Second Session, 43rd Parliament

Official Report

of Debates

( Hansard )

Tuesday, February 17, 2026

Afternoon Sitting

Issue No. 117

The Honourable Raj Chouhan , Speaker

ISSN 1499-2175

The HTML transcript is provided for informational purposes only.

The PDF transcript remains the official digital version.

Contents

Routine Business

Orders of the Day

Throne Speech Debate

Larry Neufeld

Jeremy Valeriote

Trevor Halford

Hon. David Eby

Presentation of Estimates

Estimates of Sums Required for the Service of the Province

Budget Debate

Hon. Brenda Bailey

Peter Milobar

Introduction and First Reading of Bills

Bill 2 — Budget Measures Implementation Act, 2026

Hon. Brenda Bailey

Bill 3 — Budget Measures Implementation Act (No. 2), 2026

Hon. Brenda Bailey

Bill 4 — Supply Act (No. 1), 2026

Hon. Brenda Bailey

Tabling Documents

Strategic plan, 2026-27–2028-29

Budget and fiscal plan, 2026-27–2028-29

Service plans, 2026-27–2028-29

Tuesday, February 17, 2026

The House met at 1:32 p.m.

[The Speaker in the chair.]

Routine Business

Prayers and reflections: Larry Neufeld.

The Speaker : Good afternoon, everyone.

I would like to begin our proceedings today by acknowledging that we are privileged

to gather on the traditional territory of the lək̓ʷəŋən-speaking People, the Songhees and the Esquimalt Nations.

We honour and respect their enduring stewardship of these lands and the wisdom, culture

and traditions which are so generously shared with our community and with our province.

hәysxʷq̓ә siém.

Also, on behalf of all the members of this Legislative Assembly, I would like to welcome

all the guests — friends, family members, everyone — to this session today.

Thank you for being with us.

[1:35 p.m.]

Orders of the Day

Hon. Mike Farnworth : I call Address in Reply to the Speech from the Throne.

Throne Speech Debate

Larry Neufeld : I move, seconded by the member for West Vancouver–Sea to Sky:

[That we, His Majesty’s most dutiful and loyal subjects, the Legislative Assembly

of British Columbia in session assembled, beg leave to thank Your Honour for the gracious

Speech which Your Honour has addressed to us at the opening of the present Session.]

I would like to continue with my remarks, if I may, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker : Please.

Larry Neufeld : To the people of Tumbler Ridge: exactly one week ago our community changed forever.

describing the wake of last week and the impact that it has had on our community.

This is an event that defies description.

I cannot imagine that any language, past or present, would contain words sufficient

to even begin approaching description of the loss and pain that you are feeling —

what the parents are feeling, what the children and teachers are feeling, what siblings,

grandparents, friends and neighbours are feeling.

I am at a loss to provide words as guidance to what the future may look like. As your

MLA, I am accustomed to standing in this House and speaking with certainty. Today

I stand here humbled by grief.

The fabric of your community has been torn. And make no mistake. Difficult times are

ahead. The path forward will be steep. There will be pain. There will be days when

the weight feels unbearable, and it will never be the same. Your community will never

be the same. Time will pass, but you will remember. The classrooms will feel different,

and the streets will feel different.

But I have witnessed a tenacious spirit within you. For the past week, I have been

in Tumbler Ridge. I’ve stood with families whose worlds have been shattered. I’ve

sat in silence where there were no words to offer. I’ve attended gatherings where

grief filled every corner of the room.

I have seen neighbours hold each other up. I have watched first responders and teachers

show courage while carrying their own sorrow. Loved ones, friends, neighbours, even

strangers have shared hugs, tears and handshakes — sometimes with no words spoken

at all.

In these darkest moments, I saw strength, I saw love, and I saw a community refusing

to let tragedy define who it is.

We will repair the fabric of this community, but survival scars will remain, ones

that you do not have to hide. And that is not weakness; that is proof that you have

endured.

Just know this. This community will move forward not because the pain disappears but

because the people of Tumbler Ridge are resilient and because you care for one another.

Be assured that we, in this place of honour, will be with you at every step of the

way. I will remain with you in the weeks, months and years ahead. I will continue

to push my colleagues in this House to support you and to ensure that the mental health

and all other supports that your community requires will be there not just today but

long into the future.

To the parents: my heart breaks with you.

To the children: you are not alone.

To the first responders and teachers who saved lives, and to the health care workers:

thank you for your courage in the most unimaginable of circumstances.

[1:40 p.m.]

To the people of Tumbler Ridge: please find peace where you can. Lean on one another,

and hold one another close.

And to the beautiful children who have left us in light: we will remember you in this

House. Your names will be spoken here today. They will be honoured here. They will

never be forgotten.

We will walk this path together. Tumbler Ridge is strong. Tumbler Ridge is not alone.

Jeremy Valeriote : I rise to second the motion from the member for Peace River South. And if I may,

I would like to briefly share my thoughts.

On Friday, I visited Tumbler Ridge along with provincial and federal colleagues. We

went to share the community’s grief and offer support and solidarity from every corner

of Canada.

Spending the day in the community was both sombre and emotional. I met residents in

mourning but with their heads held high. It’s an uncomfortable role, being unable

to offer tangible relief but making the only contribution I could offer, absorbing

as much grief and sadness as I could and taking it as far away from Tumbler Ridge

as possible.

Tumbler Ridge is a community that exemplifies the fabric of our nation — dignity,

solidarity, care for one another, selflessness. While tragedy struck this small town,

love prevails, and I see a community united and committed to one another.

It has been said, but it’s important to restate gratitude and appreciation for the

courage and dedication of first responders, teachers and school staff, RCMP, Northern

Health and local community services.

From the elected representatives present, I was heartened to see true cross-partisan

unity in the face of tragedy. For this, I want to convey my deepest gratitude and

respect to the Prime Minister; the Premier; the Leader of the Opposition; the member

for Peace River South, who has carried this heavy burden; and the mayor. They took

on the heart-wrenching work of sitting with those who lost loved ones. It’s essential

that all of us help carry the weight of this pain and the memory of lives lost too

soon.

The Treaty 8 Nations’ guiding wisdom and heartbeat of drums was grounding and essential

to begin the process of healing. Grieving is a group process, and ceremony helps us

overcome pain and heartbreak.

I arrived in Tumbler Ridge wanting to help. I left with the resolve to do better for

my constituents, for my daughters and my family, for my community and for B.C., because

we sometimes forget that life can change in an instant.

No family should have to live through a tragic event like this. Within this chamber

and beyond, we can resist the temptation to divide and lay blame. We can carry forward

the unity shown in Tumbler Ridge; do our jobs well and with full hearts; learn from

this tragedy and honour the victims, their families and the people of our great province.

To the people of Tumbler Ridge: we grieve with you, and we stand with you.

