Hansard Blues

Legislative Assembly

Draft Report of Debates

The Honourable Raj Chouhan, Speaker

4th Session, 42nd Parliament

Monday, October

23, 2023

Morning Sitting

Draft Transcript — Terms of Use

The House met at 10:02 a.m.

[Mr. Speaker in the chair.]

Routine Business

Prayers and reflections: R. Merrifield.

Introduction and

First Reading of Bills

BILL 38 — INTERNATIONAL CREDENTIALS

RECOGNITION ACT

Hon. A. Mercier presented a message from Her Honour the Lieutenant-Governor: a bill

intituled International Credentials Recognition Act.

Hon. A. Mercier: I move the bill be introduced and read a first time now.

I am pleased to introduce the International Credentials Recognition Act. Our government

has made substantial progress improving processes for internationally credentialed

professionals, but more needs to be done to ensure these workers can practise in their

chosen fields.

I heard about the need to do more this past spring when I engaged with regulatory

authorities, internationally trained professionals, immigrant-serving organizations

and advocacy groups. This bill takes action by establishing new responsibilities for

regulatory authorities and designates a superintendent for fair credential recognition

to carry out monitoring and enforcement activities.

The proposed legislation removes unfair and unnecessary Canadian work experience requirements

from designated professions and places restrictions on the use of excessive and expensive

[10:05 a.m.]

This new act will apply to 18 regulatory authorities and 29 professions in its scope,

from engineers and paramedics to social workers and veterinarians. This act will enhance

the accountability, fairness, transparency and efficiency of the international credential

assessment process. Through this legislation, we are taking strong action on delivering

results for internationally trained professionals by removing unnecessary barriers

and ensuring equitable outcomes for people.

Mr. Speaker: Members, the question is first reading of the bill.

Motion approved.

Hon. A. Mercier: I move that Bill 38 be placed on the orders of the day for second reading at the next

sitting of the House.

Bill 38, International Credentials Recognition Act, introduced, read a first time

and ordered to be placed on orders of the day for second reading at the next sitting

of the House after today.

Private Members’ Statements

B.C.’S LIFE SCIENCES

R. Russell: I rise today to speak on the topic of B.C.'s life sciences.

I think it's useful probably, with such a broad topic, to start by talking about what

it actually is. So what is this field? What does the sector of B.C.'s life sciences

entail?

[J. Tegart in the chair.]

For the better part of the last year, on my desk, I have had a memento of a meeting

that I'd had earlier this year, which is a small, hard, gel-like piece of…. The member

for North Vancouver–Seymour, I think, maybe also knows what I'm speaking of. It has

on the back of it etched very, very finely — you have to hold it up to the light just

right to see it — some fine, fine channels in this piece of gel. If I had the opportunity

to have it with me, I would.

That is what is referred to as a bespoke artificial cell — really, it's a bespoke

artificial cell wall, I would say — that a researcher from the University of Victoria

has created to help us learn how to test different drugs and how they interact with

the cell wall.

The reason this is important is, in a place like B.C., we have the honour of being

the home of what is called lipid nanoparticle delivery systems research, which also

helped design the system that transmits mRNA into a cell. So that is the challenge

of getting this list of directions…. I think of it a little bit like sheet music for

an orchestra, and you need to get it to the orchestra for them to be able to play

it. The delivery of mRNA into the cell, and the technology to do so safely, was developed

in B.C.

Indeed, virtually every COVID vaccine candidate that reached late-stage development

in 2019 had components that were either initiated or designed or developed in B.C.,

which is a remarkable accomplishment for us.

All of these kinds of things, all of these exercises in trying to work towards better

prevention or diagnosis or treatment of various ailments are within the realm of the

life sciences sector in B.C.

But it goes beyond that as well. We have seen the field, for example, with companies

in B.C. like Lucent biotechnologies, working in the agricultural sector, trying to

develop technologies to sequester carbon and build soil health using what would typically

be waste products. I think we'll have some conversation later this morning around

circular economy. Another good example of how we leverage our capacity in British

Columbia, our knowledge, to build out these kinds of technologies that will be helpful

for all of us.

That said, we all also, of course, know people that have struggled with cancer, with

dementia. All of these treatments, diagnostic tools or preventative exercises are

generally the outcome of B.C.'s life sciences sector. We recognize that it's important.

[10:10 a.m.]

I want to also recognize that it's important for economic reasons. I think you have

all heard me stand in this House and speak about the need for rural economic diversification.

I would flag, for example, in one of the communities in my riding, Princeton, there

is one of the most advanced research and development facilities for psilocybin, and

production facilities, in Canada.

Princeton is historically a mining town, a forestry town. That is the nature of what

that community is, but it is the development of the life sciences sector — with examples

like Optimi Health in Princeton and their $14 million enterprise there — that helps

diversify our economies, whether they are rural or whether they are urban. The opportunities

there are part of the reason why, I think, we realize and ought to recognize how important

that sector is for the future of B.C.

B.C. has the fastest-growing life sciences sector across the country. This is an opportunity

for us to invest and support a sector that, counter to much of historic economic development

— again, particularly in rural communities, which was very extractive-based.... A

leader in Haida Gwaii said to me at one point that they were tired of all of their

opportunities being removing things, taking things away from them. The life sciences

sector is an opportunity for that development and diversification in a world where

it is providing things to the community, and not purely extractive, and works hand-in-hand

with those more traditional resource sectors.

It's because of this that B.C. has recently announced our life sciences and biomanufacturing

strategy. I will touch on the five pillars of that strategy, which are intended to

help deliver for us success in this sector.

Improving access to talent. Recognizing that by increasing that talent pool with collaboration

between industry, academia, the private sector, non-profits, we can grow the talent,

the human capital we have here.

Growing those innovative local companies. Being able to provide a foundation for creativity

and innovation within the sector and supporting those 2,000 companies that we have

and the many more, hopefully, that will be developed.

Increasing biomanufacturing capacity and attracting anchor companies. So as opposed

to the innovators, some of the bigger players — making sure they want to come here.

Expanding our clinical trial capacity so that there's more opportunity for patients

and researchers.

And leveraging and commercializing research capacity.

S. Bond: Thank you to the member opposite for bringing forward what is an important topic this

morning.

Our province has for a very long time been home to an innovative life sciences sector.

However, many people developed a new awareness and appreciation for the critical importance

of life sciences at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.

As we have been very proud to point out, so much of the work that led to the development

of the vaccine came from British Columbia. That wasn't an accident. It was because

of decades of investment in people, in training, in research and in infrastructure.

So when the crisis began, we had a sector full of skilled, passionate people ready

to rise to the occasion.

I have been part of a government that recognized the importance of life sciences to

being prepared for a rapidly changing future. The investments we made included the

creation of the Michael Smith Genome Sciences Centre at B.C. Cancer; the leading-edge

endowment fund; core funding for Genome B.C.; and what was then the Michael Smith

Foundation for Health Research, now known as Michael Smith Health Research B.C.

We made intentional decisions to invest in people, infrastructure and training so

our province could become a world leader, which meant we were ahead of the pack in

terms of our ability to create solutions when the pandemic emerged. Genome B.C. helped

the BCCDC create a genomics test to be able to identify the strain of the virus and

where it came from in January 2020, ahead of most of the world.

AbCellera was working on a treatment, and UBC research into lipid nanoparticles, or

LNPs, to deliver encapsulated mRNA to the interior of target cells was ready to be

used by the world to develop effective vaccines incredibly quickly.

[10:15 a.m.]

The reason we had genomic screening methods, the development of potential treatments

and therapeutics and a role in global vaccine development here in B.C. is because

of significant investments across decades in British Columbia. It is also why B.C.'s

life sciences sector is the fastest-growing life sciences sector in Canada, outpacing

the growth of the overall B.C. economy.

Over the last decade, this sector has attracted more than $13 billion U.S. in private

sector investments, setting the stage for future expansion. And today the sector is

a source of high-paying jobs for more than 28,000 British Columbians. It is also home

to three of Canada's largest life sciences companies: STEMCELL Technologies, StarFish

Medical and AbCellera, just to name a few.

I'm glad we're continuing the important investments and work that has been started

previously, but I would challenge the government to go further, because life sciences

isn't just about health care and it isn't just about the Lower Mainland. We are entering

a time where we are facing increasingly complex societal problems every single day,

and science and innovation are going to be the key to finding solutions. That is evident

across British Columbia.

Earlier this week LifeSciences B.C. held one of their showcase series in Prince George,

and there is good reason for that. UNBC is regularly recognized as one of Canada's

best small universities with a growing research income. UNBC's strength in community

development and strong ties with First Nations have resulted in state-of-the-art research

in northern, rural and environmental health. UNBC's Health Research Institute works

with the Northern Health Authority and other partners to conduct biomedical research,

facilitate its translation and provide training for future health professionals in

the north of the province.

UNBC is also the host institution for the Centre for Technology Adoption for Aging

in the North. CTAAN breaks the barriers to the adoption of technologies that can help

older residents of northern and rural communities, allow them to age well and live

independently.

Prince George is also the site of a new Northern Centre for Clinical Research, the

NCCR, being launched through a partnership between the UBC Faculty of Medicine, the

University of Northern British Columbia and Northern Health. This centre will help

create more opportunities for clinical and biomedical research in the north and improve

care for the people of northern B.C.

That is just a small part of the important work that is taking place right across

our province. We have a wealth of incredible researchers, developers and companies

in our province with the skills and tools to solve some of the biggest issues facing

our province and our world. We must continue to invest in them and recognize their

immense contributions, especially those that have been already made and those they

will make in the future.

R. Russell: I'm happy to rise and say that I think I agree with almost everything that the member

for Prince George–Valemount said, so that makes me happy. Particularly, frankly, I

appreciate the flag about the notion that we need to go beyond where we have been

and expand those opportunities, going forward. I think that is the intention and the

desire behind the recently released strategy with, I would say, the seven goals. The

seven objectives, which I will read out, are:

To create good-paying jobs for B.C. workers, including in new biomanufacturing positions.

