Consequences of stormy predictions of the US election in British Columbia

Across the stormy seas from Victoria Monday, the tumultuous U.S. election campaign was just hours away, and many British Columbians were watching closely to see who would become the next president.

Whether it’s Kamala Harris or Donald Trump, the outcome is sure to affect people across the province.

“We have two candidates with very different views of the world, fundamentally, and the way it should work,” UBC political scientist Stuart Perst said Monday, a day before the election.

Prest says a Trump presidency will mean less action on climate change and less value of historic alliances.

“Mr. Trump is much more focused on negotiating relationships with the rest of the world, including Canada,” Prest said.

Whoever prevails south of the border, it likely means some economic headwinds in B.C.

On trade, Trump has already indicated he will impose tariffs on many Canadian goods, while Harris has also indicated he supports protections for American products, meaning British Columbia’s resource industry could face challenges.

“In particular, sectors of the economy that could be affected by trade negotiations, such as softwood lumber or energy movement,” Prest said.

There is literally a lot at stake, even for gamblers. The BC Lottery Corporation expects Tuesday’s election to be similar to the last in 2020, when a record 16,000 online bets in British Columbia put $4.5 million into the presidential race.

“We’re going to see more money in the 2024 U.S. election than we’ve seen in this Super Bowl in years past, so I think that speaks to how popular the U.S. election is for betting here in BC,” said BCLC’s Matt Lee.

People here are trying to predict the outcome of a race that is expected to be close and potentially tight, even after the polls close Tuesday night.