First Session, 43rd Parliament

Official Report

of Debates

( Hansard )

Wednesday, May 28, 2025

Afternoon Sitting

Issue No. 72

The Honourable Raj Chouhan , Speaker

ISSN 1499-2175

The HTML transcript is provided for informational purposes only.

The PDF transcript remains the official digital version.

Contents

Routine Business

Introductions by Members

Members’ Statements

MOSAIC Community Clinic in Burnaby

Janet Routledge

Secondary School Graduates of 2024

Ward Stamer

Resilience and Support for Community Capacity

Mable Elmore

Candlelight Cuisine and Patti Halford

Trevor Halford

Bryn’s Neighbourhood Table Community Meal

Sunita Dhir

Immigrant Experience in Canada

Harman Bhangu

Oral Questions

Management of Supportive Housing and Deaths at Facilities

Claire Rattée

Hon. Ravi Kahlon

Environmental Assessment of Prince Rupert Gas Transmission Pipeline Project

Rob Botterell

Hon. Adrian Dix

LNG Industry Impacts and Health Care Cost Recovery

Rob Botterell

Hon. Adrian Dix

Access to Health Care Specialists

Anna Kindy

Hon. Josie Osborne

Pediatric Services at Kelowna General Hospital

Kristina Loewen

Hon. Josie Osborne

Macklin McCall

Physician Staffing and Emergency Services at Hospitals

Brennan Day

Hon. Josie Osborne

Emergency Health Care Services in Rural B.C.

Tony Luck

Hon. Josie Osborne

Government Action on Issues in Health Care System

Á’a:líya Warbus

Hon. Josie Osborne

Petitions

Peter Milobar

Reports from Committees

Finance and Government Services Committee , report, statutory officers supplementary funding requests for 2025-26, May 2025

Paul Choi

Elenore Sturko

Petitions

Jeremy Valeriote

Tabling Documents

Gaming policy and enforcement branch, annual report, 2023-24

Orders of the Day

Third Reading of Bills

Bill 5 — Budget Measures Implementation Act, 2025

Committee of Supply

Estimates: Ministry of Attorney General (continued)

Teresa Wat

Hon. Niki Sharma

Estimates: Office of the Premier

Hon. David Eby

John Rustad

Sharon Hartwell

Third Reading of Bills

Bill 7 — Economic Stabilization (Tariff Response) Act

Petitions

Steve Kooner

Committee of Supply

Estimates: Office of the Premier (continued)

Hon. David Eby

Sharon Hartwell

John Rustad

Reporting of Bills

Bill 14 — Renewable Energy Projects (Streamlined Permitting) Act

Third Reading of Bills

Bill 14 — Renewable Energy Projects (Streamlined Permitting) Act

Committee of Supply

Estimates: Office of the Premier (continued)

John Rustad

Hon. David Eby

Reporting of Bills

Bill 15 — Infrastructure Projects Act

Third Reading of Bills

Bill 15 — Infrastructure Projects Act

Committee of Supply

Estimates: Office of the Premier (continued)

Jeremy Valeriote

Hon. David Eby

Personal Statements

Withdrawal of Comments Made in the House

Gavin Dew

Speaker’s Statement

Guidance to Members on Chair’s Rulings and Respectful Behaviour

Proceedings in the Douglas Fir Room

Committee of the Whole

Bill 15 — Infrastructure Projects Act (continued)

Kiel Giddens

Brennan Day

Hon. Bowinn Ma

Rob Botterell

Gavin Dew

Misty Van Popta

Proceedings in the Birch Room

Committee of the Whole

Bill 14 — Renewable Energy Projects (Streamlined Permitting) Act (continued)

Jordan Kealy

Hon. Adrian Dix

Ian Paton

Donegal Wilson

Scott McInnis

Heather Maahs

Larry Neufeld

Jeremy Valeriote

Trevor Halford

Wednesday, May 28, 2025

The House met at 1:34 p.m.

[The Speaker in the chair.]

Routine Business

Prayers and reflections: Hon. Kelly Greene.

[1:35 p.m.]

Introductions by Members

Claire Rattée : I’m very fortunate; I have a few people in the audience today that I’d like to recognize.

Today we have Steven and Amar again, from Together We Can recovery society. I’m really

grateful I got to have a great meeting with them yesterday again, and they’ll be meeting

with the rest of our caucus as well today. Really happy to have them here.

I’m also very fortunate to have Chief Glenn Bennett from the Kitselas First Nation,

in my riding, here. Chief Bennett is an amazing leader for his community, and I consider

him to be a very good friend. He’s also accompanied by Linda Morven, Darrin McCormack

and Rick Brouwer, as representatives for the Kitselas First Nation.

I would just ask that the House make them all feel very welcome.

Hon. Adrian Dix : Visiting us in the galleries today is Ronin London, who’s 19. He plays box lacrosse

with the junior Victoria Shamrocks. How about that. He’s got a scholarship to study

business and play division 1 field lacrosse in the United States, which is quite an

achievement for him. He’s also, of course, very bright.

And the best

part is that he’s got a great mom, Kathy London, who sort of heads up

my office.

Harman Bhangu : I rise today to introduce two distinguished visitors from the Greater Victoria Harbour

Authority who are joining us in the chamber today.

Robert Lewis-Manning is the chief executive officer. Mr. Lewis-Manning brings a lifetime

of leadership experience in global marine transportation with the Royal Canadian Navy,

the Canadian Shipowners Association and the Chamber of Shipping. He has been instrumental

in prioritizing partnerships with First Nations. He negotiated the first marine conservation

agreement in Canada to protect endangered whales, carrying the support of three federal

government departments.

Also, Colleen Turner is vice-president for strategic partnerships and innovation.

Ms. Turner oversees teams focused on cruise ship tourism, Indigenous partnerships,

sustainability and stakeholder engagement. She joins the harbour authority after serving

as vice-president of Alberta Health Services and vice-president of the University

of Calgary, where she distinguished herself in challenging leadership roles.

I ask my colleagues to join me in extending a warm welcome to our guests from the

harbour authority, who make such a vital contribution to the prosperity of Victoria

and the entire southern Island.

Hon. Ravi Kahlon : There are a lot of folks that work behind the scenes to support us in the work that

we do in our ministries. There are three exceptional people that are visiting the

House today.

I want to welcome Matthew Borghese, Mahee Azreen and Andrew Hughes. They are from

the communications side of our ministry.

I want to thank them for all the work that they do and hope they get to enjoy the

question period today. I look forward to chatting with them right after.

Can the House please make them feel really welcome.

Scott McInnis : I’ve had the pleasure and privilege to meet many husbands, wives, spouses and partners

not only from our caucus here but also from the members in government. My general

theme from those meetings is that we’ve all done pretty darn well for ourselves, and

I’m certainly no exception.

My wife, Diana, is here from Kimberley today. I just really love her to death. She’s

made so many personal sacrifices so I could be here to represent the great people

of Columbia River–Revelstoke.

Would the House please make her feel welcome.

Rob Botterell : I rise today to acknowledge and thank our Green-terns, Connor Buzza and Kayla Bennett,

and all legislative interns. Connor and Kayla have been a core part of the Green team

almost the entire time that I’ve been an MLA, and it’s hard to imagine the caucus

team without them.

[1:40 p.m.]

We have, in keeping with the grand traditions of the Third Party, put both to work

throughout their time with our team. They’ve led development of our estimates questions,

written questions for question period, written speeches and communication material.

Both the member for West Vancouver–Sea to Sky and I were fortunate to have them attend

events and meetings in our constituencies with us.

I have no doubt that Connor and Kayla will make a huge contribution to British Columbia

over the course of their careers, and we very much hope that they stay in touch as

they go on.

I hope this House will join me in thanking Connor and Kayla and all the legislative

interns for all of their efforts.

Mable Elmore : I’m very pleased to introduce Dr. Gerald Baier, associate professor of political

science at the University of British Columbia, in the gallery today. Dr. Baier’s teaching

and research interests include Canadian politics, with a focus on the constitution,

federalism and public law.

Dr. Baier currently serves as the academic director of the B.C. legislative internship

program, supporting the legislative interns during this time in the Parliament Buildings.

Can the House please join me in making him feel very welcome.

Kristina Loewen : I have the privilege of introducing a couple of people today. I want to recognize

three outstanding disability advocates who’ve dedicated themselves to the fight for

dignity, equity and justice for persons with disabilities across Canada.

Jeff Leggat is the founder of Disability Action of Canada, an advocacy group he launched

in 2019 with a clear and urgent mission to eliminate legislated poverty for medically

assessed and designated persons with disabilities. Jeff’s tireless work calls for

monthly disability income support that is fair, equitable and tied directly to Canada’s

official poverty line, no exceptions.

Joining him in this essential fight are Brent Frain and Sonjia Grandahl, two respected

advocates based in Victoria. For years, Brent and Sonjia have campaigned for proper

financial support for persons with disabilities and have made their voices heard across

the political spectrum. Brent also hosts a powerful podcast bringing together politicians,

advocates and community leaders to spotlight the issues facing the disabled community

not only here in B.C. but across the country. I’m looking forward to meeting them

this afternoon.

I have one more.

My good friend Danielle Johnston is also here, and I had the privilege of being there

when she brought her child into the world a few years ago now.

Susie Chant : Today I have the honour of introducing a guest in the members’ gallery. His name

is Jorge Yanier Castellanos Orta. He is the consul general of Cuba, based in Toronto,

so it’s great that he is here to visit us today. The consul general is here on his

first official visit to British Columbia, and I’ll be meeting with him this afternoon.

I understand he’ll have the opportunity to meet with you as well, Mr. Speaker.

Would this House please make him feel most welcome.

Misty Van Popta : Today on the front steps, we had a gift, a gift of music. At a time like we’re experiencing

here in the House, where things are a bit stressful as we close out this session,

a little music to cheer us up and feed our souls was welcome.

A bonus for me is that this band was from a school in my riding, Walnut Grove Secondary.

Will the House please make them feel appreciated for providing us with that gift.

Gavin Dew : I just wanted to join the member opposite in welcoming Dr. Gerry Baier to the House.

I was honoured to take part, now years ago, in the Institute for Future Legislators

at UBC, which was just an absolutely terrific program, currently on hiatus. I certainly

hope to see that come back. That was certainly a formative experience that Dr. Baier

was a very important part of.

I do just want to use that as an excuse to look up at all the interns in the gallery

and let you know that you will be back.

I just ask this House to join me in a thunderous round of applause to let these young

folks know that some of you will come back as staff and some of you will come back

and sit in these chairs.

[1:45 p.m.]

Sunita Dhir : I rise today to welcome my best friend, Rajni Goyal, to the House. She is visiting

with her husband, Barinder Goyal. For those planning their summer vacations, they

operate a very successful travel agency in Vancouver. They’re joined today by family

members visiting from India: Ashwani Kumar Mittal, Asha Mittal and Ashisha Mittal.

Would the House please join me in extending a very warm welcome to all of our guests.