To retain companies and intellectual property in B.C. by helping them to scale up

and commercialize here.

To strengthen our connections to the global life sciences supply chain and international

markets.

To make it easier for British Columbians to access innovative treatments and clinical

trials.

To generate revenue and attract skilled talent to B.C., helping businesses hire the

people they need to grow.

To support the province's economic transition to a cleaner, more sustainable, knowledge-based

economy.

And to improve government's ability to quickly respond to future pandemics and public

health emergencies.

These are good strategies, good objectives, I think that we do agree on. And I appreciate

going beyond in the reference to the genomic sciences centre, the Michael Smith Genome

Sciences Centre. And since the member opened that up, I would flag opportunities there.

[10:20 a.m.]

For example, working with researchers looking at amphibians,– so frogs and insects,–

to see if we can develop alternatives to traditional antibiotics. Or for example,

the work that's taking place there around the spruce genome project, to be able to

fully understand and support our forestry sector so that we have the tools and the

knowledge to navigate sustainably forward in a world of changing climate and disease.

In the process of preparing for this, I also encountered the research trainee award

recipients from Health Research B.C. and read through some of their projects. I was

fascinated, for example, by Leah Hohman at UBC, who is working on age-related changes

to the microbiome and the impacts in relationship to MS. Or, for example, Sarah Faber

at SFU is working on how, as memory crumbles in the throes of dementia, there is this

retention to music as a grounding, and if we can learn from that in terms of navigating

forward in a good way.

I'm happy to be able to rise in this House and speak in favour of an industry, a sector,

that we know has enormous potential going forward, and we have a roadmap to go forward.

I'm glad we're all on the same page in terms of supporting B.C.'s life sciences.

THE IMPORTANCE OF LOCAL NEWS

D. Davies: I rise in the House this morning to shed light on an issue of great importance to

the fabrics of all of our communities. This past week Glacier Media announced that

it would be shutting down two long-standing newspapers in the northeast, the Alaska Highway News and the Dawson Creek Mirror. This comes shortly after the Fort Nelson News announced that it would be closing its doors just last month.

The Dawson Creek Mirror was founded in 1930 as the Peace River Block News . The Alaska Highway News first opened its doors in 1943, and the Fort Nelson News opened their doors in 1959. A legacy certainly has ended.

These papers have played a crucial role in the northeast by relaying pivotal information

and connecting all of our communities. Yet these closures are just the latest trend

in newspapers that are closing their doors to communities across the province. In

fact, announced just earlier this week, Kamloops This Week will be closing their doors as well.

Local newspapers have long been the pillars of our communities, serving as watchdogs,

storytellers and connectors. They have provided us with the information that we need

to be informed citizens, the stories that make our neighbourhoods unique, the forms

of dialogue that make us engaged participants in our democracy. Yet across British

Columbia, newspapers are closing doors one by one, and this trend has brought a cascade

of devastating consequences that ripple through every single corner of our province.

The loss of local newspapers isn't just the end of business. It's the end of an era.

In many ways, these newspapers have been the heartbeats of our communities, and I'm

sure we can all relate. The loss of these papers leaves behind a gaping hole. Local

news — they're the chroniclers of our lives, from births to weddings, events to sporting

victories, celebrations to scandals. They have been there for all, telling vital stories,

holding governments accountable and providing new perspectives to each of our unique

communities.

I'm sure here in this House and across the province, you can all remember the first

time that you saw yourself in the newspaper, whether it was from a sport victory,

a science fair, art gallery, spelling bee, community fair or high school graduation.

There was a special excitement about getting your photo in the newspaper, and it gave

you a real sense of belonging in your community.

I'll tell you, nothing brings a bigger smile to a grandparent's face the first time

that they get their grandchild's photo from the newspaper and can hang it up on the

fridge. I'm sure everyone can agree with that. I can remember the excitement myself

when I saw my son and my daughter appear in the newspaper for their very first time.

I worry about how local news will be covered in the wake of these closures. Who will

tell the local stories? Without them, voices will go unheard, and these connections

will be weakened.

As the president of the community media division at Glacier Media Group, Peter Kvarnstrom

wrote about my local media "leaving a large gap in the local media landscape in a

vast region that views itself as both politically and economically separate from the

rest of the province." It will be at risk.

[10:25 a.m.]

Quite frankly, at times, I felt like your local newspaper was the only place where

the specific day-to-day needs of your community could be heard and cared about. How

often do people in Chetwynd, Fort St. James, Taylor, Rose Prairie or Fort Nelson,

for that matter, hear the concerns of their communities written about in major newspapers?

I can tell you, probably almost none.

adapt into the digital world. While it has had its challenges, newspapers were able

to expand their audiences and served as a connection point for many people that had

of their hometown, allowing them to feel as if they were still part of the community,

keeping a piece of them at home. It didn't matter where life took them.

I recently talked to the editor of the Alaska Highway News . A huge amount of their readership was people that did not live in Fort St. John

but have, throughout their life, called Fort St. John or the region their home.

It is unfortunate that circumstances outside of their control are leading to the decline

of these local newspapers. The increased market for online content forced papers to

change their business models as they heavily relied on advertising revenue from digital

platforms such as Facebook or Google. These business models are no longer viable now.

In the case of Kamloops This Week , their website had fallen by half after the news that they could no longer appear

on Meta. The cost to keep newspapers afloat has risen, and now the blocking of their

content on certain platforms has, as we've seen, proven completely detrimental to

the ones that have already closed and puts the risk of the future of all local media

at jeopardy in British Columbia and across the country.

The devastating impacts of the trend of local newspapers shutting down in British

Columbia is not to be underestimated. We stand to lose a vital source of information

and a cornerstone of each and every one of our communities. Wherever possible, we

must step up to support local newspapers and local journalists, who keep our communities

connected and informed. Rural residents and residents from smaller towns and cities

deserve to have a platform, to have their voices heard, their concerns expressed.

Today I really do want to convey my gratitude to all of these outlets that have loyally

served the Peace region and other regions across the province that have lost their

newspapers. Thank you for the work and your outstanding contributions that you have

made to each and every one of your communities.

D. Routley: Thank you to my friend, the member for Peace River North, for the excellent statement.

I appreciate his sentiments about the value of local media. I share them.

I think back to earning half my hockey school money and half of every broken hockey

stick by delivering the two local papers that were in competition with each other,

and how that taught me a certain accountability. I'm not sure where those lessons

have gone now. But that's another statement. In fact, you had to get up every morning

and be there and then meet people in the community. There are just so many levels

that local papers have contributed to ourselves and our communities.

We do live in changing times where people, as the member suggested, get most of their

the fact they may not be as responsible to a fact as our local newspapers were because

they were accountable to the people in the grocery store lineup and to that kid delivering

the paper. There was a certain assurance that we were getting true facts from a perspective

that knew the people that they were being addressed to. I think that was very important.

Getting a local paper delivered to your door and having it, if there were one or two

per week, be there and available so you would leaf through it and you would see the

things that people were doing in your community, there was a real connection.

[10:30 a.m.]

Also, there's the amazing number of good reporters who I have dealt with in the 18

years I've been an MLA who got their start in local papers. In fact, Keith Baldrey

was a reporter in the local Cowichan paper back when I was a little bit younger. I

won't say that I was younger than Keith, but we were both younger at that time. That's

the farm team of our bigger and more regional media outlets. I don't know what effect

that will have in the future, but I can't imagine it's going to be positive.

Finally, I would say that it also contributes to a deeper radicalization of people's

views. Local papers needed to be accountable. They had a granular understanding of

their communities, and they needed to portray the facts in a way that was relevant

to the community rather than this 35,000-foot-level debate that can happen on bigger

media platforms where people take entrenched viewpoints and just fight and defend

those rather than having a conversation. I think that's a deeply important part of

the value of local media.

Also I would reflect on one experience I had in the last election where a local media

person and a local politician…. Duck Paterson was the B.C. United opponent in that

election. We were in an online debate, and one of the other candidates said something

that I disagreed with and I knew not to be factually correct. But I had used all my

options for response. So the B.C. United candidate, Duck Paterson, asked the moderator

if he could give me one of his chits for a response, and he was allowed to. It was

a really good moment because we were able to correct the record. It was two opponents

who had to cooperate.

We've known each other for probably 35 years, and we'd have to be accountable to each

other and our friends in the grocery store lineup. He happens to be the father of

a local reporter and the guy who, because the paper has fewer resources, puts in extra

volunteer hours to put the paper together every week.

That's the kind of commitment that it takes. It keeps the community knitted together.

You never know how those things are going to play out, but in that case, it played

out in a way that was, I thought, very civil. It was good for the community because

the facts got on the table, and it showed people that we can actually cooperate, as

my friend Peace River North and I do all the time, as we've worked together over the

years.

I think that's a value of local media that is overlooked, and as we live in a more

radicalized, more extreme world, it's a value that I appreciate evermore every day.

Between paperboys paying for hockey sticks and junior reporters learning how to do

the work that it takes to be on the bigger stage right through to local democracy

and getting along in community and not being radicalized, that's what local papers

do for us.

I hope that we see a resurrection of that and that they thrive.

D. Davies: I thank the member opposite for their response. I'm glad to hear their genuine concerns

for the issue. It is important that everybody in this House works and acts together

to strengthen our communities.

He mentioned a couple of things around a paper route being someone's first job. I

posted this on my own Facebook page a little while ago. Reading all the comments that

were in it, for so many people, really, their big first memory as their paper delivery

person in their community was how they started raising money for their first bicycle,

a special hockey stick, whatever. It really did play an integral role in the fabric

of our community.

