SURREY, B.C. - David Eby is promising $500 million in interest-free loans of up to $1 million each, for up to six years, for small businesses hit by U.S. tariffs or recent wildfires.
An interest-free loan means the borrower repays only the amount borrowed, with no interest charges.
The platform, published on the BC NDP’s website, also promises a $5,000 tax credit for small businesses that give someone aged 18 to 30 their first full-time job for a full year, plus one-on-one advice, market research grants and help finding Canadian suppliers so businesses can sell beyond the U.S.
The same page also touts Eby’s plan to cut gas prices by up to 30 cents a litre and give independent grocers a fair shot against the big grocery chains.
This is a campaign platform promise, not an existing government program. No applications exist, and it would only take effect if the NDP forms government after the October 24 vote.
For Surrey, where South Asian-owned small businesses are a major part of the local economy, tariff relief and hiring credits could matter directly if the plan becomes policy. Apna News will track whether rival parties match or counter the promise before election day.
Source (Source: BC NDP campaign platform, October 2026)