Á’a :líya Warbus : I rise today to introduce to the House — for the first time in person, at least —

my husband, Kalvin Warbus, and my daughter, Starling, who are always supporting me

in spirit and love and understanding for how busy the

schedule of an MLA can be in

being away from home. I’m so happy to have them here.

It was my pleasure in 2014 to drag my husband across the U.S.-Canadian border to marry

me so that we could live together.

Just one last thing. I wanted to outline that the earrings I’m wearing today were

made by the Vancouver-Strathcona MLA — proof that Indigenous fashion is a truly bipartisan

issue.

Trevor Halford : We are joined today by somebody who is very important in my world, to make sure that

she is keeping me on task and, more importantly when I’m over here, that the people

of Surrey–White Rock are getting very properly served. Melissa McCaskill from my office

is joining us here today.

If the House can please welcome Melissa.

Paul Choi : I’m very excited to welcome to this chamber our local business leaders, who are led

by hon. Chair, Mr. Speaker, and co-chair John McCarthy, Victor Shu, Cindy Lee, Lucas

Lee, Chloe Chang, Kush Karia, Sarah Seto, Sheer Pang, Colin Zu, Anna Liu, Michelle

Lau, Eric Lee, Armana Gabande, Xinlin Zhiang.I know I missed some; I apologize. They

are our backbone of our economy.

Please, if the whole House would make them feel welcome today.

Hon Chan : I had the opportunity to meet with the team from Enterprise Mobility alongside our

leader, John Rustad, today.

I’m pleased to welcome Troy Klemo, Kristin Ali, Carolyn Anderberg and Zach Authier

to the chamber.

Enterprise Mobility’s portfolio includes Enterprise Rent-a-Car, Alamo and National

Car Rental, operating over 80 locations across B.C. It was a pleasure connecting with

them, hearing their insights and industry concerns.

Please join me in giving them a warm welcome to the House.

Tony Luck : It’s with great pleasure that I introduce my CA today from Fraser-Nicola. As many

of us know, we cannot do without staff in our ridings. They’re the ones that get us

out of a lot of quagmires and everything.

Today I’d like to give a warm welcome to Corally Delwo, my CA from Fraser-Nicola.

Rosalyn Bird : To follow up comments from my colleague, I would like to acknowledge and thank five

amazing blue-terns: Alex Bailey, Priscilla Ng, Marina Haden, Deb Berman and Tony Miyoshi,

who have assisted the Conservative caucus during this session through the B.C. legislative

internship program.

Your dedication and passion have not gone unnoticed. Your hard work in communication,

research and projects have been of great assistance. My colleagues and I are both

appreciative and grateful for your contributions.

Together we forge new paths and ideas.

We thank you for being part of our very valuable team. We wish you well in all your

future endeavours, and we are confident that you have very bright futures ahead of

you.

Lawrence Mok : This afternoon in the gallery, we have Christopher Logie, my hard-working CA, and

Daegan Baldwin, my hard-working communications and outreach director. This is their

first time visiting the Legislature.

Will the House please join me in giving them a very warm welcome.

[1:50 p.m.]

Gavin Dew : I rise today, a few days early, to celebrate the seventh birthday of my daughter,

Abigail Ariella Dew. She is a singer, a dancer, a reader, a leader. I’m very proud

of her, and I love her very much.

What I’d like to do right now is open a portal and send a giant heart blast.

Bryan Tepper : I’d like to congratulate two members of Surrey Water Polo, Jackson Culbreath and

Airi Cowie. They were at the Pan Am Games in Colombia, Jackson on the men’s U17 water

polo team and Airi on the women’s U17 team, both for Canada. Their teams won gold

and silver respectively, an amazing accomplishment.

A round of applause, please.

Rohini Arora : I just want to take a moment to welcome Anika Dhaliwal, who is my CA. She’s visiting

here, off from school just for the summer, so I get her for four months.

It is such an honour to have a young Sikh Punjabi woman doing the work in politics

in a space that matters so much to me, being able to see her fulfil her dreams. Likely

she’ll be sitting in one of these chairs pretty soon herself.

If everyone would join me in giving her a warm welcome, please, today.

Also, I just want to give a shout-out to Chris Camoso, a legislative intern who came

into Burnaby East in the last week. It was so amazing to have them at the constituency,

out and about, visiting and connecting with folks.

I can just imagine the amazing work that is ahead of you. Thank you so much for coming,

and I look forward to continuing to work with you in god knows what kind of way.

Please, everyone, give them a warm welcome.

Members’ Statements

MOSAIC Community Clinic in Burnaby

Janet Routledge : The MOSAIC Community Clinic opened earlier this year in the Edmonds neighbourhood

of Burnaby. It is a milestone in collective, community-based primary care.

It provides longitudinal, team-based primary health care tailored to serve five priority

populations: newcomers to Canada; First Nations, Métis and Inuit individuals; new

parents and their babies; people with complex mental health needs; and people experiencing

homelessness or housing instability.

This culturally safe, trauma-informed clinic is operated by MOSAIC, a leading non-profit

organization known for its work with newcomers and populations for whom social, environmental

and economic factors negatively impact their health and well-being.

The clinic is the team-based care model in action, delivering low-barrier access through

collaboration between doctors, nurse practitioners, social workers, lactation consultants,

administrative teams and community service partners. The clinic matches patients with

primary care providers through B.C.’s health connect registry and through self-referrals.

Front-line community agencies play a vital role in connecting Burnaby’s most vulnerable

residents with the health care they need. The MOSAIC Community Clinic was born out

of the uniquely collaborative nature of the Burnaby primary care network, where the

Burnaby Division of Family Practice, Fraser Health, the Burnaby Interagency Council

and the Ministry of Health come together to ensure that no one in our community is

left behind when it comes to accessing timely, compassionate and appropriate care.

Funded from the Ministry of Health’s PCN program, the MOSAIC Community Clinic is transformative.

Secondary School Graduates of 2024

Ward Stamer : Everyone in this House has high schools in their ridings, and our grads of 2025 are

beginning to have their grad ceremonies.

Here’s a sample of one of those congratulatory remarks.

[1:55 p.m.]

We’re here to celebrate the achievements, growth and potential of our grade 12 graduating

class of 2025. Today marks an incredible milestone in your lives. You’ve spent the

past 13 years in classrooms, on fields, in labs, libraries and Zoom calls. You’ve

grown through challenges and triumphs, surrounded by your peers, your teachers and

your families. Now standing on the edge of a new beginning, we’re celebrating not

only what you’ve accomplished but what you’ve become.

You’re no longer the same people who first walked through the doors of your elementary

school clutching oversized backpacks and wondering if anyone else was just as nervous

as you. You’ve grown into young adults, capable, curious, resilient and ready. High

school was not just about homework, tests and report cards. It was about discovering

your passions, building relationships, finding your voice. And it was about becoming

someone who can contribute to something greater than themselves.

The world you stepped into is not the same one that existed when you started high

school. In these years, you witnessed a global pandemic, climate-related disasters

and an evolving digital world. Your experience: uncertainty, disruption and challenge.

But through it all, you adapted. You found new ways to learn, connect and lead, and

you kept going.

Graduating in B.C. is something to be proud of. This province is more than a backdrop

to your education. It’s a teacher in its own right. The mountains that rise behind

your schools remind us to aim high. The coastal waters and ancient forests teach us

the value of balance, patience and stewardship. From the vibrant urban centres of

Vancouver and Victoria to the rural communities of the North and the Kootenays, this

land has shaped your experience in unique and powerful ways.

B.C. is a place of diversity, innovation and care. We are home to incredible artists,

scientists, entrepreneurs and visionaries. Whether you’re heading to university, college,

the trades, work, travel or some much-needed rest, you are stepping into adulthood

as citizens of one of the most dynamic and promising regions of the world.

Be safe during your grad ceremonies. We truly wish you success and a great future

in whichever path you so choose.

Congratulations, grads of 2025.

Resilience and Support for

Community Capacity

Mable Elmore : The tragic event of April 26, 2025, has brought home the irrefutable need to develop

institutional capacity in the community to support recovery and healing in the years

ahead, which we will be grappling with.

It’s said that communities are the bedrock of society, yet too often they lack the

structures to respond to crises, deliver on long-term goals and carry out systemic

changes. Time and again Filipinos are extolled for their resilience. However, external

investment in terms of policy, resources and infrastructure should follow as well

to foster capacity in the community.

Resilience and institutional capacity in South Vancouver go hand in hand to enable

communities to emerge stronger. Building capacity is thus a shared journey and a partnership.

It’s a continuous collaboration and a long-term commitment.

Partnerships that have emerged out of this between the Filipino community and the

United Way, through the Kapwa Strong fund, the Canadian Red Cross, the Catholic archdiocese,

the Vancouver Foundation and, in South Vancouver, our Sunset on Fraser Business Improvement

Association, South Vancouver Neighbourhood House and our communities are really what

is helping us on the path ahead and the road to recovery.

When communities are empowered, they drive solutions that are culturally sensitive

to the needs and aspirations of their constituents. Let us therefore unleash the transformative

power of enhancing capacity in the community.

When communities build capacity, they are laying the foundations of a better future

for all of us.

Candlelight Cuisine

and Patti Halford

Trevor Halford : Earlier this month Candlelight Cuisine closed its doors. Candlelight Cuisine was

a staple in Ocean Park. It was a staple in White Rock.

It was staffed by some important people: Lory, Daria, Katherine, Jaylene and its owner,

Patti. The owner, Patti, holds a special place in my heart because that is my mom.

After almost 40 years, she decided it was time to hang it up.

Why this place was so important to me…. I learned very early on. I learned, actually,

when I was door-knocking. I would knock on a door, and they’d say: “Oh, you’re Patti’s

son.” I was pretty proud of that, but I was also pretty proud of the fact that for

the last almost 40 years, I watched my mom work six days a week.

[2:00 p.m.]

That’s how she put food on our table — by putting food on other people’s tables. It

wasn’t always easy, but the staff that I just mentioned there…. They didn’t work there

for years; they worked there for decades. It was because of how she treated her staff.

It was the same way she treated her customers. She treated them like family.

It was a family business. When you go there…. You can’t go there now. We had cheese

squares. That was my grandma’s recipe. The cookies were a recipe from my aunt. So

it was a true family business, but it was done through hard work.

To my mom, I want to say thank you. Thank you for the meals. I wish I could get more

of them. But thank you for showing me and others just how important it is when hard

work pays off.

I hope that everybody there enjoys their retirement, and hopefully I’ll lose some

pounds because of that.

I really want to say thank you to all of them, especially my mom, and congratulations.

Bryn’s Neighbourhood Table

Community Meal

Sunita Dhir : I rise today to recognize a deeply meaningful initiative in my constituency of Vancouver-Langara,

Bryn’s Neighbourhood Table, hosted by St. Augustine’s Anglican Church in Marpole.

Formerly known as the St. Augustine’s Marpole Community Meal, this weekly gathering

was recently renamed to honour Bryn Catherall, a cherished member of the parish whose

kindness, resilience and generous spirit left a lasting impact.

