B.C. election campaign officially underway; Eby is on the trail

British Columbia’s election campaign is officially underway, New Democrat Leader David Eby said Saturday at a campaign stop in the Metro Vancouver city of Richmond where he was met by cheering supporters who lined the street.

Eby, who spoke in a crowded room where it appeared every person was wearing the NDP’s colour orange, said B.C. is facing many tough challenges, including affordable housing, public health care, mental health and addictions and the cost of living.

But he pledged to be “laser focused” on tackling the issues.

“We can’t divide each other,” he said. “The only way we solve these problems is by working together. Here’s my commitment to you, to everybody in this room, to all British Columbians: we won’t rest until the job is done.”

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B.C. Conservative Leader John Rustad kicked off his party’s campaign in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside at the neighbourhood’s CRAB Park, known for its long period of homeless encampments.

Lt.-Gov. Janet Austin signed the writ Saturday for the Oct. 19 vote.

The date, however, didn’t deter political leaders from getting a head start on the campaign.

Eby began his campaign early Friday by getting on the party’s bus and heading straight to the Metro Vancouver city of Surrey, which is expected to be a major battleground for the New Democrats and B.C. Conservatives.

Eby and the NDP’s campaign bus are making several Lower Mainland stops on the first full day of campaigning, including North Vancouver, Langley, Burnaby and Richmond.

CRAB park, where Rustad launched his campaign, is an area of Vancouver where the city recently spent thousands of dollars cleaning up a homeless camp.

Rustad will be on Vancouver Island later Saturday.

Green Leader Sonia Furstenau is in Victoria for what the party said will be its largest canvassing effort to date to connect with voters.