 a year) than British Columbians with similar driving records. 

B.C. Conservatives leader John Rustad is promising to scrap Eby鈥檚 plan, which will drive car insurance rates through the roof, Eby said.

鈥淛ohn Rustad would double your car insurance rates to pad the pockets of private insurance and personal injury lawyers. You don鈥檛 have to take my word for it鈥揷all friends and family in Alberta or Ontario, and they鈥檒l tell you,鈥� said Eby.

鈥淩ustad would import Alberta and Ontario car insurance rates to British Columbia. This Thanksgiving weekend, I鈥檓 inviting you to call your loved ones there and ask: how much do you pay in car insurance? My brother in Ontario paid $340 more than I did this year, for less coverage.鈥�

Under the NDP, car insurance bills have been slashed by $500 for the average driver, rates have been frozen, and drivers have received rebates to help offset cost of living pressures, he noted. 

He also pointed out that Rustad has still not revealed his party's full, costed platform.

鈥淛ohn Rustad is hiding his true plans, but we know what he鈥檒l really do. We鈥檝e seen this movie before 鈥� hiking the cost of car insurance, cutting health care, and cancelling projects like new hospitals is what he does,鈥� said Eby.

鈥淩ustad has a 20-year record of supporting tax breaks for those who already have the most and making you and your family pay the price. He knows you won鈥檛 vote for that, so he鈥檚 not telling you.鈥�

A recent study commissioned by the Alberta government shows drivers in that province pay far more than in no-fault systems like Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and British Columbia, an NDP release noted.

When questioned about whether the Insurance Corporation of British Columbia's no-fault system that was introduced by the NDP in 2021 is actually better for those who are injured, Eby said when they introduced the no-fault model, "one of commitments we made to disability community" was a "comprehensive review" at the five-year mark "for issues that are going to come up."

"That review will be next year... we're making sure British Columbians are being looked after," Eby said.