Nanaimo—Ladysmith candidates answer your questions

Lisa Marie Barron, New Democratic Party of Canada
An NDP government would already have increased federal health and social transfer payments to the provinces and territories. Just like we made dental care, universal pharmacare and Canada Disability Benefit legislation happen despite being in opposition. We know that better social outcomes and better health outcomes are deeply interconnected. We will defend public health care and stop the expansion of American-style for-profit health care like Conservatives enabled when they cut $43.5 billion in transfers. And we would truly partner with provincial governments and First Nations to train and hire more doctors and nurses and more in-community outreach professionals.

Michelle Corfield, Liberal Party of Canada 
Yes, I support increasing both the Canada Health Transfer and the Canada Social Transfer — but those increases must be tied to clear, measurable outcomes. Canadians need to see the results in their own communities: shorter wait times, better mental health care, and real investments in services that work. In a region like Nanaimo–Ladysmith, that means pushing for a new hospital tower, a catheterization lab and expanded access to addiction and trauma supports. Health and social services may fall under provincial jurisdiction, but when the federal government is writing the cheque, there must be accountability. Ottawa cannot turn a blind eye while communities struggle — we need national leadership that ensures every dollar delivers real care and dignity.

Paul Manly, Green Party of Canada
If elected, I will press the federal government to increase both the Canada Health Transfer and the Canada Social Transfer. But I’ll also advocate for accountability. These funds must be tied directly to the services they’re meant to support — not used to create bloated bureaucracies that don’t improve patient care. We also need to update the health transfer formula. A per-capita model alone doesn’t reflect reality in provinces like B.C., where we have more retirees from across Canada. Funding should reflect actual community needs, not just headcounts.

Stephen Welton, People’s Party of Canada
Replace the Canada Health Transfer cash payments with a permanent transfer of tax points of equivalent value to give them a stable source of revenue. In practice, Ottawa will give up its Goods and Services Tax (GST) and let provincial and territorial governments occupy this fiscal room. In 2024-25 the GST is expected to bring in about $52 billion in revenue, which is the same amount transferred by Ottawa to fund health care.

Lisa Marie Barron, New Democratic Party of Canada
People in Nanaimo—Ladysmith are already doing their part. It’s the government’s turn to do theirs. I will push the government to build on the NDP’s historic wins that make life both healthier and more affordable, including dental care, universal pharmacare, pension protections and the new Canada Disability Benefit. I will continue to work across party lines to remove the GST on basics like home heating and internet and stop price gouging on groceries, rent and essentials. And I will press for tax fairness so that big corporations and the ultra-wealthy pay their fair share, like the rest of us are already doing.

Michelle Corfield, Liberal Party of Canada
Yes — but it will take practical steps that reflect the real pressures people are facing. That includes building more housing, improving access to dental care and essential medications and addressing inflated grocery prices through better regulation. We also need targeted tax relief for the middle class and ongoing investment in job training, child care, and infrastructure. Making life more affordable isn’t about slogans — it’s about focusing on what actually helps people manage day-to-day: stable housing, accessible health care and a fair shot at financial security.

Paul Manly, Green Party of Canada
Life can be more affordable with bold federal action. To bring down housing costs, we need to restore federal funding for affordable and cooperative housing. To stop encouraging corporate investors buying up rental properties, we must bring back federal rent and vacancy controls. We also need climate action. Floods, fires and droughts mean huge repair bills, rising insurance and higher food prices. And we must go after monopolies in our food system. A few companies dominate our food supply, pushing prices up while farmers and families get squeezed. These are fixable problems — we just need the courage to act.

Stephen Welton, People’s Party of Canada
Reduced federal spending will reduce inflation. Lower immigration will reduce the demand for housing, which will reduce price pressure. Eliminating the carbon tax will take that cost out of the supply chain, thereby reducing price pressure.

Lisa Marie Barron, New Democratic Party of Canada
It’s impossible to say that one thing will solve homelessness. There are a multitude of reasons why people find themselves homeless, including a shortage of affordable housing, poverty and precarious employment, gaps in mental health supports and a lack of supportive housing or treatment options when people most need them. And many are dealing with more than one of these factors at the same time. The government can best address this multi-faceted issue by taking an evidence-based approach, and by listening to the expertise of frontline professionals and those with lived experience.

Michelle Corfield, Liberal Party of Canada
We need to address the root causes first: mental health, addiction and the lack of affordable housing. I support a housing-first model backed by services, not just shelter beds. That includes Indigenous-led housing, supportive housing for vulnerable people and wraparound care. We cannot solve homelessness without investing in prevention and dignity.

Paul Manly, Green Party of Canada
The first step is ensuring there’s enough truly affordable housing for the most vulnerable. As executive director of the Unitarian Shelter, I met working people — students, people with disabilities and far too many seniors — none of whom ever imagined they would need a shelter. Some people will never be able to afford market rent and we need permanent non-market options for them. We also need more supportive and complex care housing with wraparound services for those facing mental health and addiction challenges. Without stable housing, it’s nearly impossible for people to get the help they need or rebuild their lives.

Stephen Welton, People’s Party of Canada
We need to stop talking about generic homelessness and specify the issues, because you can’t solve an over-generalized problem that is a deflection from truth. Providing homes to people who don’t have one can be addressed by reducing immigration because immigration is itself, additional demand for existing homes. Providing drug addiction and mental health treatment to people who don’t have a home because they aren’t suitable tenants or express a preference for living on the street is a very different solution to that very different problem.

