Skip to main content

“I am a Canadian, free to speak without fear, free to worship in my own way, free to stand for what I think right, free to oppose what I believe wrong, or free to choose those who shall govern my country. This heritage of freedom I pledge to uphold for myself and all mankind.” ~~ John G. Diefenbaker

If other public and private insurers can pass on savings of nearly three quarters of a billion dollars, the people of BC deserve the same from ICBC


Two weeks ago, the Insurance Bureau of Canada (IBC), which represents companies providing private auto insurance across Canada (excluding Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and British Columbia), made a major announcement, due to the impacts of COVID-19.

The April 8th media release IBC stated that to help Canadians cope with the financial impact of COVID-19, Insurance Bureau of Canada (IBC) member companies would be offering substantial consumer relief measures.

And what did that consumer relief look like? 

According to the Insurance Bureau, for consumers whose driving habits had changed significantly, their member companies would be offering reductions in auto insurance premiums which they estimated could result in $600 million in savings to consumers.

Now, today, Manitoba Public Insurance (MPI) announced they would be returning up to $110 million to provide financial relief to policyholders in that province. Crown Services Minister Jeff Wharton announced:

“Rebates will be based on what policyholders paid last year and expected to be around 11 per cent, or between $140 to $160, per average policyholder, the minister noted, adding policyholders can expect a rebate cheque at the end of May to early June”, he indicated. 

Regrettably, British Columbia’s government owned Insurance Corporation of British Columbia (ICBC), doesn’t feel the need to reciprocate with a similar program, despite the fact that British Columbians are driving far fewer miles than ever.

That doesn’t sit well with Conservative Party of BC leader, Trevor Bolin. Speaking from Ft. St. John this afternoon, Bolin remarked:

“Part of the benefits of having a provincially owned insurance corporation was to ensure the citizens of British Columbia were taken care of.  Three provinces over we are seeing Manitoba’s provincial insurance company rebate the citizens of Manitoba up to 11% of their premiums”.

“Based on a reduction of claims, and a healthier than expected financial statement, the people of Manitoba will share in the prosperity of their provincially owner insurance corporation”.

The Conservative leader then continued, “As British Columbians, we pay more for vehicle insurance than other provinces – that’s not right -- especially when many BC residents, and businesses, are having a tough time financially due to the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic”.


Conservative Party of BC
ledger Trevor Bolin
British Columbia is now only one of two provinces - out of all provinces and territories in Canada – which has not offered to pass on the savings being realized due to residents staying home; as recommended by Health Minister Adrian Dix, and BC’s Provincial Health Officer, Bonnie Henry.

“Conservatives in BC call on David Eby, the Minister responsible for ICBC, and the government of NDP Premier John Horgan, to afford British Columbians the same savings and benefits from our own provincially owner insurance corporation.”

“If private insurance companies in Canada, and now even Manitoba’s provincially owned public auto insurance company, can pass on savings amounting to nearly three quarters of a billion dollars, the people of BC deserve the same from ICBC”, Conservative leader Trevor Bolin concluded.
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Budget 2027: After a Decade of Decline, NDP Budget Delivers an Assault on Seniors, Working Families, and Small Businesses

Peter Milobar, BC Conservative Finance Critic, condemned the NDP government’s latest budget as the result of a decade of decline that has left British Columbians broke, unsafe, and paying more for less.   “After ten years of NDP mismanagement, this budget is an assault on seniors, working families, and the small businesses that drive our economy,” said Milobar. “The NDP have turned their back on the people working hardest to make ends meet and the seniors who built this province.” Milobar pointed to a new $1.1 billion annual income tax increase and warned that the government is piling new costs onto households already struggling with affordability.   “This government keeps asking British Columbians for more, while delivering less,” Milobar said. “The question people are asking is simple: Where has all the money gone?” Milobar noted that BC has gone from a surplus in the first year of NDP government to a projected deficit of more than $13 billion this year, while prov...
Post a Comment
Read more

WARD STAMER -- Those are REAL forestry numbers, not just made-up numbers

The following is a condensed version of remarks Kamloops – North Thompson MLA Ward Stamer’s made, regarding Forestry, in the BC Legislature, on Tuesday afternoon (02/24/2026)   Let’s talk a little bit, when we talk about Budget 2026, about the forest industry, which is near and dear to my heart. Forestry remains one of British Columbia’s foundational industries. It’s a pillar that built this province. Entire communities depend upon it. Interior towns, northern communities, Vancouver Island regions, the Kootenays, the Lower Mainland, with manufacturing facilities in Surrey and Maple Ridge, just to name a few — everywhere in BC is touched by forestry. One word that was not mentioned in Budget 2026 was forestry. That’s a shame, an incredible shame. It wasn’t an oversight – it was intentional. This government has driven forestry into the ground .... INTO THE GROUND! We can talk a little bit about some of the initiatives that this government has brought forth, to try to resurrect ...
Post a Comment
Read more

FORSETH -- Before anyone gets excited about one poll showing a candidate with a 25 percent lead, and 44 percent support overall, let’s give it a few more weeks

Is this based in reality -- how accurate are the numbers? In the past couple of weeks a couple of candidates, for the leadership of the BC Conservative Party, have been presenting polling results that they lead the pack – one even going so far as to say they have a lock on 44% of those who will be voting, and a twenty-five percent lead over the individual ranked second. I am going to say that this one, from Kerry-Lynne Findlay, is highly suspect. First of all the company conducting the poll, ERG National Research, is not a Member of Industry Bodies (the Canadian Research Insights Council), meaning they do not adhere to established industry standards for research, such as transparency, privacy, and methodological rigor. AI Overview states that ... based on alerts from the Canadian Research Insights Council (CRIC) and reports, ERG National Research should be treated with extreme caution regarding its reliability, and legitimacy, in conducting political polling. Before I even read this in...
Post a Comment
Read more

Labels

Show more