Bryn found a sense of purpose and belonging at the table, and his presence uplifted

those around him. In turn, the community drew strength and inspiration from him. Today

his legacy lives on through every meal served, every friendship formed and every act

of service extended.

Every Thursday evening St. Augustine’s opens its doors at 5:30 p.m. to welcome anyone

in need of a hot meal and a warm, inclusive space. A free three-course dinner is served

at 6 p.m. — no cost, no barriers, no judgments. All are welcome.

It’s not just a meal. It’s a place of connection, dignity and care. I have had the

privilege of joining the table on several occasions, and each time I’ve been moved

by the hospitality, the laughter and the powerful sense of community.

St. Augustine’s also hosts the Marpole Community Food Hub on Thursday mornings, in

collaboration with local organizations and the Greater Vancouver Food Bank, providing

free groceries to those in need.

To Bryn’s family, to all the volunteers and all involved: thank you.

Bryn’s Neighbourhood Table is compassion in action and a true gift to Vancouver-Langara.

Immigrant Experience in Canada

Harman Bhangu : I stand here today not just as an MLA but as a proud Canadian because of the sacrifices

my parents made, especially my dad, who is no longer with us.

When my dad came here, he never complained. He worked at mills, he drove trucks, sometimes

both — one job in the day, one job in the night. He did whatever it took to provide

for his family and his kids. He believed in the Canadian dream that if you work hard,

keep your head down and never give up, you can make something of yourself.

Because of that belief, I am standing here today. I don’t have a fancy degree or elite

background. What I do have is a relentless motor and a work ethic passed down from

a man who kept pushing forward.

Some people say Canada is a racist country. I don’t believe that. Has it been perfect?

No. But we’ve come a long way. We’ve progressed not through force or pressure but

through natural progression, through the quiet power of people showing up, working

hard and earning respect.

Just look at me. I’m a brown man. I’m Sikh, married to a white woman, and I’m standing

in this Legislature representing thousands of British Columbians. That doesn’t happen

in a racist country. That happens in a country that gives people a fair shot that

are willing to work for it.

That is the Canada my father believed in. That is the Canada I was raised in. And

that is the Canada I will always stand up for.

[2:05 p.m.]

Hon. Christine Boyle : I seek leave to make an introduction.

Leave granted.

The Speaker : Please proceed.

Introductions by Members

Hon. Christine Boyle : Joining us in the gallery today, all the way from the beautiful riding of Vancouver–Little

Mountain, are grade 5 students from Vancouver Talmud Torah.

Vancouver Talmud Torah is a Jewish day school which welcomes a broad spectrum of families

and students, from across Vancouver and beyond, to participate in an inclusive education

and connection to Jewish values and traditions. Talmud Torah provides a safe and inclusive

environment for Jewish families and students to learn and grow with their culture

and religion and to embrace the teachings of the Hebrew language in a warm and nurturing

setting.

I was honoured to get a tour of a brand-new Jewish day school here in greater Victoria

with my friend and colleague the MLA for Victoria–Swan Lake. I appreciate having had

that tour, and I’m overjoyed to be welcoming these students and another classroom

from Talmud Torah later today.

I ask that everyone be on their best behaviour and join me in welcoming them.

Oral Questions

Management of Supportive Housing

and Deaths at Facilities

Claire Rattée : Government services are failing people, and as a result, people are dying. Diane

Chandler died in one of this government’s showcase supportive housing sites, and her

body was left in her room for 11 days before anyone noticed.

Her son Tyler is here in the gallery today. He told me he doesn’t want another empty

condolence or carefully worded excuse; he wants accountability. The minister loves

a victory lap, I know, but today is not the time. Her son was devastated by the answer

he gave last time because it did not offer closure.

If this government has nothing to hide, will the Premier explain how Diane Chandler

died in provincial care and why her son didn’t find out what happened until a month

later?

Hon. Ravi Kahlon : We did have a discussion about this topic, and my heart goes out to Tyler and to

his family. As I said then and I’ll say again now, it’s unacceptable for this to happen.

What I can share with the member, which I have shared with the member, is that when

this incident happened, B.C. Housing reached out to the provider to find out what

the issue was. There was a clear error made by the folks that work for that not-for-profit.

They thought that they had seen the woman in question coming in, and clearly, they

had not.

The policies have completely changed because of that incident in all supportive housing

sites. Now every single supportive housing site is required to have a wellness check

done on every individual in the room every 24 hours. They’re required to monitor people

as they come in and out and verify who they are. That’s not just at that site, but

it’s at sites throughout the province.

Again, my heart goes out to this family, but this tragic incident has changed the

way supportive housing sites operate. And now on top of that, every not-for-profit

is required to inform B.C. Housing within 24 hours of an incident, and they have to

have a plan to immediately notify family members. That didn’t happen in this family’s

case, and I’m very sorry for the family, but it has made significant, systemic changes

in all of our housing across the province since.

The Speaker : Member for Skeena, supplemental.

Claire Rattée : With all due respect, I’m not buying it, because in 2017, Shawn Richards died in

a supportive housing unit, and it took three days to find his body. Back then his

mother was told that changes would be made and that no family would ever go through

this again. It was said then that it was going to switch to 24-hour wellness checks.

Those wellness checks still do not address the root issue. What’s the difference if

somebody is lying dead in their room for 24 hours or 11 days? That person died.

Seven years after this event, Diane Chandler died in similar conditions — encouraged

drug use, no permanent staff. She had a clearly and visibly deteriorating struggle

with addiction.

[2:10 p.m.]

No one knew that she died because the staff allegedly mistook another resident for

her during the wellness checks. That other resident tragically died a few days later.

People deserve housing where they are supported, not just warehoused, and certainly

not left to die alone in buildings where drugs are used, sold and encouraged.

If the government claims to care, why is the pattern not just continuing but getting

worse? How many deaths will it take before this government changes its approach to

supportive housing and stops encouraging open drug use in government-run facilities?

Hon. Ravi Kahlon : The member, in her question, stated a whole bunch of facts that I had shared with

the member previously, which I appreciate the acknowledgement on.

We made changes after this tragic death to the RTB to allow for all not-for-profits

in the province to do wellness checks, which some argue that they didn’t have the

powers to do before. So it is a systemic change.

The member also knows, because in estimates we discussed it, that there are a lot

of communities where we have supportive housing that has sobriety, where folks have

gone through rehab and have the opportunity to be in supportive housing where there’s

no drug use.

Then we also have housing that ensures that we meet people where they’re at. If a

person has gone through treatment and needs that housing, we are rapidly growing that

housing stock at the same time. The member knows that. Housing exists in different

forms in different communities to meet people where they’re at. That’s what we’re

trying to do with all of our housing.

The member can say: “It’s housing that we’ve deployed.” This has been a similar policy

that was in place when the Leader of the Opposition was in government as well.

Supportive housing was opened up all throughout British Columbia in communities addressing

encampments. It’s very similar. The difference is we’re scaling up opportunities for

folks to get into housing when they’ve come through rehab as well.

Environmental Assessment of

Prince Rupert Gas Transmission

Pipeline Project

Rob Botterell : The massive U.S. investment firm Blackstone Inc. is the lead investor in the PRGT

pipeline project. Blackstone is also a major investor in Canada’s rental housing market,

which is bad news for people who pay rent in B.C. Blackstone’s involvement in the

rental market contributes significantly to rent increases and the loss of affordable

units.

Blackstone buying pipelines in Canada is bad news for the cost of energy. It also

means that benefits from these projects flow to MAGA billionaires, not local communities.

My question is to the Premier. When will the Premier stop catering to Donald Trump’s

top donors on Wall Street and send his MAGA pipeline back for a modern environmental

assessment?

Hon. Adrian Dix : The member knows that the process is with the excellent staff of the environmental

assessment office right now. They’re making a decision, a technical decision, around

the substantial start of the process. He knows that.

I would say this. Here in British Columbia, in the last year, we put out a call for

power that saw, approved by the government, at a size equivalent to Site C, ten renewable

energy projects. We are taking action to ensure that those projects are built.

Those ten projects are 51 percent owned, on average, by First Nations in this province,

which indicates our determination to ensure that the wealth created in B.C. stays

in B.C. equally. As we’ve dealt with other energy issues, we have done exactly the

same thing. Whether it has been on reviews of royalties and other questions, we are

here to ensure that the people of B.C. get maximum return on the extraordinary resources

of our province.

We are building the province, and when we do that, we’re doing it in partnerships

with community and, in particular, with First Nations.

The Speaker : Member, supplemental.

LNG Industry Impacts and

Health Care Cost Recovery

Rob Botterell : As the impacts of LNG are felt across the province, we are face to face with the

already tangible devastation this will put on our health care system. The Canadian

Association of Physicians for the Environment continues to warn about the intensification

that LNG will increasingly put on our health care crisis.

As more LNG terminals begin operations, the collapse of our health care system is

seemingly imminent. Physicians in northeastern B.C. have been closing their practices

due to the growing health implications of LNG, with no additional support from government

to address this issue.

[2:15 p.m.]

My question is to the Minister of Energy and Climate Solutions. As the government

seems determined to continue on this LNG path, how does the ministry plan to recover

the necessary health care costs resulting from increased LNG facilities?

Hon. Adrian Dix : Well, I assume that the member misspoke. He understands that the first shipments

of LNG have not left B.C. yet, so the health impacts to which he speaks that have

occurred up to now clearly haven’t occurred.

Our approach to LNG is what we’ve said in this House a number of times: to focus on

issues of climate change, yes, and on issues of First Nations involvement.

The member asked the first question about involvement. The Cedar project is majority

owned by the Haisla First Nation. Perhaps he will be supportive of it. I don’t know.

Returns to communities, returns to the province, jobs created.

We have the lowest-emission LNG in the world, and the actions we’re taking in the

upstream, together with the oil and gas industry, to reduce methane emissions are

good for public health, are good for the province and are good for everyone.

We are leading Canada in addressing this question because we are working, yes, with

First Nations, yes, with environmentalists, yes, with the oil and gas industry to

ensure better results for everyone in our province.

Access to Health Care Specialists

Anna Kindy : B.C. health care services are failing. This government, after eight years in power,

is in constant crisis management in every aspect of health care delivery. Just one

example of this failure is British Columbians stuck on wait-lists to see specialists

in cardiology, in neurology, in psychiatry, just to name a few.

One pediatrician told me that her wait-list has increased to two years. A patient

in North Saanich — it took eight weeks to get a lung biopsy and six months later hasn’t

seen an oncologist yet.

People in B.C. are suffering, getting sicker and dying, waiting to see specialists.

This government’s reassurances and platitudes are meaningless when people are continually

falling through the cracks.

How long do the wait times have to be before this government takes this issue seriously?

Hon. Josie Osborne : Thank you to the member for the question.

It is incredibly frustrating, I know, for patients to wait to be able to see a specialist.

To see them or a loved one in their family feel stuck on a wait-list is a really hard

thing to do.

