Private sector job loss sets off alarm bells
A year into the NDP’s mandate, there’s a lot to be concerned about as far as B.C. jobs are concerned. As the BC Liberals’ Jobs Critic, I watch the release of Statistics Canada’s monthly employment numbers with great interest— and there’s one development I find particularly alarming.
That’s the loss of private sector jobs. Recent figures by Statistics Canada showed B.C. has lost 43,500 private sector jobs over the past year. This doesn’t bode well for our economy, because these types of jobs are paid for by private employers and provide tax revenues to government.
It’s not too hard to figure out why we’re seeing those job losses. The NDP has been putting the scare into the business community since day one. Instead of supporting these important job creators, the NDP government has instead chosen to overload B.C. businesses with a pile of new or increased taxes. They’ve raised corporate, gas, and carbon taxes and introduced an Employer’s Health Tax which is really just an MSP replacement tax.
The BC Liberals have raised numerous examples of businesses who say they will put off hiring new staff, or even lay off employees, to cover this unanticipated expense. Some also say they might have to raise prices for consumers. Either way, it’s bad news for British Columbians.