Trevor Halford : I rise to support the motion that is before us today. I’ll speak to it now.

My heart goes out to the children, to the educators, to every family, friend and neighbour

affected by the tragic events in Tumbler Ridge. As a father, it breaks my heart to

think of the children whose lives were cut short and the terror that they felt at

that time.

To all the families and loved ones of those who were lost: I want you to know that

I and this entire House are grieving with you. All of British Columbia is grieving

with you. Canada and the rest of the world are grieving with you.

At this time, our focus should be on remembering the young lives that were taken.

These were children, like our own, with hobbies, friendships, hopes, dreams and plans

for the future. They were deeply, deeply loved. They deserve to be remembered.

At Tumbler Ridge Secondary, 12-year-old Zoey Benoit lost her life. Zoey loved art,

playing with her siblings and was known to have a wonderful, exceptional singing voice.

[1:45 p.m.]

Abel Mwansa Jr. was 12 years old. He came to Canada from Zambia with his family in

2023. Abel played soccer, and he was a great soccer player with an even better attitude.

He excelled at science, and he wanted to be an engineer.

His mom told me that many times he would ask his parents: “Are we staying? We’re going

to make Tumbler Ridge our home?” He would ask his parents that. And that afternoon

the last message that he gave his dad was: “Could you please pick me up from church

after school?”

Ticaria Lampert — as her parents told us, Tiki Torch — was 12 years old. She leaves

behind seven brothers and sisters, and they will miss her immensely. She was the middle

child, and she was the glue that held that family together. Her family remembers her

for her jokes and love of making others laugh, also her love of the KPop Demon Hunters .

Kylie Smith, also 12. She loved to draw and paint and had dreamed of attending art

school in Toronto, a city that she had just visited and attended a Blue Jays game

with her family. She wanted to become an artist. She was also a figure skater who

began performing when she was three years old.

And I’ll note — many in this House are aware — Kylie and Tiki were the best of friends.

Ezekiel Schofield was 13 years old and was an avid hockey player who played as a forward

for the Tumbler Ridge Raptors. And he will be remembered.

My visit to Tumbler Ridge this week was something I don’t think anybody in this House

could ever comprehend, and I am so grateful that we were able to lean on our colleagues

at such a difficult time. There is sorrow in that town today and tomorrow and for

a long time ahead, but there is also strength — friends, neighbours and loved ones

supporting one another, colleagues from across the aisle supporting one another.

I also want to recognize the first responders, educators and students. Some of those

students, by the way — I just mentioned their names — acted so courageously, and their

stories will be told. They need to be told. It was them that stepped forward in the

midst of chaos. And the first responders, the educators and students — they saved

lives. Make no mistake. They saved lives.

The road ahead will be long. As Tumbler Ridge begins that journey, this province will

stand with them. We will remember those precious little lives that we have lost, and

we will support a community forever changed.

Hon. David Eby : I would like to thank my colleagues, the member for Peace River South, the House

Leader for the Green Party and the Leader of the Opposition, for their words today

and for joining me, and the member for Peace River South for inviting me into his

constituency in Tumbler Ridge, and for us standing together with the families. I know

it meant so much to the community that we put aside our differences and stood together,

and I am grateful for the opportunity to do the same today.

Today it is important that we remember the people who were lost and whose lives were

forever changed by this horrific tragedy.

Shannda Aviugana-Durand was an educational assistant. I think most members of this

House will know the important work that educational assistants do. She was no exception.

In fact, she was exceptional.

[1:50 p.m.]

She worked at Tumbler Ridge Secondary School and dedicated her days to helping young

people learn, grow and feel supported. Her self-sacrifice and her actions on the day

of this horrific event likely saved the lives of three children in the library.

We’re holding Maya Gebala, just 12 years old, and her family in our hearts. She’s

in a hospital room, in critical care. We pray for her healing. We pray for her family

and friends and for her quick recovery.

I’m thinking of Paige Hoekstra, 19 years old, recovering after being seriously injured

in the events of that day. I met so many people in Tumbler Ridge who knew and loved

Paige. Her resilience and the care surrounding her speak to the deep love of family,

friends and community.

We mourn Emmett Jacobs, just 11 years old, a child whose life was taken in the home

where this tragedy first unfolded — his loss is a heartbreak in the community that

words cannot capture — and Emmett’s mom, Jennifer Strang, 39 years old, who also died

in her home, leaving behind profound grief for all who loved her.

These are the students, the family members, the community members that are the strength

of Tumbler Ridge and whose absences will be felt across Tumbler Ridge and our entire

province.

To their loved ones, to their families, to their friends, to everybody in Tumbler

Ridge, we offer our heartfelt condolences and our commitment to continue to work for

them in the days, weeks and months to come.

With that, I reserve my right to continue and now move adjournment of the debate.

Hon. David Eby moved adjournment of debate.

Motion approved.

Hon. Brenda Bailey : Hon. Speaker, I move:

[That this House, at its next sitting, resolve itself for this Session into a Committee

to consider the Supply to be granted to His Majesty.]

Motion approved.

Presentation of Estimates

Estimates of Sums Required

for the Service of the Province

Hon. Brenda Bailey presented a message from Her Honour the Lieutenant Governor: Estimates

of Sums Required for the Service of the Province for the fiscal year ending March

31, 2027, and a supplement to the estimates for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2027,

recommending the same to the Legislative Assembly.

Hon. Brenda Bailey moved that the said message and the estimates accompanying the

same be referred to the Committee of Supply.

Motion approved.

Budget Debate

Hon. Brenda Bailey : Hon. Speaker, I move, seconded by the hon. Premier of British Columbia:

[“That the Speaker do now leave the Chair” for the House to go into Committee of Supply.]

I would like to begin by acknowledging the lək̓ʷəŋən-speaking Peoples, the Songhees and Esquimalt First Nations, upon whose territories we are

gathered.

I present this budget with a heavy heart. People throughout the province and across

the country are grieving the terrible tragedy in Tumbler Ridge. We’ve just heard very

powerful words spoken in this House, and I thank my colleagues.

We think about those whose lives have been changed forever, and we mourn the precious

lives lost. We mourn the future they were supposed to have, the dreams they never

got to achieve. British Columbians are standing with everyone impacted by this horrific

tragedy, and we will do everything in our power to support people through this dark

time.

It feels very out of sync to continue with the business of government, but we do,

and today I present Budget ’26-27. We do so holding the people of Tumbler Ridge in

our hearts and in our thoughts.

[1:55 p.m.]

This past year has been incredibly challenging. One year ago we witnessed the launch

of an unprovoked and unjustified trade war at the hands of our closest ally. The trade

war and rupture of the world order continue to have ripple effects that are being

felt around the world.

This budget is different from our past budgets, because this moment is different.

We are in a period of serious fiscal pressure. Global uncertainty is slowing growth.