Now, we are generally meeting our wait-list times and targets for urgent cases, but

we know there’s a lot more work to do when it comes to improving wait times for non-urgent

cases and for chronic conditions. We have a growing aging population here, with more

complex health care problems, and that means we need to continue to redouble these

efforts.

That’s why we are doing all the work that is underway to attract and retain more specialists,

more physicians — a recruitment campaign into the United States. We’re going to continue

to hire cancer physicians, for example, which includes 140 cancer physicians over

the last couple of years alone, as part of our cancer action plan.

We know there is an incredible amount of work still to do. We are working to streamline

wait-lists with health authorities, building more hospitals, adding more operating

room capacity.

We are not going to stop, because we know that British Columbians deserve to get the

care in a timely and equitable way. That’s exactly what we’re going to stay focused

on.

Pediatric Services at

Kelowna General Hospital

Kristina Loewen : With all due respect, it’s not just frustrating; it’s life and death.

Doctors in Kelowna found out through the media that pediatric services were being

shut down at Kelowna General Hospital for at least six weeks. There was no official

communication from the ministry or Interior Health. This means no pediatric care in

one of B.C.’s busiest hospitals. Parents, already in a terrifying situation, are now

left in the dark.

How can the Health Minister claim that the system is stable when basic communication

is breaking down and care for children disappears overnight?

[2:20 p.m.]

Hon. Josie Osborne : Thank you to the member for the question.

It is clearly a very stressful situation for families in Kelowna and the surrounding

region to know that the pediatric unit inside Kelowna General Hospital is going to

be unavailable for about six weeks. It’s a very difficult decision that Interior Health

has undertaken.

I want to reassure people, because the member is not correct in her characterization

that there are no pediatric services available at this hospital. Indeed, there are.

I want everyone to know that critical care services for children and for babies remain

open at Kelowna General. In fact, people should continue to take their children there

in the case of an emergency.

Ten pediatric beds are temporarily closed to ensure the safety of children in the

most dire sets of circumstances. I have spoken to Interior Health. I know that this

decision wasn’t taken lightly. They do have a shortage of pediatricians inside the

hospital right now.

The good news is there are two pediatricians that have signed contracts. One starts

in July. There are three associate physicians in a pediatrician program that are coming.

They are also going to, in July and August…. Interior Health continues to do everything

they can.

In fact, this weekend, a pediatrician from the U.S. is visiting Kelowna to see the

community, make a site visit and hopefully make the decision to move here.

Interjections.

The Speaker : Shhh. Members.

Hon. Josie Osborne : We know we’re facing a global health care worker shortage, including pediatricians,

and that’s why we’re going to continue to do everything we can to ensure that this

service is available in Kelowna.

The Speaker : Member, supplemental.

Kristina Loewen : I just hope our kids stay healthy until July.

Interjections.

The Speaker : Member, careful with your words.

Interjections.

The Speaker : Shhh. Members.

Hold it. Calm down.

Kristina Loewen : Physicians are raising the alarm. There is no coverage plan, no extra support and

no additional resources. Nurses are overwhelmed, and ER doctors are being forced to

cover pediatric emergencies without training. One doctor said: “I guess I’m a pediatrician

now.”

Will the Premier finally take responsibility for this collapse and direct the Minister

of Health to meet with front-line doctors immediately?

Hon. Josie Osborne : Once again, I must correct the record. Any parent with a child in need of emergency

care can and should continue to go to Kelowna General Hospital, where their child

will be assessed and will be cared for.

Let’s acknowledge the incredibly hard work that pediatricians are undertaking in Kelowna

and acknowledge that it is a very tough situation for them — the burnout that they

are experiencing, the moral distress that they are facing. That is why a difficult

decision is taken…

Interjections.

The Speaker : Members.

Hon. Josie Osborne : …to ensure that the acute emergency services that need to be there for children remain

there.

Interjections.

The Speaker : Shhh. Members. Members.

Hon. Josie Osborne : I’ve just outlined the pediatricians that are coming to Kelowna. The work that Interior

Health will continue to do….

The Speaker : Members. Members.

Minister, please conclude.

Hon. Josie Osborne : What pediatricians and health care workers in Kelowna and families and community

members need right now is our support and our assertion that we are all doing everything

that we can to make sure people have the right information about the care that is

available at the hospital, that families continue to take their children there.

They know that we are doing everything we can to address this and that we’ll continue

to support the hospital, to support Interior Health and to support families in Kelowna.

Macklin McCall : A Kelowna doctor and parent posted a video exposing what Interior Health won’t admit.

This isn’t a doctor shortage; it’s a full-blown pediatric care crisis. This unsafe

staffing model forces one pediatrician to cover the ward, psychiatric care, emergency,

the NICU and high-risk deliveries all at once.

[2:25 p.m.]

For years, they’ve been raising alarms, but as that doctor said: “Their voices have

been silenced.”

How does this Premier expect one doctor to be in five places at once?

Hon. Josie Osborne : It is an incredibly challenging situation to be a pediatrician at Kelowna General

Hospital right now, where a full staff complement would be 12, and there are six working.

They are working as hard as they possibly can, and I know that.

That’s why, in order to ensure safety for children and for patients, a difficult decision

was made to remove, temporarily, the services in hospital for pediatric services but

to keep the emergency services open, to keep the NICU open, to keep the critical care

services that are needed for children.

I’ll say it again. Families in Kelowna need to continue to take their children to

Kelowna General Hospital.

I’ll say it again. Interior Health is working hard to undertake the hiring that they

need to do. They are seeing successes with new pediatricians signing contracts.

Interjections.

The Speaker : Members. Members.

Members, the minister has the floor. Let her conclude it.

Hon. Josie Osborne : They’re looking at compensation, locums, remuneration models, everything that they

can do to bring in people to fill these positions, even if on a temporary basis, to

ensure that these services are here for people.

It’s a global shortage of health care workers. We have had….

Interjections.

The Speaker : Shhh. Members. Members.

Hon. Josie Osborne : I heard the member across the way say: “Closing down hospitals.” I just attended

the opening of a brand-new hospital in the Leader of the Opposition’s riding.

Interjections.

The Speaker : Members. Members.

Members will come to order now.

Interjection.

The Speaker : Member, you are wasting your time. We are now deducting this time out of your question

period today.

Interjections.

The Speaker : Members, come to order.

Minister will please conclude.

Hon. Josie Osborne : Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The situation at Kelowna General Hospital is a very difficult one, and we are going

to continue to do everything we can to fill those positions, to put physicians in

place and to ensure that the services are there for the families of Kelowna.

Physician Staffing and

Emergency Services at Hospitals

Brennan Day : It’s not just pediatrics in Kelowna. West Coast General Hospital in Port Alberni

has had week-long ICU diversions going on for the better part of a year. This has

caused dramatic hospital shortages in this minister’s own riding for weeks at a time.

Losing hospital doctors to general practice under the longitudinal payment model has

severely impacted the staffing of GPs working in hospital settings.

Why is this government trying to fix health care access by destroying B.C.’s emergency

departments?

Hon. Josie Osborne : Wow, I just don’t know where to start. I cannot believe….

Interjection.

The Speaker : Okay, Member. Member for Abbotsford South, you have made your point. Everybody heard

it. Don’t worry.

Hon. Josie Osborne : You know, this entire session, I have been standing up and talking about all the

actions our government is taking to strengthen our public health care system: opening

a new medical school in Surrey, adding more seats at UBC’s medical school, making

it easier for physicians to move to British Columbia and be credentialled to practise

here, a longitudinal family physician payment plan that fairly compensates family

doctors for the work that they do.

I know the opposition doesn’t like hearing about the track record, but we’ve got to

go there.

Interjections.

[2:30 p.m.]

The Speaker : Members.

Hon. Josie Osborne : Let’s just….

The Speaker : Hold it, Minister.

Member for Kamloops Centre, please let her conclude it.

I know it’s only two days of the session left. Let’s do it.

Hon. Josie Osborne : Over the last two years, we’ve added 1,000 family doctors. We have the highest number

of family physicians per capita of any major province in Canada.

Who remembers GP for Me? When the opposition leader sat on this side of the House,

he made a promise to British Columbians that they would have a general practitioner

by 2015.

Interjections.

The Speaker : Members.

Minister, it’s okay. Thank you.

Hon. Josie Osborne : All right. I’ll finish on the next question.

The Speaker : No, no. Thank you.

Member, you have a supplemental.

Brennan Day : I’d like to remind the minister that net new doctors were 440 in estimates just weeks

ago, so let’s make sure that we’re talking about correct numbers. Also, I’d like to

say that unintended consequences are still consequences.

We know the minister is working on it. But this government’s actions have resulted

in hospitals pulling ER doctors off the floor to cover other short-staffed positions

in the rest of the hospital. This is causing even more acute hospital ER closures

and diversions, whether intentional or not.

Why is this minister’s solution to our chronic health care worker shortage to treat

it like a Jenga puzzle that’s on the verge of collapse?

Hon. Josie Osborne : The member is speaking about emergency room closures, which are obviously very challenging

situations for any community to face. The good news is that the big picture shows

us that we are moving in the right direction. In the first quarter of this year, emergency

room diversions are down a quarter. That’s 25 percent compared to the year before.

But we know that we continue to see pressures in specific communities, and I acknowledge

that. That’s communities like Lillooet, communities like Burns Lake, communities like

Mackenzie. That’s why health authorities work so hard to bring in locums, to take

the steps that they need to attract physicians into these communities, to make sure

that the number of doctors is there to keep these emergency rooms, these vital services,

there for communities.

I know they don’t like the phrase “global health care worker shortage,” but it’s true.

Every single province in Canada is experiencing this issue.

British Columbia continues to lead the way in terms of attracting physicians, bringing

in new physicians from other jurisdictions. We continue to lead the way in adding

family doctors into practices here in British Columbia. We continue to lead the way

in building new medical school seats, hiring more nurses, doubling the seats of nurse

practitioner training spaces.

These are the actions we have to continue to take. This entire session we have talked

about all of the actions that this government is taking, and we have heard no new

ideas from that side.

Emergency Health Care

Services in Rural B.C.

Tony Luck : We’ve raised the alarm on rural ER closures many times, but this government still

hasn’t fixed the crisis.

The Lillooet ER just shut down for the 31st time this year and for the entire weekend,

as well, when we need it the most. Residents are being told to drive two hours to

Kamloops or call 911 and hope for the best. In what emergency do you have two hours

to waste waiting for help?

When will this Premier stop abandoning rural British Columbians who are hours away

from help?

Hon. Josie Osborne : Thank you to the member for the question, and thank you also to the member for a

really constructive conversation in my office this morning. I really appreciated it,

because that’s how we can work together.

[2:35 p.m.]

My promise to rural British Columbians is that I will never abandon them. I will continue

to fight hard, do everything that I can to support all of the work that communities

are taking, that health authorities are taking, that unions are taking, that our government

is taking to bring in more health care workers to rural communities, because people

living in British Columbia’s rural communities deserve the same access to health care

that anyone anywhere in British Columbia does.

