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Both British Columbia NDP, Conservative leader campaigned in the Okanagan Friday
Doerkson says a Crown-owned fleet and AI tools would cut wildfire costs, while Eby proposes retail margin caps on six grocery staples.
On Friday, Interim Conservative leader Lorne Doerkson pledged half a billion dollars for a provincial fleet of water bombers and artificial intelligence technology to fight wildfires if elected on October 24.
Doerkson announced the plan in Faulder, B.C., beside a property destroyed in last month's Bald Range wildfire, which scorched more than 80 homes and forced thousands to flee Summerland. "We are here today because British Columbians deserve a government that will act before the smoke appears on the horizon," he said.
Friday in Kelowna, NDP Leader David Eby announced plans to cap retail margins on six staples—milk, eggs, butter, cheese, chicken, and turkey—to curb rising costs. "We have seen prices on the basics climb beyond inflation," Eby said.
The NDP proposal also includes measures to prohibit predatory pricing and support smaller, independent grocery retailers. These regulations extend existing marketing board protections to consumers, limiting profit margins large chains can charge on daily essentials.
Both party leaders framed their respective commitments as contingent upon the October 24 election outcome. Doerkson also suggested the province could offset aircraft costs by renting the fleet to other jurisdictions when not in use.