Commodity markets are volatile. The housing market has cooled. At the same time, costs

are rising for everything from health care to building infrastructure, and British

Columbians are feeling it too. Families are stretched by the cost of living.

We must be disciplined, focused and honest about the choices ahead. We must assume

this pressure on our revenue is the new normal and operate accordingly. In this budget,

we have done that.

Our priorities are clear. Protect and improve core public services that people rely

on, like health care and education. Keep B.C. one of the lowest-taxed provinces for

middle- and working-class families. Reduce the deficit responsibly over time, while

protecting what’s working.

To achieve this, we are taking three key steps.

First, we will make the public sector leaner so that more dollars reach the front

lines.

Second, we will pace infrastructure projects carefully, delivering them efficiently

without driving up costs.

Third, we will make changes to generate new revenue while taking action to grow the

economy and secure the long-term impact of major projects.

This is about making careful choices now to avoid more difficult choices later. Over

the last eight years, we’ve built the foundations a strong province depends on. Hospitals,

schools, roads, transit, housing and clean electricity are being delivered to support

communities and good jobs throughout British Columbia.

This was done at a time when the B.C. economy was being hit simultaneously by numerous

disruptions: a global pandemic, soaring inflation, devastating wildfires and flooding,

and now an unprovoked trade war.

We entered this period from a position of strength, with one of the lowest debt-to-GDP

ratios in the country, and this gave us room to absorb shocks and to invest. We were

able to deliver income support, ICBC rebates and affordability measures when it was

needed most. Our government delivered the B.C. family benefit to help with the costs

of raising children. We cut child care fees by more than half. Car insurance rates

were dramatically reduced. These measures helped ease the hit on households.

Today housing costs are coming down from peak levels. Rent prices are falling faster

here than anywhere else in the country.

Children are learning in new schools. We’ve created 23,500 new seats, with another

23,500 on the way.

People are receiving treatment in 14 new and improved hospitals, with 20 more coming.

They’re also accessing health care in 41 new urgent and primary care centres, with

five more to come.

Rapid transit projects like the Surrey-Langley SkyTrain extension and the Broadway

subway project will get people to the places they need to go, faster.

A lot of progress has been made to improve life and to bring down costs, but we know

that many families are struggling. People keep working harder, but they don’t feel

like they’re getting further ahead. The cost of everyday life keeps going up, especially

at the grocery store.

This year we will bring forward legislation to ban the property controls that restrict

businesses from selling fresh food near grocery stores, spurring more competition

and getting food prices down.

We’re also introducing legislation to make it easier for businesses to move goods

and provide services across provincial borders. Barriers between provinces that complicate

trade make it harder to process food locally, which limits competition and again drives

up prices. By strengthening supply chains, making the food we eat here at home and

allowing more competition across provincial lines, we can address some of the structural

reasons for high food costs.

[2:00 p.m.]

This budget is also about facing our fiscal reality with clarity. As times change,

so must our approach. B.C.’s economy has many strengths, but it also has many big

challenges. We must make strategic choices about where we spend our resources. We

are scrutinizing government spending and ensuring that as many dollars as possible

reach the front lines in classrooms and in emergency rooms.

When it comes to our fiscal position, Budget 2026 reduces the deficit over time, carefully

and thoughtfully. So how do we achieve this? We do it through making disciplined decisions.

As many families make careful decisions to keep their household finances in order,

so too must we. We have begun a multi-step process to adjust government spending to

respond to the fiscal reality we face. This includes reducing operational and administrative

costs and saving on contracting, hiring and travel.

We are continuing a hiring freeze in the public service. We’ve launched reviews across

the public sector at health authorities, through post-secondary institutions and through

CleanBC.

Budget 2026 continues this work. This means reducing staff levels across the public

sector by 15,000 full-time positions over the next few years. We are making careful

decisions about where these reductions will take place. We will protect our vital

front-line services in areas like health care and education, while reducing bureaucracy

and administration.

We are also adjusting the pace of our capital plan, to protect our ability to deliver

projects over the long term.

This is not about stopping. We will continue to outpace other provinces in per-capita

investments in schools, child care centres and transit. We will keep opening new hospitals

and will break ground on a permanent home for SFU’s medical school in Surrey this

year. This is about adjusting the pace of some of the things we want to do so that

we can do what we need to do to secure B.C.’s future.

Under our government, B.C. is among the lowest-taxed provinces in Canada for working

and middle-class families, and this budget doesn’t change that. We made the right

choices to cancel the carbon tax and to bring down housing costs, keeping more money

in people’s pockets.

But the reality facing every province is the same. Growth has not kept pace with the

cost of delivering public services. If we want to protect health care, schools, child

care and the services that people rely on, we need to rebuild a stable and sustainable

revenue base. That’s what Budget 2026 does. It makes careful tax changes so we can

protect services and avoid deep cuts while keeping B.C. competitive.

People earning under $149,000 will continue to pay the lowest personal income taxes

in the country. Budget 2026 includes a change to the first income tax bracket of about

half a percentage point. We’ll offset the extra costs for lower-income earners by

increasing the B.C. tax reduction credit.

We’re also updating some housing-related taxes. Those with homes above $3 million

in value will be asked to contribute a little more. The property tax deferment program

is being changed to help those who need it most, and the vast majority of homeowners

see no change. These are careful, considered choices.

At a time of global uncertainty, Budget 2026 is about protecting what matters most

and building on B.C.’s strengths.

Because we refuse to balance the books on the backs of families, the path forward

is clear: grow the economy, and grow it with urgency and purpose. When more people

are working, when wages are rising and when investment is landing in our communities,

families are better off and government has the resources to protect the services that

people count on.

British Columbia starts from a position of strength. We have abundant natural resources,

clean and reliable electricity and ports that connect us directly to the fastest-growing

markets in the world.

Most importantly, we have people who are hard-working, entrepreneurial and ready to

deliver on the world stage. That strength is already translating into real results.

New mines and LNG projects are reaching final investment decisions. Major projects

are advancing. Capital is choosing B.C.

[2:05 p.m.]

We’re determined to make that growth work for people. That means new training opportunities,

more pathways into good-paying jobs and a clear plan to ensure that British Columbians

are first in line for the opportunities ahead.

Over the next 24 months, B.C. is projected to be the second-fastest-growing province

in terms of GDP in Canada. Our job is to turn that momentum into lasting prosperity

and to build a stronger, more self-reliant economy that works for everyone. This is

how we build that strong, secure future, a future with homes you can afford; jobs

with good pay; health care when and where you need it; and an economy that works for

everyone, not just the few.

To deliver on that future, we need to start with a strong foundation for growth. We

need to move more projects ahead faster, invest in skills training and improve B.C.’s

position as a desirable place to invest.