I can assure this member that I will continue to do everything that I can in supporting

Lillooet. We will continue to focus on Lillooet as one of those places that has had

particular challenges. The good news is that one new physician was hired in April

and three more are coming this summer.

It is going to take all of us pulling together to show physicians who want to move

here that rural B.C. is a fantastic place to live. I need their help, and I hope I

get it.

Government Action on

Issues in Health Care System

Á’a :líya Warbus : Unfortunately, with all the canvassing of the crippling health care system in British

Columbia, we’ve heard a lot from this minister and from this government about what’s

about to happen — about numbers that are spun in their favour; about numbers that,

frankly, don’t add up to what we’re seeing as the reality in hospitals all across

British Columbia.

We have said time and time and time again — personal stories, ER closures. Pediatric

wards are shuttered. I have a child, I have kids, and I know if I were forced to drive

four to six hours to the next ER, those would be four to six of the most terrifying

hours of my entire life. No one should have to go through that. When people are in

crisis, every minute feels like an hour.

The Speaker : Question, Member.

Á’a :líya Warbus : I’m getting there, Mr. Speaker, but I just need a minute.

Every time you say that something’s improved by 25 percent, well, you didn’t have

that far to go when it was in such a dire position to begin with. So it doesn’t feel

that good to us on this side of the House and what we’re hearing from our constituents

and people that are suffering.

So my question. With rural ERs closed, hospital hallways that are overflowing, seniors

that are left to languish for years without care, the pain, abandonment and preventable

deaths that were seen across British Columbia, will the Premier admit that this isn’t

isolated — that this is, in fact, a collapse — and explain how this government let

it get this bad?

Hon. Josie Osborne : The member asks about what has happened, and I’m going to say that there are 1,000

new family doctors since 2023.

Interjections.

The Speaker : Shhh. Members, please.

Hon. Josie Osborne : There are almost 700 people every single day being attached to a family doctor.

Here is what has happened in the last six months: two new hospitals in Terrace and

Fort St. James; three new urgent and primary care clinics in Langley, Nanaimo and

Williams Lake; a new tower at the Lions Gate Hospital; a new allied health centre

in Victoria; a new mental health and substance use centre in Victoria; two new treatment

centres and recovery centres at View Royal and Prince George.

Interjections.

The Speaker : Shhh. Members.

Hon. Josie Osborne : When the Leader of the Opposition sat on this side of the House, he said no to a

new hospital.

Interjections.

The Speaker : Members. Members.

Hon. Josie Osborne : He said no to a new medical school.

This side of the House knows what needs to be done. We are doing it, and we will not

stop.

[End of question period.]

Point of Order

Anna Kindy : I rise on a point of order.

Yesterday during question period, the Minister of Forests misrepresented remarks that

I made. He incorrectly said that I, and I quote, “referred to her own nations as being

greedy for buying tenure and supporting our forest service.”

I request that the minister withdraw his remark.

The Speaker : The minister has a response.

Hon. Ravi Parmar : I had a great conversation with a great British Columbian, Dallas Smith, who was

there, part of that conversation. I encourage the local MLA for North Island to give

her local Chief a call.

Interjection.

The Speaker : Member, no debate.

[2:40 p.m.]

Member, the point of order was raised, and the minister responded. That conversation

took place outside of the House, so the Chair is not going to intervene in that.

We’ll leave it there.

Petitions

Peter Milobar : I rise to present a petition on behalf of residents of Kamloops and rural residents

looking for cancer care in Kamloops, in support of. Also letters from the bands of

the Coldwater, Simpcw and Whispering Pines, as well as the mayors and councils of

100 Mile, Ashcroft, Barriere, Cache Creek, Clearwater, Clinton, Kamloops, Merritt,

Sun Peaks, Williams Lake, the Columbia Shuswap regional district and the Thompson-Nicola

regional district.

All are asking the government to reconsider and reconstruct the Kamloops cancer centre

into one building as every other B.C. Cancer Agency centre is built across this province.

That is also in conjunction with the poll that was done with 95 percent of the residents

in Kamloops wanting the same thing to happen.

Point of Order

(continued)

Lynne Block : I rise to respond to a point of order raised by the member for Burnaby North the

other day after question period. I want to provide some clarity and context to my

question about a constituent from the member’s riding not receiving a response regarding

emails about school budget cuts in Burnaby.

I understand that a general public meeting was held by the member for Burnaby North,

I believe on May 10, in her riding, which this constituent, along with others, attended.

The session was billed as a coffee and update on the happenings in the Legislature.

The meeting evolved into a more focused discussion about budget cuts.

After this general public meeting, the constituent in question followed up several

times and did not get a response. I’m happy to report, though, that after question

period the other day, the member’s office did respond with detailed answers to the

constituent’s questions.

I hope this clears up any confusion, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker : Thank you, Member, for your response. It seems very clear to me that it is a disagreement

between the two members of what was said and what happened. It’s not a procedural

issue the Chair can intervene in.

Hon. Christine Boyle : I seek leave to make an introduction.

Leave granted.

The Speaker : Proceed.

Introductions by Members

Hon. Christine Boyle : Joining us in the gallery today, all the way from Vancouver–Little Mountain, is a

second classroom visiting us from Vancouver Talmud Torah, grade 5.

As I mentioned to the House when the first class was visiting, Vancouver Talmud Torah

is an exceptional Jewish day school which welcomes a broad spectrum of families and

students, from across greater Vancouver, to participate in an inclusive education

and connection to Jewish values and traditions.

I am so delighted to get to represent Vancouver–Little Mountain and delighted to have

you all in the House. Will the House join me in making these students and their staff

feel welcome.

Rob Botterell : Hon. Speaker, I seek leave to move the following motion: that

section 11 of the time

allocation order adopted by the House on May 6, 2025, in respect of Bill 15, intituled

Infrastructure Projects Act, be discharged.

Leave not granted.

The Speaker : Sorry, it won’t proceed.

Reports from Committees

Finance and Government

Services Committee

Paul Choi : I’m pleased to present the first report of the Select Standing Committee on Finance

and Government Services for the first session of the 43rd parliament titled Review of Statutory Offices’ Supplementary Funding Requests for 2025-26 .

I move that the report be taken as read and received.

Motion approved.

[2:45 p.m.]

Paul Choi : I ask leave of the House to move a motion to adopt the report.

Leave granted.

The Speaker : Please continue.

Paul Choi : In moving adoption of the report, I would like to take some time to provide some

brief comment as Chair.

The Select Standing Committee on Finance and Government Services is responsible for

exercising general oversight of the province’s nine statutory officers, which includes

reviewing and recommending their office budgets. This report summarizes the committee’s

discussion with the statutory officers with respect to their supplementary funding

request for the 2025-2026 fiscal year and contains the committee’s recommendations

regarding these requests.

The supplementary funding recommended in this report is in addition to the proposed

budget contained in the estimates that were presented on March 4. Those budgets reflect

the recommendations made by the previous Finance Committee in fall of 2023.

When considering the supplementary funding requests, committee members were mindful

of the current fiscal climate and the need to thoroughly scrutinize the spending of

public funds. Using this lens, the committee limited its recommendations to funding

required to support critical functions of each statutory office to ensure that British

Columbians can access essential, efficient, effective and timely services. The committee

appreciates the statutory officers that acknowledged the need to minimize spending

and took a more prudent approach when making their funding requests.

On behalf of the committee, and with all members of the Legislative Assembly, I extend

our appreciation to all statutory officers and their staff for the important work

that they undertake in support of Members of the Legislative Assembly and British

Columbians. I would also like to acknowledge and extend our appreciation to staff

in the Parliamentary Committees Office for their support during this process.

Lastly, I would like to take this opportunity to thank all committee members, especially

the Deputy Chair, the member for Surrey-Cloverdale, for their thoroughness and dedication

to the work of this committee.

Elenore Sturko : I also would like to extend my appreciation to all members of the committee, including

our Chair, the member for Burnaby South–Metrotown.

The consideration of the supplementary funding request from statutory officers outlined

in this report was the first substantive item of business for the committee, and I’d

like to thank all committee members for their collaboration during this process and

the careful consideration of these requests.

Given the province’s current financial position, the committee appreciates the efforts

by statutory officers to streamline costs or find efficiencies, particularly those

that requested minimal or no additional funding for the fiscal year. The committee

encourages all statutory officers to continue to pursue further efficiencies and savings

wherever possible.

Echoing the Chair, the committee recognizes the significant work that statutory officers

perform for British Columbians, and we look forward to engaging with all statutory

officers again in the fall to consider their budget request for the 2026-27 fiscal

year.

Jeremy Valeriote : Mr. Speaker, I rise to present a petition on behalf of 2,000 British Columbians.

The Speaker : Member, can you hold your petition yet? Let’s finish with this motion.

The question is that the report be adopted.

Motion approved.

Petitions

Jeremy Valeriote : I rise to present a petition on behalf of 2,000 British Columbians to withdraw Bill

15 intituled Infrastructure Projects Act.

Tabling Documents

Hon. Garry Begg : I have the honour to present the gaming policy and enforcement branch annual report

for the period of April 12 to March 31, 2024.

Jessie Sunner : I seek leave to make an introduction.

Leave granted.

The Speaker : Proceed.

Introductions by Members

Jessie Sunner : I believe they’re still in the gallery right now. We have been joined by a lovely

group of seniors from PICS Society, which is located in my riding of Surrey-Newton.

They have made the journey over. I know their ferry was a little late, so they didn’t

make it for the beginning of question period.

I just wanted to welcome them, as well as their organizing team and executive who

are here today, and we will be meeting with them later.

Thank you, and welcome to this House.

Please join me in making them feel very welcome.

[2:50 p.m.]

Steve Kooner : I ask leave to make an introduction.

Leave granted.

The Speaker : Proceed.

Steve Kooner : The Richmond Jewish Day School was here earlier today, and I just want to extend

a warm welcome. They’re located on No. 5 Road in Richmond, in my constituency.

If the House can welcome them.

Orders of the Day

Hon. Mike Farnworth : I call third reading on Bill 5.

Third Reading of Bills

Bill 5 — Budget Measures

Implementation Act, 2025

Hon. Brenda Bailey : I move third reading of Bill 5.

Motion approved.

The Speaker : Bill 5, Budget Measures Implementation Act, 2025, has been read a third time and

has passed.

Hon. Mike Farnworth : In this chamber, I call the estimates for the Attorney General.

In the Douglas Fir Room,

Section A, I call continued committee stage of Bill 15.

In

Section C, the Birch Room, I call continued committee stage of Bill 14.

The House in Committee,

Section B.

The committee met at 2:55 p.m.

[Lorne Doerkson in the chair.]

Committee of Supply

Estimates: Ministry of

Attorney General

(continued)

The Chair : We’ll call this committee to order.

On Vote 14: ministry operations, $750,254,000 (continued) .

Teresa Wat : The provincial committee on anti-racism has been formed under the Anti-Racism Act

to produce an action plan to address the harms of systemic racism specific to Indigenous

People, Islamophobia and antisemitism.

