British Columbia Hansard — 25 February 2026, p.m., Issue 125 (43rd Parliament, 2nd Session)

20260225pm-Hansard-n125

British Columbia — Debates (Hansard)

Second Session, 43rd Parliament OFFICIAL REPORT OF DEBATES (HANSARD) Wednesday, February 25, 2026 Afternoon Sitting Issue No. 125 THE HONOURABLE RAJ CHOUHAN, SPEAKER ISSN 1499-2175

PROVINCE OF BRITISH COLUMBIA (Entered Confederation July 20, 1871) LIEUTENANT-GOVERNOR Her Honour the Honourable Wendy Cocchia, CM, OBC Second Session, 43rd Parliament SPEAKER OF THE LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY Honourable Raj Chouhan EXECUTIVE COUNCIL Premier and President of the Executive Council ................................................................................................... Hon. David Eby, KC Minister of State for Local Governments and Rural Communities .......................................................... Hon.

Brittny Anderson Minister of Agriculture and Food ..............................................................................................................................Hon. Lana Popham Attorney General and Deputy Premier ............................................................................................................... Hon. Niki Sharma, KC Minister of Children and Family Development ......................................................................................................Hon.

Jodie Wickens Minister of Citizens’ Services ......................................................................................................................................Hon. Diana Gibson Minister of Education and Child Care ............................................................................................................................Hon. Lisa Beare Minister of Emergency Management and Climate Readiness ................................................................................ Hon.

Kelly Greene Minister of Energy and Climate Solutions .................................................................................................................... Hon. Adrian Dix Minister of Environment and Parks .................................................................................................... Hon. Laanas / Tamara Davidson Minister of Finance ......................................................................................................................................................Hon.

Brenda Bailey Minister of Forests .......................................................................................................................................................... Hon. Ravi Parmar Minister of Health ........................................................................................................................................................Hon. Josie Osborne Minister of Housing and Municipal Affairs ...........................................................................................................Hon.

Christine Boyle Minister of Indigenous Relations and Reconciliation ........................................................................Hon. Spencer Chandra Herbert Minister of Infrastructure .............................................................................................................................................. Hon. Bowinn Ma Minister of Jobs and Economic Growth ...................................................................................................................... Hon.

Ravi Kahlon Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence and New Technologies .................................................................. Hon. Rick Glumac Minister of Labour .............................................................................................................................................. Hon. Jennifer Whiteside Minister of Mining and Critical Minerals .....................................................................................................................Hon.

Jagrup Brar Minister of Post-Secondary Education and Future Skills ........................................................................................Hon. Jessie Sunner Minister of Public Safety and Solicitor General ........................................................................................................ Hon. Nina Krieger Minister of State for Community Safety and Integrated Services ........................................................................ Hon.

Terry Yung Minister of Social Development and Poverty Reduction ...............................................................................Hon. Sheila Malcolmson Minister of Tourism, Arts, Culture and Sport ............................................................................................................. Hon. Anne Kang Minister of Transportation and Transit ................................................................................................................ Hon.

Mike Farnworth Minister of Water, Land and Resource Stewardship ............................................................................................... Hon. Randene Neill Minister Without Portfolio ..............................................................................................................................................Hon.

Grace Lore LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY Leader of the Official Opposition ......................................................................................................................................Trevor Halford Leader of the Third Party .................................................................................................................................................Jeremy Valeriote Deputy Speaker ......................................................................................................................................................................

Mable Elmore Assistant Deputy Speaker .................................................................................................................................................Lorne Doerkson Deputy Chair, Committee of the Whole ......................................................................................................................George Anderson Clerk of the Legislative Assembly....................................................................................................................................Kate Ryan-Lloyd Law Clerk and Parliamentary Counsel ......................................................................................................................Seunghee Suzie Seo Deputy Clerk of the Legislative Assembly...............................................................................................................

Artour Sogomonian Clerk of Committees .............................................................................................................................................................. Jennifer Arril Committee Clerk ......................................................................................................................................................................

Karan Riarh Committee Clerk .........................................................................................................................................................................Darryl Hol Senior Legal Counsel .................................................................................................................................................................Hayley Hill Sergeant-at-Arms ..................................................................................................................................................................

Ray Robitaille Director of Hansard Services .......................................................................................................................................D’ Arcy McPherson Legislative Librarian ...............................................................................................................................................................Peter Gourlay

ALPHABETICAL LIST OF MEMBERS BY PARTY BC NDP Anderson, Hon. Brittny ........................................... Kootenay Central Anderson, George ................................................ Nanaimo-Lantzville Arora, Rohini ....................................................................Burnaby East Bailey, Hon. Brenda ................................Vancouver–South Granville Beare, Hon.

Lisa .......................................Maple Ridge–Pitt Meadows Begg, Garry .................................................................Surrey-Guildford Blatherwick, Jennifer ....................................Coquitlam-Maillardville Boyle, Hon. Christine .............................Vancouver–Little Mountain Brar, Hon. Jagrup ......................................................Surrey-Fleetwood Chandra Herbert, Hon. Spencer ..................... Vancouver–West End Chant, Susie .............................................

North Vancouver–Seymour Choi, Paul ..................................................Burnaby South–Metrotown Chouhan, Hon. Raj ................................. Burnaby–New Westminster Chow, George ....................................................Vancouver-Fraserview Davidson, Hon. Tamara / Laanas ...........North Coast–Haida Gwaii Dhir, Sunita .............................................................Vancouver-Langara Dix, Hon. Adrian .................................................. Vancouver-Renfrew Eby, Hon. David, KC .......................................

Vancouver–Point Grey Elmore, Mable ................................................. Vancouver-Kensington Farnworth, Hon. Mike .................................................Port Coquitlam Gibson, Hon. Diana ........................................Oak Bay–Gordon Head Glumac, Hon. Rick ...................................... Port Moody–Burquitlam Greene, Hon. Kelly ..............................................Richmond-Steveston Higginson, Stephanie ........................................Ladysmith-Oceanside Kahlon, Hon. Ravi .............................................................. Delta North Kang, Hon.

Anne ......................................................... Burnaby Centre Krieger, Hon. Nina ...............................................Victoria–Swan Lake Lajeunesse, Dana ..............................................Juan de Fuca–Malahat Lore, Hon. Grace .................................................Victoria–Beacon Hill Ma, Hon. Bowinn ................................... North Vancouver–Lonsdale Malcolmson, Hon. Sheila .........................Nanaimo–Gabriola Island Morissette, Steve ...................................................Kootenay Monashee Neill, Hon. Randene ............................

Powell River–Sunshine Coast Osborne, Hon. Josie ....................................... Mid Island–Pacific Rim Parmar, Hon. Ravi ...............................................Langford-Highlands Phillip, Joan / Amshen .....................................Vancouver-Strathcona Popham, Hon. Lana ........................................................ Saanich South Rotchford, Darlene ...............................................Esquimalt-Colwood Routledge, Janet .............................................................Burnaby North Sandhu, Harwinder ......................................................

Vernon-Lumby Shah, Amna ............................................................. Surrey City Centre Sharma, Hon. Niki, KC ....................................... Vancouver-Hastings Sunner, Hon. Jessie ....................................................... Surrey-Newton Toporowski, Debra / Qwulti’stunaat .......................Cowichan Valley Whiteside, Hon. Jennifer ...................New Westminster–Coquitlam Wickens, Hon. Jodie ............................. Coquitlam–Burke Mountain Yung, Hon.

Terry .................................................Vancouver-Yaletown CONSERV ATIVE PARTY OF BC Banman, Bruce .......................................................... Abbotsford South Bhangu, Harman .................................................. Langley-Abbotsford Bird, Rosalyn .............................................

Prince George–Valemount Block, Lynne ..............................................West Vancouver–Capilano Chan, Hon ..................................................................Richmond Centre Chapman, Brent .................................................................Surrey South Clare, Sheldon .................................... Prince George–North Cariboo Davis, Pete ..................................................................Kootenay Rockies Day, Brennan ...........................................................

Courtenay-Comox Dew, Gavin ..................................................................Kelowna-Mission Dhaliwal, Mandeep .......................................................... Surrey North Doerkson, Lorne .....................................................

Cariboo-Chilcotin Gasper, Reann .......................................................Abbotsford-Mission Giddens, Kiel ..............................................Prince George–Mackenzie Halford, Trevor ......................................................Surrey–White Rock Hartwell, Sharon ..............................................Bulkley Valley–Stikine Hepner, Linda ................................................Surrey–Serpentine River Kindy, Anna ........................................................................North Island Kooner, Steve ............................................Richmond-Queensborough Loewen, Kristina ..........................................................

Kelowna Centre Luck, Tony ..........................................................................Fraser-Nicola Maahs, Heather ......................................................... Chilliwack North McCall, Macklin .........................................West Kelowna–Peachland McInnis, Scott ......................................... Columbia River–Revelstoke Milobar, Peter ............................................................

Kamloops Centre Mok, Lawrence ...........................................................Maple Ridge East Neufeld, Korky ............................................................Abbotsford West Neufeld, Larry ...........................................................Peace River South Paton, Ian ..............................................................................Delta South Rattée, Claire .................................................................................Skeena Rustad, John ...................................................................Nechako Lakes Stamer, Ward .........................................Kamloops–North Thompson Tepper, Br yan ............................................................

Surrey-Panorama Toor, Jody ............................................................Langley-Willowbrook Van Popta, Misty..............................................Langley–Walnut Grove Warbus, Á’a:líya ..............................................Chilliwack–Cultus Lake Wat, Teresa .........................................................Richmond-Bridgeport Williams, David ...............................................Salmon Arm–Shuswap Wilson, Donegal ............................................Boundary-Similkameen BC GREEN PARTY Botterell, Rob .......................................Saanich North and the Islands Valeriote, Jeremy .....................................

West Vancouver–Sea to Sky INDEPENDENT Armstrong, Tara .....................Kelowna–Lake Country–Coldstream Boultbee, Amelia .............................................Penticton-Summerland Brodie, Dallas .................................................... Vancouver-Quilchena Kealy, Jordan ............................................................. Peace River North Sturko, Elenore ......................................................... Surrey-Cloverdale PARTY STANDINGS Total seats – 93 BC NDP – 47 | Conservative Party of BC – 39 | BC Green Party – 2 | Independent – 5

ALPHABETICAL LIST OF RIDINGS A Abbotsford-Mission ........................................................Reann Gasper Abbotsford South ........................................................... Bruce Banman Abbotsford West .............................................................Korky Neufeld B Boundary-Similkameen .............................................Donegal Wilson Bulkley Valley–Stikine ............................................... Sharon Hartwell Burnaby Centre ...........................................................Hon.

Anne Kang Burnaby East ......................................................................Rohini Arora Burnaby–New Westminster .................................. Hon. Raj Chouhan Burnaby North ..............................................................Janet Routledge Burnaby South–Metrotown .................................................. Paul Choi C Cariboo-Chilcotin .......................................................Lorne Doerkson Chilliwack–Cultus Lake .............................................. Á’a:líya Warbus Chilliwack North ..........................................................

Heather Maahs Columbia River–Revelstoke ...........................................Scott McInnis Coquitlam–Burke Mountain .............................. Hon. Jodie Wickens Coquitlam-Maillardville .................................... Jennifer Blatherwick Courtenay-Comox ............................................................ Brennan Day Cowichan Valley ....................... Debra Toporowski / Qwulti’stunaat D Delta North ................................................................Hon.

