Eby Warns Against Health-Care Privatization as B.C. Conservatives Call Claims ‘Fearmongering’
Lucas Tremblay
10/13/20262 min read
B.C. NDP Leader David Eby is warning voters that a Conservative government could move the province toward greater health-care privatization, an accusation the B.C. Conservatives are dismissing as election “fearmongering.”
Campaigning Monday, Eby pledged to protect universal public health care and pointed to recent changes in Alberta allowing eligible physicians to work in both publicly funded and privately paid systems.
Under Alberta’s dual-practice rules, participating physicians must complete a minimum amount of work in the public system before providing private surgical care. Alberta’s government says the model is intended to increase patient choice and help attract and retain doctors, while critics argue it risks diverting health-care workers and creating a two-tier system.
Eby argued that B.C. should not follow that approach.
“It's unfair. I say it's anti-Canadian,” he said.
“If we have a challenge in our health-care system right now, its a shortage of health-care workers — now can you imagine what that would look like with even fewer heath-care workers for you and your family.”
NDP Promises ‘Public Health Care Guarantee’
Eby signed what the NDP is calling a Public Health Care Guarantee, committing party candidates to opposing out-of-pocket charges for medically necessary care, paid queue-jumping and measures the party says would draw workers away from the public system.
The NDP is also promising to strengthen rules against extra billing and phase out the use of private agency nurses in hospitals over three years, redirecting savings toward public travel-nurse programs serving rural communities.
Eby used Alberta’s policy as a warning about what he argues could happen under a B.C. Conservative government.
The Conservatives reject that comparison.
Conservatives Say Public System Would Remain Universal
B.C. Conservative Leader Lorne Doerkson has pledged to maintain current health-care spending and keep the province’s system universal and publicly funded.
The party says British Columbians would not need anything beyond their provincial health card to access publicly insured care. It has also promised measures aimed at keeping emergency departments open and recruiting and retaining more doctors and nurses.
Responding to Eby’s comments, the Conservatives accused the NDP leader of using “tired health-care fearmongering.”
The party said the campaign debate should instead focus on the NDP government’s record, including emergency department closures, physician shortages and long waits for medical care.
During the 2024 election campaign under former leader John Rustad, the B.C. Conservatives had proposed increasing the use of private clinics to perform publicly funded procedures as one method of reducing wait times.
Greens Question NDP Record
The B.C. Greens are also challenging the NDP’s position, but from a different direction.
Green Leader Emily Lowan argued that the New Democrats lack credibility in criticizing private health-care involvement because the provincial government has spent public money on private staffing agencies.
“Why should we trust Eby on health care?” Lowan said.
She also criticized the government over its health-care staffing record and decisions involving long-term care projects.
The NDP’s newly announced plan would phase out hospital reliance on private agency nurses over three years.
CentreBC Also Opposes Private Health Care
CentreBC Leader Elenore Sturko said her party also opposes private health care but argued that the NDP has failed to adequately address disruptions in the existing public system.
“It's clear that the NDP have not prioritized multiple ER closures across British Columbia,” Sturko said.
The competing positions have put health-care access, staffing and the role of private providers near the centre of the provincial campaign.
British Columbians are scheduled to vote on Saturday, Oct. 24, with the NDP, Conservatives, Greens and other parties offering different approaches to addressing shortages, wait times and pressure on the public health-care system.
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