This committee is chaired by the president of the B.C. Civil Liberties Association,

an organization that has spoken out against the adoption of IHRA’s, International

Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s, definition of antisemitism. He supported the BDS

— Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions — movement and criticized the listing of Samidoun

as a terror entity under the Canadian Criminal Code.

Does the Attorney General have confidence that this committee will produce an action

plan that will, in part, address the harms of antisemitism as laid out in

section

4(

b) of this act?

Hon. Niki Sharma : Yes. The short answer is that I’m very confident in the committee and the committee’s

ability to represent the community.

I’ll just note that we have a wide range of backgrounds and diversity on that committee,

including members from the Jewish community, the South Asian community, a whole range

of members. They were screened in a merit-based process for different skill sets.

The one in particular that the member notes has done a lot of really important work,

including co-founding the Islamophobia Legal Assistance Hotline, and has served on

the previous version of this, the MARB board, so brings a lot of experience to the

role.

Teresa Wat : Thank you for the Attorney General’s response.

[3:00 p.m.]

But this is the chair. I wonder. Is the Attorney General aware of the past comments

made by the chair of this committee, where he defended Hassan Diab, a terrorist who

was found guilty in France for the 1980 bombing of a Paris synagogue that killed four

people?

Hon. Niki Sharma : I’m happy to talk about this, but I think it strays pretty far from the estimates

process and the question of budgeting.

Each member of that anti-racism PCAR committee had a merit-based process for the selection,

and I already mentioned that we have a wide range of members from society that have

done real work on combatting racism in their communities. That’s the kind of talent

and service…. I’m grateful for the time that they’re giving for the work that we’re

doing.

Teresa Wat : I guess to give due credit to the Attorney General, the chair is somebody that —

I mentioned all the records of him — is obviously antisemitic.

The Attorney General was saying that there are many other members in the committee.

Can the Attorney General tell us who represents the Jewish community in the committee?

Hon. Niki Sharma : I just want to note that I find that a pretty outrageous accusation to make, in the

House, of somebody that’s serving as a public servant and the chair of a committee

that doesn’t have an ability in this forum to defend themselves.

I think that people’s records on combatting hate in the province and fighting hate

in all forms…. If you’re going to accuse somebody of that, you should think about

their record. I just find that to be a very offensive way to phrase somebody.

The committee is made up of a range of people, including a member from the Jewish

community. I also want to note that the process of this committee is also to go out

and engage with communities.

They will be tasked through the very explicit Anti-Racism Act that names Islamophobia,

antisemitism and forms of racism. They’ll be tasked with the engagement with communities.

It’s not about tokenizing anybody on the committee. It’s about having that committee

have the skill set that they can go out and meet with the community groups and do

the work that they need to do.

Teresa Wat : I really beg to disagree with the Attorney General’s comment just now, for a chair

who defended Hassan Diab, who is a terrorist, who was found guilty in France for the

1980 bombing of a Paris synagogue that killed four people. I simply don’t understand

why we have to choose somebody to be the chair, when I quoted earlier on, also, that

he was against the adoption of IHRA’s definition of antisemitism, supported the BDS

movement and criticized the listing of Samidoun as a terror entity under the Canadian

Criminal Code.

It’s not an accusation. I’m citing all the facts, Mr. Chair.

The Chair : Minister, do you care to respond?

[3:05 p.m.]

Member, I didn’t really hear a question there. I would encourage you to ask a question

of the minister.

Teresa Wat : The question is…. I beg to disagree that…. The minister just now made the accusation

that it’s not fair for me to accuse the chair of having a position. I’m just citing

all the facts that I just cited.

I want the Attorney General to tell us: is it an impartial decision to appoint somebody

with the background that I cited as a chair of that committee, the anti-racism committee?

Hon. Niki Sharma : The process for selecting members of the committee is first set out in the act, where

it says that the members should have knowledge of current and emerging anti-racism

racial equity issues and anti-racist expertise and then the requirement for some specialized

expertise.

The individual that is now the chair of the committee was previously on our committee

for MARB, so had extensive knowledge about how the Anti-Racism Data Act was implemented

and carries that forward with his work. There were three members of the previous committee

that were kept on this committee through a process of making sure that their knowledge

was maintained and their expertise on how the committee’s work was ongoing through

ARDA.

That was the process. It was not a political process; it was a merit-based process.

Teresa Wat : I do understand the process of appointment of a committee member. I used to be the

minister and also had to set up a committee.

I guess I have to put on record that for an anti-racism committee chair to have such

an obvious background of having some position on a certain community…. Whether he

should be qualified to lead this anti-racism committee, I want to put on the record,

since I don’t think I can get any answer from the Attorney General.

In view of the time that I’m given…. I’m only having half an hour. I might go back

to the Anti-Racism Data Act later. But I want to move on to another subject.

In my estimates debate with the Attorney General last year, the Attorney General referenced

that there’s an anti-racism team set up in the AG office. Their job is working with

community groups, and what they have come up with from the communities is that education

needs to change. She cited the National Association of Japanese Canadians. The work

that the team had done with them was talking about the wrongs and historic past-wrongs

approach. That led to the team being in communication with the Ministry of Education,

that make the Minister of Education make changes to the K-to-12 anti-racism education.

[3:10 p.m.]

Obviously, the whole government, particularly the Minister of Education, is fully

aware that education is very important. Then, of course, education resources are just

as crucial as part of the government’s effort to eliminate racism and dismantle systemic

racism in our province.

I received an email on March 27 this year from the manager of LearnSpace of the Ministry

of Education informing me that there is no hosting agreement in place for the website

of Bamboo Shoots: Chinese Canadian Legacies in B.C. I guess the Attorney General was not in this Legislature during that year. That’s

why I give a little bit of background. The email asked if I was interested in hosting

this website, as I was the Multiculturalism Minister in 2015, responsible for introducing

this educational resource.

The email continued to say: “If this website is no longer needed, we can also discuss

a decommissioning option. Please reply by April 10, 2025, so we can determine the

next steps.” So I responded to the manager my interest that, of course, you should

continue the hosting of this website, because Bamboo Shoots is an educational resource to try to teach not only grade 5 and grade 10 social science

students about what are the past wrongs that the former provincial government has

done to Chinese pioneers but to post on the website to educate the general British

Columbian that we have to learn from history. Otherwise, history will repeat itself.

So Bamboo Shoots — I spent $250K to work with the Royal B.C. Museum to come up with these educational

resources. At that time, when I worked with the Education Minister, we tried to introduce

the curriculum about the discrimination against Chinese pioneers a century ago, and

the teachers told me that we cannot teach this part of the history because we were

never taught.

That’s why I decided to put aside $250K from my million-dollar budget for my Chinese

legacy initiative, to come up with these educational resources so that we can let

British Columbians know what the past provincial government had done. They were so

discriminatory.

Then you can imagine how shocked I was when I responded to the manager that this should

continue, the website, and I was told that an annual payment of $1,000 is required

for the continuation of this website or it will be decommissioned, meaning that the

Bamboo Shoots educational resources material that was done by the previous provincial government

will be gone if I’m not willing to pay $1,000 every year for hosting this website.

I was shocked and disappointed that, Attorney General, you have been informing the

whole government, every single ministry, that we have to pursue the goal of eliminating

systemic racism from the government and other public organizations. Yet your colleague

the Education Minister has the courage to say that this Bamboo Shoots — this educational resource material that I, together with the former government,

developed to try to educate British Columbians about this shameful history in the

past — will be gone from the government website.

As I told the Attorney General, this resource was developed in 2015 for grade 5 and

grade 9 in their social science class with the purpose of providing students with

valuable insight into the history — the contributions of and the injustices against

Chinese Canadians in our province. I hope the minister can agree that this Bamboo Shoots educational resource, developed by the previous government, falls in line with the

current government’s anti-racism initiatives.

[3:15 p.m.]

This government introduced two very important pieces of legislation, of which I was

involved in the debate in the committee stage, Anti-Racism Data Act and Anti-Racism

Act, to eliminate systemic racism. I’m hoping, and I think, all ministers in the government

are fully onboard with this commitment.

So does the Attorney General think it’s appropriate for the manager of LearnSpace

of the Education Ministry to even suggest that if this Bamboo website is no longer needed, the ministry can also discuss this decommissioning option?

Surely, the manager of LearnSpace should have revealed Bamboo Shoots and is aware that these educational resources are helping British Columbia understand

the dark history of injustices to Chinese pioneers.

Hon. Niki Sharma : I just want to start by acknowledging the work of the member when she was minister

and that that was, I’m sure, very important work at that time. She talks about those

stories of the hardships that Asian people faced when they were immigrating here were

not

part in schools and were not part of curriculum. I think that kind of pioneer

work that she did…. I just want to acknowledge her for that.

It’s the first that I’ve heard of this, so I’d have to take that away to understand

how this plays with the Ministry of Education, as it doesn’t sit with my ministry.

I will say that right now — I’m sure, maybe the member knows — we have a commitment

to developing K-to-12 anti-racism mandatory curriculum in schools, and that would

be something that I think the Ministry of Education is working on.

There may be a way to incorporate that past work into the work that’s there, and I’ll

just take that away.

Teresa Wat : Thank you, Attorney General, for your kind comments on what I did when I was the

minister.

I’m hoping that the Attorney General can really talk to her colleague the Minister

of Education to find out what is happening. I certainly hope that the payment decision

that somebody…. Obviously, because I’m so passionate, I might have to take it out

of my own pocket to pay for $1,000. But what happens if I’m gone, I’m no longer the

MLA? Do I still keep paying $1,000 every month to keep this website going?

This is such a good education material, Bamboo Shoots . I don’t want it to be gone for good. I hope this is really negligence on the part

of the staff, and also, if not the Education Minister — whether she knows what’s the

priority of this government to eliminate systemic racism. I hope that this payment

option, as I said, is just a negligence.

I’m hoping that the Attorney General can make sure that Bamboo …. I hope that the Attorney General can go on the website and look at Bamboo Shoots — I hope it’s still there — to understand how great this educational resource is

and can still be there and maybe incorporated as part of your current plan to introduce

anti-racism education from K to grade 12.

Hon. Niki Sharma : Same answer as before. I’m happy to look into it. It’s the first I’m hearing about

the issue.

Teresa Wat : So do I get a commitment from the Attorney General that I will get a response, either

yes or no, for sure, within a reasonable period of time?

Hon. Niki Sharma : It’s not my ministry, and it’s not in this estimates budget, so I don’t have a full

answer based on what I know. But my commitment will be to speak to the Minister of

Education and understand how this program is being integrated or what the thought

is about it.

[3:20 p.m.]

Teresa Wat : I guess I don’t see a really positive response to my question then. I do understand

that this doesn’t fall into your portfolio, but this is part of the anti-racism goal,

and the anti-racism initiative is under the Attorney General. Educational resources

are a tool to help eliminate systemic racism, so I’m just hoping that this will really

be pursued. And $1,000 is not that much money for this government, having so much

deficit.

