Article content

B.C. Green leader Andrew Weaver unveiled his party’s full platform Monday, saying it provides voters with a clear alternative in the May 9 provincial election.

The platform says the Green party would run a $146-million deficit during its first full year in office, but that it would balance the budget over the four-year mandate.

We apologize, but this video has failed to load.

tap here to see other videos from our team. Try refreshing your browser, or B.C. Election 2017: Green platform pledges to balance budget over four years Back to video

Revenues from an increased carbon tax would rise from $50 million in 2017-18 to $865 million in 2020-21.

The Greens would steadily hike the carbon tax to $70 a tonne by 2021 from the current $30. The federal government already plans to increase the tax to $50 a tonne by 2022.

The party expects revenues to eventually decrease as the plan takes effect and carbon emissions are reduced. As part of the strategy, there would be mandatory emissions testing for heavy duty and commercial vehicles and standards for commercial building greenhouse gas emissions.

Capital spending would total $711 million annually in each of the party’s first two full years of office, reduced to $660 million in 2020-21, the vast majority of that on affordable housing.