In moments like this, British Columbians know we can’t just sit back and hope. We

must build, because building is how we protect our future. To build, we need power

— clean, affordable, reliable power. We’re ready to step up.

B.C. Hydro’s 2025 call for power drew nearly double the targeted energy, with 14 proposals

totalling over 9,100 gigawatt hours a year, enough to power about 900,000 homes.

The North Coast transmission line is a nation-building project that will deliver clean

energy to power port expansions, LNG facilities and mines. It will be built in true

partnership with First Nations. It’s grounded in recent agreements that reflect shared

decision-making, shared benefits and, in some cases, co-ownership.

Once operational, it’s expected to contribute nearly $10 billion per year to GDP and

generate $950 million a year in revenue. It will create almost 10,000 direct jobs

per year on average and reduce emissions by about two million to three million tonnes

of carbon dioxide per year. This line creates the certainty companies need to make

final investment decisions, and it ensures opportunity translates into jobs and lasting

benefits for local communities.

As our trade mission to Asia last year made clear, growing economies also need access

to energy. They are looking for B.C.’s LNG to meet energy demand and support the transition

to a cleaner economy. Our LNG has one of the lowest-carbon footprints in the world

thanks to electrification. Six major LNG projects are complete, underway or reaching

final investment decisions this year. We’re doing all of this in partnership with

First Nations, moving projects forward with confidence and with clarity.

With certainty on power, mines can move from concept to construction. Last year we

saw a record-breaking $750 million invested in mineral exploration in B.C. For too

long, mining projects were tied up in delays and inefficient processes. We have made

significant progress on speeding up approvals. In 2025, almost 35 percent more exploration

permits were issued than in 2024. We also reduced timelines for major mine applications

by 35 percent.

Let me give you an example of what that looks like on the ground. The Mount Milligan

copper-gold mine expansion near Fort St. James had its permitting times cut in half.

This expansion supports the existing 574 jobs and as much as $400 million in projected

capital spending. Centerra Gold’s CEO told us that this was a strong example of what

can be accomplished when governments, First Nations and industry work together in

support of responsible resource development.

I know how important it is for businesses and government to work together. We heard

that permitting times were creating problems for the industry. We listened, and we

fixed it. In January, our government announced new fixed permitting timelines and

an additional $3 million to expedite approvals in the mining industry.

Budget 2026 also includes more than $40 million over three years to address urgent

capacity needs, reduce duplication and slash the permitting backlog. On top of that,

we’re introducing new tax credits to align regulations with the federal government

and continue to support our mining industry.

[2:10 p.m.]

With all of these exciting projects moving forward, it’s no question that we are on

the cusp of a huge demand for skilled people. This is where we are making some of

our biggest investments, because investing in young people is investing in our future.

Budget 2026 includes $241 million in new funding over three years to train people

for in-demand skills and higher wages. This will address wait-lists, increase per-seat

funding and expand skilled trades certification. That means more spots will be available

within the next two years for people to train for these high-paying, in-demand jobs.

I think about people like Gord, who had been working in an Amazon warehouse, earning

$20 an hour moving boxes. He did some entry-level training in welding and got some

jobs out of that and then did the next level and the next and eventually got his Red

Seal. Now Gord earns more than $150,000 a year, and his life has been transformed

by the opportunity that trades training gave him.

For young people trying to make ends meet, a new high-paying job provides security,

financial freedom and an opportunity to build a life in their community. For communities,

it means the wealth generated circulates and multiplies locally, supporting local

businesses, all of this from a high-paying, reliable job.

As the economic engine of a more independent economy, British Columbia needs to have

an attractive business environment for investors and entrepreneurs. I believe that

investing and growing in B.C. is one of the smartest and safest decisions investors

can make.

Look at Photonic, a quantum technology company based in Coquitlam. Founder Dr. Stephanie

Simmons said she started her company in B.C. because it’s the best place to recruit

top-tier quantum talent and leverage local academic research. With its new approach

to quantum computing, Photonic has raised $375 million since 2016. In fact, it just

had one of the largest quantum technology finances ever announced in Canada, raising

$180 million in its latest investment round.

The federal government has been clear that provinces must participate financially

to access federal stimulus funding. That’s why Budget 2026 commits to allocating $400

million to a special account so that we can quickly capitalize on federal funding

opportunities. This could leverage billions in federal stimulus funding and private

sector investment. This funding is critical to building a stronger, more secure future

for the people of B.C.

Another critical part of building a stronger, more secure future is getting the most

value out of our natural resources. Our manufacturers have the skills and expertise

to do just that by processing and refining our made-in-B.C. materials into something

even more valuable. There are nearly 20,000 manufacturing businesses in B.C., employing

more than 170,000 people, and the sector is expected to grow by another 50,000 jobs

in the next decade.

That’s more people like Ted. He’s the founder of Spearhead Timberworks in Nelson,

who I met when I visited his business. He has an incredible operation specializing

in designing and fabricating architectural timber and steel. Spearhead received $7.5

million from our manufacturing jobs fund, which will help them add state-of-the-art

product lines and increase capacity to fabricate the complex, high-value timber projects

using B.C. wood. A new manufacturing and processing investment tax credit will help

manufacturers like Ted invest in productivity and innovation so they can continue

to do what they do best.

Some of our largest manufacturers are in the maritime industry. B.C.’s maritime sector

is the biggest in Canada, employing more than 34,000 people, and there are more opportunities

on the horizon as the federal government increases defence spending. Through the Look West strategy, we are aiming to secure 35 percent of federal defence vessel contracts

in ten years.

To do that, shipbuilders need more support. Budget 2026 extends the shipbuilding and

ship repair tax credit. This credit supports employers hiring shipbuilding and ship

repair apprentices, securing a sustainable future for the industry.

We’re also supporting innovators, scientists and entrepreneurs by updating the scientific

research and development tax credit to align with federal changes. It’s by supporting

our innovators, our manufacturers and our businesses that we continue to move B.C.

forward.

[2:15 p.m.]

A strong economy is about more than statistics and forecasts. It’s about taking care

of people. It’s about creating the wealth we need to improve and protect vital services.

When it comes to vital services, health care is at the top of the list. It’s also

facing big challenges. Demographics are shifting. Health care workers are retiring.

The cost of providing care is increasing.

Our government has been working hard to make sure that British Columbians can access

the care they need when they need it. A lot of progress has been made. For one, we’re

building the workforce of tomorrow. This summer we’ll welcome the very first class

of medical students to the new SFU medical school in Surrey. In the year ahead, we

expect to break ground on the school’s permanent home.

We’re starting to see results that matter. Every day hundreds of people in B.C. are

getting a phone call or email letting them know that they have a new family doctor

or nurse practitioner.

This is in addition to the hundreds of maintenance and renovation projects to modernize

and upgrade hospitals throughout our province. These projects represent the largest

investment in health care infrastructure in B.C. history.