Lisa Marie Barron, New Democratic Party of Canada
I support an NDP plan to hold the biggest polluters accountable and eliminate subsidies to Big Oil, keep industrial carbon pricing and the emissions cap in place and tax the over-the-top profits of oil and gas companies. Those taxes would then be invested in a national clean energy grid, energy efficient affordable homes, public transit, zero-emission vehicles and easy-to-access home energy retrofits that save people money on energy bills. This NDP plan makes sense for the planet as well as workers — it would create hundreds of thousands of good-paying jobs in the sustainable economy and contribute to Canada’s energy independence.

Michelle Corfield, Liberal Party of Canada 
Canada can meet its Paris targets by capping oil and gas emissions, investing in clean energy and protecting natural spaces. I support rebates for EVs [electric vehicles], heat pumps and retrofits that lower costs for households while cutting emissions. I also support Mark Carney’s plan to create 10 new national parks and 15 urban parks and will advocate for one here on Vancouver Island to protect biodiversity and expand public access. Climate action must be local, visible and equitable. It’s not just about targets — it’s about building a more livable future for our communities and our kids.

Paul Manly, Green Party of Canada
With the consumer carbon tax being phased out, we must double down on incentives that drive change — for both households and industry. Home energy retrofits save money and cut emissions. Wind, solar, hydro and geothermal [energy] are affordable now and can power a national electricity grid. Local renewable energy projects can help remote communities move away from fossil fuels. The key is investing in smart infrastructure and clean technology that helps people save money while cutting emissions. This transition is possible if we have the political courage. Our children and grandchildren are counting on us.

Stephen Welton, People’s Party of Canada
The PPC would exit the Paris Agreement. We do not believe that reducing CO2 in Canada will make any difference to global climate. The pursuit of Net Zero in Canada will only diminish the lives of Canadians for no real purpose.

Lisa Marie Barron, New Democratic Party of Canada
The clear ballot box issue is to protect Canada’s sovereignty — both economic and existential. People in Nanaimo—Ladysmith are worried. Trump’s tariff war and other threats increase the challenges people are already facing with cost of living, housing, jobs and pension security. We need a buy and build Canadian approach that promotes value-added processing of resources like lumber and critical minerals here at home, and that prioritizes Canadian products, companies and workers for government contracts. I also want to see more federal support for the arts and culture sector that is so important to our Canadian identity, heritage and sovereignty.

Michelle Corfield, Liberal Party of Canada
I’ll work to defend Canadian industries and protect trade stability. That includes advancing a clear strategy on softwood lumber, manufacturing and critical drugs. With a second Trump administration now in office, Canada needs serious, experienced leadership at the table — not ideological posturing. I’ll push for fair trade, strong diplomacy and policies that put Canadian workers first. We must be proactive, not reactive — standing firm to protect supply chains, jobs and our sovereignty in the face of growing economic and political uncertainty.

Paul Manly, Green Party of Canada
To push back against Trump’s tariffs, Canada must stand firm. We should apply targeted export tariffs to materials the U.S. relies on — like potash, aluminum, critical minerals and electricity — and create strategic reserves to protect Canadian consumers. We also need to end the “rip and ship” export model. Instead of sending raw logs south and importing finished products, we should use Canadian resources to create Canadian jobs, producing Canadian homes and furniture with Canadian lumber. Removing trade barriers between provinces will also strengthen our economy and make Canada more resilient.

Stephen Welton, People’s Party of Canada
The U.S. is our most important trading partner and we should negotiate diplomatically, not posture with “elbows up” or retaliate as if we have the economic clout of the U.S. The PPC would allow discussion with the U.S. about abolishing the Canadian dairy, poultry and wheat cartels, which are in fact an existing tariff against U.S. products, which is a significant and understandable U.S. grievance.

Lisa Marie Barron, New Democratic Party of Canada
Affordable, adequate and safe housing is a universal human right — not a luxury. Previous governments have viewed housing as a corporate investment, not as homes where people live, raise families and can retire with dignity. For renters, I will push to end preferential tax treatment of corporate landlords and ban them from buying existing affordable housing. I want to see the NDP’s federal Rental Protection Fund expanded and federal controls to stop renovictions and unfair rent hikes that artificially inflate costs for everyone. For first-time homebuyers, we should remove the GST on homes under $1.5M and unlock the CMHC to offer low-interest, public-backed mortgages.

Michelle Corfield, Liberal Party of Canada 
We must build more homes quickly — but we also need a system that allows Gen Z and Millennials to rent, buy or co-own with security. I support co-op housing, rent-to-own programs, Indigenous-led development, federal incentives for builders and expanded first-time buyer supports. But to deliver housing at scale, we also need to work with provinces and municipalities to streamline permitting and modernize the regulatory environment. Housing is a human right, and access shouldn’t depend on parental wealth,  it should be supported by policies that reflect how people actually live and what they can realistically afford.

Paul Manly, Green Party of Canada
Gen Z and Millennials are locked out of homeownership and face impossible costs. To help young people buy homes without depending on family wealth, the Green Party would invest heavily in affordable housing — including co-ops and non-market rentals that stay permanently affordable. We would also eliminate tuition fees so students aren’t saddled with debt, ensure universal affordable childcare to reduce family expenses and introduce a guaranteed livable income for true financial stability. With these supports, young people would finally have a realistic chance to save for a down payment, own a home and build stable, independent lives.

Stephen Welton, People’s Party of Canada
The PPC would dramatically reduce immigration, which is a fundamental demand pressure on housing and therefore its affordability. This is a simple and effective approach that can be implemented immediately. Reduced immigration would also put upward pressure on salaries and wages, as Canadians would not be constantly undercut by cheap foreign labour. Thus, without shocking the real estate market, the incomes of young people would come in line with house prices.