Ravi Kahlon Delta South ...............................................................................Ian Paton E Esquimalt-Colwood ................................................Darlene Rotchford F Fraser-Nicola .......................................................................... Tony Luck J Juan de Fuca–Malahat ...............................................Dana Lajeunesse K Kamloops Centre ............................................................. Peter Milobar Kamloops–North Thompson .........................................

Ward Stamer Kelowna Centre ........................................................... Kristina Loewen Kelowna–Lake Country–Coldstream ......................Tara Armstrong Kelowna-Mission ..................................................................Gavin Dew Kootenay Central ............................................ Hon. Brittny Anderson Kootenay Monashee ....................................................Steve Morissette Kootenay Rockies................................................................... Pete Davis L Ladysmith-Oceanside ........................................

Stephanie Higginson Langford-Highlands ................................................ Hon. Ravi Parmar Langley-Abbotsford ....................................................Harman Bhangu Langley–Walnut Grove ..............................................Misty Van Popta Langley-Willowbrook ............................................................ Jody Toor M Maple Ridge East ............................................................Lawrence Mok Maple Ridge–Pitt Meadows ........................................Hon. Lisa Beare Mid Island–Pacific Rim ........................................ Hon.

Josie Osborne N Nanaimo–Gabriola Island ..........................Hon. Sheila Malcolmson Nanaimo-Lantzville ................................................. George Anderson Nechako Lakes ....................................................................John Rustad New Westminster–Coquitlam .................... Hon. Jennifer Whiteside North Coast–Haida Gwaii ............Hon. Laanas / Tamara Davidson North Island ........................................................................Anna Kindy North Vancouver–Lonsdale .....................................Hon.

Bowinn Ma North Vancouver–Seymour ...............................................Susie Chant O Oak Bay–Gordon Head ......................................... Hon. Diana Gibson P Peace River North ..............................................................Jordan Kealy Peace River South ............................................................Larry Neufeld Penticton-Summerland .............................................. Amelia Boultbee Port Coquitlam ................................................. Hon. Mike Farnworth Port Moody–Burquitlam ........................................Hon.

Rick Glumac Powell River–Sunshine Coast ............................. Hon. Randene Neill Prince George–Mackenzie ...............................................Kiel Giddens Prince George–North Cariboo ......................................Sheldon Clare Prince George–Valemount ...............................................Rosalyn Bird R Richmond-Bridgeport .......................................................... Teresa Wat Richmond Centre .................................................................. Hon Chan Richmond-Queensborough ............................................

Steve Kooner Richmond-Steveston ...............................................Hon. Kelly Greene S Saanich North and the Islands ....................................... Rob Botterell Saanich South ......................................................... Hon.

Lana Popham Salmon Arm–Shuswap ................................................David Williams Skeena ..................................................................................Claire Rattée Surrey City Centre ...............................................................Amna Shah Surrey-Cloverdale .......................................................... Elenore Sturko Surrey-Fleetwood ....................................................... Hon. Jagrup Brar Surrey-Guildford .................................................................

Garry Begg Surrey-Newton ........................................................ Hon. Jessie Sunner Surrey North ............................................................Mandeep Dhaliwal Surrey-Panorama ..............................................................Br yan Tepper Surrey–Serpentine River ................................................

Linda Hepner Surrey South ..................................................................Brent Chapman Surrey–White Rock .......................................................Trevor Halford V Vancouver-Fraserview .....................................................George Chow Vancouver-Hastings ........................................ Hon. Niki Sharma, KC Vancouver-Kensington ...................................................Mable Elmore Vancouver-Langara .............................................................Sunita Dhir Vancouver–Little Mountain ............................. Hon.

Christine Boyle Vancouver–Point Grey .........................................Hon. David Eby, KC Vancouver-Quilchena ......................................................Dallas Brodie Vancouver-Renfrew ................................................... Hon. Adrian Dix Vancouver–South Granville ................................ Hon. Brenda Bailey Vancouver-Strathcona ..................................... Amshen / Joan Phillip Vancouver–West End .......................Hon. Spencer Chandra Herbert Vancouver-Yaletown ..................................................Hon.

Terry Yung Vernon-Lumby ....................................................... Harwinder Sandhu Victoria–Beacon Hill ................................................. Hon. Grace Lore Victoria–Swan Lake ................................................Hon. Nina Krieger W West Kelowna–Peachland ..........................................Macklin McCall West Vancouver–Capilano ................................................Lynne Block West Vancouver–Sea to Sky ...................................... Jeremy Valeriote

CONTENTS Wednesday, February 25, 2026 Afternoon Sitting Page Routine Business Introductions by Members ............................................................................................................................................. 5035 Introduction and First Reading of Bills ........................................................................................................................ 5036 Bill M232 — Long Term Care Access and Transparency Act Brennan Day Members’ Statements ...................................................................................................................................................... 5036 Support for Human Rights in Iran Susie Chant Peachland Recognition as Kindest Community Macklin McCall Pink Shirt Day Amshen / Joan Phillip Bullying Prevention and Practice of Values of Kindness and Inclusion Kristina Loewen B.C.

Winter Games Steve Morissette Megan Rokeby-Thomas Harman Bhangu Oral Questions ................................................................................................................................................................. 5039 Government Gift Card Programs and Spending Priorities Peter Milobar Hon. Brenda Bailey Claire Rattée Hon. Jodie Wickens Protection of Old-Growth Forests Rob Botterell Hon. Ravi Parmar Government Response to Violent Threats and Extortion Cases Mandeep Dhaliwal Hon. Nina Krieger RCMP Staffing Levels and Funding for Police Services Macklin McCall Hon.

Nina Krieger Police Services in Surrey Bryan Tepper Hon. Nina Krieger Budget Allocation for Action on Extortion Crimes Jody Toor Hon. Nina Krieger Government Priorities and Action on Extortion Crimes Harman Bhangu Hon. Nina Krieger Orders of the Day Budget Debate (continued) ............................................................................................................................................. 5044 Harman Bhangu Hon. Jessie Sunner Jordan Kealy

Budget Debate (continued) Sharon Hartwell Hon. Adrian Dix Amelia Boultbee David Williams Hon. Niki Sharma Jody Toor Sunita Dhir Macklin McCall

5035 WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2026 The House met at 1:33 p.m. [The Speaker in the chair.] Routine Business Prayers and reflections: Rosalyn Bird. [1:35 p.m.] Introductions by Members Janet Routledge: My Whip’s assistant, my very capable Whip’s assistant, has some special guests here today. Please join me in welcoming her dad, Jeff Keenliside, and her grandma, Janis Murray. Sunita Dhir: Today I would like to welcome in the House Mr. Bill Basra along with his wife, Mrs. Baldish Basra, from Vancouver. Bill is a long-time community ad - vocate and the past president of Guru Ravidass Sabha in Burnaby.

Accompanying them is Mr. Gopal Lohia, who is my constituent and an active member in the community. Along with these guests is a special group of Pun - jabi singers visiting from Punjab, India, along with their families. Would the House please make them feel welcome. Macklin M cCall: I rise today to introduce two repre - sentatives from the National Police Federation, the cer - tified bargaining agent representing the members of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, who serve communities across British Columbia under our provincial policing model.

Joining us is Chris Voller, a currently serving member of the RCMP and the director for the Pacific/north region of the National Police Federation. In 2021, Mr. Voller was appointed to the Order of Merit of the Police Forces. He has also been recognized by the International Association of Chiefs of Police as part of their 40 Under 40, and he is a recipient of the British Columbia Reconciliation Award. His recognition reflects not only professional excellence but leadership at a time when policing across our prov - ince faces increasing demands and expectations.

Also joining us is Colin Buschman, the western gov - ernment relations adviser for the National Police Federa - tion. Since 2021, Mr. Buschman has worked with govern - ment partners and stakeholders on issues directly affect - ing RCMP members and the sustainability of provincial policing. The RCMP provide front-line policing in the vast ma - jority of communities in British Columbia. Their mem - bers respond to emergencies, support disaster deploy - ments, and uphold public safety in both rural and urban regions of our province.

The Conservative caucus is grateful to have the Na - tional Police Federation here today to discuss matters that affect their members and the strength of provincial poli - cing in British Columbia. I ask all members to join me in welcoming them to the Legislature. Brent Chapman: I am proud to acknowledge a wonder- ful seniors living community in my constituency, Rose - mary Heights Seniors Village. Their CEO, Graham Free - man, and general manager, Christian Bunz, are here with us in the chamber today. Rosemary Heights won the Work- place of the Year award last night at the B.C.

Care Provid - ers Association Care Awards ceremony. The Workplace of the Year award recognizes BCCPA members in the seniors living and care sector who demon - strate exceptional staff engagement, recognition and posi - tive workplace culture. I would ask the House to join me in congratulating the team at Rosemary Heights for building a culture of trust, collaboration and moments that matter for the staff and, of course, the residents. Darlene Rotchford: I’d like to make an introduction. Today I have Neil Parkinson-Dow, national coordinator of events and partnership of Public Service Pride Network.

He’s not just a constituent. He’s also a member of one of three chambers of commerce in my riding. As well, another proud chamber member, Brenda Mac - Farlane, financial consultant with IG Wealth Management. Thank you for joining us in the House today. Everyone make them feel welcome. Brennan Day: I have a couple of introductions today. I’d first like to introduce two guests joining us in the gallery: Mr. Scott Jackson, manager of advocacy; and Ms. Rebecca Frederick, director of community engagement with the Alzheimer Society of B.C.

The Alzheimer Society of B.C. provides vital support, education and advocacy for individuals and families af - fected by dementia across our province. Their work makes a meaningful difference in communities large and small and in the lives of British Columbians across this province. I would also, since I just got notified about 20 min - utes ago, like to introduce the six-pound, three-ounce beautiful baby girl, Amara Mackenzie Okagabwe-Day, who showed up right on time this morning. I could not be more proud of my amazing sister-in-law Aiko and my brother Ian and niece Kyra.

To all my amazing Nigerian in-laws who’ve flown across for this amazing event, big love from everybody here in B.C. [1:40 p.m.]

5036 B ritish Columbia Debates W ednesday, February 25, 2026 Hon. Lisa Beare: I have two introductions today. Joining us in the gallery right now are grades 6 and 7 students from Alouette Elementary, alongside their teacher Shirley Bice and some other guardians today. Would the House please make them feel very welcome. I also want to give a very warm welcome to the junior choir of Reynolds Secondary, who, this afternoon, during the lunch hour, performed an amazing song for us in the Hall of Honour to celebrate Pink Shirt Day. Just a reminder to all of us in the House that it is Pink Shirt Day.

We have kids in the House. Remember kind - ness, compassion and caring is the goal for the day and for always. Misty Van Popta: In the House today, we have four members from the B.C. Care Providers Association. They are doing important work of advocacy and are the lead - ing voice of B.C.’s seniors living, wellness and care sector. Today we have Lara Croll, Marc Kinna, Tiffany Trownson and Langley legend Mary Polak here in the chamber. Will you please make them feel welcome.

Ward St amer: My youngest daughter, Nicole, and hus - band, Connor, welcomed their second child and first son and grandson to the extended family, Kellen John Robert Dolighan, eight pounds, 15 ounces. Please join me in congratulating Nicole, Connor and big sister Sophie. Á’a:líya Wa rbus: Today I’d like to take a moment to recognize my daughter Kesianne Warbus. She received Student of the Month from Kiwanis Club in Chilliwack. She is supported by Ms. Lisa Ego, who was a classmate of mine at Vedder Middle School. She’s thriving where she’s at.

