Your Island News for Sunday, October 4

Two party leaders traveling across the island today making new announcements as the election starts to ramp up.

BC NDP's David Eby in Comox promising new taxes on millionaires to help pay for health care.

How do we make sure that we get that health care in rural areas where staffing shortages are such a serious issue? How do we make sure that we're providing care for an aging population that's sicker when they show up at emergency rooms?

And B.C. Greens leader Emily Lowen in Victoria announcing plans to reform the forestry industry.

The B.C. Greens will stand up for workers, communities and our forests by ending raw log exports, which ship away jobs with every sale.

Voters could start to see more campaign stops around the island, with one political analyst calling Vancouver Island an election battleground.

The island is make it or break it for, I mean, there are two parties that are in a position to form government.

Of course, the incumbent NDP, you know, the party in government, and the official opposition, the Conservative Party.

Royal Roads Associate Professor David Black says while the island has historically been an NDP stronghold, this election could shift the tide.

He says the NDP is currently projected to win 15 of 17 seats across the island, Sunshine Coast and Haida Gwaii, which has previously secured the party's majority government.

However, there are three riding seas watching that could see either conservative incumbents or shifts of power.

The North Island, Courtney Comox, and Juan de Fuca Malahat.

We think of Vancouver Island as a fairly safe place for NDP incumbents.

The Conservative vote here remains really quite strong.

Adding the Greens with a young, fresh leader could become the popular vote in a few ridings, which could be bad news for the NDP.

They always do risk splitting the NDP vote and allowing the Conservatives to come up the middle.

He says the real challenge will be for the party leaders to take control of the election narrative, something Black hasn't seen yet.

One way of beating your opponent is to erode their strongholds.

And the NDP is unlikely to perform especially well in the Conservative strongholds.

like they did in 2020 where the NDP cleaned up in the Fraser Valley.

So this is a target for the Conservatives, and I'm sure they will give a lot of attention to flipping even a couple seats.

That could be the margin between losing and winning for Lord Rickson and his Conservatives.

Black says in this election, every seat matters, making the island an important region for campaigning over the next few weeks.

David Eby is continuing his tour of the island tonight with its scheduled stop in the capital this hour, where he's announcing more details about that new tax bracket for those who earn over a million dollars or more to help pay for health care, according to the NDP.

Now, the party's schedule is behind today.

Two party leaders traveling across the island today making new announcements as the election starts to ramp up.

BC NDP's David Eby in Comox promising new taxes on millionaires to help pay for health care.

How do we make sure that we get that health care in rural areas where staffing shortages are such a serious issue? How do we make sure that we're providing care for an aging population that's sicker when they show up at emergency rooms?

And B.C. Greens leader Emily Lowen in Victoria announcing plans to reform the forestry industry.

The B.C. Greens will stand up for workers, communities and our forests by ending raw log exports, which ship away jobs with every sale.

Voters could start to see more campaign stops around the island, with one political analyst calling Vancouver Island an election battleground.

The island is make it or break it for, I mean, there are two parties that are in a position to form government.

Of course, the incumbent NDP, you know, the party in government, and the official opposition, the Conservative Party.

Royal Roads Associate Professor David Black says while the island has historically been an NDP stronghold, this election could shift the tide.

He says the NDP is currently projected to win 15 of 17 seats across the island, Sunshine Coast and Haida Gwaii, which has previously secured the party's majority government.

However, there are three riding seas watching that could see either conservative incumbents or shifts of power.

The North Island, Courtney Comox, and Juan de Fuca Malahat.

We think of Vancouver Island as a fairly safe place for NDP incumbents.

The Conservative vote here remains really quite strong.

Adding the Greens with a young, fresh leader could become the popular vote in a few ridings, which could be bad news for the NDP.

They always do risk splitting the NDP vote and allowing the Conservatives to come up the middle.

He says the real challenge will be for the party leaders to take control of the election narrative, something Black hasn't seen yet.

One way of beating your opponent is to erode their strongholds.

And the NDP is unlikely to perform especially well in the Conservative strongholds.

like they did in 2020 where the NDP cleaned up in the Fraser Valley.

So this is a target for the Conservatives, and I'm sure they will give a lot of attention to flipping even a couple seats.

That could be the margin between losing and winning for Lord Rickson and his Conservatives.

Black says in this election, every seat matters, making the island an important region for campaigning over the next few weeks.

David Eby is continuing his tour of the island tonight with its scheduled stop in the capital this hour, where he's announcing more details about that new tax bracket for those who earn over a million dollars or more to help pay for health care, according to the NDP.

Now, the party's schedule is behind today.