In fact, it was one of my highlights. The hon. member mentioned about getting that

paper delivered to your house and bringing it in and having a cup of coffee. You know,

it is something that I will surely miss doing in my own home.

It's hard to predict exactly how the loss of the papers is going to change our town,

the way that we interact with each other, how we get informed. I know it will be a

profound change, and I worry that it's not going to be a good future unless things

do change.

The impact is to the local economy as well. Local businesses have relied on newspapers

to reach their customers.

[10:35 a.m.]

Each issue was an outlet for local businesses to advertise, an avenue for customers

to hear about shops and stores, encouraging them to shop locally. Our non-profits,

charities could spread their message, advertise about community events, grow their

base using these methods through our local papers.

Classifieds, you know, that was the early Marketplace, and a lot of people don't use

Marketplace. Classifieds in the newspaper is it.

But you know, it's not just about what we lose. It's also about what we gain by preserving

local newspapers. These institutions foster a sense of community, empowering individuals

to engage in local events, charitable activities and civic participation. They provide

a platform for local artists, authors, young journalists, and as the member pointed

out, so many of them get their start in these smaller newspapers. It allows them to

hone those skills and become better journalists that we see.

The founder of the Alaska Highway News — many people know her — was Margaret "Ma" Murray. She started a number of newspapers

around the province, and she said it best, and this was the front top of the Alaska

Highway News. "This is the only newspaper that in the world that gives a tinker's

dam, about the North Peace." I really think that that summarizes so many of our local

smaller newspapers.

In closing, I do want to send deepest gratitude to all of our papers that are still

out there.

SCHOOL LIBRARY DAY

K. Greene: I'd like to acknowledge that I'm speaking today on the traditional lands of the lək̓ʷəŋən-speaking

people, the Songhees and Esquimalt Nations.

It's my pleasure to rise today on School Library Day. If knowledge is power, this

is a very powerful month, recognizing Library Month, Banned Books Week and now School

Library Day.

School libraries are an integral part of the education system. They are carefully

tended by teacher-librarians to be places where students can be empowered and informed,

whether they are in elementary, middle or secondary school. School libraries don't

just offer books. They facilitate access to news articles, learning resources and

information about how to sift through Internet references to safely and wisely navigate

the web.

Teacher-librarians are passionate about their special role within schools and look

for ways to help foster critical thinking and research skills for students. They also

work hard to provide an inclusive environment where all students feel welcomed regardless

of their ability or identity.

These safe places have important role in supporting diversity. They provide stories

and other resources for children to understand their experiences and those different

from their own. Libraries connect the school community and encourage an open mind

and growth mindset, which is important to being a compassionate and resourceful human

being.

I love seeing how beloved libraries are in schools. They have passionate student volunteers

and often support from parents and others to offer the best environment and program

possible. Some of my earliest memories from school were a love of the library. It

was quiet and safe, and I could explore the world with my fingertips. History, mythology,

science, sci-fi and fantasy. Wherever your passion led you that day, you would find

its answer in the library. Libraries are a little bit magical that way. On your way

to find answers, you find questions that you've never thought of.

The B.C. teacher-librarians' association helps our province's teacher-librarians with

professional development and advocacy as part of the education team that helps students

to reach their full potential. Like public libraries, school libraries also ensure

they offer excellent Canadian quality content. Canada is home to phenomenal writers

of world-class stories, and I Read Canadian Day is coming soon on November 8. School

libraries are encouraged to celebrate by displaying Canadian books, getting students

to read a Canadian story to their favourite stuffed toy or read a fun Canadian poem

aloud.

One of my kids' favourite silly Canadian picture books is Canadian Monster Club: The Summer Picnic by Troy Townsin, featuring mythological creatures from across Canada from the Ogopogo

to the wendigo. It has a distinctly Canadian flavour that kids and adults alike can

appreciate, and we can discover these treasures because of the work that libraries

do to elevate Canadian authors.

I asked an elementary student in Richmond why she loved her school library. She said:

"Libraries have books, and books are awesome. I love books because of all the adventures."

Another elementary student said: "I like my library because there are a lot of books.

Everyone can have books that they like — child books or books for older kids."

[10:40 a.m.]

You can tell from these children that the library is a place of exploration and safety.

Their child's wonderment is answered in the school library and supported by teacher-librarians.

This gift of knowledge and reading will help them be successful adults, benefiting

their social, economic and emotional well-being.

The excitement and love that kids have for their school library spills over to their

love of public libraries. This month is Library Month, where we recognize the valuable

contributions that libraries have in our communities, made possible by librarians,

staff, volunteers and board trustees.

I was lucky enough to be a liaison to the Richmond Public Library as a city councillor.

The RPL board, as I'm certain other library boards are, is passionate about providing

a welcoming, inclusive space for the community to not only learn, but to connect and

access supportive programming for all ages.

It's impressive that more than two million people have library cards in B.C. — that's

approaching half of all British Columbians — providing free access to services and

resources at B.C.'s 71 public libraries and 250 branches. My community of Richmond-Steveston

has a branch of the RPL in the community centre. It's a very popular place for everyone

from babies to seniors, and I know how much parents, in particular, appreciate the

well-stocked kids

section and parent-and-tot programming. My kids loved story time,

and even now a trip to the library is a legitimate competition to getting ice cream.

Recognizing the invaluable contributions of public libraries, our provincial government

supports libraries with $14 million in annual operating funding. This year, we provided

an historic $45 million to help libraries keep pace with demand by improving access

to books, digital collections, programs, spaces, literary technology and operating

hours.

Of course, it's also important to remember that we recently recognized Banned Books

Week, an annual event that celebrates the freedom to read and spotlights current and

historical attempts to censor books in libraries and schools. Intellectual freedom

and the opportunity to access diverse viewpoints means that we can explore and discuss

ideas that may challenge our preconceptions. Librarians are always at the forefront

of those defending the right to read, alongside teachers, authors and citizens. If

you haven't already thanked a librarian in this literary powerhouse of a month, please

do so now.

Thomas Jefferson once wrote: "I cannot live without books." I can't agree more with

that statement, but will go just a little farther: I cannot live without libraries.

E. Sturko: I'd like to thank the member for Richmond-Steveston for her words on this important

day — School Library Day.

As an avid reader myself, I'm also passionate in my belief of promoting school libraries

and the incredible work that librarians do every day to ensure that our children have

access to reading materials that both challenge and stimulate them as students.

Having the ability to find a good book, one that captivates you and makes you feel

a whole range of emotion, can be difficult. That's why it's important that school

librarians do what they do. They guide students so that they can find books that increase

their emotional depth and enhance their creativity. Without librarians, many students

would never find the joy that reading can be.

This year's theme is: "Speak up for school libraries." To do that, I'd like to share

some benefits that reading has on one's mental health. By doing so, I hope to show

that they're irreplaceable and critical to students' well-being.

For escapist readers, they can get lost between pages, facing a reality that isn't

their own. It allows students to channel their thoughts in one central idea. Reading

provides them with clarity and focus, as thoughts that constantly weigh down their

mind can be driven away. It gives them reprieve from the challenges of every day.

It gives them a break from thoughts of self-doubt and worry that sometimes plague

their minds.

All of these are elements that each of us struggles with on occasion but that can

be alleviated with a good book. In these texts, readers can find characters who face

similar challenges and uncertainties, offering comforting senses of empathy and shared

experience. A collection of books serves as a mentor, offering guidance and perspective

when our youth don't know where to turn. The basic foundation of right and wrong and

the consequences of one's actions are descriptively shown so that it's easy to educate

and understand what's okay and what is not.

[10:45 a.m.]

For the young reader who wants to learn more about the world, school libraries offer

a wealth of information that can stimulate your mind and increase your vocabulary.

They bring the world together as people educate themselves on occurrences that may

be on the opposite side of the globe. With this comes a greater understanding of people's

differences, helping us recognize that being different is what makes us unique.

For young children, books open a world of possibilities, allowing them to picture

a world in bright colours, full of mystifying stories. As they get older, the creativity

they experienced in their younger years helps them think outside the box and be more

effective and productive.

It's not just in the pages of a book that someone can find reprieve for their mental

health. School libraries often host a wide range of events such as seminars, workshops

and book clubs, allowing people to connect with like-minded individuals and create

their own space that's welcoming to all.

This relief, this benefit, to one's mental health is borne out of our school libraries,

and we have to recognize this. School libraries and the books within them need to

be cherished. There is knowledge to be learned between the pages, and every child

should have access to it. Thank you to the school librarians who continue to promote

school libraries and foster a place of learning for youth. The benefits that school

libraries have on mental health cannot be overstated, and it's the dedication of librarians

that fuel their positive impacts.

In closing, I'd just like to say a little stanza from one of the books that I remember

so dearly as a child from the school library where I attended. It comes from Chicken Soup with Rice by author Maurice Sendak.

"In October, I'll be host

to witches, goblins and a ghost.

I'll serve them chicken soup on toast.

Whoopy once, whoopy twice,

whoopy chicken soup with rice."

Thank you, school librarians. Keep up the good work.

K. Greene: On this School Library Day, I want to say a very deeply felt thank-you to teacher-librarians,

who make libraries welcoming for classes and students and support literacy development

and research skills. The safe and inclusive space that they create for students to

learn and explore is so important to our school communities and for students to develop

a lifelong love of learning.

A secondary student in Richmond said to me: "I love my school library because it holds

a lot of information for students to learn about, and it's easily accessible. My teacher-librarian

is really nice, helps with finding books, and helps with technology."

Whether it's a school library or a public library, libraries are so much more than

a collection of books, as this high school student affirmed. They are places of connection,

support and access to high-quality information.

The Drop Everything and Read Challenge coincides with today's School Library Day.