She’s being recognized for her hard work with the rest of the student body. I think it’s so fitting today that we’re talking about young people and kindness and compassion. I just want to say to her: I think that you really exem - plify that. I’m so proud. Introduction and First Reading of Bills BILL M232 — LONG TERM CARE ACCESS AND TRANSPARENCY ACT Brennan Day presented a bill intituled Long Term Care Access and Transparency Act.

Brennan Day: I move that a bill intituled Long Term Care Access and Transparency Act, of which notice has been given in my name on the order paper, be introduced and read a first time now. You cannot fix what you do not measure. This is the premise behind the Long Term Care Access and Trans- parency Act. In British Columbia today, when it comes to long-term care, hospice beds and subsidized home sup - ports, we are not measuring clearly, and we are certainly not reporting transparently. This government has earned a reputation for secrecy.

Families are left guessing how long their loved ones will wait, how many hospice beds are available or how long it takes to access home supports. The information is frag - mented, inconsistent and too often buried. This bill requires simple disclosure of data that should already be collected. It simply shines a light. Monthly re - porting on long-term-care wait-lists, wait times, alterna - tive level of care beds that are being taken up in hospitals, hospice capacity, deaths while waiting for care and access to home support wait-lists. If that data is not already being collected, we have a much bigger problem.

But transparency is only the first step. Currently in British Columbia, there is no meaningful public plan to address long-term-care capacity in this province. In fact, the most recent budget cancelled six long-term-care pro - jects. Capacity is simply not keeping pace with our aging population. This bill forces the government to publish and update annually a clear plan to address long-term-care beds, hos - pice capacity, wait-lists and care at home in full public view. This should be non-partisan.

There is no reason to oppose transparency and a public plan unless the objective is to hide failure and be afraid of simple public accountability. We will no longer accept decisions made in the dark that affect our most vulnerable population. Seniors de - serve honesty, and this bill intends to give it to them. To my colleagues of every political stripe: this bill is deserving of your support. Our parents and grandparents deserve absolutely nothing less. [1:45 p.m.] The Speaker: Members, the question is first reading of the bill. Motion approved.

Brennan Day: I move that the bill be placed on the or - ders of the day for second reading at the next sitting of the House after today. Motion approved. Members’ Statements SUPPORT FOR HUMAN RIGHTS IN IRAN Susie Chant: I will start by acknowledging with grati - tude that I’m speaking on the lands of the lək̓ ʷəŋən People, specifically the Songhees and the xʷsepsəm. When I’m at home in the riding of North Vancouver–

Wednesday, February 25, 2026 B ritish Columbia Debates 5037 Seymour, I’m on the lands of the Sḵwx̱ wú7mesh and səlil- wətaɬ. I speak these names with honour and pride. Today I would like to talk about and commend the extraordinary bravery of the Iranian people as they stand up for their dignity and their fundamental right to peace - ful protest. Their courage in the face of repression has in - spired people around the world, including many here in British Columbia who are deeply worried and troubled about their loved ones in Iran.

In British Columbia and in my community of North Vancouver, we are lucky to have a vibrant Iranian popula - tion, many of whom have shared stories about their fam - ilies and the crushing fear that they feel. I am proud that our Premier and Attorney General, as well as our federal government and governments across the world, condemn the killing of protesters, as well as the violence, arbitrary arrests and intimidation carried out by the Iranian regime against its own citizens. The Iranian government has a responsibility to protect its population, not harm it.

It must allow freedom of ex - pression and peaceful assembly without fear of reprisal. The right to protest is fundamental, and no one should be threatened or punished for exercising it. I stand firmly with the Iranian people, who continue to demonstrate remarkable courage as they call for justice and basic human rights. We mourn those who’ve been killed while peacefully protesting, and we call on the Iran - ian government to allow these demonstrations to continue without violence or intimidation.

PEACHLAND RECOGNITION AS KINDEST COMMUNITY Macklin McCall: I rise today with great pride to recog - nize the community of Peachland for being named Can - ada’s Kindest Community. Out of communities across this country, Peachland was selected for national recognition, backed by Coca-Cola and the Community Foundations of Canada. Along with that honour comes $100,000 contrib - uted to local support initiatives through the Central Oka - nagan Foundation. Anyone who knows Peachland is not surprised by this recognition. Peachland is a small community with a very big heart.

It is the kind of place where neighbours check on neighbours, where volunteers quietly carry the weight of community organizations without seeking recognition. In moments of challenge, including the wildfire seasons that test communities across the Okanagan, Peachland responds not with panic but with care, coordination and neighbourly support, where seniors are supported, food banks are stocked and community groups set up before anyone has to ask. Kindness in Peachland is not a campaign. It is not a one-time act. It is simply how people live.

I have seen it firsthand at the Peachland Wellness Centre, through local service clubs, through volunteers who show up week after week to make sure no one is left behind. What makes Peachland special is not just generosity in moments of difficulty. It is consistency. It is the steady everyday acts of care that build trust, belonging and re - silience. That is why this recognition matters. It reflects who the people of Peachland truly are.

It tells the rest of Canada something we in the Okanagan have long known, that the strength of a community is measured not only in growth or infrastructure but in how its people treat one another. As a local MLA, I could not be more proud to represent this community. To the residents, volunteers, families, small business owners and community leaders of Peachland: this honour belongs to you. You have shown the country that kindness is not weakness. It is strength, it is leadership, and it is the foundation of a community that looks after its own.

PINK SHIRT DAY Amshen / Joan Phillip: Today I’m proud to mark Pink Shirt Day, recognizing students, educators, families and community members throughout B.C. who are standing together against bullying. [1:50 p.m.] Pink Shirt Day was created by the compassionate leader- ship of students in Nova Scotia in response to homophobic bullying and hate. This year Pink Shirt Day comes at a difficult time. Re - cent acts of violence have shaken communities and left many people feeling grief and uncertainty. We must cen - tre the humanity of all people. But we are seeing harm - ful, divisive rhetoric.

Vulnerable communities, including members of the 2SLGBTQIA community and particularly our friends in the trans community…. We must stand against this hate. Young people are watching. They learn how we act. Our schools and our communities must be places where every person feels safe being themselves without fear of bullying. That safety should not depend on who they are, how they identify or what they believe. Pink Shirt Day may have started in classrooms, but bullying exists everywhere. We contribute to the problem or the solution by how we act in this House, in our communities and in our homes.

Today students across the province are choosing kind - ness and solidarity. They are showing impressive leader - ship in their own schools and communities. We cannot allow our differences to lead to dehumanization or to be seen as a threat. We need to build a future for everyone, because our strength is found in unity and love. We can’t let hate divide us.

5038 B ritish Columbia Debates W ednesday, February 25, 2026 BULLYING PREVENTION AND PRACTICE OF V ALUES OF KINDNESS AND INCLUSION Kristina Loewen: When my kids were in elementary school at Rose Valley, they had a special bench on the play- ground. It was a bench you could go to and sit on if you were feeling lonely. It was a signal to the other children that you were looking for someone to play with, someone to connect with. I loved that for my children. I loved that one of my kids would go and watch for others to sit down and then go and befriend them.

I loved it for the kids who felt sad, lonely or left out, because it took away the stigma and the sting. It made it socially acceptable to say: “Hey, I need a buddy. I’m not thriving today.” But it did something else. It gave that child a voice. It gave them an opportunity to advocate for themselves and to ask for a friend. There were no victims. There were no bullies. There was only opportunity on both sides. I think about that today, on a day when we talk about anti-bullying, and I wonder: where would you be on that playground? Where would I be? What if the playground is your caucus or this chamber?

Would you dare to sit on that bench and show your vulnerability? Would you dare to cross the field and extend that friendship? It is not lost on me, and I don’t believe it’s lost on any of you, that what happens in this chamber and the way that we treat each other is reflected in the greater com - munity, in our province, in our families and amongst our neighbours. Every member in this chamber is elected. We are elected to make life better for British Columbians, and they are depending on us to do just that. This is about perspective.

It’s about putting ourselves in the shoes of others, recognizing that we never truly know the struggles someone else may be facing or the personal circumstances they may be carrying. Every day members highlight beautiful stories of our ridings — stories of generosity, innovation and commun - ity. Every day we speak about kindness, inclusion and equality. But at times, we fail. We fail British Columbians when we do not model these same values here in this chamber, in the bathrooms, in the hallways, in the dining rooms and in our caucus rooms, even in how we follow parliamentary procedure.

So let us do better today. That is what British Colum - bians elected us to do, and their lives depend on it. B.C. WINTER GAMES Steve Morissette: I rise today to celebrate the 33rd B.C. Winter Games and the incredible opportunity they bring to our province, especially this year to the host commun - ities of Trail and Rossland, with support from Castlegar and the Beaver Valley.

From today through March 1, the hills, rinks and gyms of the area will showcase 15 sports and welcome as many as 1,700 athletes, coaches and officials from every corner of B.C., supported by the same number of local volunteers. [1:55 p.m.] The B.C. Games are where dreams come alive. They are where young athletes discover what they are capable of and take their first steps toward provincial, national and even international competition. The games are extra - ordinary not just for the competition but for the personal and community growth they inspire.

Young athletes learn resilience, teamwork, leadership and how to rise after set - backs — skills that build both stronger competitors and more confident young people. Outside of the competition, the B.C. Games energize host communities. Volunteers step up, local businesses thrive, and hotels and restaurants welcome visitors from throughout the province. The result is meaningful rural economic impact and strengthened community bonds that showcase the very best of who we are.

That is why our government invests $50 million annu - ally in sport to provide safe and inclusive opportunities for more than 870,000 members of amateur sport organiza - tions in British Columbia. When we host an event like the B.C. Winter Games, we’re investing in healthy, connected communities. I ask all members of this House to join me in celebrat - ing the B.C. Winter Games and cheering on all the athletes, coaches and volunteers. Let the games begin. MEGAN ROKEBY-THOMAS Harman Bhangu: This past Saturday, February 21, I had the honour of attending the memorial service for Megan Rokeby-Thomas.

It is heartbreaking to stand here speaking about her. One of my first major issues I worked on as an MLA was travelling to East Shore during the Kootenay Bay–Bal - four ferry strike. That was when I came to know Megan. Everywhere I went, people spoke about her, how she advo - cated for everyone, how she showed up for her community and how she wanted what was best for people. She carried herself with a quiet strength and genuine care. That wasn’t just something she said; that is who she was.

It felt, though, as the entire town and surrounding communities gathered, that people made the ferry cross - ing to the other side of the lake just to be there. That alone speaks volumes. Voices were lifted in songs. Stories were shared. It was not just a time of mourning but a celebra - tion of life that clearly touched so many. It was an honour to meet Megan’s husband, son Byron and Byron’s young family. The strength they carried through such a difficult day was deeply moving.

Small communities like East Shore thrive because of people like Megan, people who deeply care, who put others first and work tirelessly for their neighbours.

Wednesday, February 25, 2026 B ritish Columbia Debates 5039 Megan will be deeply missed. Our thoughts are with her family, her friends and the entire East Shore community. Oral Questions GOVERNMENT GIFT CARD PROGRAMS AND SPENDING PRIORITIES Peter Milobar: Yesterday we discovered that yet again, this Premier and this government is a government that says one thing and does another. They say we need fiscal restraint. They say they’re cut - ting out all unnecessary spending. They say they’re going to send a message to the public service and the public that they’re going to get things under control.

