Giving Small Business a Boost

Greens support investments in urban and rural BC communities. Bringing production and consumption closer together not only minimizes our ecological footprint, but it leads to increased diversity and decentralization within the economy. This greening of the economy, in turn, leads to greater resilience and resistance against the harmful uncertainties of boom and bust cycles.

In an era of capital uncertainty, the future health and stability of BC’s economy lies in our small businesses. 98% of all businesses in BC are small to mid-sized enterprises (SMEs). In BC, over 370,000 entrepreneurs contribute to our diverse economy. SMEs employ more individuals per dollar transacted, invest money directly into the communities where they operate, and contribute to community spirit and quality of life. Government policies fail to recognize the importance of this business sector. BC Greens will take small to mid-sized businesses seriously and work with municipal and regional governments to ensure they are given every opportunity to succeed.

Key Goals

• Create a business climate in which more locally owned business across a range of industries can prosper

BC Greens Will

• Introduce Green Business, a program that will remove the provincial sales tax from made-in-BC goods, reduce costs through harmonizing the administration of the GST and PST, and remove administrative costs of complying with government regulations
• Introduce a Buy Green BC campaign that provides consumer incentives to buy made-in-BC green products and services
• Provide Small Power Producer (SPPs) Loan Guarantees – interest-free loans for small and mid-sized businesses to install net-metering and energy solutions such as solar, wind, and geothermal systems, allowing them to reduce their operating costs and to generate residual revenue
• Offer Clean Air Tax Credits – tax credits for business initiatives such as company car pool programs, ‘Lights Off!’ participation programs, implementation of logistics programs in deliveries and other carbon-reducing measures

Advanced Technology

• Reduce taxes on advanced technology businesses to the same level afforded the film industry.
• Reinstate funding for Discovery BC to help turn BC research into commercial applications
• Establish a $10 million research and development fund for on-the-ground pilot projects to help re-establish our global leadership in this area

Arts and Culture

• Increase funding to the BC Arts Council
• Establish a separate Ministry of Arts, Culture and Heritage
• Cooperate with other levels of government to provide funding for an indigenous peoples culture and arts plan for BC

Ecotourism

• Restore interpretive services, rangers, and conservation officers as well as provide adequate funding to ensure that BC parks are on a par with national parks
• Re-open public campgrounds and upgrade aging infrastructure and trails
• Expand BC’s protected areas system over the next ten years