This celebration of reading is promoted by the B.C. Teacher-Librarian Association

and is designed to remind everyone to make reading a priority in their life. Participants

can read wherever their passion lies, from technical manuals to the latest fantasy

bestseller. The most important thing is to make reading a priority and part of this

routine.

Libraries are also conscious of ensuring that reading is accessible for everyone,

regardless of ability. For example, in Richmond's public libraries, e-readers are

available for loans so that any book can be in large-print format. Libraries also

include digital titles, audiobooks and other accessible technologies, to ensure that

all people can access the information and literature they need in a format that works

for them.

Reading is a powerful gift that we can give our children to spark their imaginations

as they grow into the people they are meant to be. Experiencing stories that are different

from our own lived experiences helps us to understand the diverse world that we live

in together. Children can learn and understand their own experiences better and also

have acceptance and understanding for people whose life experiences are so different

from their own. It should go without saying that a society that is inclusive of people

with diverse backgrounds is better for everyone.

Thank you to our fantastic school libraries, our public libraries and all the teacher-librarians,

librarians, staff and volunteers who make the magic happen. Our communities are better

places to be because of the work that you do.

Finally, I'd like to leave you with a quote from the beloved kids program Reading Rainbow: "I can be anything. Take a look. It's in a book."

[10:50 a.m.]

AFFORDABILITY FOR FARMERS

I. Paton: Tomorrow is Agriculture Day. Between now and then, B.C. farmers and ranchers will

take time to meet with ministers, MLAs and government officials to discuss the obstacles

they face and what this government needs to do to help them.

This year's B.C. Ag Day provides an opportunity to understand the difficulties that

the agriculture sector in British Columbia has encountered in the past year. It's

also a chance to recognize the unwavering determination of farmers and ranchers in

communities across the province who have faced the challenges presented by severe

weather and its lingering effects.

I know I will take time to celebrate the industry's efforts and how they have played

a crucial role in maintaining the strength of our local food security, economies and

communities. I hope my counterparts across the aisle will also acknowledge their hard

work and hear out some of their major concerns.

In the face of adversity, farmers have persevered and continue to grow and sell the

highest-quality products. It has not been easy for them, but I know they're appreciative

of our community by ensuring we continue to buy local products whenever we are able

to.

While our community has continued to step up for farmers, there remain many unresolved

issues requiring immediate attention from our provincial government. In my role as

the opposition critic for Agriculture and Food, I have been shining a spotlight on

the growing affordability challenges facing farmers that are ultimately being downloaded

onto our consumers. Most pressing are the rising costs of the three Fs: feed, fuel

and fertilizer. Shortages of feed and fertilizer combined with the higher costs for

transportation are posing significant challenges for our agriculture industry.

To help alleviate some of this burden, I have called for financial incentives and

tax relief for farmers, such as carbon tax rebates, tax credits for farmers transitioning

to electric farm equipment and the expansion of the food donation tax credit. I believe

these are prudent measures that would make life more affordable for farmers in the

future and help those currently struggling to turn a profit.

I know that many farmers will say how increasingly unaffordable farming has become

here in B.C. Unfortunately, that's due to the many measures brought in by this government.

Farmers, like all British Columbians, are facing rising costs everywhere they turn,

and these pressures are significantly impacting their operations.

I have been a farmer for a long time, and I understand the vital work of B.C. farmers

and ranchers and everyone involved in the food production process. I also can appreciate

that if we do not support the industry and ensure their operations can survive, it

will greatly affect our food security. That is why I strongly implore this government

to move forward in addressing the key concerns of mine that echo what farmers across

the province are experiencing and telling me.

Governments must contemplate tax exemptions so farmers can handle the introduction

of a great range of added costs such as the employer health tax and 28 other and new

increased taxes in this province in the last 6½ years. Governments must also deliver

tax relief to help address the skyrocketing costs of diesel, gas, heating fuel and

natural gas. All goods in agriculture move from point A to point B on diesel. Every

truck in agriculture runs on diesel, including rail transportation.

Governments must provide farmers and ranchers with the right tools so they can continue

traditions of multigenerational farms. This includes making it easier for them to

build second and third homes that are larger than 970 square feet on the same farm.

I'd like to remind the House that B.C. has the worst housing affordability in North

America, especially for young people. And this is not just for family members but

also for farm workers, be it domestic or migrant seasonal workers.

Government must increase our cattle industry with more abattoirs in British Columbia,

as well as creating more cut-and-wrap facilities. Government must revisit and strengthen

legislation on radical activists who invade farms and cause safety issues. Finally,

there must be better access to water for livestock and irrigation throughout this

province. Farmers and ranchers encounter major droughts that threaten their herds

and products. It is paramount that we have access to water no matter the month or

time of year.

These are just a few ways that this government can take action to make both life and

farm operations easier and more affordable. Everyone in this House can agree with

me about how truly important the agriculture industry is to our province. But as cost

pressures continue to soar, the amount of farmers and ranchers in this province will

continue to dwindle.

Farming is an incredibly volatile and high-risk livelihood. There are droughts, fires,

rainstorms, frost, disease and viruses that could devastate a herd. All these can

take you out in a heartbeat if you're a farmer or rancher in this province.

[10:55 a.m.]

That is why we must ensure that we are not only providing farmers and ranchers with

the best opportunities for success but also doing everything we can to lessen their

financial burden.

Look at what's happened to our poultry industry with the ever-increasing losses from

avian influenza. Look at the losses to our wine industry with the extreme cold last

winter causing massive damage to grapevines. Look at the fires and drought, which

this past summer have left hundreds of ranchers with shortages of hay and feed, forcing

many to sell off a large portion of their herd this fall and huge financial costs

of replacing burnt-off fencing. And look at the gut punch to a farmer when commodity

prices remain static yet millions of dollars in bank borrowings jump from 1½ percent

interest rates to 7.5 percent interest rates.

These rising difficulties could have major effects on our province's food security.

Farmers and ranchers are resilient, but they are not indestructible. They face the

same challenges we face and are fighting not just for their livelihood but for the

future of food security in our province. Let us come together this Agriculture Day

and remember how important our farmers are, and make sure to listen to them today

and to hear their concerns.

M. Dykeman: Thank you to the member opposite for those words. I know his passion in this area

of agriculture, and I agree with much, but not all, of what the member opposite said

today.

Farmers and ranchers are facing so many incredible challenges right now — some of

the toughest challenges in history, arguably — from rising costs to inflationary pressures,

supply chain challenges and disruptions overall. Extreme weather events with unprecedented

fires and floods and droughts — these have indeed been very, very challenging times.

And when you look at a sort of multi-pronged challenge, where you have that many different

challenges that are contributing to costs and pressures on farmers, it requires a

multi-pronged approach to address those challenges.

I'm excited to talk about some of the investments that our government has made recently,

working with other levels of government, our stakeholders, our partner groups, and

talking to farmers about the needs that they have during these unprecedented times

— partners like the B.C. Cattlemen's Association and B.C. Dairy.

We need to support farmers and ranchers through programs that provide planning for

the future. They facilitate growth while supporting the resiliency and recovery that

farmers need to address these challenges. Those are investments into the growth and

future of the sector — essentially, planning for the future while addressing the challenges

of today — to ensure that food security, both locally and nationally, is in place.

We have a very unique location in British Columbia. We have this amazing growing season.

We have weather that facilitates us to grow a wide variety of crops while also being

a port, a position that allows us to reach the markets of the world. British Columbia

indeed has a vibrant and robust agriculture sector, and that's something that's very

important. When you speak to people around the world, they talk about how incredible

our agriculture is here.

Some of the programs that have been brought in — once again, looking at how we address

the challenges of today by supporting the growth of tomorrow — is the agricultural

water infrastructure program. Producers have been applying for that to improve, rehabilitate,

expand and construct new water storage systems, purchasing agricultural water supply

assessments, engineering studies or plans; something that allows water, an essential

component of agriculture, to be built more resilient and hardened, to be there to

support our crops.

Some other examples of ministry funding recently include $20 million for emergency

planning and preparedness; $20 million for flood mitigation work in the Fraser Valley;

$20 million for irrigation, water storage and delivery; $20 million for improving

the food supply chain by streamlining logistics, storage and transportation options;

$15 million to replace crops with new climate-resilient crops; and $30 million for

Indigenous food sovereignty.

[11:00 a.m.]

The increased funding to the extreme weather protection program also has resulted

in projects like barn cooling and flood-resistant storage being built. The water infrastructure

program has supported investment into water storage and irrigation infrastructure,

helping farmers adapt to climate change impacts like increased drought, growing more

food through funding and new and improved water storage and water supply infrastructure.

One of the other challenges with that, the member opposite mentioned, was the challenge

with feed, and we know that farmers this summer, with the drought, have experienced

food shortages. To help farmers and producers get the hay and feed, the ministry has

provided $150,000 to fund a new access to feed program that will be delivered in partnership

with the B.C. Cattlemen's Association.

[S. Chandra Herbert in the chair.]

Looking to the future, our government has invested $20 million in a food affordability

and innovation fund, which is going to help reduce costs and bottlenecks along the

supply chain, helping open access to markets for our farmers.

We're also part of the sustainable agriculture partnership agreement, which brings

in about $470 million to B.C. farmers and processors over the next five years.

Finally, an agri-recovery program which was just announced will provide $71 million

to help B.C. farmers and ranchers with additional support to repair or replace damaged

infrastructure.

That's just an overview of the great investments that are going on, and I look forward

to seeing more coming in the future.

I. Paton: I appreciate the member for Langley East's comments, but unfortunately, those announcements

won't mean much until this government focuses on delivering tangible results, and

that is what farmers and ranchers in this province need. Results matter.

Farmers are not immune to the cost-of-living crisis, inflation and the rising interest

rates. The expenses associated with operating as a farmer or rancher in British Columbia

have reached unsustainable levels, and this is beginning to have adverse consequences

on food security within our province.