Then an FOI re - veals that gift cards are getting purchased not just from your local coffee shop but also from predominantly Amer - ican companies like Amazon, Walmart and Starbucks, while the Premier touts a buy-B.C. policy. There is absolutely zero accountability for this govern - ment’s finances. In fact, I think people at home would have preferred to get a $500 grocery gift card from this government, but that was withdrawn shortly after the election as well.

Since 2022, when the member for Van - couver–Point Grey, the Premier, became the Premier, the government has spent, on purchase cards, $6.3 million on Amazon alone. A simple question to the minister: just how much money was actually spent on these gift cards by government? Hon. Brenda Bailey: Thank you to the member oppos - ite for the question. There are two things that are primar - ily the source of why these gift cards are used. [2:00 p.m.] The first one is that gift cards are sometimes used as recognition for folks working in the public service.

There is a guideline that the gift card be no more than $100, and they’re used for recognition, often for long service or for a particular thing that someone in the public service has done. The second way that gift cards are sometimes used…. When there has been, for example, a new website and we have volunteers from the community who are testing that website, the honorarium is sometimes a gift card.

It is true that sometimes these gift cards might be a cof - fee shop that is a Starbucks or a Tim Hortons, owned by an American company, but, of course, in small commun - ities, many people are employed at these spots, so that’s important to recognize. It is true that this government is devoted to making sure we spend our taxpayer dollars wisely, but I do want to say that it is very, very clear to us that our public service works very hard to deliver services for British Columbians. Interjections. The Speaker: Shhh. Hon.

Brenda Bailey: A small recognition of the hard work that they do is not something that I’m embarrassed about. It is something that I’m proud of. These people do great work, and these are small recognitions. The Speaker: Member, supplemental. Peter Milobar: Wow. Tell that to the senior on fixed income that just had their taxes increased in this budget. The question was actually how much was spent, and the minister wouldn’t answer. Instead, she said “guide - lines.” But we know that certain people actually got $200, not the $100 guideline that the minister might want to indicate.

So obviously, there are not tight rules, there is not tight control, and the minister doesn’t even know how much is being spent on gift cards. That was the actual question. So given that and given that there is a complete lack of oversight and understanding and hard-and-fast rules, will the minister commit today to cancelling the gift card giveaway scheme? Hon. Brenda Bailey: Thank you to the member oppos - ite for the question. Of course, these gift cards are used very appropriately to recognize members of the Public Service Agency who have gone above and beyond.

It’s normal to provide a small recognition for people. Most of these gift cards are in the $15 range. Interjections. The Speaker: Member. Members. Hon. Brenda Bailey: The member opposite asked for some numbers. I will share with the member what I under- stand. The FOI FOI’d 15 different ministries and organiza - tions. We’re talking about $15,000 over almost a two-year period. That’s about $1,000 per ministry or $500 per year.

It is true that there were, I think, two that were above the $100 guideline, and I understand that the head of the pub - lic service is going to make that guideline a hard cap going forward. The Speaker: Member, second supplemental. Peter Milobar: So instead of a removal, we’re just going to play with the guidelines. Here’s the thing. Questionable judgment needs to be questioned, and that’s what the opposition is here for. The city of Richmond used to give almost the exact same answers as this minister did when their gift cards

5040 B ritish Columbia Debates W ednesday, February 25, 2026 were discovered. Let’s look at what happened there. Be - tween January 1, 2022, to December 31, 2024, approxi - mately $450,000 of gift cards were actually discovered on a program that was first characterized as small, $15 here and there, for staff inducement. Now here’s the thing. That budget in that three-year period was about $750 mil - lion at the city of Richmond. The minister doesn’t actually know. She hasn’t both - ered to ask, other than FOI documents that have been re - leased to the media.

She didn’t pick up the phone to her own ministries to find out what the actual dollar figure is, knowing this would come up in media and in question period. What we have found with these gift card schemes is that it’s always bigger than first expected. There are always a lot of discrepancies. In the case of Richmond, they can’t find $300,000 worth of those $450,000 worth of gift cards. Why are this minister and this Premier deciding to hide and defend this gift card scheme instead of just bring- ing full transparency to it and removing the program altogether? Hon.

Brenda Bailey: Thank you to the member oppos - ite. I do hear the member taking a very negative story and trying to attach it to a very different circumstance here. Let me point out some really important areas of differ - entiation. Each one of these gift cards is attached to an in - dividual person. The example the member gave opposite was bulk buying of gift cards that was very out of control. This is an extremely different circumstance. We have very clear ability to track every one of these gift cards. Interjections. The Speaker: Shhh. Hon.

Brenda Bailey: We know exactly who they were attached to, what they were for and what the amount of money was. Claire Rattée: This Premier promised a $1,000 grocery rebate. He promised that we would have educational as - sistants in every K-through-3 classroom. This Premier has promised a lot of things that he hasn’t delivered on. [2:05 p.m.] Instead, we’ve learned that this government has spent tens of thousands of taxpayer dollars on gift cards for pub - lic service employees that are already making in excess of $100,000 a year, far more in some cases, all while running a $13 billion deficit.

This comes on the heels of the Min - ister of Finance taking a $44,000 taxpayer-funded trip to Boston last year that included thousands on limos and fine dining. British Columbians are being told to tighten their belts. Why does the same discipline never apply to this govern - ment? Hon. B renda B ailey: These gift cards are primarily in the $15 range and are provided to people as a recognition of their service, mostly coffee gift cards. There are some gift cards that are in the $100 range, the $50 range, that are for recognition of long service. Our Public Service Agency….

We know they choose to work for our government usually because they care very much about delivering service. They could make more money elsewhere. It’s reasonable for us to reward work of people who are serving British Columbians with such diligency. The Speaker: Member, supplemental. Claire R attée: You know who didn’t get a $100 gift card, not even a $15 gift card? The children with autism who had their funding cut in this year’s budget. Or the people that are living on disability assistance that make $18,000 a year work. They are surviving on $18,000 a year.

That’s less than half the cost of that trip I just mentioned. Other people that didn’t get a gift card: seniors strug - gling to keep a roof over their heads or the small busi - nesses that are already operating on razor-thin margins that are now being hit with new PST burdens. A simple question to the Premier. Why did he prioritize gift cards for public servants over kids with autism? Hon. Jodie Wickens: I want to really point out to the members opposite that our redesign for children and youth with support needs was necessary in our province — 475 million new dollars for children and youth with dis - abilities.

This has never been done before in this province. Interjections. The Speaker: Shhh, Members. Hon. Jodie Wickens: We know, and members across the way have gotten emails and had meetings with, fam - ilies for whom the current system was not working. Thou - sands of children who never received support before are now going to receive support for the first time. Interjections. The Speaker: Members. Members. Hon. Jodie Wickens: A one-size-fits-all approach was not working for children and youth in our province. Ex - perts told us that. Families told us that. I want to point something out to the members opposite.

When the Leader of the Opposition worked for the B.C. Liberal government in 2009, my ministry budget was cut

Wednesday, February 25, 2026 B ritish Columbia Debates 5041 by $469 million. That is nearly half a billion dollars that was cut to children and families. We are still making up for that today. My ministry’s budget has increased year over year over year. Interjections. The Speaker: Shhh. Hon. Jodie Wickens: We know exactly what a B.C. Lib- eral, B.C. Conservative, OneBC, B.C. United government would do to children and families. They would cut ser - vices. They’ve done it before, and they would do it again.

PROTECTION OF OLD-GROWTH FORESTS Rob Botterell: In 2023, this government announced $1 billion in federal and provincial funding to conserve nature. Through tools like conservation financing, the government promised to ease the transition of local econ - omies away from old-growth harvesting while respecting the sovereignty of First Nations. We know old-growth forests are worth more standing.

Independent analysis shows if we fully protect old growth in the Okanagan and Prince George areas, over the next 100 years we add $43 billion more than if we cut the old growth down. [2:10 p.m.] But talk and log is alive and well in B.C., and it has nothing to do with Trump. It has nothing to do with trade wars or budget cuts. My question to the Minister of Forests: is this govern - ment going to take any action to protect more old growth, or will we keep cutting until Big Lonely Doug is the only ancient tree in B.C.? Hon. Ravi Parmar: What complete nonsense from the member across the aisle.

On this side of the House, we have worked together with the Green Party. We launched an old growth strategic review that led to recommenda - tions that we’re implementing. I think the member opposite should, in front of this House, make it known very clear. What side is he on? Does he want a strong, robust, sustainable forest sector, or does he want to go with his leader, who is very clearly put - ting out a message that she wants to shut down the forest sector? I was honoured over the course of the year…. Interjections. The Speaker: Shhh, Members. Hon. Ravi Parmar: Keep wasting your time.

Forty-five thousand jobs, 100,000 jobs; B.C. Liberals, B.C. Conservatives. Interjections. The Speaker: Members, wait for your turn. Hon. Ravi Parmar: I was honoured to work with the member across the aisle over the course of the last year through a new review that was conducted in forestry. That review was just released a few weeks ago. And then the B.C. Greens left the CARGA agreement. To the member opposite, I am always prepared to work with all sides to ensure that we can have a strong, robust and sustainable forest sector that includes protecting old growth, protecting our biodiversity.

I am proud to be part of a government that is working to ensure that we can have a strong, robust and sustainable forest sector for the next 100 years, that ensures we’re doing just that. The Speaker: Member, supplemental. Rob Botterell: I didn’t hear anything from the minister across the way about protecting more old growth. You know, maybe this should be “question and no an - swer period.” Yesterday we witnessed the Energy Minis - ter answer a food bank question by saying we just need to wait five or ten years for climate-killing LNG and mining revenues to solve all problems.

I didn’t know the Minister of Energy was an expert in food banks. Today we have the Minister of Forests saying, “Don’t worry; be happy about old growth,” despite the forest panel we worked on together and he set up saying that the data we’re relying on around old growth is bogus. To the Minister of Forests, or maybe the Minister of Energy: will you continue the work of the round table on old growth protection you started and do the work to stop talking and get old growth protected? Hon. Ravi Parmar: It’s quite telling that the Conserva- tives are clapping to the answer to the Green Party.

It’s clear that the Green Party is more keen on focusing its attention on supporting the Conservative Party than sup - porting a progressive, stable government on the other side of the House. Interjections. The Speaker: Shhh. Shhh. Members, the minister will conclude — but quickly. Hon. Ravi Parmar: If the members opposite would stop heckling, I could provide an answer. In British Col - umbia, there are 11.1 million hectares of old forest, and of that, 8.9 million hectares are either protected, deferred or uneconomic to harvest.

5042 B ritish Columbia Debates W ednesday, February 25, 2026 In 2022, after the old-growth strategic review, we de - ferred harvesting of 2.6 million hectares of old forest. We are proud of the record on this side of the House, where not only have we protected those old forests but we are working with First Nations to ensure that we can build a strong, sustainable and robust forest sector for the next 100 years. That’s what we’re proud of on this side of the House. [2:15 p.m.] GOVERNMENT RESPONSE TO VIOLENT THREATS AND EXTORTION CASES Mandeep Dhaliwal: Everyone deserves to feel safe.

It does not matter if you are Hindu, Christian, Jewish, Mus - lim or Sikh. Hardeep Singh Nijjar, president of Guru Nanak Sikh Gurdwara Society, was murdered at a Sikh temple in Sur - rey, on June 18, 2023. Now, again, the police have issued a duty to warn to Moninder Singh, spokesperson of B.C. Gurdwaras Council. They had a threat to Moninder’s life and his family. Now his and every family needs protection. Why is this NDP government failing to protect B.C. families? Hon. Nina Krieger: Thank you to the member oppos - ite for the important question.

