Oceanside News organized a Zoom forum which gave the local candidates an opportunity to share their ideas and party platform on a variety of issues relevant to the Parksville-Qualicum area. In this section the candidates shared their party’s policies on ICBC.
Rob Lyon, BC Green Party
Lyon said his party would prevent government from taking profits from ICBC, claiming the organization is operating at a loss. He said previous governments have used this as an excuse to increase rates.
“ICBC needs to be not-for-profit and if there is any left over money, it’s really simple, you just return it to the people — you lower the rates,” he said.
The Green Party would restructure ICBC as a full crown corporation and then open up competition after a few years.
Adam Walker, BC NDP
Walker said the NDP would keep the ICBC monopoly in place, but added the NDP was not taking money from the corporation.
“For years, money has been pulled out of it like a piggy bank. We stopped doing that — that’s a Liberal tactic,” he said.
The NDP candidate said his party is modernizing the insurance system and hopes rates will go down as much as 20 per cent by May.
Don Purdey, BC Conservative party
Purdey said he wants to see ICBC reward responsible drivers with lower insurance rates.
“If you have a bad driving record, it’s going to cost you and if it keeps costing you because you haven’t learned — you’ll eventually lose your right to drive,” he said.
The Conservative candidate added he would like to see ICBC compete with private insurance companies.
Michelle Stilwell, BC Liberal Party
Stilwell said she would like to see premiums lowered for young drivers so they can afford to drive to work and to post-secondary education.
“Over the last three years, ICBC rates have skyrocketed under the government control of John Horgan and the NDP,” she said.
Stilwell added she thinks there should be private competition or people should be able to choose if they take part in the new “no-fault” ICBC system implemented earlier this year.
John St John, Independent
St John said he is in favour of creating a separate system to deal with auto accidents and insurance claims. He pointed to his experience of being rear-ended and paying 40 per cent of the claim money to a lawyer.
“Living in other provinces, I’ve seen more [insurance] competition and I noticed the rates are a lot cheaper,” he said.
St John added he would like to see the costs of licensing and insurance lowered for people who drive for a living.