Farmers are also experiencing unprecedented labour shortages, disruptions in the packing,

processing and transportation sectors and increasing domestic and international market

insecurity. These fears are resulting in difficult decisions about which crops to

grow and whether to leave fields fallow for the upcoming season.

To weather this storm and ensure the security and longevity of our local food system,

B.C.'s agriculture industry must become more self-sufficient. As the old proverb goes,

those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it. Pre-emptively, B.C.

should prepare for future interruptions in the international food supply chain, as

COVID-19 has made us realize just how reliant we are on food imports.

We can no longer rely on the imports of meats, fruits and vegetables from other countries

like China, the United States and Mexico. We need to incentivize both buying and growing

of B.C. products. This can be done by utilizing more of B.C.'s Crown ALR land and

transitioning it into better and more efficient food production uses. More homegrown

vegetables under glass are also to be considered, as well as increased opportunities

to butcher, process and package B.C. beef, pork, lamb and poultry.

Food security in this province should also mean farm family security and farm financial

security. As farmers and ranchers begin to age out, it is imperative that housing

on farmland be readily available to the next generation of farmers, who would choose

to carry on the family business with the right to work and live on the property with

their parents, grandparents and siblings.

We also need to allow farm families to be more creative and entrepreneurial in order

to come up with a supplemental income to support their farm operations. I get concerned

when out-of-the-box ideas like festivals, processing facilities, eateries, roadside

stands and cafes are shut down by the land commission. Agritourism is essential in

this province. These activities should be encouraged, not regulated into oblivion.

Regrettably, without a change in government direction, we will continue to witness

the departure of farmers in the coming years, further exacerbating the food security

situation in British Columbia. Stakeholders from across the province are here over

the next two days and eagerly anticipate government involvement to alleviate the challenges

faced by ranchers and farmers. I am confident that by working together, we will emerge

from these challenges stronger than ever.

Hon. A. Kang: I ask that the House consider proceeding with Motion 55 standing in the name of the

member for Langford–Juan de Fuca.

[11:05 a.m.]

Deputy Speaker: Members, unanimous consent of the House is required to proceed to Motion 55 without

disturbing the priorities of the motions preceding it on the order paper.

Leave granted.

Private Members' Motions

MOTION 55 — CIRCULAR ECONOMY

R. Parmar: I move:

[Be it resolved that this House celebrates October as Circular Economy Month and recognizes

how a circular economy helps us protect the environment, address climate change and

create good, sustainable family-supporting jobs.]

It's such an honour to be able to stand in this House and recognize October as circular

economy month. This is not a new term or philosophy to people in this House, to British

Columbians and certainly to people in Langford–Juan de Fuca A circular economy is

one that minimizes waste while making the most of the resources we have.

I have a belief to my core that we here in British Columbia have a global responsibility

and, I might add, an added urgency of addressing climate change. What I think you're

going to be able to hear from the speakers here today is that B.C. is uniquely positioned

to make a meaningful and significant difference in fighting climate change but also

doing so while creating good-paying, family-supporting jobs.

The circular economy is about waste reduction. It's about the things that we learned

when we were in elementary school: reducing, reusing and recycling and also repurposing

materials. By diverting waste from landfills, we significantly reduce methane emissions.

British Columbia is rich in natural resources. Just one example of the circular economy

in our natural resources industry is mass timber — one example of benefiting the circular

economy. You just have to look at Kalesnikoff Lumber, one of the leading companies

in this entire country in mass timber. Certainly, the people in my community are benefiting

from mass timber with the new elementary school, SĆIȺNEW̱ SṮEȽIṮḴEȽ, opening up in

Circular economy is also about fostering innovation, and B.C.'s tech industry has

been leading the world in this important work. The members from Kelowna will recognize

the name Pela Case, a company in Kelowna that, again, is benefiting by tackling plastic

and creating eco-friendly phone cases and has been getting world-renowned attention.

It's so important as part of fostering innovation that we, as a government, support

our universities and colleges. Our universities and colleges here in British Columbia

are our competitive advantage, and they are some of the best research institutions

in the world. That's why under the leadership of Andrew Petter, who was a minister

in the 1990s, we created the B.C. knowledge development fund, which to date has invested

over $1 billion in funding projects, many of them that support the circular economy.

Or the integrated marketplace initiative, which was announced just over a year ago

by the Minister of Jobs, that is now investing in research and creating jobs and opportunities

that lead to electrifying our ports as well as YVR.

One of the most important pieces of the circular economy is creating clean jobs, creating

good-paying, long-standing jobs in communities all across the province. But before

we can do that, we need to invest in skills training. I believe to my core that British

Columbia can and will, through our future skills plan, invest in training programs

that equip the workforce with the necessary skills for the circular economy.

It also means diversifying our rural communities. By embracing a circular economy,

British Columbia can ensure that we have circular economies all throughout our province.

We can take the important steps of making sure we're supporting our rural communities,

unlike previous governments that have abandoned rural communities.

The shift to a circular economy is not just an environmental imperative but also an

economic opportunity. With the CleanBC and the Stronger B.C. economic plan, we are

becoming here in British Columbia the global leaders in this transition. We've certainly

done a lot, but we've got a lot more work to do.

I hope, through the conversations that will flow today but also the conversations

that will happen in our communities and across the province with businesses and leaders

in local government, that we can all work collectively together to collaborate and

drive British Columbia towards a sustainable circular future that delivers for people

in all parts of British Columbia.

R. Merrifield: A circular economy is not just a concept. It needs to be our reality. In a circular

economy, resources are conserved and waste is minimized by promoting the continual

use, refurbishment and recycling of products and materials. Rather than discarding

products at the end of their life cycle, materials are recovered, refurbished or remanufactured

to extend their usefulness.

[11:10 a.m.]

This not only reduces the strain on finite natural resources but also minimizes the

environmental impact associated with resource extraction and waste disposal. Building

a circular economy is one that focuses on lowering our environmental footprint while

creating well-paying jobs that provide for the best quality of life that all British

Columbians should expect.

In a circular economy, nothing goes to waste. These ideas are driven by the many successful

examples we have already seen grow out of our province.

Take, for instance, Kelowna business EMMYDEVEAUX. The founder, Emily Salsbury-Deveaux,

imagined a clothing brand where beauty and sustainability were held in equal tension.

They are a no-inventory-waste brand and, through their Fundit program, only the items

that are purchased get produced, wasting less. Through their buyback program, they

will take back the high-quality items and resell them at lower prices. They've redefined

fashion by upcycling materials that would have otherwise ended up in landfills. They

craft fashionable, affordable and sustainable clothing, changing how British Columbians

dress and how we interact with our environment.

The textile industry is a major contributor to carbon emissions, responsible for up

to 10 percent of global emissions. Moreover, worldwide waste piles up to a staggering

92 million tonnes a year, costing the economy around $400 billion.

The work carried out by circular economy pioneers like Emily is nothing short of critical.

Circular economies aren't unique to just fashion and can virtually exist anywhere.

We see, for example…. I appreciate that the member previous actually cited a Kelowna

startup — companies like Pela — but he neglected the other one that they've started

up called Lomi. While Pela focuses on ensuring your recycled plastics get used again,

Lomi actually looks that no produce goes to waste.

These innovations are not confined to the private sector alone. The University of

British Columbia Okanagan campus has a federal government-supported program where

students in Kelowna are collaborating with local businesses to implement cutting-edge

circular economy practices. UBCO connects local businesses with the engineering expertise

needed to save industrial materials from landfill while designing new green products

from fully biosourced materials.

and expanding its advanced materials and manufacturing testing capabilities so that

more companies can access this support.

Technical knowledge developed through these projects will be saved in a digital repository

to help current and future companies embrace the circular economy. The combination

of in-person expertise and a digital repository supporting a circular economy is the

first of its kind in the province and will build on B.C.'s leadership in clean tech.

It will also raise the profile of local companies and innovators who are creating

solutions with global impact. But this mirrors the role that the provincial government

should be playing in advancing the circular economy that it professes. The government

has to ensure that British Columbia's economy receives the support it needs to thrive

during this transformative era.

However, I often hear from communities about the challenges that they face. The NDP

government's inflationary deficit, coupled with their inability to tackle our province's

housing crisis and the growing bureaucratic hurdles in our business environment, are

making our journey towards a circular economy more challenging than it should be.

We need a greater investment in the companies that are making an effort to create

the circular economy, and more efforts are required.

Right now, the CleanBC plan is taking money out of the economy but isn't producing

results in increasing or expanding the economy with jobs or GDP.

But speaking and aspiring towards a circular economy isn't enough. People need to

witness tangible results, and the time has come for the Premier to deliver these expectations.

We know that the NDP is falling far behind on their own climate goals while taxing

British Columbians an extra $20 billion to deliver worse results. This is not how

a circular economy works. If the NDP can't get the economy to go up, I don't know

how they can make it go around.

J. Routledge: I rise to speak in favour of the motion: "Be it resolved that this House celebrate

October as Circular Economy Month and recognize how a circular economy helps us protect

the environment, address climate change and create good, sustainable family-supporting

jobs."

For those who are unfamiliar with the term "circular economy," a circular economy

is a model of production and consumption which involves sharing, leasing, reusing,

repairing, refurbishing and recycling existing materials and products for as long

as possible.

[11:15 a.m.]

I am proud to tell you that Burnaby, where I live and work, is on its way to becoming

a world leader in putting circular economy principles into practice.

The new Burnaby centre for community and worker ownership is building an economy that

works for people and the planet. This new cooperative incubator innovation and development

hub is being led by the Union Cooperative Initiative with the support of Vancity Credit

Union, B.C. Federation of Labour and the B.C. Co-operative Association.

The new climate cooperative project, with core operating funding from Vancity, is

developing a number of worker cooperatives that support the circular economy. Using

less raw material means less waste and fewer emissions. Worker and community-driven

solutions are making a profound positive impact on the environment and support our

provincial climate targets.