The safety and protection of all individuals, all communities in B.C., is our absolute priority. We are committed to ensuring that police have the tools and resources that they have to protect commun - ities. We know that, south of the Fraser, extortion crimes in particular are wreaking havoc on communities in Sur - rey, Delta and Langley. We are continuing to take action, ensuring that police have all the tools that they need to target these criminals and bring them to justice, working with federal partners, as well, to close loopholes, to ensure that our communities are safe.

We’ll continue to do this work, ensuring police have the tools that they need to keep vulnerable people safe. The Speaker: Member, supplemental. Mandeep Dhaliwal: Continue, continue. Nothing is continuing except shooting in Surrey. Let’s talk about numbers. In 2024, 13 cases of extortion. In 2025, 133 cases. That’s a 1,000 percent increase in one year. And 53 cases of extortion only in Surrey in over one month. In my riding, every weekend people are protesting on the road. When will this NDP government provide peace for Surrey residents? Hon.

Nina Krieger: Let me be clear that what is hap - pening in Surrey and other communities where businesses and families are being targeted by threats and violence is completely unacceptable. In B.C., when one person and one community is affected, we all feel it. Combatting ex - tortion crimes that we’re seeing in our province and that we’re, indeed, seeing across Canada is the top priority for our government. In addition to standing up the B.C. extortion task force, which is leading to arrests and removals from Canada, we are partnering wherever possible with the federal govern - ment.

We have been urging the federal government to swiftly adopt Bill C-12 to close the immigration loopholes that are being exploited by criminals who are claiming refugee status after being arrested for extortion-related crimes. We know how frustrating this is for communities. We are continuing to urge the government federally to pass Bill C-12 as quickly as possible. We’ve also been advocating the federal government for supports. These include additional officers, helicopter re - sources.

We’re certainly committed to ensuring that the police of jurisdiction in Surrey and the B.C. extortion task force have all the tools that they need to keep our com - munities safe. RCMP STAFFING LEVELS AND FUNDING FOR POLICE SERVICES Macklin McCall: This government overpromises and underdelivers. In the 2023 budget, the government promised to hire an additional 256 provincially funded RCMP members. Since 2012, B.C.’s population has grown by nearly 30 per - cent. That’s 1.1 million people. Yet the allocation for RCMP officers has remained the same.

Can the minister tell us how many of the 256 promised police have been hired and the communities they have been deployed to? Hon. Nina Krieger: Thank you to the member oppos - ite for the question. Certainly, as British Columbia con - tinues to grow, the expectations and the work of front-line police continue to expand as well. [2:20 p.m.] That is why we made our historic investment of over $230 million to meet the authorized strength of the RCMP to a total of 2,602 members. We have now, of the 256 va - cancies, hired 251 members.

The remaining five vacancies have now been filled, and those officers will be reporting for duty soon. I’m certainly able to provide additional information about the communities where they have been deployed, but I will emphasize that those additional officers have targeted the needs of remote and rural communities. They’ve been used to bolster B.C. Highway Patrol. They’ve been used to enhance specialized enforcement units to target hate, human trafficking and extortion.

Wednesday, February 25, 2026 B ritish Columbia Debates 5043 We’ll continue to ensure that police have the resources that they need to meet the needs of changing commun - ities and to keep communities safe. The Speaker: Member has a supplemental. Macklin McCall: Well, wages may have increased to match inflation, but the simple fact is the ask has always been to increase the amount of officers. I asked how many of the 256 RCMP officers have ac - tually been hired and in which communities. According to the government’s own data, provincial policing num - bers have remained stuck at 2,602 officers since 2012.

These officers are stretched thin and pushed to their limit. Police deserve the resources they were promised. So do communities. What is the actual number of RCMP officers deployed to B.C. communities today? Hon. Nina Krieger: Thank you to the member op - posite for the follow-up question. I’ll reiterate that the au - thorized strength of the B.C. RCMP is 2,602 members. Of those are 256 vacancies; 251 officers are hired and on duty. The additional five officers have now been hired and will soon be reporting for duty.

This historic investment that we have made in sup - porting policing in communities across the province really is so important. We know that the opposition, when they were in power, did not increase police funding for 16 years, leaving deficits that we have committed to filling. Interjections. The Speaker: Members, shhh. Hon. Nina Krieger: In addition to the historic invest - ment in increasing the number of RCMP officers, we’ve invested in police training, increasing the seats of the Jus - tice Institute of B.C. by 50 percent, with more to come.

It’s to continue to do the work that we are clearly committed to doing to ensuring that the B.C. RCMP have the tools, the resources, the officers they need to keep our commun - ities safe. POLICE SERVICES IN SURREY Bryan Tepper: So 2,602 14 years ago, and now it’s still 2,602. There’s no inflation there. There are no more offi - cers. I’m not sure what they’re answering, but it’s certainly not the question there. Also, the Surrey police chief requested a four-month transition delay into Cloverdale while Surrey battles the extortion crisis, citing lack of capacity and resources.

This crisis has required the redeployment of over 40 Surrey po - lice officers to specialized investigative units. The chief said: “The redeployment has significantly impacted our staffing capacity.” This reasonable request to delay the transition was denied by this government. Knowing lives could be at risk, why did the minister deny the request to pause the expansion of the Surrey po - lice service into Cloverdale? Hon. Nina Krieger: Thank you to the member oppos - ite for the question. Public safety in Surrey is our min - istry’s and our government’s top priority throughout the transition.

Now, we know this transition from the RCMP to the SPS is the largest transition in Canadian history, and that is why it is so crucial that all the parties are around the table. That includes the RCMP, the SPS, the province and the city. [2:25 p.m.] The plans to undertake the fourth district, Cloverdale, have been in the works for many, many months. This ex - tensive planning has included all of the parties I just refer - enced. These plans have been submitted to our director of policing services, who’s made the determination that the transition of district 4 can be completed safely.

As we have said from the beginning, our steadfast goal is to ensure that when anyone calls 911, help is there. We have a commitment from the B.C. RCMP to ensure that they will work closely with the SPS to ensure that there are no gaps to front-line services and police response. BUDGET ALLOCATION FOR ACTION ON EXTORTION CRIMES Jody Toor: This Solicitor General has the same talking points as the Premier.

He has said: “I want you to know that this extortion issue is our most important public safety priority.” However, the budget allocates no new funding to com - bat the rampant extortion crisis in Surrey, another ex - ample of this government overpromising and underdeliv - ering. My question to the Premier is: if extortion is truly his top public safety priority, where is the money, or can this be added to the growing pile of the promises he never in - tends to keep? Hon. Nina Krieger: Thank you to the member oppos - ite for the question.

I’ll reiterate that combatting extortion is the province’s number one priority. We know that these crimes of extortion, causing such an impact in our own communities and in communities across the country, de - mand partnership between all levels of government. That’s why B.C. has acted in a very comprehensive way, standing up the B.C. extortion task force, ensuring that we’re working with federal partners to access all of the resources that they can contribute. We’ve contributed over $600,000 to a new forensic firearms lab to expedite

5044 B ritish Columbia Debates W ednesday, February 25, 2026 the processing of guns linked to extortion crimes. We are continuing to take action to combat extortion in collab - oration with all partners. I’ll be happy to speak about other items in the budget related to public safety and how we are targeting and standing up programs that respond to the needs of com - munity and help keep our communities safe. GOVERNMENT PRIORITIES AND ACTION ON EXTORTION CRIMES Harman Bhangu: When affordability has become a crisis for a lot of British Columbians, what do we have from the others across the aisle?

Gift cards being bought for staffers. Did they buy local? No. Whatever happened to “Elbows up”? They say it’s small recognition. Who’s this small rec - ognition intended for? What? Seniors pay more, families seeking care for their children with autism pay more, businesses pay more, just so NDP staffers get gift cards. Minister of Forests talks about jobs, yet a record num - ber of mills have been shut down under his watch. Minister of Solicitor General, we don’t need more town halls. We don’t need more task forces. We don’t need more press releases and photo ops.

What we need is action for the residents of the Fraser Valley. Extortion has hit my rid- ing. It has hit my colleague’s riding. Every day businesses email me. You know what they email me with? Living under fear with their business and name. That is shameful. In this House, we need to rep - resent British Columbians in a better manner when their lives and businesses are at risk. To the minister: when will you take real action and stop with the town halls, press releases and photo ops? Hon. Nina Krieger: That did sound somewhat like a leadership speech, but in response to the question…. Interjections.

The Speaker: Members. Members, shhh. Members, let’s not repeat what we did yesterday. Members, shhh. Hon. Nina Krieger: I’ll reiterate that what is happening in Surrey and Delta, in Langley and communities south of the Fraser is absolutely unacceptable.

Targeting extor - tion is our number one public safety priority, reflected in the actions that we have taken and continue to take to en - sure that police have every available tool to identify, arrest, prosecute extortionists and to remove extortionists from the country if necessary. [2:30 p.m.] We’ve identified loopholes in federal immigration sys - tems that we know will be addressed by Bill C-12 that is now before the Senate.

Our government has written to the Public Safety Minister federally, to the standing Senate committee, urging the swift passage of Bill 12 to ensure that criminals are not exploiting our refugee system. Recently we stood up a community advisory group to set up crucial communications between community mem - bers and law enforcement. I know that community mem - bers, businesses and families are scared.

This matters deeply to our government, and we will keep taking actions until the extortion crisis comes to an end and our com - munities are safe. [End of question period.] Peter Milobar: I seek leave to move my motion: [That pursuant to

section 13 ( 2) of the Auditor General Act, the Legislative Assembly request that the Auditor General undertake an examination of the Government of British Col- umbia’s gift card for public servants program examining any potential conflict of interest relating to program administra- tors providing themselves and their immediate colleagues with gift cards.] Leave not granted. Orders of the Day Hon. Mike Farnworth: Continued debate on the budget. [Lorne Doerkson in the chair.] Budget Debate (continued) Deputy Speaker: Thank you, Members. We’re going to call the chamber back to order.

We’ll ask you to take your conversations into the hallway. We are going to continue debate on our budget. Harman Bhangu: I wanted to talk about this budget in a way regular people talk when cameras aren’t on — early mornings leaning against the truck before a shift starts, coffee getting cold, no speech writers, no applause lines, just a simple question. What’s this going to cost us? Or later in the day at the kitchen table, an envelope open, a bill un - folded, a quiet shake of the head. Not anger, not ideology, just simple math. I’ve spent most of my life in places where money is not theatrical.

It is earned the hard way and spent carefully. When it’s yours, you look at it differently. You think about the next month. You think about next year. You think about what happens if things go sideways. You measure it twice. You think about long term. You question the cost. You avoid the waste. And you do not gamble with it. You make sure it delivers value. This is not what we are seeing in this budget. Govern -

Wednesday, February 25, 2026 B ritish Columbia Debates 5045 ment is playing with everyone else’s tax dollars. In my world, you do not get credit for announcing something. You get judged on whether you finish it — finish it on time, finish it on budget — and take responsibility when you do not. That is the lens I used to take a look at Budget 2026. Does it make life easier for working people? Does it make government bigger while families feel smaller? Families do not debate budget plans. They do not talk about models. They do not talk about slow rollouts. They look at what is left after the bills are paid.