But we know there is still much more to do. We must remain focused on protecting what

we’ve built and delivering better, faster health care for people.

This spring, as part of a national pharmacare agreement, B.C. will provide enhanced

public coverage for both menopausal hormone therapy and a wide range of diabetes medication

and devices. We are also continuing to fund in vitro fertilization treatments so people

can start a family.

We also know that the system cannot simply keep doing the same things and be sustainable

over the long term.

Let us be clear. Privatization or a U.S.-style two-tier system is not an option for

British Columbia. We must always be in a place where we can take care of each other,

no matter how much money someone has. That’s why your government is making responsible

choices to reform care, not to cut or privatize it.

A comprehensive review of health authorities is identifying administrative duplication

and redirecting savings to the front lines. Since the review began, 1,100 administrative

positions have been eliminated, closed or left vacant, and the savings are being invested

in front-line patient care.

Responsible choices also mean earlier intervention so people can get help before they

end up in hospital. It means bolstering community-based services so fewer people depend

on emergency care, because British Columbians deserve a health care system that they

can rely on today and into the future.

Every baby born in B.C. is something to cherish. Becoming a parent is one of the biggest

adventures and most rewarding chapters that many of us will ever take. We know that

finding affordable child care can be a worry for new parents, and we’ve been working

hard to make it easier for families to access affordable, high-quality child care

close to home.

Since 2018, families have accessed nearly 58,000 new licensed care spaces throughout

B.C. B.C.’s child care affordability programs are saving families an average of $7,200

per year on child care costs and helping people access child care when they need it

most.

People like Rachel. Rachel is a single mom who was laid off right after she returned

from maternity leave. Finances were extremely tight, and she was considering pulling

her child out of child care to make ends meet. But a phone call to the affordable

child care benefit line changed everything. Rachel learned she was eligible for six

months of child care subsidy while she searched for work, and she got a new job. Her

child is still in child care, and she no longer needs the subsidy.

That’s what these programs are about, providing people like Rachel with the support

when they need it and where they need it. Budget 2026 invests $330 million over three

years to protect the progress that we’ve made and to stabilize the child care services

that people rely on.

As we build a bright future for our children, we need to make sure that children have

everything they need in the present. A good education is a fundamental part of that.

Budget 2026 commits to protecting the progress that we’ve made and doing more.

New funding of $634 million is being provided for the K-to-12 system, including $167

million for the classroom enhancement fund over three years. This means more teachers,

including special education teachers and counsellors for students with support needs.

[2:20 p.m.]

We want all young people to have access to the supports they need to live a full and

happy life. Today many are facing increasing pressures and need access to mental health

supports.

Our government is focusing on early interventions so young people can get the help

they need as early as possible. We’re expanding our network of in-person and virtual

health wellness supports for young people and their families. We’re establishing integrated

child and youth teams in communities throughout the province so young people and their

families can connect to the care they need when and where they need it. We are hiring

additional specialists to support young people at more than 50 locations across all

health authorities.

Budget 2026 protects the things that matter most, and for our government, housing

has always been a top priority. We’ve been very clear about that. We’ve spent years

reversing the damage of an overheated housing market.

More affordable rentals have been built than ever before. We took on foreign speculation

in the housing market. Vacant units have become homes. New supportive housing and

shelter spaces have brought people in out of the cold. Combined, these measures are

creating about 95,000 new homes. Budget 2026 continues this progress, committing more

than $2 billion each year to keep delivering more homes for people.

British Columbia consistently ranks as one of the most desirable places to live. A

lot of factors go into that — health care, education, job opportunities — but people

need to feel safe in their communities.

When it comes to community safety, we’re facing big challenges. To reduce street crime,

we’ve strengthened enforcement and bail rules, helping people move indoors and improving

access to mental health care. Crime rates are coming down, but we know there is still

much, much more to do here.

It’s often a small number of people committing most of the petty crime, and that’s

why Budget 2026 includes a $139 million investment over three years to help with community-specific

safety concerns in neighbourhoods throughout B.C.

Budget 2026 also expands treatment and recovery services. B.C. is opening 100 more

involuntary care beds in Surrey and Prince George to support people with complex needs,

with 28 already operating in Maple Ridge and Surrey. This is part of a larger effort

to tackle the toxic drug crisis by expanding treatment and recovery options, helping

people rebuild their lives.

The extortion crisis has families south of the Fraser living with fear and intimidation,

and we are taking immediate action to protect people. We’ve brought together a B.C.

extortion task force, the largest of its kind in B.C.’s history. We met with the federal

government, which committed more specialized officers and dedicated RCMP helicopter

support for police on the ground. We’ve invested $500,000 to strengthen victim supports,

and the federal government is matching that.

We are also calling on the federal government to close loopholes in our immigration

laws and strengthen criminal law so that no suspects can file for fake refugee status

and so that those who are arrested will stay in jail.

We’re establishing a community advisory group to listen to community concerns and

connect with law enforcement and government so people in our communities are heard,

supported and safe. There are more police on the street in Surrey right now than ever

before, and that means more patrols, stops and targeted enforcement so that people

will be safer in their own communities.

In a world of uncertainty, Budget 2026 makes careful choices to protect what matters

most and build a strong future. As our Olympic athletes compete halfway around the

world and as we get set to welcome the World Cup to B.C., I have a deep sense of pride

— pride in British Columbians, pride in what we’ve achieved so far.

B.C. is a proud member of Team Canada. Being part of the team means moving forward

on major nation-building, job-creating projects. It means leading the way on opening

up interprovincial trade. It means working with the federal government and other provinces

to create a stronger, more independent Canadian economy.

And it means choosing unity over division. British Columbians know that division weakens

us all. We know that our strength comes from standing together, united, as proud Canadians.

This is a turning point. Every generation of British Columbians has faced challenges.

Every generation has been asked to step up, to seize opportunities and to make life

better for the next.

[2:25 p.m.]

This generation faces uncertainty unlike in any recent memory. The road ahead will

not always be easy, but when I look around at other places, there is nowhere else

I’d rather be, because we’ve got it all.

With a steady hand, careful decisions and smart investments, we won’t just navigate

uncertainty. We’ll shape a stronger, brighter future for all British Columbians.

Peter Milobar : I rise to give the first response. I will be our designated speaker. But don’t worry.

To those at home or, I guess, for those in the gallery, I won’t take two hours today.

I’ll finish it up tomorrow.

First off, I would like to echo what many in here have said today. Certainly, my thoughts

and prayers and heart go out to everyone involved in Tumbler Ridge and the families

that have been devastated by the most tragic circumstances. As the minister said,

it is a strange day indeed to still have to continue on with the business of government.

However, that is the task at hand for us today as well.