The new union cooperative textile recycling initiative is working with local labour

partners and New York City–based FABSCRAP, an organization created in order to end

commercial textile waste. Since launching in 2016, FABSCRAP has diverted 1.35 million

pounds of textile scraps from landfill. In 2022 alone, over 320,000 pounds of usable

textiles were diverted from landfill and prevented 2,749 tonnes of CO2 from being

released into the environment. Textile scraps not destined for re-use are shredded

and turned into insulation and stuffing for the local manufacturing industry. Labour

partnerships here in B.C. in the film and theatre industry will rapidly scale up this

textile diversion, reuse and recycling initiative in the Lower Mainland.

The UCI's new heat pump cooperative initiative is working with local labour partners,

cooperative developers and the Australian-based Earthworker Cooperative to build manufacturing

cooperatives that will help meet our climate targets. Heat pump manufacturing, electrification

and green landscaping cooperatives are all being developed for made-in-Burnaby circular

economy solutions. Union cooperatives are an important new tool in the growing circular

economy movement right here in B.C.

Let me conclude by saying that the circular economy may be as transformational as

the industrial revolution was 300 to 400 years ago. It's a transformation we desperately

need if we are to survive. The planet is burning up, and growing income inequality

is undermining our sense of social solidarity and leading to profound alienation,

rage and unrest. We witness the horrific evidence of it every day when we turn on

the news.

I'm a visual thinker, so when I see a linear economy, I see long lines of supply chain,

too easily cut off by floods and wars. I see pipelines. I see hierarchies. I see pyramids

of power. I see historical shipping lanes on a map that brought armies to subdue original

inhabitants, settlers to occupy the land and slaves to work the land and return with

products such as sugar and wheat.

When I see a circular economy, I see circles. I see a circle of friends who do things

together, know each other, support each other and connect each other to the wider

community. I see the synergy of round-table discussions, and I'm reminded that our

world — our earth — is a globe. A circle. Not a line.

G. Kyllo: It is my pleasure to rise in the House today and speak on this motion.

While I enjoy hearing the members opposite use the word "economy" — a relative rarity

from this NDP government — the reality on the ground is that the current economy is

not working for British Columbians. Life has never been more unaffordable. The middle

class is getting squeezed, and this motion does nothing to address this crisis. People

deserve a break, yet all this government delivers is empty announcements and added

costs as life gets more and more expensive. Paycheques are shrinking and people are

struggling to keep up as their real income drops and essential costs soar.

[11:20 a.m.]

The NDP middle-class squeeze is crushing families to the point where over half of

B.C. families are now just $200 or less away from insolvency at the end of each month.

While the cost of living skyrockets, government spending in the first quarter of the

fiscal year shows a massive increase in the deficit, of $2.5 billion, bringing the

total forecast deficit to $6.7 billion. Despite record-high NDP spending, the results

for British Columbians have never been worse.

Meanwhile, this government continues to pat themselves on the back for meaningless

announcements and photo ops instead of taking action. The reality is that we need

more than empty words. Results matter, and right now, British Columbia is experiencing

terrible results by any metric.

After seven years and two terms of this NDP government, we have the highest rents

in Canada and the worst housing affordability in North America. Yet this government

believes that adding new taxes and costs will actually make housing more affordable.

The Premier is even allowing Metro Vancouver cities to triple building fees — triple.

That's an extra $24,000 to build a family home and $14,000 more for an apartment.

This blizzard of new taxes and fees is only making the housing crisis worse.

If this government wants to make housing more affordable, they should try making it

less expensive. On this side of the House, we know that cutting red tape will deliver

real housing solutions. Unfortunately, this government expects British Columbians

to accept record-high grocery, gas and housing prices as the new normal. That is not

the type of government British Columbians expect or deserve. They deserve a government

that's fighting to make life more affordable by bringing forward real solutions, not

new taxes. How much longer will British Columbians be forced to wait for these needed

solutions?

Cost of living is the number one issue for families across the province right now.

From the Shuswap to Victoria, gas, groceries and housing are all more expensive, yet

rather than taking steps to address these rising costs, over the last seven years,

the NDP government has introduced 29 new or increased taxes, taking over $20 billion

more per year out of the pockets of British Columbians. That adds up to $5,000 for

every single taxpayer. You cannot tax your way to affordability.

I'm glad that this morning the members opposite have woken up to the fact that discussing

the economy is important. I'm glad they're realizing the need for good family-supporting

jobs. However, I wish that they had spent the past seven years taking action to create

those jobs, rather than spending their time turning B.C. into the least affordable

place to live in the country.

Six years of NDP government, and life has never been more unaffordable. The provincial

debt has doubled, with little to show for it. Taxpayers are being fleeced, with the

NDP community ripoff agreements resulting in project downscoping costing more money

— less for more, under the NDP's disastrous policies.

The only thing circular about this economy is the ongoing cycle of record-high spending

and record-low results.

B. D’Eith: I just wanted to make sure, judging from the last speech, that this is a debate about

the circular economy, right? Okay. Just checking, because it didn't sound like there

was any talk about the circular economy.

In fact, October is Circular Economy Month. For those, perhaps, in the opposition

who don't know what a circular economy is — judging by the last statement — it's a

system designed where there's no waste, in contrast to what Western civilizations

have done for so many years, which is create materials and then throw them away.

The circular approach is emphasizing sharing, reusing, repairing, recycling and, in

the process, reducing GHG emissions. That's part of what the CleanBC Roadmap is all

about. The CleanBC Roadmap to 2030 is taking steps to advance the circular economy

as part of CleanBC, especially in the sectors of agriculture and forestry.

One of the key components is advancing through the plastics action plan, which is

requiring more manufacturers to take responsibility for their products. That will

eventually lead to recycling, reuse and safe disposal, if necessary.

[11:25 a.m.]

The Minister of Environment announced the Single-Use and Plastic Waste Prevention

Regulation, which will manage shopping bags, disposable food service accessories and

many other packaging products, which is really important to make sure that we move

away from single-use plastics that get diverted into the landfill.

There is also a fund, the CleanBC plastics actions fund. That's investing $10 million

in incremental funding, which builds on the $5 million previous, in 2021, for innovative

technologies to turn used plastics into new products to support the circular economy.

This will create new and sustainable jobs.

Of course, an important part of this is jobs, new jobs. That's why there's a new fund,

the B.C. manufacturing jobs fund, investing $90 million in grants to high-value industry

and manufacturing projects. This builds on the $195 million over three years that

the government announced in '22 for coordinating a comprehensive support for forest

workers, industry, communities and First Nations that are affected by old-growth logging

deferrals.

We can't talk about the forest industry without mentioning mass timber. Mass timber

is an incredibly important opportunity for the province in the circular economy. Instead

of large-diameter trees being used to make mass timber, mass timber can use multi-layers

of small-dimensional wood fastened together. In fact, it can be incredibly…. It can

deliver up to seven times the economic value when compared to milled logs or lumber.

Mass timber is also great to build with because you can build up to 12 storeys now.

It's as strong as steel, in many cases, and very importantly, it can reduce carbon

emissions by up to 45 percent. These are new jobs that are sustainable over a long

period of time.

Those are some of the bigger issues.

I just wanted to touch on, in the remaining minute and a half that I have, in terms

of local work. Over 50 years ago, in 1972, the Ridge Meadows Recycling Society was

started. This was way ahead of its time. This is before people even knew what recycling

meant.

Local visionaries Bob Cordoni, Beryl Cunningham, Candace Gordon and Julie and Dave

Koehn started this process of education and action towards recycling. It's just absolutely

amazing what's happened with the Maple Ridge recycling depot. One of the things that's

really, really cool about the recycling depot is they also employ folks with mental

challenges. That gives people dignity and a paycheque, and it's just amazing for the

community as well.

getting recycled or ending up in the dump, but the reality is our local recycling

actually goes out of their way to make sure all of the things that they do end up

actually recycled. Aluminum appliances get recycled. All the parts get stripped and

recycled. Batteries. There's a Call2Recycle program. Cardboard, through Recycle B.C.

Cell phones through Recycle My Cell.

Electronics — and this is really interesting — get stripped, and many are shipped

to Teck Cominco, a smelter in Trail, for separation and processing and reselling.

Glass is recycled through Encorp Pacific.

Deputy Speaker: Thank you, Member.

B. D’Eith: Even household hazardous wastes. There's so much.

Sorry, hon. Speaker. They do so much, and I'm so excited about our local recycling.

K. Kirkpatrick: I am very happy to get up and speak to this motion.

While the NDP talk about the circular economy, the only thing that's actually being

recycled by this NDP government are their talking points.

While more and more people are caught up in the NDP's middle-class squeeze, it gets

more and more difficult for all British Columbians. Despite all the NPD spending,

the results have never been worse. Over 50 percent of households are $200 or less

away from insolvency at the end of the month.

Rent now costs over $3,000 a month in Vancouver, and B.C. continues to have the highest

gas prices and gas taxes in the country. Mortgage costs are skyrocketing for families

across the province, making it even less affordable for them to pay for the things

that they need on a daily basis.

[11:30 a.m.]

Under the NDP, the economy is expected to do even worse than projected in 2024, declining

to 0.8 percent GDP growth. The end result is that the Business Council of British

Columbia is warning that the Premier and the NDP will drag our per-capita income levels

back to 2013, leaving British Columbians worse off than they were a decade ago.

When it comes to housing, British Columbia has the highest rents in Canada and the

worst housing affordability in North America. Rent has doubled to almost $3,000 —

or actually, over $3,000 — a month in Vancouver. A townhome is up 33 percent to $1

million; a single-family home, approaching $2 million.