Right now for far too many British Columbians, there is not much left. Costs are not rising all at once. They are going up bit by bit. PST now shows up on power bills, transit, car insur - ance, phone bills and more. Every month another line item creeps up. You do not see it in press releases. You don’t see it in your bank account. It is tax bracket shifts, paused in - dexing, small hikes, fees that never go back down. Gov - ernment does not need a big, new tax. It lets inflation do the work. [2:35 p.m.] Seniors feel this the most.

They paid their taxes, they followed the rules, they did everything society asked of them, and now they’re being squeezed. Speaking of infrastructure and delivery, delivery mat - ters. This government loves to announce projects, but British Columbians are stuck in the middle of delays. Pro - jects stretch longer, costs expand, timelines slide and ac - countability fades. And when a project takes longer and costs more, guess who pays for it. Has anyone got an answer on the other side? Of course not, because they don’t want to admit it’s you, the taxpayer.

It’s the small business owners behind construction bar- riers; commuters stuck in traffic, burning fuel; families paying for cost overruns they did not create. Working people do not get to say they’re still in the planning phase. They have to pay on time. Governments should operate with the same discipline. Now let’s talk a little bit about health care in this budget and where it fails the seniors the most in their twilight years. Nowhere does delivery matter more than in health care. This budget talks about billions more in spending, but if delivery is broken, those numbers mean nothing.

When you cannot access quality care, the system is failing. This is where the contract with society breaks. You pay your taxes, you work hard, you do everything society asks of you, and in your twilight years of your life, when you need the system the most, it fails you. That is what this NDP government has done. They have failed seniors where it matters the most: their health, their dig - nity, their well-being. Seniors built this province. They paid into the health care system. They upheld their end of the deal.

And now they’re left waiting in emergency rooms, waiting for long- term-care placements, waiting for surgeries. That is not simply a funding issue. It’s a delivery issue, and when de - livery fails, government has failed. I want to talk about child care, because not having the family’s support, I wouldn’t be able to stand here today. Child care has been a cornerstone of the NDP promise for ten years. My wife and I have two kids. Our lives run on routines filled with drop-offs, pickups, school bells and reliable care. When child care is available, you can focus at work. When it is not, everything feels strained.

Your

schedule becomes harder to manage. Your income feels less certain. Stress follows you home. Stability matters, but too often, instability has come from shifting government promises. In 2017, the NDP government promised universal $10-a-day child care. In 2020, the NDP shifted towards before- and after-school child care through Bill 8. In 2021, that direction shifted yet again. Federal funding was redirected to expand $10-a-day child care for children aged zero to five instead. In May 2024, the Premier announced a $2 million pilot study for before- and after-school child care.

Then during the 2024 election, the Premier promised $500 million over two years to expand before- and after-school child care provincewide, $500 million. These were not minor com - mitments. They were flagship promises. Then in October 2025, the B.C. NDP recommitted to before- and after-school child care through Bill 19. B.C. Conservatives supported that legislation to ensure it passed with unanimous support. You know why? It’s be - cause B.C. Conservatives care about child care too, and in the budget of 2026, here is the result.

That $500 million promise becomes roughly $25 million over three years for expanding child care on school grounds. And now the $10-a-day plan itself has been cancelled. [2:40 p.m.] Families do not plan their lives around shifting an - nouncements. They plan them around simple but import - ant questions. Will there be a space for our child? Will that space still be there next year? B.C. Conservatives believe in before- and after-school child care as a practical solution for families in need. It can be delivered on school grounds that already exist. It supports working parents immediately.

It aligns with school day and parent work schedules. Families with the greatest need deserve steady sup - port. A space they can count on. A program that does not change every year. A promise that lasts past press releases. Instead, they have seen promises rewritten, funding scaled back and priorities shifted. When deficits become structural and interest costs rise faster than the economy, government has less room to act. The services families rely on begin to feel uncertain. Child care should give families certainty, and this budget gives them pause. I want to talk about something that is near and dear to me.

5046 B ritish Columbia Debates W ednesday, February 25, 2026 Deputy Speaker: Apologies to interrupt you, Member. Hon Chan: I seek leave to do an introduction. Leave granted. Introductions by Members Hon Chan: I would like to take a moment to welcome another group of students from Richmond Secondary School from the riding of Richmond Centre. They are just sitting up in the chamber. We were fortunate enough to have several groups visit yesterday, and it is great to see more students joining us today.

The group in the gallery right now is the second group for today from Richmond Secondary high school, and it is always encouraging to see young people take an interest in how our democracy works. Who knows, they might be the future leaders of our province. Please join me in welcoming the students from Rich - mond Secondary School. Deputy Speaker: Welcome to everybody in the cham - ber today. Langley-Abbotsford, my apologies. Take it away. Debate Continued Harman Bhangu: Yes, those kids could be the future leaders. That’s why we need to take their future seriously.

I’ll get back to what I was going to say there, which is autism and early diagnosis and the outcomes that it can really help with when you have early diagnosis. I know that myself, having family affected — my nephew. When the cuts were brought back under this government, pre - viously in years, they actually packed up their bags and moved to Saskatchewan. This government has also announced major changes to autism funding. Early diagnosis is critical. Early support means earlier speech therapy, earlier behaviour support and better long-term results. I know this personally.

I have a nephew with autism and a brother-in-law with autism, and I’ve seen how important early help is. Under the new funding model, more children may qualify for support, but many families are now facing loss of direct funding that helped them choose the service their child needed. Families raising a child with autism already live in assessments, therapy appointments, school meetings and care routines. They are not asking for con - fusion. They are asking for certainty, consistency, stable funding and clear timelines.

When funding rules change in the middle of the pro - cess, when families are unsure what help will stay and what help will go, stress replaces stability. Delivery mat - ters here because with autism, time matters, and when time is lost, progress can be lost with it. In closing, British Columbians uphold their end of the deal. They work hard, they pay their taxes, they follow the rules, and government must uphold its end too. When you play with your own money, you treat it carefully. British Columbians deserve a government that treats their tax dollars the same way. This budget fails on affordability.

It fails on discipline. It fails on delivery. And on health care, it fails seniors when they need it the most. For those reasons, I cannot support Budget 2026. [2:45 p.m.] Hon. Jessie Sunner: Before I begin my remarks on the budget, I’d like to take a moment to acknowledge the un - thinkable tragedy that has affected the community of Tum- bler Ridge and each and every one of us here and across the province and country as a result.

Our hearts are with the families who are grieving, with the friends and neighbours whose lives have been irrevers - ibly shaken and with the community that is navigating this unimaginable loss. Amid this tragedy, heartbreaking loss, what we have seen in the days since is something profoundly Canadian — neighbours showing up for one another, first respond - ers stepping forward with courage and compassion, lo - cal leaders offering steadiness and community members wrapping their arms around those who need it most. To the people of Tumbler Ridge: you are not alone. This House stands with you.

We will continue to support you in every way we can in the days, weeks, months and years ahead. I am honoured to rise today in support of Budget 2026 in my role as Minister of Post-Secondary Education and Future Skills and as the proud MLA for Surrey-Newton. I’d like to start by acknowledging the lək̓ ʷəŋən Peoples, the Songhees and Esquimalt Nations upon whose lands we are gathered today. Let me start with a simple truth. Budget 2026 is about people. It’s about making life better for British Colum - bians, helping them build good careers, manage the cost of living and feel safe in their communities.

It’s about op - portunity, the kind that doesn’t just open a door but keeps it open for the next person. Because at the heart of this year’s budget is a simple idea: that people deserve oppor - tunity — opportunity to learn, opportunity to train and the opportunity to build a good life. Our government continues to invest in post-secondary education and skills training so British Columbians can gain the skills and expertise that they need for the jobs and careers of today and the opportunities of tomorrow. Budget 2026 provides our ministry with a total budget of $3.58 billion for 2026-2027.

That’s not just a number. It’s

Wednesday, February 25, 2026 B ritish Columbia Debates 5047 tuition covered. It’s apprentices hired. It’s a pathway to the middle class. I have the privilege of seeing the work behind the num - bers — the steadfast commitment to lifting people up, the partnerships with institutions and unions and the conver - sations with students forging their own path. I can tell you that behind every single dollar is a story: a student learn - ing, getting one step closer to graduation; parents retrain - ing for a career change; workers training for new oppor - tunities as our economy evolves and strengthens.

This investment will give people the tools to succeed and give our province the workforce we need to grow our economy and become the economic engine of Canada. Over the next decade, B.C. expects more than one million job openings, and with 40 percent of Canada’s priority projects happening right here in B.C., the stakes are high. This means opportunity is coming fast, and we intend to make sure that people right here in B.C. are first in line. We need a skilled workforce ready to seize those op - portunities, and we are acting on doing just that.

My min - istry and this government remain focused on investing in people, education and training to build economic resili - ence, to support the workforce needed for today and the opportunities of tomorrow. Across the province, 18 priority major projects, includ - ing construction, clean energy, mining, critical minerals, infrastructure and advanced technology are moving for - ward, and we are making sure that British Columbians benefit. So 77 percent of the over one million job openings in B.C. over the next decade will require post-secondary education, trades training or skills upgrading.

That’s why we’re working closely with post-secondary institutions, Indigenous partners, industry, businesses and unions to make sure training matches what the job market actually needs. Programs such as the future skills grant and micro-cre - dentials are designed to support priority sectors in high- opportunity jobs, technical occupations and skills needed for emerging technologies and a clean economy. [2:50 p.m.] I want to tell you about Marat Raimkhan. He used a StrongerBC future skills grant to complete a micro-cre - dential at UVic in 2024.

The essential soft skills training micro-credential he completed helped him secure a job at UVic in B.C. with good pay, benefits and pride in his work. This budget stands for people like him. It stands for po - tential. It stands for paycheques earned through purpose. It stands for a B.C. that grows because its people grow and prosper. That’s why our government launched the Look West strategy, a jobs and economic strategy to make B.C. the powerhouse of Canada, to create good jobs and drive prosperity in every single corner of this province.

Look West builds on the StrongerBC future-ready action plan, which helped over 100,000 people across our province access skills training and supported 145,000 people with more affordable education while guiding 300,000 people towards post-secondary pathways. Those are our prov - ince’s future workers. I visited a trades-training centre in the Lower Main - land and met with a young apprentice from Surrey who told me that he was ready to give up because the wait-lists at institutions were far too long. Then an intake opened. Today he’s building homes, earning a great wage and proud of the work that he’s doing.

He said something I’ll never forget. He told me: “I didn’t just get access to a seat. I got access to a better op - portunity for me and my family.” This is who we work for. In the last budget, the other side of the House voted against the $107 million that our government provides to SkilledTradesBC to grow and support trades training. This is despite their commitment to increasing funding to SkilledTradesBC by $70 million over two years in their 2024 platform.

I’m proud to say that our government will be investing $241 million over three years, with $54 million being in - vested this year to strengthen B.C.’s trades-training system in order to double funding to SkilledTradesBC by 2028- 2029. This is a historic investment, the first of its kind in almost 20 years. This funding will increase per-seat fund - ing for apprentice programs; address wait-lists for critical industrial trades; advance skilled-trades certification, be - ginning with crane operators; and ensure workers can move easily between industries as opportunities evolve.

