British Columbia Premier-designate Lorne Doerkson has reacted to the budget tabled by Prime Minister Mark Carney's government, calling it "encouraging and ambitious."
He praised Ottawa for "recogniz[ing] the tremendous opportunities that we have here in BC."
BC Premier-designate Lorne Doerkson reacts to PM Carney’s Budget 26:
— Sitka Media (@sitkamedia) November 5, 2026
“Today’s federal budget is an encouraging and ambitious statement about Canada’s economic future … It recognizes the tremendous opportunities that we have here in BC.” pic.twitter.com/BeUvePIY2V
"This budget proves that BC is critical to Canada's economic success, and that BC is open for business — and I'm pretty darn excited about that," Doerkson said during a press conference in Victoria on Thursday, citing the document's countless mentions of projects and sectors in the province.
He pointed out that no fewer than six projects deemed to be in the national interest are located in BC.
Doerkson made it clear that his BC Conservative government is "genuinely excited to work closely with Ottawa and supercharge the growth of BC," pointing to shared priorities around the oil and gas, LNG, and forestry sectors.
He celebrated the proposed business investment deductions, noting that immediate write-offs for business investments cover forestry and sawmill equipment, port equipment, and vineyard equipment. He expressed hope that these measures, when paired with his government's planned PST exemptions, can "supercharge investment" and create jobs in the province.
Doerkson also drew attention to the federal government's proposed $2 billion for community mental health and addiction facilities, noting that his government will look into how that money can be used to create more involuntary treatment beds.
"We look forward to deepening our collaboration on ferries, transportation, and infrastructure as well," he said. "We recognize that no single federal budget can address every single priority across the country, but we're genuinely encouraged — I'm optimistic about what we can accomplish together: more jobs, more investment, stronger communities, greater affordability."
Jarryd Jäger
When asked by Sitka Media if there was anything he wished had been in the budget, Doerkson said it would have been nice to see the federal government do more to knock down inter-provincial trade barriers.
"We're obviously looking to grow partners throughout the world, of course," he said, "but it seems that it would be easiest to build those partnerships with the other provinces."
