Business leaders are speaking out about basing more of their enterprises outside the province because they fear the next election will result in a New Democratic Party (NDP) government.
An Ipsos Reid poll last month put the NDP at 44%, the BC Liberal Party at 32% and the BC Conservative Party at 16%, up four percentage points from the previous poll.
MacDonald Development Corp. owner Robert MacDonald has a history of correctly predicting political outcomes and leaving jurisdictions that have left-leaning governments.
He told Business in Vancouver recently that an NDP government would mean "economic disaster", so he is starting to shift his focus to Alberta where he now has $300 million worth of projects. (See "Positive Developments" – issue 1168; March 13-19, 2012.)
And Earls Kitchen and Bar owner Stan Fuller told BIV March 13, "We have, pretty well, the same perspective [as MacDonald].
"The liquor laws in B.C. are the most antiquated in North America. It's the only place I know where the [British Columbia Liquor Control and Licensing Branch] is more focused on enforcement than having a healthy and happy relationship with customers and business."
BIV several weeks ago requested an interview with Rich Coleman, who is the minister responsible for liquor regulations in B.C., to discuss liquor regulations. Multiple requests have still not yielded an interview.
Of Fuller's 60 Earls restaurants, 22 are in B.C. He plans to open a new restaurant in London, Ontario, in May.
Three other recent openings have also all been in Ontario:
- in Vaughan about 11 months ago;
- on King Street in Toronto about 13 months ago; and
- in the Mapleview Mall in Burlington about 18 months ago.
Glen Korstrom
