John Rustad has slammed Premier David Eby and the BC NDP for pushing policies he argued have turned the province into "hostile territory" for small businesses.The BC Conservative leader urged British Columbians to vote for his party, which he vowed would "take bold action" to help stem the exodus of mom and pop shops and help the economy thrive."The NDP has turned British Columbia into a hostile territory for small businesses," Rustad said in a press release. "When iconic businesses like Dressew Supply and Greggs Furniture & Upholstery are forced to close, it's clear that the NDP’s policies are tearing apart the very fabric of our communities."The two aforementioned businesses, located in downtown Vancouver and Victoria, respectively, both recently announced that they would be shutting their doors after decades as mainstays in their communities.Greggs' owner David Screech said that what pushed him over the edge was "the street chaos around the store that we're having to deal with on a daily basis." His sentiments were shared by Dressew leadership, who noted that their neighbourhood was "falling apart" around them.Rustad argued that Eby and the NDP were complicit for having "allowed chaos and crime to run rampant while failing to create a business environment where entrepreneurs can succeed.""The NDP’s incompetence has turned our downtown areas into zones of despair, where businesses suffer and communities are left to pick up the pieces," he lamented. "This isn’t just about losing a few stores—this is about the slow destruction of the backbone of our economy."Rustad stated that it was time for "real leadership that understands the importance of small businesses and is ready to take bold action to restore order and prosperity."He accused the NDP of having "failed British Columbia," adding, "The Conservative Party is ready to lead the change that our province so desperately needs."
John Rustad has slammed Premier David Eby and the BC NDP for pushing policies he argued have turned the province into "hostile territory" for small businesses.The BC Conservative leader urged British Columbians to vote for his party, which he vowed would "take bold action" to help stem the exodus of mom and pop shops and help the economy thrive."The NDP has turned British Columbia into a hostile territory for small businesses," Rustad said in a press release. "When iconic businesses like Dressew Supply and Greggs Furniture & Upholstery are forced to close, it's clear that the NDP’s policies are tearing apart the very fabric of our communities."The two aforementioned businesses, located in downtown Vancouver and Victoria, respectively, both recently announced that they would be shutting their doors after decades as mainstays in their communities.Greggs' owner David Screech said that what pushed him over the edge was "the street chaos around the store that we're having to deal with on a daily basis." His sentiments were shared by Dressew leadership, who noted that their neighbourhood was "falling apart" around them.Rustad argued that Eby and the NDP were complicit for having "allowed chaos and crime to run rampant while failing to create a business environment where entrepreneurs can succeed.""The NDP’s incompetence has turned our downtown areas into zones of despair, where businesses suffer and communities are left to pick up the pieces," he lamented. "This isn’t just about losing a few stores—this is about the slow destruction of the backbone of our economy."Rustad stated that it was time for "real leadership that understands the importance of small businesses and is ready to take bold action to restore order and prosperity."He accused the NDP of having "failed British Columbia," adding, "The Conservative Party is ready to lead the change that our province so desperately needs."
