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The review, commissioned by the former Liberal government, found that despite collecting higher premiums than other provinces, the Crown corporation is unable to cover the cost of claims.

The gap between the premiums collected and the claim costs is projected to increase to $1.1 billion annually by 2019 unless action is taken.

Eby said at the time that government would fix the problems at ICBC without establishing no-fault insurance or reviving the photo-radar program set up by an NDP government in the 1990s. He said no-fault insurance takes away people’s right to sue, while photo radar is viewed by many British Columbians as archaic and unfair.

Photo by JON MURRAY / PROVINCE

He told reporters Thursday that he has asked a group of deputy ministers to advise the new NDP government on how to get the Crown corporation’s costs under control.

The team includes road safety and insurance experts as well as deputies from Eby’s ministry, the Ministry of Solicitor General and the Ministry of Transportation.

“We have committed to British Columbians we will not have a 20 to 30 per cent rate increase as has been projected,” Eby said. “That means some serious changes for the corporation and we’re moving ahead with that.

“We have a number of recommendations that we’re looking at to get the out-of-control costs under control at ICBC to ensure affordability for British Columbians when they go to renew their auto insurance in the province.”

The attorney general, who is also the minister responsible for ICBC, said the government will adhere to the principle of fairness, so that good drivers are paying less than those who drive up costs.

One of the government’s priorities will be making sure that people driving expensive luxury vehicles pay enough to cover the cost of administering their insurance, Eby said. “There are a number of other initiatives, related to road safety and the administration within ICBC, that we are looking at as well,” he said.

Eby has blamed ICBC’s problems, in part, on a 23 per cent spike in accidents since 2013 and the fact the former Liberal government was taking money from ICBC in the form of dividends that the Crown corporation was unable to sustain.

lkines@timescolonist.com