B.C. finance minister faces heat over increasing deficit, projection errors
British Columbia's Finance Minister Josie Osborne is facing criticism as the province's deficit climbs to $13.8 billion. The increase is partly attributed to a $1.5 billion miscalculation in natural gas revenue projections.
Why it matters
Fiscal mismanagement and projection errors in provincial budgets directly impact public services, taxation, and regional economic stability.
Copy Link Email X Reddit Pinterest LinkedIn Tumblr B.C. finance minister faces heat over increasing deficit, projection errors Record deficit grows to $13.8 billion after province admitted it miscalculated natural gas revenue projections by $1.5 billion
Join the conversation Finance Minister Josie Osborne on Sept. 14, 2026 in Victoria Photo by Alec Lazenby Article content Finance Minister Josie Osborne faced pointed questions and criticism from economists and the opposition Monday over the B.C. government’s finances, as the province’s record deficit continues to climb.
Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.
Osborne tried to put a positive spin on the numbers, but most figures suggest the province’s fiscal situation has deteriorated since the February budget, with the deficit increasing to $13.8 billion from $13.3 billion and GDP growth running at 0.9 per cent a year, down from a projection of 1.3 per cent.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in