Anyway, I am going to send an email to the Education Minister after this, and then

I can also send the email chain to the Attorney General for info. I will cc the Attorney

General so that you know what’s going on, what’s happening, and I’m sure you’ll be

shocked too.

Now turning to the racism hotline. Since the launch of the racist incident hotline

in May 2024, finally, after the pandemic was over — I urged for the setting up of

a hotline in 2021; anyway, it is there — this House has heard very little in terms

of updates or outcome.

We understand from the news release that was issued in March this year that the number

of calls received is about 600, a number that does not really reflect the lived reality

of racialized communities in B.C. Clearly, we know incidents of racism occur, still,

quite frequently.

To the Attorney General, what specific action is the government taking to increase

public awareness of this help line, particularly among communities most impacted by

racism?

As a side note, I would say that virtually all my constituents have never heard of

this help line, which is really a shame because we spent money setting up the hotline,

even with support services as well.

[3:25 p.m.]

Hon. Niki Sharma : To answer the question in a few ways, first of all, we’ve done a lot to do with marketing

for RIH.

I think it’s interesting to put it into perspective. I remember when I was looking

at the stats as I was tracking it in the first year. It’s also sad that we’re having

people use the line, because that means that they’ve experienced something hateful

and they’re reporting it, but at least they’re getting the supports they need.

As of today, we’ve received 804 calls. That’s resulted in 2,318 referrals. Just a

little comparison there is that California, which is something that we were looking

at, has a similar help line, and they received 900 calls, obviously for a much larger

population, in one year of operation. We are at 804 calls as of today.

But we are working hard to get the message out, to the member’s question. In the budget,

it was over $300,000 that we put into marketing, and we also have materials in many

different languages to make sure that we’re getting the message out there to everyone.

We’ve done outreach in schools and are also, I know, through the PS of Anti-Racism,

working to just get the message out there through faith groups, schools and organizations

that this help is out there, along with our partner organizations who are the receiving

end of the referrals, who are also getting the message out there.

Since it’s relatively new, we still have work to do with that, but those are some

of the tools that we’re using to get the word out there.

Teresa Wat : Thank you, AG, for providing the updated information.

I just wanted to bring this up just to warn not to waste the setting up of the help

line in want of more awareness. I’m glad to know that the ministry is working on promoting

even more extensively. Hopefully in next year’s budget debate, I won’t have to ask

this question.

Another question I want to know is…. I haven’t seen any clear communication on how

the data collected will be used, data collected from this hotline. I’m sure, as the

Attorney General said that she listened to it…. We should collect all this data and

try to analyze it and try to see how we can use it to drive systemic change.

[3:30 p.m.]

I haven’t heard anything on this. What is the timeline? I’m hoping that we can release

the data to the public to know what kind of racism complaints or reports all the callers

have. When can we expect it to inform real policy changes to better protect racialized

and minority communities in this province?

Hon. Niki Sharma : I just ask the member to stay tuned because we are…. First of all, the data that’s

collected is respectful of the person, the privacy of the person and the sensitive

nature of what we’re collecting. In that way, we’re very careful. We’ll be careful

with anything we release to make sure people know that when they call, their privacy

is respected.

We are waiting for a full year of data before we’ll release it, so just stay tuned

on that. We will be reporting out our first year of operation so it’s a solid set

of data.

Teresa Wat : I was worried that I can’t speak anymore. I have no more time.

Unfortunately, I have still a number of questions that I want to interrogate. I was

told I can’t, so I’m going to send a written question to the Attorney General so that

I can get some response back.

The Chair : Seeing no further questions or speakers, the question before this House will be Vote

Vote 14: ministry operations, $750,254,000 — approved.

Vote 15: judiciary, $112,638,000 — approved.

Vote 16: Crown Proceeding Act, $24,500,000 — approved.

Vote 17: independent investigations office, $12,652,000 — approved.

Hon. Niki Sharma : I move that the committee rise and report resolution and completion and ask leave

to sit again.

Motion approved.

The Chair : The committee will be adjourned.

The committee rose at 3:34 p.m.

The House resumed at 3:35 p.m.

[The Speaker in the chair.]

Lorne Doerkson : Committee of Supply,

Section B, reports resolution and completion of the estimates

of the Ministry of Attorney General and asks leave to sit again.

Leave granted.

Hon. Mike Farnworth : I call the estimates for the Office of the Premier.

The House in Committee,

Section B.

The committee met at 3:36 p.m.

[Lorne Doerkson in the chair.]

Committee of Supply

Estimates: Office of the Premier

The Chair : Thank you, Members. We are going to sit in recess for seven minutes.

The committee recessed from 3:36 p.m. to 3:45 p.m.

[Lorne Doerkson in the chair.]

The Chair : Members, we’ll call this committee back to order.

We are going to call on the Premier to move the vote.

On Vote 11: Office of the Premier, $18,450,000.

The Chair : Thank you, Premier. I wondered if you may have any opening statements or introductions

to make.

Hon. David Eby : I do, hon. Chair. Thank you very much.

I am joined here by staff this afternoon. To my right, Shannon Salter, head of the

public service. Jessica Prince, Maya Engelbrecht and Tom McCarthy are to my immediate

left. Very much appreciative of the support of staff here this afternoon.

This estimates session and this session as a whole take place at a time of real global

uncertainty. We started this session with the President of the U.S. initiating a series

of threats towards our country — outright annexation, economic harm forcing us into

a political union with the United States; and it really woke something up in British

Columbians.

People made commitments about not travelling to the United States, to only buying

Canadian products. We spoke with one voice that we were never going to become the

51st state and that we were going to stand up to those threats.

Here in B.C., we took the liquor off the shelves, and we committed to buy from Canadian

companies, B.C. companies and other trusted trading partners rather than Americans.

Where we are now…. We’re seeing rapid global change and transition as a result of

the threats emanating from the White House. But it’s not exclusively that. Europe

is reducing their energy dependence on Russia because of Russia’s attack on Ukraine.

China’s export controls on critical metals and minerals, that have hobbled American

industry, have placed an increased importance on the resources we have here in the

province and our ability to provide those, to provide stability to the global economy.

In this time of disruption and instability, there’s nowhere else I’d rather be than

right here in British Columbia. We have everything we need to succeed. We have the

resources that the world wants. We have cheap, clean electricity to produce them.

Our ports face two-thirds of the world’s population, growing global markets, and can

assist us in reducing our dependence on the United States.

But the biggest advantage we have, obviously, is British Columbians. Their skills,

their talents, their innovation, their entrepreneurship, their resilience in challenging

times are our secret weapon. And there is no question in my mind but that B.C. will

be the engine of the new Canada that emerges from this time of global turbulence.

We have an obligation not just to British Columbians but to all Canadians to seize

this moment, given the critical importance we play not just as a government for British

Columbians but as a province in Confederation. We won’t back down. We’re going to

rise to the occasion.

We have introduced a series of bills in this House around fast-tracking projects to

be able to respond to the moment that we’re in; to ensure that we get things built

faster; to both strengthen our people, through public services, and our economy; to

grow our economy, prosperity for everybody.

We’ve launched a vision in partnership with First Nations for an economic future in

the northwest of this province that promises to deliver $30 billion in capital investment

in that region of the province, delivering those critical metals and minerals needed

by the world.

It’s also about our clean electricity plan: $6 billion in private sector investment

to deliver clean electricity to businesses here and to people in the province.

But it’s not just about growing the economy and the GDP. It’s also about people. Here

in the province, rents are falling, and they’re falling faster than other provinces

in Canada. Homes are being built.

We have more doctors and nurses coming on, including and particularly from the United

States. We’ve doubled the number of nurses coming to British Columbia from the U.S.,

and they’re coming in just days. Their approvals to get to work, rather than…. Previously

it took months for them to hit the floor to support other nurses and support British

Columbians.

[3:50 p.m.]

And we’re helping with costs. Car insurance rates are flat for the sixth year in a

row. We’ve delivered the fourth ICBC rebate to support drivers, and we eliminated

the consumer carbon tax to help British Columbians with costs.

We have much more to do. As I say, this opportunity that we have is not just opportunity.

It’s also a responsibility, a responsibility to all British Columbians to seize the

moment but a responsibility to all Canadians to ensure that our country stands on

our own two feet.

Canada depends on us to do this. Business as usual won’t cut it. Saying no won’t cut

it. This is a moment where we step up, and British Columbians have always stepped

up when it matters most.

That’s the context of the discussion today. That’s the context of the legislative

session. We have definitely stepped up in this session of the Legislature.

I look forward to hearing the questions from the opposition today as we work together

to ensure a strong province for British Columbians.

John Rustad : I want to start, as well, by recognizing the staff. Thank you for being here and

the work you’re doing.

We’ll do our best to try to flow questions through a number of topics and try not

to jump around too much in terms of where we go. Obviously, in the Premier’s estimates,

it can go on a wide range of things. Like I say, we’ll try to keep things as focused

as can be and make our time as efficient as possible.

As we go through this…. I thank the Premier for his opening comments, and yes, we

are at a very critical time. I just want to reiterate something that the Premier just

said: saying no won’t cut it. I think we’re going to have an opportunity to come back

to those words numerous times through the course of these estimates, especially given

his comment with regards to oil moving out to the coast, at the latest opportunity

he had to get together with other Premiers.

Regardless of that, I think about B.C. being the engine of Canada, and I agree with

the Premier there. It has the significant potential to play a huge role in terms of

Canada and in terms of the Canadian future. Nowhere is that more important, I think,

than throughout rural B.C., and that’s why I think it’s going to be important we start

off with some questions with regards to rural B.C.

I agree about critical minerals and metals. It’s a shame it takes 15 years, up to

15 years to get a mining project through in this province. So we’re going to explore

some topics around that and the process.

Electricity, of course, is an important piece. The Premier touched on that, and I

agree. That is a critical need in British Columbia. We are short of electricity in

British Columbia. We’re in a deficit at this point, and we’ll certainly be exploring

some options and some of the issues associated with that.

First of all, like I say, I think it’s important that we start on the rural side,

because whether it’s investments, whether it’s minerals, whether it’s movement of

energy, whether it’s sequestration of energy…. All of that happens in more rural settings,

not so much in urban settings.

With that, I want to start off with the first component of questions. Over to the

member for Skeena to be able to ask some questions with regards to her critic role.

Stikine, sorry — member from Stikine.

Sharon Hartwell : Although Skeena and I are neighbours and so is Nechako Lakes, we’re all in this House

together.

I’d like to start with just a

preamble to the Premier to let him know how my comments

are going to go this afternoon.

Vancouver’s skyline is bankrolled by the mills, the rigs and the haul trucks of rural

British Columbia, yet those towns face billion-dollar fire seasons, fibre baskets

and approval queues that turn opportunities into orphan prospects. Rural British Columbia

remains the economic engine that fuels urban prosperity, but too often the communities

that drive our resource economy are left behind when it comes to approvals, infrastructure

and policy certainty.