I urge the other side to not vote against the historic funding to skilled trades in B.C. I urge them to vote in fa - vour of the aspiring tradespeople in Kamloops, in Courte - nay, in Langley, in Prince George, in Surrey and all across British Columbia, who simply want to pursue a meaning - ful career and build the future of our province. This investment is not just about spending. It’s build - ing. It’s building homes, building infrastructure, building clean energy projects, building careers and building com - munities.

I urge the other side of the House to put aside partisan ideology, join us and do what voters sent us here to do — to work together, to solve problems and to make life better for British Columbians. This $241 million investment will ensure that B.C. has the talent needed to deliver our mutual economic prior - ities, from building more housing and major infrastruc - ture projects to advancing innovation in clean energy and emerging technologies.

This investment will allow us to create opportunities and deliver real results for people and businesses across the province through Look West, our government’s jobs and economic growth strategy. Through Budget 2026, our ministry is receiving an additional $283 million over three years to support initia - tives under the Look West strategy, including the historic $241 million investment over three years to double B.C.’s trades-training system funding, as well as an investment

5048 B ritish Columbia Debates W ednesday, February 25, 2026 of $42 million over three years by adding targeted, highly qualified professional training streams to existing short- term training programs in priority sectors. This strategy will help B.C. lead the country in job creation, innovation and economic growth. At its core is something simple — making sure every community from the Pacific to the Rockies has the skilled workers needed to grow the economy and grow people’s paycheques. [2:55 p.m.] Our government will continue to lead in investing in the jobs of the future.

Every year our ministry supports 4,000 more student spaces than we did in 2017, backed by $77.7 million in an - nual funding. We’ve also provided Mitacs with $50 mil - lion to support 10,000 internships over five years for stu - dents in priority sectors, such as clean energy, life sciences, emergency management, advanced timber and agritech. Through this funding, interns have helped grow busi - nesses like Human in Motion Robotics, Spannovation, In - verted AI, 1Qbit and D-Wave. Through our Look West strategy, B.C. is targeting AI and quantum computing as priority sectors for economic growth.

Over the next ten years, our goal is to double the size of these sectors, grow tech employment to 400,000 jobs and increase their GDP contribution by 75 percent. We’re investing in the electricity infrastructure needed for AI data centres, with B.C. Hydro launching a competitive process in 2026 to allocate power specifically for AI. We’re fostering partnerships between universities and busi - nesses to develop real-world AI applications, from drug discovery and cancer screening to geospatial analytics.

The Quantum Algorithms Institute — with members from UVic, SFU and UBC — is helping strengthen our capabilities in quantum computing and cybersecurity. We’re preparing people for careers that haven’t even been invented yet. We know that a stronger B.C. starts by supporting the people who care for us and our loved ones in our times of need. That’s why we’re expanding training programs across our province. We need more doctors, nurses, para - medics, allied health professionals, midwives and health care assistants.

We’re training them in every region across our province, so everyone, no matter where you live, can access the care you need, where and when you need it. Since 2017, over 66,000 graduates have been awarded credentials in health programs. This is an 11 percent in - crease in the number of health program graduates in pri - ority areas. Every year our government provides more than $250 million in targeted funding for health edu - cation programs to public post-secondary institutions throughout B.C. and has provided significant additional investments to respond directly to health workforce needs.

Deputy Speaker: Minister, sorry to interrupt. Hon Chan: I would like to seek leave to do an introduc- tion. Leave granted. Introductions by Members Hon Chan: I would like to welcome the last group of students from Richmond Secondary School from my beautiful riding of Richmond Centre. Over 200 students from Richmond High were in the Legislative Assembly yesterday and today, and this is our last group. These are the people of our next generation. Who knows? One of them might be our future Premier. It was great to take a photo with them and a selfie with one of the students a moment ago.

Please make them feel very welcome here. Go, Colts! Deputy Speaker: Thank you very much, and welcome. Debate Continued Hon. Jessie Sunner: Training more health care work - ers, including doctors, to deliver services for British Col - umbians is one of our government’s top priorities. Since 2017, approximately 25 people have graduated with an M.D. right here in B.C. Now we are proudly build - ing the first new medical school in western Canada in nearly 60 years. It is going to be in my home of Surrey. It is a $496 million investment.

The first class will start this year with 48 seats and will grow to approximately 120 seats. While people in Surrey, south of the Fraser and across the Mainland are excited and proud of this achievement, some people question why this medical school wasn’t built earlier. It’s important that we all remember why. In 2021, the B.C. Liberals knew that B.C. had the worst medical- grad-to-population ratio in any province of our coun - try with a medical school.

In 2008 and 2009, the Fraser Health Authority and Simon Fraser University pushed the then-government to open a medical school in Surrey. [3:00 p.m.] Instead of saying yes to the medical school, the gov - ernment of the day, including members across the aisle, kicked the can down the road and refused to build the medical school. If the government of that time saw the value of investing in people and delivering on building a medical school in Surrey 15 years ago, there is no telling where we might be today. Now, there’s a saying: “The best time to plant a tree was 15 years ago.

The second-best time to plant that tree is right now.” That is why our government is building the SFU School of Medicine right in Surrey. I’m proud of this achievement. All British Columbians

Wednesday, February 25, 2026 B ritish Columbia Debates 5049 should be proud of this achievement. This new medical school at SFU is a partnership between my ministry and the Ministries of Infrastructure and Health. My min - istry and the Ministry of Health are supporting SFU with the operating and program components, while the Min - istry of Infrastructure is supporting SFU on the capital components.

This took a tremendous amount of work between many partners, and by leading with our principles and putting people first, our government was able to move this from an idea to a business case to accreditation to shovels in the ground and future doctors in seats in four years, be - cause we believe that this is the right thing for British Columbians. In this budget, more than $30 million will be allo - cated to fund the operations of SFU’s School of Medicine in Surrey.

I urge the other side of the House to not make the same mistake twice and to join us and vote for Sur - rey; vote for people south of the Fraser; vote for patient care; and vote for British Columbians getting the care they need, when and where they need it. This work and funding from this budget also comple - ments the work currently being done to increase the num - ber of doctors we’re training at UBC medical school at their four locations across Vancouver, Victoria, the Oka - nagan and Prince George.

Our government is also funding more than 730 new nursing seats at colleges and universities throughout B.C., like Camosun College, North Island College and Kwantlen Polytechnic University, adding to the approxi - mately 2,000 existing nursing seats in the province. This includes 345 registered nursing seats, 72 registered psychi - atric nursing seats, 120 nursing practitioner seats and 180 licensed practical nurse seats. Our government also funds 1,000 specialty nursing seats at BCIT every single year.

Since forming government in 2017, our government has more than tripled nurse practitioner seats, along with a 46 percent increase in practical nursing seats and a 24 percent increase in the bachelor of nursing seats. We’re backing future nurses with seats, scholarships and on - going support. To meet the increasing demand for nurses, we have launched new supports and bursaries to make it easier for eligible internationally educated nurses to enter B.C.’s health care system so they can work in B.C. sooner, pro - viding much-needed care to people around the province.

As part of a plan to retain and recruit new nurses into the health care system, government is investing $52.5 mil - lion to provide at least $2,000 in nursing student tuition grants to every nursing student enrolled in a public post- secondary institution between September 2023 and Au - gust 2026. These grants and supports aren’t only money. They are support to help British Columbians pursue their dreams while keeping education affordable.

The province is also creating more opportunities for health care assistants and nurses to advance in their ca - reers through the development and expansion of nurse bridging programs throughout B.C. We are taking action to support other essential roles as well within the health care system, including health care assistants and allied health professionals, who play a vital role in providing and delivering patient care.

We’re work - ing with post-secondary institutions to expand health care assistant training as a part of the health care access program, which trains people to work in home and com - munity care, acute care, long-term care and assisted-living facilities across the province.

As of August 2025, more than 10,531 people have been hired into HCAP’s health care assistant partnership path - way, and 203 participants have been hired into the mental health and substance use pilot. [3:05 p.m.] This program is backed with investments in training of more than $105 million since 2020, in addition to nearly $19 million from the Ministry of Health for tuition and supplies for future health care workers. Our government is also expanding training for allied health care professionals to deliver the health care services that people count on across B.C.

In 2022, we announced 322 new allied health seats in targeted areas, expanding medical laboratory technology, pharmacy technician and social work seats across the province. In 2023, Camosun College opened a new campus ultra - sound clinic that allows students in the diagnostic medical sonography program to gain valuable, hands-on, practical experience while expanding access to valuable health care services in the community. In the summer of 2024, we announced that KPU would begin offering the first degree program in traditional Chi - nese medicine in Canada.

In the fall of the same year, our government announced that more students would have the opportunity to train in the Fraser region for in-demand careers such as physical therapy, occupational therapy and midwifery at the state- of-the-art UBC facility located in Surrey. In addition, the province has invested more than $10 million in bursaries and professional development funding to help train, re - tain and support allied health professionals.

In the summer of 2024, the province also announced more than $30 million to enhance the high-performance computing infrastructure known as supercomputers to help advance research into cancer care at SFU and brain health at UVic. In the spring of 2024, the province announced more than $50 million to support infrastructure for 25 research projects at five public post-secondary institutions. This in - cludes an innovative project at UBC to identify resilient features of our bodies’ metabolism that could be targeted to fight common and debilitating diseases such as obesity, diabetes and obesity-driven cancers.

5050 B ritish Columbia Debates W ednesday, February 25, 2026 All of this work focuses on human health, including de - signing and building artificial internal organs and body parts such as hip joints; designing computer software to operate complex medical equipment, such as 3D X-ray machines; and developing new drug therapies. Serving as the Minister of Post-Secondary Education and Future Skills is one of the greatest honours of my life. But I am equally humbled and privileged to have been elected by the people of Surrey-Newton to be their repre - sentative in this House.

This government understands that Surrey has been treated unfairly by previous governments. Since forming government in 2017, we’ve worked every day to fix that in- justice, from removing unfair and punishing bridge tolls to removing MSP premiums for families. When we talk about investing in people, we’re not talk- ing in abstracts. We’re talking about real, meaningful in - vestments. We’re talking about new schools, new class - rooms, new hospitals — real families and real lives made better across British Columbia, especially in my own com - munity of Surrey. Surrey has seen the impact of these investments.

Just last week, on the Family Day long weekend, the new stal̕əw̓ asəm Bridge fully opened, giving Surrey residents a smoother and safer way across the Fraser River. Best of all, Surrey finally gets a brand-new bridge with no tolls, just better commutes. This year we also opened a brand-new school, École Snokomish Elementary, which opens its doors, filling its hallways with the sounds of kids laughing, learning and building friendships that will shape their lives.

Not far away, in my own community of Newton, construction also began on a major addition to Tamanawis Secondary, giving thousands of students the space they need to learn and grow. We also announced a major expansion at Clay - ton Heights Secondary, with 1,000 new seats to relieve crowding and give every young person a chance and space to learn. This isn’t happening in isolation. Last fall alone more than 700 new student seats opened across Surrey, at Woodland Park Elementary, opening 400 new seats; Wal - nut Road Elementary, adding another 100 seats; and Ther - esa Clarke Elementary, adding 225 seats.

These numbers are more than just numbers. They’re students from across Surrey walking into bright classrooms, teachers welcom - ing new faces and parents breathing a little easier knowing their children will finally get the space that they deserve. [3:10 p.m.] We’re not done yet.

