Watching the money flow in and out of Victoria has become a source of profound frustration for Peter Milobar. As the official opposition finance critic for the past three years, the MLA for Kamloops Centre has had a front-row seat to a fiscal paradox. He sees a provincial government bringing in record-breaking revenues while simultaneously plunging the province into record deficits.
“Watching the money coming in and out as a finance critic is an important job,” Milobar says. “It really gives me a great concern, because how are they ever going to right this ship when they’re actually collecting a lot of money but spending even more?”
For Milobar, the solution starts with addressing the “uninvestable” reputation B.C. has earned in global financial markets. He argues that capital is being scared off by shifting ground rules and a permitting process he describes as flawed and delayed. He advocates for a system where timelines are manageable and predictable.
“No real business will try to cash flow a project… just waiting for a permit,” he notes, suggesting the government must stop picking winners and losers and let the market determine viability.
A synergy of resources and tech
Milobar rejects the notion that British Columbia must choose between a “new” tech economy and its traditional resource roots. Drawing on his experience in Kamloops—a city he describes as a “microcosm of the broader economy of B.C.”—he sees these sectors as deeply interconnected. He points out that the province’s largest inland city thrives because its industry partners and government services work in tandem.
“Our biggest tech growth sector in the province right now is tech that actually supports the resource extraction industry,” Milobar explains. Whether it is forestry or mining, he argues that high-tech innovation is what keeps these industries advancing. He pushes back against the idea that “tech” is limited to CGI firms in downtown Vancouver.
He believes a rounded, diversified economy is the only way to weather global downturns. Furthermore, he views the push for electrification as a catalyst for—not a replacement of—mining and gas.
“Everything in your life has some component of that,” he says. “We’re wearing it, we’re driving it, we’re consuming it.” To him, it is simply not realistic to ignore the raw materials required to build a greener future.
Redefining the path to reconciliation
One of the most contentious issues on Milobar’s radar is the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act (DRIPA). He is blunt in his assessment: the legislation needs to be repealed. He describes it as a “flashpoint” that has become unworkable because it muddies the water regarding final decision-making authority in the province.
“DRIPA does need to be repealed,” Milobar asserts. “It’s essentially saying that Victoria no longer actually has the final say on things, and we need to get back to where people understand that Victoria is the final decision-maker.”
His vision for reconciliation does not involve abandoning the duty to consult. Instead, he proposes a framework built on Supreme Court rulings and Section 35 of the Constitution. He wants to end what he calls “us versus them” conversations held in secret rooms. By bringing Indigenous nations and elected officials to the same table, he believes the province can find a way forward where land use is enjoyed by all through transparent compromise.
Restoring the B.C. dream
Milobar’s political compass is set by his own family’s history of upward mobility. He speaks movingly of his grandfather, who arrived in Canada as a teenager with no English skills to work as an underground coal miner with a pickaxe and shovel. That sacrifice allowed the next generation to become doctors and teachers, and eventually led Milobar to the mayor’s chair and a run for premier.
“That hope is starting to see loss, and that’s what I’m hearing from people across this province,” Milobar says.
He believes his track record as Mayor of Kamloops during the 2008 economic crisis proves he can manage a recovery. While other jurisdictions were cutting services, Kamloops was hiring first responders and expanding infrastructure while keeping taxes low.
As 2026 begins, Milobar is focused on getting the BC Conservatives’ “ducks in a row” to provide a stable, right-of-centre option for voters. He sees a path to making B.C. a “beacon of stability” again. For Milobar, the goal is simple: ensure that the next generation of British Columbians can realistically see a future for themselves in their home province.
Ian Biana writes for the Resource Works Accelerate team and can be reached at [email protected].
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