B.C. is in a housing crisis, and this NDP government has reacted too slowly and has

not been able to create housing fast enough to keep up with the current crisis, let

alone manage increased growth. This government has purposely tried to create friction

between those that own and those that rent and has taken away the dream for those

younger people wanting to shift to home ownership.

To quote the member for Burnaby North: "The current situation, the current housing

crisis, has pitted working people against working people, working landlords against

working tenants…."

When the NDP counts and reports anecdotal housing numbers rather than the real and

true number of units that are freed up for rental, it's highly suspect and likely

highly inaccurate. What I am suggesting are real homes with real people needing to

be able to live in them. There needs to be more creativity from this government in

addressing housing.

One tool with multiple benefits is accessing and repurposing already existing housing

options. This is the lifting and moving of existing housing, which is currently hindered

by government policies yet is a prime example of the circular economy. I hope that

is acceptable to the member for Maple Ridge–Mission.

There are significant environmental costs.

Interjections.

K. Kirkpatrick: Does the member not agree that that is an important part of our housing process and

that this government has not actually been able to create housing? Instead of listening

to some options for how they might better do that, he needs to heckle while I'm talking

about this.

Interjections.

Deputy Speaker: Members.

K. Kirkpatrick: Yes. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Building waste in landfills is one of the most significant contributors to CO2 emissions

in any municipality.

With this NDP government's housing plans, we see that it has resulted in shortages,

especially in high-demand areas, and this has led to significant overcrowding and

to homelessness.

What we see here in British Columbia by this government is a lack of urgent action

and new approaches to increasing housing supply. It's created a lack of housing which

exacerbates social and economic inequalities, as lower-income individuals and families

are most likely to struggle to find suitable places to work.

So, Mr. Speaker, rather than the opposite members heckling this conversation, perhaps

they should work harder on creating housing.

A. Singh: I'm wholeheartedly in support of the MLA from Langford's motion, despite the ridiculous

assertions from the other side about the economy and taxes. This is coming from the

people that had the highest regressive taxes on regular, everyday British Columbians

— MSP, tolls, ICBC. So we won't go there. We'll talk about the….

We have a subject here, a very important subject, especially in the time of climate

change: circular economy. But before we go there, again, let's talk about the economy.

I just looked up the credit ratings for our province. Apparently, we're not doing

a good job.

Moody's disagrees. We've got a triple-A rating. S&P has a double-A rating; Dominion

Bond, a double-A rating. Fitch has a double-A-plus rating — still pretty phenomenal

in a time of global inflation, in a time of gas prices going through the roof because

of a war by Russia which we have absolutely no control over.

[11:35 a.m.]

Anyway, I think I need to talk about the circular economy and explain what it is,

because it doesn't seem like the other side knows what it is. A circular economy is

a model of production and consumption that aims to minimize waste and pollution by

keeping products and materials in use for as long as long as possible.

It's based on three principles, driven by design. Eliminate waste and pollution, keep

products and materials in use, and regenerate natural systems. The circular economy

is a framework that involves sharing, leasing, reusing, repairing, refurbishing and

recycling existing materials and products for as long as possible. The circular economy

tackles climate change, biodiversity loss, waste and pollution by decoupling economic

activity from the consumption of finite resources.

Key features of a circular economy, for your information, include durability. Products

are designed to last as long as possible, reducing the need for replacements. This

used to be the way that things were produced in the old days.

Reuse. Products are designed to be used multiple times, reducing the need for new

products.

Remanufacturing. Products are designed to be disassembled and reassembled into new

products, reducing the need for new materials.

And recycling. Products are designed to be recycled into new products, reducing the

need for new materials.

This economic concept is often linked to sustainable development, provision of the

sustainable development goals, global development goals and extension of a green economy.

In the last few years, we are all reeling with the fact that climate change, and the

climate emergency, is here. We're facing it every day. The economic commonsense of

the circle economy forms a critical part of our toolkit in coming to a solution to

solve that problem. It gives us a tool to tackle climate change and biodiversity loss

together while addressing important social needs. It gives us the power to grow prosperity,

jobs and resilience while cutting greenhouse gas emissions, waste and pollution.

It forms a crucial part of CleanBC, our internationally recognized, award-winning

vision to tackle these complicated issues. Integral to that is our CleanBC plastics

action plan and, with that, the Single-Use and Plastic Waste Prevention Regulation

that we'll see forthcoming. These will manage shopping bags, disposable food service

accessories, oxo-degradable plastics, and food service packaging made of polystyrene

foam, PVC, PVDC, compostables or biodegradable plastics. These regulations and this

direction were arrived at after a robust ten-week engagement plan that saw almost

2,000 completed public surveys, 67 completed business surveys and 74 comprehensive

written submissions.

Tied to that are also the plastics action fund and clean coast, clean waters, as examples

of provincially funded projects that have led to the creation and support for B.C.

businesses in the reuse, recycling and alternative manufacturing sectors.

I'd be remiss if I didn't mention the amazing work done by Richmond's own Ocean Legacy,

part of a shore cleanup that has cleaned more than 4,000 kilometres of our shoreline

and collected almost 1,000 tonnes of plastic waste from our otherwise pristine coasts.

And their work continues not only here in Canada but overseas. Through the experience

they have gained here in British Columbia, they've been able to take that expertise

and experience…. And I see that they were just in Central America working with NGOs

there.

I salute the great work that James, Chloe and all of their comrades are doing. Sixty

percent of that collected plastic is reused. If you get a chance to go to Richmond,

I suggest you make a trip there and see these policies in action.

Our recycling system is among the best in the world and the best in Canada. Unlike

many other jurisdictions, as my friend spoke of earlier, the majority of our recyclables

actually get recycled and reused, and very little is sent overseas or to landfills.

It's not a perfect system, but with the steps that we have taken and are taking, it

gets better and better with time. And our goal is to maximize that.

I see that my time is up.

T. Shypitka: Before I start, I'd just like to remind the members that our credit rating was downgraded

from a double-A-plus rating by S&P, the most credible rating agency in the world,

to double-A. That was because of the 2023 budget. I won't go any farther than that.

Traditionally, when it comes to circular economy, the greatest opportunities we can

share can come from the mining industry. Traditionally known as a big-waste industry

due to its sheer size of volume of material it needs to be successful, it can be one

of the industries that can contribute the most. There are many concepts to a circular

economy that the mining and natural resource industry currently participates in.

Closed-loop recycling — essentially, reusing waste material to stretch out that material's

end of life. For example, the mining industry is reusing oils and lubricants over

each use until that material is completely broken down.

[11:40 a.m.]

Downcycling — this term is taking recycled products to a lower-value product, such

as using mine waste for backfilling, as a soil additive and for road construction.

Upcycling is turning waste materials to a higher value product, which would be the

rehabilitation of abandoned mines, as well as the reclamation of mine sites to wildlife

habitat and riparian areas.

The circular economy also includes industrial symbiosis, which is a breaking down

of silos between different industries to incorporate best practices of sharing waste

byproduct services and utilities. In the cement industry, this would look like alternative

raw materials for cement production could be sourced from mining waste.

Another great opportunity is our critical minerals strategy, which our government

has been painfully slow in developing. Many critical minerals and metals lay in tailings

ponds. There are technologies available so that we can go back and recover those metals

and minerals from the tailings ponds. Talk about upcycling.

Critical minerals such as lithium, cobalt, rare earth elements have a number of strategic

applications for society, ranging from meeting our simple daily demands to playing

a role in solving global problems relating to energy, water, the environment, communications,

national security, etc. Although their demand is expected to increase many folds in

the coming decades, their future supply is at risk because of the low number of new

deposits the geopolitical barrier mining sometimes has to deal with.

Unfortunately, that is the reason I worry greatly for our province. The Business Council

of B.C. says it: "is deeply concerned about the expected economic slowdown and rapid

deterioration in the province's fiscal position."

The current path looks bleak, but there is an alternative. This government can start

taking the economy seriously and take initiative by streamlining projects in all sectors,

including LNG and mining, that create and sustain well-paid family supporting jobs.

Simply stated, we need our natural resource sector more than we have ever needed it

before. Why do I say that?

The revenue and spending numbers say all that needs to be said. The first quarter

of the fiscal year shows a massive increase in the deficit of $2.5 billion, bringing

the total forecast deficit to $6.7 billion. Yet despite all this spending the NDP

does, the results for British Columbians are terrible. Over 50 percent of households

in British Columbia are $200 or less away from insolvency at the end of each month,

while B.C. continues to have the highest gas prices and gas taxes in the country.

How are we supposed to attract workers and grow our rural economies when this is the

current state, and the forecast only gets worse?

This is a great chance for B.C. to not only build a substantial part of a low carbon

future that prioritizes our environment and fights climate change, but to also grow

our economy significantly. Decisive action, when it comes to exporting liquefied natural

gas and critical minerals, could lead to a huge boost in local jobs and help put our

province on the map as a pioneer as a global supplier of sustainable resources.

So many people in our province are living paycheque to paycheque, struggling to fill

their cars with gas and pay for expensive groceries. This needs to change. The NDP

must do everything possible to empower smaller and rural communities, supporting a

thriving economy and giving them a bright future.

I want to thank the mining, oil and gas and the other natural resource sectors for

championing the greatest net results in the circular economy.

J. Sims: It's my pleasure to stand up in this House today and talk about Circular Economy Month.

Let me tell you, I am so proud of the work done by our government in growing sustainable

jobs, in refiring the forestry sector because we know it's gone through a downturn,

but the investments that have been done in growing those jobs and making sure that,

unlike the previous government, which abandoned over 50,000 forestry workers, we have

invested in directly growing jobs in those areas and using government funding — absolutely

— to spur sustainable jobs in that area and to make sure that we are using every bit

of the tree in order to get the maximum out of it.

[11:45 a.m.]