Right now construction crews are working on more than 2,300 new seats across our city — 500 new seats at Kwantlen Park Secondary, 150 new seats at Martha Currie Elementary, 425 new seats at Old Yale Road Elementary, 150 new seats at Latimer Road Elemen - tary, 300 new seats at William Watson Elementary, 350 new seats at George Greenaway Elementary and 450 seats at Guildford Park Secondary. Since 2017, we have built or approved more than 15,000 new student seats across Surrey. This is a meaningful in - vestment. We’re also investing in supports for students in post-secondary in Surrey.

This fall we announced that over 350 new student beds and a dining hall are coming to Kwantlen Polytechnic University Surrey campus, mark - ing the first on-campus public housing project at a public post-secondary institution in Surrey ever. Across these projects, the message is clear. Surrey’s kids matter. Their future matters. Their learning environment matters. But we’re investing in more than just their class - rooms. We’re investing in the health and well-being of the entire community.

Recently Surrey Memorial Hospital opened a new state-of-the-art unit with two cardiac catheterization suites and two interventional radiology suites. These are the first cardiac cath labs south of the Fraser. For the first time ever, families in Surrey will be able to get the life- saving cardiac care that they need right in their commun - ities. This is long overdue, and I’m proud that this is the government, and I am a part of the government, that de - livered this for the people in my own home community.

We also opened the new Cloverdale Urgent and Pri - mary Care Centre, offering year-round, seven-day access to urgent and primary care for people in Cloverdale and around Surrey. We invested in the Guru Nanak Diversity Village, a new long-term-care facility with 125 beds, designed by the community, that will offer comfortable and culturally sensitive care for our seniors.

For young people, we opened the Foundry Surrey Cen - tral, offering counselling, health care, employment sup - ports, all in different languages — in more than a dozen languages ranging from Punjabi, Malayalam, Spanish, Arabic, Cantonese, Tagalog. We’re also supporting young families. Over the sum - mer and fall of 2025, Surrey welcomed dozens of new child care spaces across our communities. These will cre - ate safe, nurturing environments for the youngest learners in our community. Alongside these new spaces at Strawberry Hill Hall, A.J.

McClellan, Ocean Cliff and the Surrey Sport and Leisure Complex, we also opened more child care centres in Sur - rey that have joined the $10-a-day program, including Al-Mustafa Junior Kindergarten, Communication Stars Specialized Childcare and the Fraser Heights recreation centre. These actions our government is taking, these actions being funded through our government’s budget, mean parents paying less, kids learning more and families finally getting a well-deserved break on costs. All of this — every classroom, every hospital suite, every long-term- care bed, every child care space — is part of a bigger story,

Wednesday, February 25, 2026 B ritish Columbia Debates 5051 a story about a government that refuses to stand still, a government building with intention, a government choos - ing to invest not only in infrastructure but in people of all ages. When we say we’re building a stronger British Col - umbia, this is what it looks like on the ground. As minister, I can promise this. Our work is far from finished.

We will continue to stand shoulder to shoulder with our post-secondary institutions, with students, with industry, with communities, with everyone who believes that education is not just a system but a ladder to better opportunities for all, a ladder that can bring people higher than their circumstances, higher than their doubts, higher than the challenges in front of them.

As MLA, I carry that responsibility home with me every single day, because our government is building a future for British Columbia that is strong, steady and full of possibil - ity, a future grounded in care, powered by innovation and strengthened by the perseverance of the people we serve. [3:15 p.m.] Budget 2026 reflects a simple, powerful belief. When we invest in people, we unlock opportunity. When oppor - tunity expands, prosperity follows throughout our prov - ince, not just for the few but for every single person in every community across our province. To my constituents in Surrey-Newton: thank you.

Thank you for your trust. Thank you for your honesty, your resilience and your belief that progress is always possible. Thank you for letting me represent you in this House. It is the honour of my life. To the students, staff, faculty across every post- secondary institution in British Columbia — those who teach, those who learn, those who support our dreams — thank you for walking this road with us. You are building a strong, inclusive future with your hands, your minds and your hearts.

This is our moment — our moment to keep pushing, keep building, keep believing in the extraordinary poten - tial of this province and its people. I really hope the entire House will join us. Jordan Kealy: I want to thank the minister for her kind words about Tumbler Ridge. That’s close to home for my riding. That’s actually very close to home. It’s left me with a heavy heart since it’s happened. I’ve got a lot of friends there. I’ve introduced the mayor, Darryl Krakowka, to this House when he has been advo - cating for help for his community. You never expect that to happen.

I think that the one thing that they would ask…. They appreciate the supports that have been given so far, and they would ask that they continue to happen and that they stay happening in the long term, because, in my region, we have been asking for them for a long time. I thank you for your kind words. Today I rise in opposition to this budget. I do so on be - half of the people of Peace River North, not from a spread- sheet perspective but from a lived perspective, because budgets don’t show up in people’s lives as line items.

They show up as whether you can find a doctor, whether your parent can get a long-term bed, whether your child has mental health supports, whether your roads are safe to drive and whether your community still has jobs. As for Peace River North, this budget delivers more of the same — announcements without outcomes, promises without timelines, spending without accountability. Let’s be frank here. People in the North are not asking for spe - cial treatment. They are asking for fairness. They are ask - ing for basic service that urban British Columbians take for granted.

They are asking to stop being treated like an afterthought. Let’s start with health care. Residents across Fort St. John, Fort Nelson, Taylor and Hudson’s Hope live under the responsibility of Northern Health. I will say plainly that the system is breaking, if not already broken. Emer - gency departments close and run reduced hours. Families drive hours for basic care. Patients are sent out of area for conditions that should be treated locally. Cancer patients drive hundreds of kilometres for treatment. Mental health services are scarce. Specialist care often requires leaving the region entirely.

This budget talks about billions in health spending, but up north people don’t experience funding envelopes. They experience outcomes. In fact, an FOI request obtained by SecondStreet.org found around 80 Northern Health pa - tients who died on wait-lists from 2024 to 2025. Those were 80 people that were just waiting to get a specialist. The outcomes are chronic doctor shortages, burnt-out nurses leaving, reliance on short-term locums, ambulance delays, families living in constant uncertainty.

There is no northern workforce strategy with enforce - able targets in this budget, no rural retention framework, no housing plan for health care workers, no guarantee that new funding actually results in doctors and nurses showing up in our communities. [3:20 p.m.] It’s just big numbers and press releases and broken promises. You cannot treat patients with press releases. Let’s talk about seniors. For years, Peace River North has been promised a long-term-care facility in Fort St. John, scoped to deliver 84 long-term-care beds and a 30-space adult day program.

That project mattered be - cause more than 70 seniors in our region are already wait - ing for care. Some are stuck in hospital beds. Some are waiting in unsafe home situations. Families are stretched thin, trying to fill the gaps. And what does this budget do? It removes the start timelines for that facility. In plain language, the project is being placed on an indefinite hold. Our population is ag - ing, demand is rising, and instead of accelerating capacity, this government has quietly taken the promise off sched - ule. That is not planning; that’s abandonment.

5052 B ritish Columbia Debates W ednesday, February 25, 2026 My father-in-law is sitting in Peace Villa right now, and the only way that he got in there…. He was in the hos - pital, on the second floor, waiting for care. To be placed into that seniors care facility for acute care, he waited 9½ m onths. The only reason he actually got in there is be - cause five people chose MAiD, and he managed to get past the wait-list to get into that facility. Currently, on the second floor, there are over 15 people waiting to get into the existing facility. Outside, on the wait-list, there are over 50 people waiting.

That’s just what’s existing. Where do we place those people if they can’t get into that facility, if they can’t afford to live in their home, if they can’t defer their property taxes? Are we forcing them to live on the streets? They’re going to the food banks. People in my riding — 12 percent of them are using the food banks. We’re at record-high numbers. Where’s the practical solution? This government isn’t looking at it. I need to speak about mental health in Peace River North, especially for our children and youth. Up north, mental health supports are scarce. Families face long wait-lists.

Travel is often required just to access basic care. Crisis services are limited. Preventable supports are al - most non-existent in smaller communities. When some - thing goes wrong in the North, there is often nowhere for the young people to go. Before Tumbler Ridge, we had two youth commit sui - cide in my region, in Fort St. John, and they were within two weeks. One was an 11-year-old girl. The other one was a 13-year-old boy. When I talk about having a heavy heart about Tumbler Ridge, this was a gut punch right before it. It made me realize that for rural schools…. It’s really sad.

When I was a kid, each school normally had a coun - sellor. For the rural schools now, one counsellor is allo - cated for 800 students. There are no supports. When fam - ilies were looking for supports after those suicides, it was almost impossible to actually give them any real, good solutions. Talk about Foundry. This is the main wraparound ser - vice that the province is focusing on. The only thing that Foundry is able to offer right now is online. How do you properly assess somebody online? How do you help a child if you can’t actually see them face to face and know what they’re going through?

We also saw that reality laid bare in Tumbler Ridge. It’s not an isolated incident, but it’s the visible consequence of years of underinvestment in youth mental health. [3:25 p.m.] That community had already been sounding the alarm. Local leaders, families and front-line workers had been warning the government that supports were inadequate, that kids were falling through the cracks, that early inter - vention programs were desperately needed. Instead of strengthening those services, this government moved to shut down one of the few programs servicing vulnerable youth.

You’ve heard me in this House talking about it. It was the Saplings program. The funding for it, when it came to the care in the ER department, got cut. It was going to be cut for their outreach as well. Luckily, I’ve been told that it has been secured to continue for the next contract, for the outreach portion of it. But Dawson Creek and Tumbler Ridge do not have a Saplings program. In Peace River, we don’t even have a child psychiatrist. You think about kids dying and the effects on that, how it would affect everybody else. That whole town is going to have PTSD.

We don’t even have a single child psychia - trist for a region of 88,000 people, somebody that actually knows what they’re doing with medications, if they need to be used. I personally worked alongside community members in Peace River North to explain to this government how critical that program was for children who were strug - gling. We made the case. We pleaded for the continuity of care, because if those services disappear, children don’t magically get better. They spiral. Mental health doesn’t just collapse overnight. It deteriorates slowly, quietly, while communities beg for help.

This budget once again fails to provide a northern mental health delivery plan. There is no actual dedicated youth treatment hub for Peace River North, no regional crisis response team, no guarantee that new mental health funding actually lands in remote communities. Just prov - incewide announcements with no accountability for out - comes in the North. Our children deserve better than that. They deserve early intervention. They deserve local supports. They de - serve stability. And families deserve to know that when their child is in crisis, there is somewhere to turn. Right now, too often, there isn’t.

This brings me back to the budget itself because this is exactly the problem. This government will stand up and point to the provincewide funding totals, but those num - bers don’t tell families in Fort St. John, Fort Nelson, Hud - son’s Hope and Taylor where their child can go tonight if they’re in crisis. They don’t tell parents how long they’ll have to wait for counselling. They don’t tell communities when treatment beds will open. They don’t tell schools when supports will arrive. They just tell us how much money was announced. That is the fundamental failure of this budget.

It meas - ures success in dollars committed, not lives improved. Up north, we don’t need more press releases. We need doc - tors who stay. We need youth mental health programs that aren’t threatened with closure. We need seniors beds that actually get built. We need roads and bridges that are safe to drive. We need schools that can hire and retain staff. Instead, this budget offers generaliz

Document details

Collection	British Columbia — Debates (Hansard)
Citation	20260225pm-Hansard-n125
Type	hansard
Volume / chapter	20260225pm Hansard n125
Language	en
Format	pdf
Source	PROVINCIAL
Identifier	5359b147df85e613d56c58a6e350f901ff227bb6

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