David Eby and BC NDP plan to keep basic ICBC insurance rates frozen
‘Tis the season of election promises, and now David Eby and the BC NDP have unveiled a big one, freezing insurance rates for another three years for drivers with basic rates in B.C.
In a campaign announcement on Thursday, a release from the BC NDP suggests that it will freeze basic ICBC rates until spring 2030. This is on top of seven straight years of freezes that drivers with basic plans have been enjoying.
We learned last fall that ICBC was freezing rates for drivers until 2027.
“Keeping basic insurance rates low and stable is part of our government’s commitment to affordability and helping people manage their day-to-day budgets,” said Niki Sharma, attorney general and minister responsible for ICBC, last year.
Today, in a campaign event in Richmond, Eby says he is committed to freezing rates for another three years, which, if he is elected and delivers on the promise, would mean a full decade of frozen insurance rates in total for drivers in B.C.
Eby says that since his government cleaned up ICBC, the average driver has saved around $500 per year.
“The current B.C. Conservative leader signed a secret letter to the trial lawyers promising to replace our system, then denied it on camera,” Eby said on X.
“He wrote that ‘everything’s on the table, including opening auto insurance to private competition,'” he added.
Eby compared the Conservative plan to the Alberta system, where he claims premiums have surged by nearly 70 per cent, “and drivers pay twice as much.”
Today in Richmond I committed to freezing car insurance rates for another three years. That’s a full decade of frozen rates for B.C. drivers.
Since we cleaned up ICBC, the average driver has saved about $500 a year.
The current BC Conservative leader signed a secret letter to the trial lawyers promising to replace our system, then denied it on camera.
He wrote that ‘everything’s on the table, including opening auto insurance to private competition.’ That’s the Alberta system, where premiums have surged by 65% and drivers pay twice as much.
I fought hard to bring car insurance rates down, and I’ll fight to keep them low. That’s how we build B.C. strong.
— David Eby (@Dave_Eby) October 8, 2026
Over the past week, the BC NDP and the Conservative Party have been battling back and forth, with duelling media releases and campaign promises. Eby has gotten lots of flak about some of his promises, with many hinging that criticism on the fact that he promised voters $1,000 in the last election, which inevitably did not come to pass.
This announcement also comes just days after Lorne Doerkson’s Conservatives proposed replacing ICBC’s no-fault system, along with considerations of private auto insurance competition.
“Everything’s on the table, including opening auto insurance to private competition to drive down auto insurance rates and bringing back sensible limits on minor-injury claims,” wrote Doerkson.
Also today, Doerkson promised to introduce a $1,000 tax cut for British Columbians.
With files from Kenneth Chan
- You might also like:
- Lorne Doerkson's B.C. Conservatives promise $1,000 annual income tax cut by raising tax-free amount
- Lorne Doerkson's B.C. Conservatives propose replacing ICBC's no-fault system, consider private auto insurance competition
- BC NDP and Conservatives promise $15 million to create new Filipino Cultural Centre
- B.C. MLA Brent Chapman drops out of race, alleges threats from Conservative insiders