And let's talk about the resource sector while we're at it. I can remember when there

was another government in place, it was all about shipping the jobs overseas. The

value-added jobs disappeared. The good-paying jobs disappeared out of B.C. because

our logs were loaded onto trucks and were going overseas, and we weren't getting the

benefit. A lot of the manufacturing jobs disappeared out of B.C. because, once again,

we were shipping out our raw materials without getting value-added.

Let me tell you. I am so proud of the investments done by this government in bringing

back and revitalizing manufacturing in this province and growing decent, sustainable

ongoing jobs. Proud of that record.

Talking about the circular economy, government can have plans, but it depends on each

and every one of us. It starts in our homes. It starts in how we recycle. Where do

your grass clippings go? They go in the green bin. Where does your food waste go?

It goes in the green bin. Where does your paper go? It goes in the recycling. Your

cardboard goes in recycling, and then you have a bin for garbage.

Let me tell you a little bit about Surrey. Surrey has the first closed-loop organic

waste facility in North America. I was so proud when I was there when the ribbon-cutting

occurred. That facility uses the organic waste from my household and 150,000 other

households in Surrey. It takes it to the biofuel centre, and it produces gas. And

guess what. That gas then powers the waste trucks that go out and pick up the waste

from door to door. Also, it helps to power the rest of the fleet in Surrey as well.

That's what I call circular economy, and it is happening all over the place, all around

the province.

I was in Ucluelet, one of my favourite places on the west coast. When I was there,

I was so pleasantly surprised — this was pre-COVID — when I was told: "We have no

plastic bags. We don't sell items in plastic bottles." And I was really, really impressed

at that time. They had implemented the plastic bags, but the bottles — they were waiting

to implement at that time.

So there are cities, there are communities and there are families all over the province

that know the importance of circular economy. Circular economy, after all, is what

our parents taught us. Don't waste. Use and reuse and refurbish, re-employ.

Long have we gone from the days when we used to have to darn our socks. Some of you

have probably never even heard of that, right? But there was a time in my family,

growing up, where when one person grew out of a coat, it went to the next person and

then to the next person because of economic hardships. I think more and more families

— not for economic reasons, though those as well — are now beginning to realize the

importance of reusing and recycling.

Let me talk a second about mass timber. Oh, I don't have a second, but I will tell

you this. I am so proud of the work being done by our government and by British Columbians

on the circular economy.

P. Milobar: I rise to speak on the circular economy. Just to cover off a couple quick points.

The previous speaker…. I'm glad she…. I share her excitement about the bio facility

in Surrey, which was actually a project that got started and underway while we were

in government and completed just recently, so that was great to see, because you do

need projects like that to be able to drive down emissions.

Unfortunately, I think the only actual international awards that have been received

by emissions being reduced in British Columbia were while we were in government. CleanBC

is still yet to have those recognitions, because emissions are rising in British Columbia,

year over year over year.

A couple of quick points on the forestry as well. Well, every part of the tree…. It

appears the NDP policy on that is using it to have fires of unimaginable size in British

Columbia and burn the tree.

[11:50 a.m.]

Their forestry plan seems to be an early retirement fund for forestry workers that

keep losing their jobs in the mills. That's been the sum total of the forestry plan.

In a circular economy, you need to have the fundamental economics working as well.

When you see reports that say that the CleanBC policies will drain $28 billion a year,

by 2030, out of our economy — that is up to $5,000 per person per year — it's troubling.

The lack of a result…. Driving down emissions at the same time just simply isn't there.

It will cripple our economy and still not actually, meaningfully, impact the emission

profile. You need to be able to do both, and this government has shown very clearly

that they simply do not know how to bring down emissions without crippling an economy.

When you look at the stats, over 50 percent of households are now $200 or less away,

per month, from not being able to pay their bills. Rents are over $3,000 a month in

Vancouver, the highest in Canada and across the province. We have the highest gas

prices and the highest gas taxes. Mortgage costs are skyrocketing.

So $20 billion a year more in taxation by this NDP government has left a relentless

crush, a relentless middle-class squeeze going on right now. It's a projected deficit

of $6.7 billion, and climbing, that we will see.

It seems that this government's understanding of what a circular economy — to keep

the government funds rolling — is wringing your wallet for tax dollars in a circular

fashion and thinking that's what a circular economy actually is. It most certainly

is not. It is not sustainable. If a circular economy is supposed to be built on sustainability,

one would think the government would recognize that those tax dollars are also a scarce

resource, and they need to be maximized.

We can't afford $1 billion cost overruns for project after project. We can't afford

hospital projects, like we have, which start out at $600 million and are now $1.4

billion, because that's not sustainable. We need the hospitals built, but we need

them built in a cost-effective way so that taxpayers can actually afford to build

schools instead of portables and double-decker portables. That is what we need.

This government decided to seek out, at $350,000, the advice of an economist that

actually helped guide Argentina — which has had their economy collapse. That consultant

seemed like a good fit for this government to go out and get. Now, at $350,000 we

see the advice. We see an economy. We see inflation spiraling out of control in British

Columbia. No government measures.

Then just recently, that same consultant literally just released a book called The Big Con: How the Consulting Industry Weakens Our Businesses, Infantilizes Our

Governments and Warps Our Economies . That's after the government paid this person $350,000 to consult with them on how

to deal with the economy.

[Mr. Speaker in the chair.]

Now, results actually do matter in a circular economy. That British Columbia, in ten

out of the last 15 months, has far outpaced the national average on inflation is not

sustainable. That our emissions keep rising is not sustainable. The fact that the

projects that this government has pointed to as successes so far in their speeches

–– seven years into government –– are all projects that started while we were in government

shows you how little they have actually done on the side of innovation and the circular

economy.

We need a strong economy, absolutely, but you do not tax your way to that. You do

not have inflation outpace the national average, then point your finger, and say:

"It's tough times everywhere around the world." When we're ahead of the curve, that's

not a good thing. So the government needs to take action and in a meaningful way.

K. Greene: I'm glad to be able to rise today to speak to the circular economy. The circular economy

will help us protect our shared planet, promote better social well-being, and create

sustainable, family-supporting jobs across British Columbia.

What is the circular economy? Unlike the traditional Western linear economic model,

also described as take-make-waste, the circular economy closes the loop on the economic

value stream through the use of sharing, reusing, repairing and recycling, which eliminates

waste to make more efficient use of our planet's limited resources. Closing the loop

also greatly reduces GHGs, which are embedded in each step of a product's or service's

life cycle.

[11:55 a.m.]

Everyone has heard the phrase: "One man's trash is another man's treasure." Well,

the circular economy is that principle brought to life, where there is inherent value

in the materials left at the end of the traditional life cycle.

For example, in Richmond, there is an award-winning company called ChopValue, which

diverts chopsticks from restaurants, hotels, food courts and more in the Lower Mainland

to be remanufactured into high-value goods. Worldwide, 1.5 billion disposable chopsticks

are used per week, and most travel thousands of kilometres, only to end up in the

landfill.

ChopValue's reclaimed chopsticks supply local microfactories, which benefit our communities

environmentally, socially and economically. "What can you make out of chopsticks?"

you might wonder. Dining tables, wall features, signage, shelves, tablet stands and

more, all of which capture carbon and are durable goods.

Government has a role to play in increasing opportunity for innovative entrepreneurs

who are tackling the challenges we face today with optimism and determination. Our

CleanBC plastics action plan helps keep polluters responsible for their waste and

opens up opportunities to do things better. It regulates and eliminates hard-to-recycle

plastic products from our waste stream, which supports innovation in circular solutions

like reusable containers and easy-to-recycle aluminum or compostable alternatives.

The CleanBC plastics action fund supports innovative technologies that support plastics'

circular economy. The historical desire to use plastics as a cheap option in the take-make-waste

stream has created significant plastic pollution, fouling our communities with everything

from microplastics to plastic bags. It's great to hear that the funded projects have

increased B.C.'s capacity to replace or recycle over 20,000 tonnes of plastic per

year.

The clean coast, clean waters fund further supports getting plastics out of our environment,

particularly our sensitive coastal and marine habitats. The fund has created many

good jobs in small and remote communities, and there is a real sense of pride from

folks who have worked to restore these beautiful coastlines and waterways.

What happens to the highly contaminated plastic waste that is collected in these cleanups?

In Richmond, the Ocean Legacy Foundation, a recipient of the CleanBC plastics action

fund, takes in this waste by barge and by truck and sorts it at their facility in

Steveston Harbour. It's both impressive and daunting to see the volume of material

that can be stacked up outside the warehouse waiting to be sorted and processed.

Inside they have a process that can convert recycled and recovered plastic, degraded

by the harsh marine environment, into a like-virgin plastic pellet for new manufacturing.

Ocean Legacy sells this plastic for durable-goods manufacture to ensure that the new

product doesn't pollute the marine environment and can also be recycled at the end

of life — like a kayak.

A circular economy is both an environmental necessity and a boon for economic development.

Instead of sending materials to the landfill, we keep them in the circular economy

at their highest and best use, which maximizes the value of economic activity generated

by our communities.

The Zero Waste Conference, held annually in Vancouver, is an example of where entrepreneurs,

business, academia and different levels of government can come together to exchange

ideas and be inspired by what can be achieved with vision and hard work. It's invigorating

to see people being able to solve seemingly intractable problems just by seeing the

problem at a different angle.

After subsequent years of increasingly devastating weather events, exacerbated by

climate change, everyone realizes that we can no longer do business as usual. Entrepreneurs

and businesses of all sizes are actively looking for the opportunities available in

the circular economy. Our CleanBC plan will unlock those opportunities, which will

benefit families and communities across B.C., opening up a sustainable future for

everyone.

K. Greene moved adjournment of debate.

Motion approved.

Hon. A. Kang moved adjournment of the House.

Motion approved.

Mr. Speaker: This House stands adjourned until 1:30 p.m. today.

The House adjourned at 11:59 a.m.

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