Results matter with government. Track record matters with government, especially when

you’re judging a government on their words around a budget. When this government and

this minister say what they are planning on doing, I think it’s important that we

look back, even just one year, to what the budget last year said this year was going

to be.

This is a three-year fiscal plan, and this government is very good at telling us about

their spending priorities over the next three years. Then you dig into it, and usually

there’s very little money in this year’s budget and very little conversation about

those programs in years 2 and 3, because they start to fade away into the sunset.

It always sounds like there’s going to be a lot of action. I remember a Premier that

promised K-to-3 classrooms all having teaching assistants, in an election, that we

still haven’t seen materialize. It always sounds good, but the result is never quite

matching the marketing.

When you look at last year’s budget and what the government projected this year to

be and then you look at this year’s budget of where they’re projecting things to be,

revenues are down $200 million in this year’s budget compared to what they were thinking

last year. Not horrible. Relatively stable there. But the deficit has ballooned another

$3 billion over what they were projecting just last year for this fiscal year. It

is now a record $13.3 billion. I didn’t hear the minister talking about that.

Another record deficit on the heels of a budget speech talking about fiscal restraint

and responsibility, on a budget that is built very clearly on the backs of seniors,

working families in British Columbia and small businesses. That’s the hard decisions

that have been made by this government — cost after cost piled on to seniors, working

families and small businesses. I’ll dig into that in my comments here.

A few other interesting notes from the second quarter update till now. One would assume

they would want to keep some of these areas’ spending in line.

Agriculture, down $16 million from the second quarter update to this year’s budget.

I guess food security and the fruit stand isn’t quite as important as the minister

might have led us to believe.

Emergency management. Now, that’s a bit of a different animal in terms of spending

when emergencies happen, so I’ll just go by what they projected over the last year

— down $5 million. It’s pretty dry out there when you drive around this province.

It’s going to be a bad year. Emergency management is down $5 million.

Environment. No wonder the Greens got rid of their agreement. The environment budget

is down $10 million.

The forestry budget. No wonder the minister didn’t mention forestry, I don’t believe,

once in her speech. If she did, it was a passing reference at the beginning. That

ministry’s budget is down $400 million from the second quarter update. That’s the

staff that are supposed to help revive the forest sector.

Mining, an industry we’re supposed to be ramping up for, is down $13 million.

[2:30 p.m.]

Public safety, down $4 million. We’re hearing about what is going to be added to public

safety. We haven’t heard what’s getting removed from public safety to pay for those

changes, because the budget is only a $4 million difference and actually down $4 million.

Why spending decisions are so important and why debt and deficit is so important….

Those items I listed total about $450 million. That is half of the increase in the

management of public funds and debt increase line item in this budget. That is what

happens when the government spending is out of control. Their ability to function

is severely restricted.

Now, I’ll dive into the forestry piece in a little bit, but let’s look at the full-on

attack on seniors, on working families and on small businesses that this budget is.

Now, remember we talked about the teaching assistants that were promised. There was

also a promised $500-per-person rebate, $1,000 household rebate. Instead of that,

PST, provincial sales tax, will now be charged on basic cable packages for homes,

on landlines for phones.

I know it’s a bit stereotypical, but I would suggest most landlines are probably in

seniors housing, people living at home. Seniors watching their pension income are

on basic cable, and those young families that are trying to make ends meet are on

basic cable. But no, no. This government wanted to dip into their pockets a little

bit more and make sure they charge PST on services that had never been charged PST

before.

But they don’t stop there. No. In tough economic times, when people are trying to

make sure that they just have their shoes last a little bit longer or get their clothes

repaired, this government is making sure they charge PST now on shoe repair; on tailoring

services; on clothing patterns, in case you want to be able to go and make your own

clothing instead of having to go to a store; on yarn, in case you’re someone who likes

to knit something for your grandchild.

You can now pay PST on that as well, because this government needs the extra $100

million that that will bring in between all of those areas.

Property tax deferment. The minister talked about it as if it’s a great thing. Well,

it’s interesting, because that’s going to bring in an extra $35 million from seniors.

It used to be prime minus 2 percent. When this government took office, it was actually

0.7 percent interest charged on the property tax deferment. This budget now changes

that to prime plus 2 percent. That’s a 4 percent swing in the interest charge on the

property tax deferment program for seniors, and 6.9 percent will now be the interest

charged, based on the current prime rates. It was 2.9 percent before this budget was

introduced.

Low-income tax change. The minister says: “Don’t worry about it. It really won’t impact

people.” Really? That’s an interesting way to look at things. It goes from 5.06 percent

to 5.6 percent on everybody’s, roughly, first $50,000. What the minister doesn’t want

to mention though is that brings in $500 million, that tax change. It’s $500 million.

She also doesn’t want to mention that the tax rates, the steps, the brackets, are

frozen this year, which means when this government wants to take a victory lap in

June about minimum wage going up….

To all you minimum-wage earners out there: not only did your income tax rate go up,

but you are actually going to pay it on everything extra you are earning as well,

because they’ve actually frozen the tax brackets. That’s slated to bring in an extra

$600 million this year.

When the government members want to shake their heads that that’s not real, they might

want to look in their own budget document to see the $1.1 billion of income tax changes.

Those two situations alone are going to fall on seniors, on pensions, on hard-working

families — on everyone in B.C. — under the guise of: “It’s a minor change; don’t worry

about it.”

[2:35 p.m.]

What else is being removed that’s going to impact seniors and hard-working families,

especially in resource communities? Well, the northern and rural homeowner grant that

saw an extra $200 for the homeowner grant for everywhere outside of the 604 area code.

Last I checked, that’s a lot of resource towns. That $200 per homeowner is gone.

So let’s see. If you’re a senior living outside of 604 and you’re still trying to

desperately live in your own home because there are no long-term-care beds available

for you, you just lost another $200 on your homeowner grant. You want to defer your

property taxes, but it’s gone from a 2.9 percent interest rate to a 6.9 percent interest

rate. And your pension’s just being taxed more. This is the NDP working for you if

you’re a senior.

PST. The minister wants to talk about what they’re doing with business. Let’s look

at the PST that’s being added to businesses. Yes, at a time when businesses are desperate

for help because of crime and safety and shoplifting impacts and need to hire security

guards to be in their stores, this government has decided it’s time to charge PST

for security services.

But wait. I always feel like — I think he’s actually running down in the States —

that Vince guy. I feel like the ShamWow! But wait. There’s more. They’re going to

charge it on accounting services. They’re going to charge PST on bookkeeping services.

At a time that businesses are pleading for help around crime and safety and cost pressures,

this government has decided to essentially shoplift an extra $550 million out of small

businesses in the form of PST changes. But nothing to see here, according to the Finance

Minister. They’re hard at work for you.

