Over the past several weeks, I’ve had the opportunity to join business leaders, transportation experts, and policymakers at a series of Chamber of Commerce events across the province. The New Car Dealers Association of BC (NCDA) was proud to sponsor these conversations – in Victoria, Abbotsford, New Westminster, Prince George and Kamloops – because transportation affects every British Columbian, every business, and every community.
These forums could not have come at a more important moment. Affordability pressures are rising for families and businesses, and the transportation system we rely on every day is under strain. What made these sessions particularly valuable was the participation of those who directly shape transportation policy in British Columbia: the Minister of Transportation, senior TransLink officials, and ICBC’s interim president, Jason McDaniel. Their participation brought clarity and urgency to discussions that impact the entire province.
One of the strongest themes across all events was the need to move beyond the old “drivers versus transit” debate. Transportation is not a zero-sum contest. British Columbia needs a well-integrated, multimodal system – one that brings together reliable transit, safe and well-maintained roads, modern bridges, efficient goods-movement corridors, and an affordable, up-to-date vehicle fleet. When any part of that system falters, the impacts spread quickly: congestion slows deliveries, commuters face delays, and families watch their budgets stretch further.
One critical element of the conversation was road safety. Today’s vehicles include technologies – lane-keeping systems, automatic braking, collision-avoidance sensors – that didn’t exist a decade ago and that save lives every day. But technology alone is never enough. Road safety is a shared responsibility across drivers, government, industry, ICBC, first responders, and law enforcement. Some of the most effective safety improvements come not from advanced systems but from clear sightlines, better lighting, smarter signaling, and thoughtful road design. These practical measures can reduce collisions far more efficiently – and more affordably – than raising insurance rates.
Affordability also dominated the Chamber discussions. British Columbians are facing escalating costs for housing, food, fuel, childcare – and transportation. Automakers are investing heavily in cleaner technology, advanced safety systems, and modern features, but these improvements increase production costs. With the average new vehicle in Canada now about $66,000, families are feeling real pressure. Meanwhile, BC’s so called “luxury tax” still begins at $55,000, meaning that family minivans, work pick up trucks, and family SUVs – vehicles most households rely on, are taxed as if they were luxury items.
Dealerships are also dealing with mounting pressures that include longer waits for parts, higher repair costs, and expenses tied to the ongoing US tariff dispute. These challenges directly affect consumers and the small, family-owned dealerships that serve
communities across British Columbia. And for many residents, especially in rural areas, a vehicle is not optional – it is essential to daily life.
At each Chamber event, I outlined several practical steps the provincial government can take to help ease pressures on families and support a stronger transportation system. We need to slow down unrealistic ZEV mandates – or at minimum align them with federal timelines, to reflect real-world affordability. Stable, predictable EV rebates are needed to narrow the price gap between new EV technologies and traditional gas vehicles. The outdated luxury tax threshold must be modernized so it reflects today’s vehicle market. And we must continue to make smart, long-term investments in major infrastructure, including bridges, interchanges, and transit expansion.
If there was one clear takeaway from these Chamber conversations, it’s that British Columbians want practical, outcome-focused solutions – not ideological debates or policy made in isolation. We all want the same things: a safer transportation network, a more affordable life for families, strong local businesses, a cleaner future, and an economy that supports opportunity.
We will reach these goals faster when government, industry, ICBC, transit agencies, and local communities work together. The NCDA is committed to being part of that effort because transportation is not just about how we move. It’s about how we live, how we work, and how we build a stronger future for our province.
Blair Qualey is President and CEO of the New Car Dealers Association of BC. He can be reached at [email protected].
