Friday, June 19, 2026
ADVT 
National

B.C. growth forecast drops to one per cent for 2023, but deficit projection improves

Darpan News Desk The Canadian Press, 28 Nov, 2023 04:38 PM
  • B.C. growth forecast drops to one per cent for 2023, but deficit projection improves

British Columbia's economy is forecast to grow one per cent in 2023, a drop from the 1.2 per cent predicted earlier by the Ministry of Finance.

The ministry's second quarterly report also forecasts slower economic growth for next year of 0.7 per cent.

But the budget's September deficit forecast of $6.7 billion has improved by $1.1 billion, with this year's deficit now projected at $5.6 billion.

The ministry says in a statement the province's economy is being impacted by slow growth globally and high interest rates in Canada.

It says employment growth has expanded by 1.4 per cent, while B.C.'s population grew by three per cent.

Finance Minister Katrine Conroy says people's budgets have been squeezed by global inflation, while high interest rates are making the already high cost of buying or renting a home more expensive, but the government will continue supporting people by helping to ease the pressure of everyday costs. 

 

MORE National ARTICLES

Charest says Tories must pick 'adult in the room'

Charest says Tories must pick 'adult in the room'
Federal Conservatives and their supporters have long been calling for the removal of vaccine mandates for domestic air travellers, public servants and those working in federally regulated industries.

Charest says Tories must pick 'adult in the room'

Convoy cost Ottawa $36.3M, memo says

Convoy cost Ottawa $36.3M, memo says
A memo to councillors released by the city says almost all of the $36.3-million bill is linked to policing the protest that clogged city streets by Parliament Hill in the downtown core.    

Convoy cost Ottawa $36.3M, memo says

Transit strike drags on in Sea-to-Sky corridor

Transit strike drags on in Sea-to-Sky corridor
Unifor Western Regional Director Gavin McGarrigle says in a statement that progress was being made during two days of negotiations before they ended late Thursday.

Transit strike drags on in Sea-to-Sky corridor

Charest says he won't change Canada's gun laws

Charest says he won't change Canada's gun laws
In a wide-ranging interview, he said that when it comes to gun control he believes the focus should be on stopping the flow of handguns coming into Canada from across the border. He pointed to the volume of shootings that have happened in Montreal and Toronto.

Charest says he won't change Canada's gun laws

Ontario students 'stable' after deadly Texas crash

Ontario students 'stable' after deadly Texas crash
Nine people were killed in the fiery Tuesday night crash and the two Canadians — Dayton Price, 19, of Mississauga, Ont., and Hayden Underhill, 20, of Amherstview, Ont. — suffered critical injuries.    

Ontario students 'stable' after deadly Texas crash

MPs told of confusion from crackdown on convoy

MPs told of confusion from crackdown on convoy
The government's use of the emergency powers in February included allowing financial institutions to freeze the accounts of those involved in the protests that occupied streets in downtown Ottawa and blocked key border crossings.    

MPs told of confusion from crackdown on convoy