Housing costs. The minister wants to talk about how they’re working hard to bring

down housing costs. Well, let’s look at that with the PST attitude. Architectural

services and engineering services for housing now will be subject to PST. Does this

government honestly think that the homebuilders that are now having to pay PST on

an architectural cost are going to eat that cost, or do they think that extra 7 percent

is going to get passed on to the new homeowner or renter? Once again a full-on attack

on seniors, on hard-working families and on small businesses.

I mentioned forestry with a $400 million cut to their ministry budget. Again, this

is a minister that has overseen a lot of pink slips going out in the forest sector.

Apparently, according to the books, he’ll be overseeing a lot of pink slips going

inside of government, for a change, within forestry. But they won’t actually tell

us where the cuts are going to come.

Spending within the ministry is down $400 million. In 2022, this government collected

$1.8 billion off of forestry in forest revenues. They’ve done so little to react to

the downturns and the pleas from industry. This year revenues are down to $500 million.

They’re not taking action. They can say they want to grow the economy all they want.

They’ve watched this slowly decline from $1.8 billion to $800 million to $600 million

now to $500 million, year over year over year. That’s just from 2022.

No response to industry, no creativity, no way to try to not only bring up government

revenues but save all those forestry jobs — nothing. They have one thing in here.

They’re going to let you defer your stumpage for 11 months this year. You’ll still

owe it, and you still need to pay it, but at least they’ll let you have a little bit

of cash flow for a few months.

In 2022 — again, same year as the $1.8 billion — this government said they were going

to add 30,000 jobs in the forest sector. We have lost 15,000 since 2022. That’s a

net non-deliverable promise of 45,000 jobs in the forest sector by this government.

That’s how badly they’re failing the forest sector.

[2:40 p.m.]

It’s not just the dollars to government, a $1.3 billion loss. It’s the 45,000 jobs

they haven’t even come close to delivering on, that they continue to promise and stand

here and expect us to believe they have a plan forward.

I’m going to read a quote from the seniors advocate: “The impact of not increasing

the supply of long-term-care beds to keep up with population growth over the next

ten years will have a profound impact on emergency rooms, hospitals, family physician

offices, seniors and families.” That’s in response to the long-term-care beds we’re

short of — 16,000 by 2036.

In this budget, the government is doing everything they can do to put financial pressure

on a senior trying to live in their own home still, while still having a 16,000 deficiency

of beds for long-term care by 2036. So you would think this budget would actually

accelerate long-term-care beds, but there is no plan to meet demand.

In fact, on page 64 of the budget, there are six long-term-care homes listed that

are now TBC. I can assume that means “to be cancelled.” They were previously announced.

They previously actually had completion dates in the budget. Everything else in the

budget is the same except for the completion date.

In Abbotsford, instead of a 2027 completion date, this government now has TBC. In

Campbell River, instead of a 2027 completion date, it’s now TBC. In Delta, 2027 long-term-care

bed completion date, TBC; Chilliwack, 2029, TBC; Cottonwoods, 2029, TBC. And Squamish,

2030, is now TBC. They can’t even promise something in 2030 still.

Now, normally, if a capital project is going to be delayed, they just put a new year

in. This government is very good at doing that because everything’s delayed. They’re

very good. They’re used to doing it. In fact, any changes in that capital plan are

supposed to be highlighted. It’s supposed to be bolded. This government didn’t want

us to notice the TBCs because they didn’t bold that. If it had changed from a ’27

to a ’28, it would have been in bold, but apparently, going to the never, ever plan,

it doesn’t need any scrutiny.

In fact — and this one might interest you, Mr. Speaker — the Burnaby Hospital phase

2 that’s supposed to be 2030 as of last year’s budget is now TBC. It’s being re-evaluated.

The interesting thing is that the dollar figure of the projects that are being re-evaluated,

that have been previously announced by their own language in this year’s budget, matches

up close to the dollar figures when they’re talking about capital being delayed, capital

not being pushed out.

In fact, when we want to talk about capital and infrastructure, it’s very interesting.

The overruns of the current capital plan from when they were first announced are now….

Last year it was at $15 billion. It is now at $17.3 billion for that list of projects

— $17.3 billion over budget on $80 billion worth of projects. So 25 percent over budget.

The interesting thing is they are now 158 years behind schedule. No wonder we’re now

seeing TBC.

They quite literally, in the middle of a seniors housing crisis for long-term-care

beds, have ceased to even try to pretend there’s a deliverable date on six projects

and a hospital, Burnaby Hospital phase 2, on the indefinite plan.

Why does this matter? The most secretive government in Canada, which routinely gets

called that, has an interesting change to how they are going to bring forward legislation

this spring. They’re going to change the Budget Transparency and Accountability Act,

because those words certainly don’t match with an NDP government.

[2:45 p.m.]

Right now you have to declare any project over $50 million. But not this government.

They find it too onerous to actually be forthright and to not only tell people if

a school is being built in their community but what date they could reasonably expect

that their kids could enrol in that school.

So instead of just even going to the TBC and leaving the project in the budget book

— which, at least, would be a little bit of transparency — they want to change the

legislation to account for inflation since the year 2000 and change the threshold

for declaring a project from $50 million in capital spending to $100 million.

Now, they haven’t actually come up with the dollar figure, because it’s kind of like

when they wanted to change the FOI laws and they kept saying: “Well, we’ve got to

consult. We don’t really know what the number is for a filing fee. We’ll have to do

more consultation.” Then they signed off on the $10 fee about 15 minutes after it

was passed in the legislation.

This is open-ended. They don’t want to tell us what it is. It says for future…. A

pretty quick search in your phone tells you, with inflation from the year 2000, what

$50 million would be worth nowadays. It’s in that $100 million ballpark, but they

can’t even be forthright enough with that.

Why it matters is that the public has a right to know what projects are being planned

in their communities. This is a government that, in this budget, has another $5 billion

in contingencies. They’re using all the same language. Because they didn’t get all

the contracts negotiated last year that they needed the $4 billion in contingencies

for, they need another $5 billion this year to keep working on the public service

contracts that they say they’re going to actually cut 15,000 people out of. Something’s

not adding up.

If they didn’t need the full $4 billion — because they needed it all, according to

the minister last year, the lion’s share of it, to deal with the contract negotiations

— why do they keep saying that there’ll be no money left of the $4 billion? This is

why it’s important to run that scrutiny piece on the $50 million.

The contingency funds, under this government, under this Premier, have turned into

a slush fund. There is no scrutiny. They can go out after budget estimates are over,

and they can approve, through Treasury Board, another project, another sweetheart

deal, something else that gets paid for out of contingencies. The opposition, the

public, has no opportunity to question that in advance, to ask what the government

plans are, because when you ask questions about contingencies, you get non-answers.

That’s the lack of transparency this government has in this budget. That is the full

force this government is bringing down on seniors, on working families, on small businesses.

At a time when all three of those groups are begging for help, this government is

doing the exact opposite.

I’ll have a lot more to say about this tomorrow, and my colleagues certainly will

as well, because, I’ll tell you, if you live outside of 604, this is not a budget

that seems to be caring about forest communities; that seems to be caring about people’s

affordability if they have a homeowner grant; or people, seniors, trying to stay in

their home by using property tax deferral.

I know the Premier wants to start underwriting mortgages. It makes you think he’s

trying to start up a credit card company, with the interest rates they’re starting

to go to, with the property tax deferral.

The fact is they’re even dipping into the basics that people have enjoyed in their

homes to try to make ends meet — PST on a basic cable package. This government is

so penned in that they have to tax people for basic cable, for land lines, for shoe

repair, for buying yarn to knit sweaters. Yet they’re still running record deficits

— which, again, I didn’t hear the minister talk about.

We’re supposed to believe she’s on a path of fiscal responsibility in making all these

hard choices and hard decisions. The $10 billion deficit that was supposed to be in

this year’s budget, as she told us last year at this time, is now $13.3 billion, but

we’re supposed to magically believe that next year’s deficit will get back to that

$10 billion, even though every single budget has had a record deficit under this Premier

and this Finance Minister. Every budget update winds up with it.

[2:50 p.m.]

I know they can say: “Well, the last one wasn’t.” Well, they don’t have tobacco settlements

to save them this year.

We’re going to keep shining a light for those seniors at home that are desperate for

their pension to go a little bit farther, who have just found out that they’re going

to be hammered to the tune of hundreds of millions of dollars.

The property tax deferment — $35 million extra it’s going to bring in. The minister

sloughed it off in her comments, says it’s a good thing, yet they’re budgeting to

collect $35 million more off the backs of seniors that are on pensions, desperate

to stay in their own homes right now with the program. Apparently, that’s a nothing

thing to the minister for them to worry about.

The $500 million worth of income tax increases for the low-income tax bracket — it’s

nothing to worry about. The $600 million on the income tax brackets being frozen is

nothing to worry about. And $550 million on PST being added to the services that businesses

rely on every day more and more — security, bookkeeping, accounting — and to homebuilders

on architectural costs and engineering, but nothing to worry about.

This is a government that very clearly has lost the plot. They very clearly say one

thing and do the exact opposite. It is not fair to seniors and working families and

small businesses. It’s not just for seniors, for working families and small businesses.

In fact, it’s downright cruel to seniors, working families and small businesses the

way this government is trying to spin this budget when we all know what the actual

numbers that are going to be hitting those households are.

Noting the time, I will reserve my place and adjourn the debate.

Motion approved.

Introduction and

First Reading of Bills

Bill 2 — Budget Measures

Implementation Act, 2026

Hon. Brenda Bailey presented a message from Her Honour the Lieutenant Governor: a

bill intituled Budget Measures Implementation Act, 2026.

Hon. Brenda Bailey : I move that the bill be introduced and read a first time now.

I’m pleased to introduce the Budget Measures Implementation Act, 2026. This bill consists

of two parts.

Part 1 includes amendments to the Balanced Budget and Ministerial Accountability Act,

the Budget Transparency and Accountability Act, the Economic Stabilization (Tariff

Response) Act, the Financial Administration Act, the Freedom of Information and Protection

of Privacy Act, the Insurance Corporation Act, the Public Interest Disclosure Act

and the Public Service Act.

Part 2 amends the homeowner’s grant, the Income Tax Act, the Land Tax Deferment Act,

the Property Transfer Tax Act, the Provincial Sales Tax Act, the School Act and the

Speculation and Vacancy Tax Act in order to implement the tax measures announced in

Budget 2026.

Finally, the bill makes various technical changes to British Columbia’s tax statutes,

including harmonization with federal income tax provisions.

Motion approved.

Hon. Brenda Bailey : I move that the bill be placed on the orders of the day for second reading at the

next sitting of the House after today.

Motion approved.

Bill 3 — Budget Measures

Implementation Act ( No. 2), 2026

Hon. Brenda Bailey presented a message from Her Honour the Lieutenant Governor: a

bill intituled Budget Measures Implementation Act (No. 2), 2026.

Hon. Brenda Bailey : I move that the bill be introduced and read a first time now.

I’m pleased to introduce the Budget Measures Implementation Act (No. 2), 2026. The

bill introduces the new British Columbia strategic investment special account.

As today’s budget has demonstrated, it is more important than ever to unlock new economic

opportunities for British Columbians.

[2:55 p.m.]

This special account sets up B.C. to advance these opportunities, alongside partners

like the federal government.

It ensures that when a strategic opportunity has been vetted for co-investment, we

have a toolbox with a selection of optimized tools on the shelf and ready to use in

our negotiations, and it will ensure that British Columbians benefit from the jobs,

new investment, economic growth and new government revenues that these projects will

generate.

Motion approved.

Hon. Brenda Bailey : I move that the bill be placed on the orders of the day for second reading at the

next sitting of the House after today.

Motion approved.

Bill 4 — Supply Act ( No. 1), 2026

Hon. Brenda Bailey presented a message from Her Honour the Lieutenant Governor: a

bill intituled Supply Act (No. 1), 2026.

Hon. Brenda Bailey : I move that Bill 4, Supply Act (No. 1), 2026, be introduced and read a first time

now.

Bill 4 provides interim supply for ministry operations and other appropriations for

approximately the first three months of the ’26-27 fiscal year.

Bill 4 also provides interim supply for a portion of the government’s anticipated

financial requirements for the 2026-2027 fiscal year, including an amount equalling

one-third of fiscal year ’26-27 estimated capital expenditures, loans, investments

and other financing requirements and the full amount of the year’s estimated disbursements

for revenues collected on behalf of and transferred to specific programs and entities.

Motion approved.

Hon. Brenda Bailey : I move that Bill 4 be placed on the orders of the day for second reading at the next

sitting of the House after today.

Motion approved.

Tabling Documents

Hon. Brenda Bailey : I have the pleasure to rise to table government’s overall strategic plan and the

budget and fiscal plan 2026-27 to ’28-29, which together fulfil the requirements of

sections 7, 8, 10 and 12 of the Budget Transparency and Accountability Act.

I also table, on behalf of the ministers responsible, the service plans as required

under

section 13 of the Budget Transparency and Accountability Act.

The service plan documents are presented in two binders. The first binder contains

the service plans for the Office of the Premier and 23 ministries. The second binder

contains service plans for 30 delivery agencies and Crown corporations. The second

binder also includes a listing of organizations that are exempt from the reporting

requirements of

section 13 of the Budget Transparency and Accountability Act.

Hon. Mike Farnworth moved adjournment of the House.

Motion approved.

The Speaker : This House stands adjourned until 1:30 tomorrow afternoon.

The House adjourned at 2:58 p.m.