These questions aim to clarify the Premier’s commitment to expediting investment,

modernizing processes and unlocking the full potential of B.C.’s forestry and mining

sector while delivering fair returns for the rural people who make it possible.

Will the Premier provide a table showing, for each of the past five fiscal years,

the number of major mine environmental assessment certificates applied for, approved

and still pending, together with the average and longest processing times?

[3:55 p.m.]

The Chair : Members, due to a time allocation order regarding Bill 7, I’m going to call on the

Premier, if I could, to report progress of the estimates of the Premier’s office.

Hon. David Eby : I move the committee rise, report progress and ask leave to sit again.

Motion approved.

The committee rose at 3:58 p.m.

The House resumed at 3:59 p.m.

[The Speaker in the chair.]

Lorne Doerkson : Committee of Supply,

Section B, reports progress of the estimates of the Office of

the Premier and asks leave to sit again.

Leave granted.

Third Reading of Bills

Bill 7 — Economic Stabilization

(Tariff Response) Act

The Speaker : Hon. Members, it being 4 p.m., pursuant to the time allocation order adopted by the

House on May 6, the House will proceed to the consideration of third reading of Bill

7, intituled Economic Stabilization (Tariff Response) Act.

[4:00 p.m.]

Hon. Mike Farnworth : I move third reading.

The Speaker : Members, you heard the question of third reading of Bill 7, intituled Economic Stabilization

(Tariff Response) Act.

[4:05 p.m. - 4:10 p.m.]

Motion approved on the following division:

YEAS — 48

G. Anderson

Blatherwick

Elmore

Sunner

Toporowski

B. Anderson

Neill

Osborne

Brar

Davidson

Kahlon

Parmar

Gibson

Beare

Chandra Herbert

Wickens

Kang

Morissette

Sandhu

Krieger

Chant

Lajeunesse

Choi

Rotchford

Higginson

Routledge

Popham

Dix

Sharma

Farnworth

Eby

Bailey

Begg

Greene

Whiteside

Boyle

Yung

Malcolmson

Chow

Glumac

Arora

Shah

Phillip

Dhir

Lore

Valeriote

Botterell

NAYS — 44

Sturko

Kindy

Milobar

Warbus

Rustad

Banman

Wat

Kooner

Halford

Hartwell

L. Neufeld

Van Popta

Dew

Gasper

K. Neufeld

Day

Block

Bhangu

Paton

Boultbee

Chan

Toor

Hepner

Giddens

Rattée

Davis

McInnis

Bird

Luck

Stamer

Maahs

Tepper

Mok

Wilson

Clare

Williams

Loewen

Dhaliwal

Doerkson

Chapman

McCall

Kealy

Armstrong

Brodie

The Speaker : Members, Bill 7, 2025, Economic Stabilization (Tariff Response) Act has been read

a third time and has passed.

Steve Kooner : I ask leave to present a petition on Bill 7.

The Speaker : Just proceed.

Leave granted.

Petitions

Steve Kooner : It would have been better to present it earlier, but I’d like to present it now.

There are 1,687 paper signatures. There were 29,264 online signatures for a total

of 30,951 signatures to have Bill 7 withdrawn. I’d just like to present this.

Hon. Mike Farnworth : In this chamber, I call continued estimates debate for the Office of the Premier.

The House in Committee,

Section B.

The committee met at 4:15 p.m.

[Lorne Doerkson in the chair.]

Committee of Supply

Estimates: Office of the Premier

(continued)

The Chair : Members, we’ll call this committee back to order and call on the Premier to move

the vote.

On Vote 11: Office of the Premier, $18,450,000 (continued) .

The Chair : I believe we will await an answer for the member for Bulkley Valley–Stikine.

Hon. David Eby : I thank the member for Bulkley Valley–Stikine for starting us off on an interesting

note here.

The Minister of State for Local Governments and Rural Communities actually travelled

through Terrace, and then, right through the member’s constituency as first trip as

minister of state, meeting with local mayors.

One of the notes that the mayors brought forward was, obviously, always advocacy for

their communities but, certainly, appreciation for the work that we did together on

the Resource Benefits Alliance request. When the province is deriving benefits from,

particularly, the northwest, it was the advocacy of these mayors that there should

be some return back to communities, which was much in line with the member’s question.

The Kitimat-Stikine regional district receives $11,898,950 annually through that program.

The town of Smithers, $21.9 million. The goal of that is to recognize exactly what

the member said, that there is significant contribution from rural communities in

this province to the overall prosperity of the province and that they should be able

to do the basics — pave their roads, open community centres and provide benefits for

community members. I’m very proud of the work we did there, and I’m very grateful

to the work of those mayors from the northwest that we got that done.

On the specific question about mining, I hope the member also raised this with the

Minister of Mining. I can provide some broad information, although I don’t have the

chart the member is looking for.

[4:20 p.m.]

For major mines, we’ve been working hard on reducing permit timelines. We’ve reduced

those timelines by 37 percent. In exploration, Mt. Wilson Silica Ventures had notice

of work for the Longworth silica project approved in 44 days.

J2 Metals copper and molybdenum project notice of work went from application to approval

in 54 days.

Osisko’s Cariboo Gold obtained their major mine operating permit in 13 months.

Artemis Gold’s Blackwater gold and silver mine, which I hope to visit soon, is officially

opening shortly and obtained its major mine operating permit within 18 months.

The Cariboo Gold project: 634 people employed during construction, and a $1 billion

investment.

Artemis Gold: 457 jobs over the life of the project, a $13.2 billion contribution

to the provincial economy.

Overall, we are meeting 90 percent of our legislated timelines for environmental assessment.

We just finished an amendment for Cedar LNG 40 percent faster than average. Cariboo

Gold’s environmental assessment was completed 20 percent faster than average. We’re

working with the permitting agencies to do concurrent permitting so that permits can

be issued after a certificate is issued. We’re estimating that if we’re successful

in that, we will see improvements of 30 percent or more for projects that are currently

underway.

The Highland Valley Copper combined environmental assessment certificate and permitting

process is nearly complete and is anticipated to be referred for decision shortly.

The Eskay Creek environmental assessment certificate amendment is well underway, and

the permitting process is set to begin this month.

The typical average regulatory timeline for this scale of project would be 5.5 years.

We expect to reduce this by 30 percent, through a deep, collaborative approach with

nations and the proponent. This was the first project to have a consent agreement

with a First Nation.

The Red Chris environmental assessment certificate amendment is well underway, and

the permitting process is set to begin in June. The typical average regulatory timeline

for this scale project would be 3½ years. We expect to reduce this by 30 percent through,

as I said, this deep, collaborative approach with nations and the proponent.

The Mount Milligan combined EAC and permitting process started at the end of March

2025. The typical average regulatory timeline for this scale of project would be 3½

years. We expect to be able to reduce this by 60 percent through a tailor-made approach

to managing the EA and permitting review as a combined process.

These four mining projects are subject to decisions under the Environmental Assessment

Act, as well as statutory decisions under the Mines Act and Environmental Management

Act.

While I wasn’t able to provide all of the data the member was seeking, best placed

to the minister of mines, I hope it does provide some of the data she was seeking

in terms of where government is going and what is in the queue right now.

Sharon Hartwell : Thank you, Premier, for the answer. I guess I’m going to have to shorten my questions

so that I can get through a few more of these today.

At what precise stage of the EA process is the Tenas steelmaking coal project today?

On what date does cabinet expect to render its certification decision? What permitting

milestones remain before construction can begin?

[4:25 p.m. - 4:30 p.m.]

[Mable Elmore in the chair.]

Hon. David Eby : I apologize for the delay.

Now is the member’s time to ask whatever she wants, but the Minister of Environment

is responsible for the EAO process. The Minister of Mining would have this information

quite readily available. We have to take some extra steps to try to obtain it for

her, and we have.

Currently the project proponent is revising their submission. The EAO understands

that they will receive the submission from the proponent and start the assessment

phase in November of this year. So it’s currently not with the EAO; it’s with the

proponent.

Sharon Hartwell : Will the Premier confirm whether this government will admit or support the fact that

metallurgical high coking coal for steelmaking is a critical mineral?

Hon. David Eby : Our critical minerals list — like many provinces, we align it with the federal list.

That assists us in minimizing challenges between provincial and federal programs in

terms of attracting investment.

[4:35 p.m.]

Maybe this would assist. I can agree with the substance of what I understand the member’s

question to be, which is: should it be considered as critical? The answer is yes.

Metallurgical coal is required in the steelmaking process around the world. B.C.’s

steelmaking coal has the lowest emissions in the world.

We’re supportive of and trying to assist steelmaking companies in adopting green ammonia

as co-firing for, ultimately, a future where coal is not required, but that future

is not here yet. Our metallurgical coal is needed and reduces emissions where it’s

used preferentially to coal from other jurisdictions.

We’re working with the sector to ensure a strong and thriving met coal mining sector

in the province. The most recent example is the 2024 permitting of the Quintette mine.

It had been closed for 24 years, and it demonstrates that investors are seeing British

Columbia as a place to help meet global demand with respect to metallurgical coal.

Sharon Hartwell : Thank you to the Premier for the answer.

Moving along to the top end of the riding, in Atlin, they’ve always struggled with

permitting. The thing that I’ve heard through the office is that now that they have

to…. Some of them are waiting up to three years for their permits for their placer

mines.

Is there some way that the government is going to be able to streamline rather than

fast-track their permits for the seasonal entrepreneurs? They still have to pay their

fees for their claims all year long. The other thing that goes along with that is

they’re having to put some things online to register their claims, and they don’t

want to do that because that’s confidential information.

Can the Premier provide any information on those two items so that I can let them

know what the government is doing about that?

[4:40 p.m.]

Hon. David Eby : Mineral and coal exploration, placer and jade aggregate and rock quarry Mines Act

permits are managed by regional offices of the Ministry of Mining and Critical Minerals,

which are located in Victoria, Kamloops, Cranbrook, Prince George and Smithers.

The Ministry of Mining and Critical Minerals is working with industry associations

to reduce permitting backlogs and review timelines for notice-of-work applications

related to exploration. The ministry has made significant improvements, overall, to

regional office application forms and has provided guidance to assist operators in

submitting high-quality applications.

In particular, they introduced a permit intake window batching process in the fall

of 2022. This is on the exploration side. Since 2022, overall, these regional permit

backlogs have been reduced by 52 percent. In 2024, the average turnaround times for

exploration permits were 145 days and 167 days for sand and gravel permits.

[4:45 p.m.]

Specifically, in relation to placer permitting, in 2022-2024, these were applications

received by the ministry for placer mining: in 2022, 109; in 2023, 120; in 2024, 73.

For 2022-24, these were decisions that were made by the ministry: 147 in 2022, 113

in 2023, 74 in 2024.

As the member can see, there are more decisions than applications being made, so the

backlog in placer mining applications has been worked through. This has also likely

been eased by the fact that government has restricted jade placer mining. There was

a practice, particularly in the Tāłtān area, that was quite destructive to local rivers.

It was quite an environmental issue in the region. The government worked with the

Tāłtān to address it.

Also, with respect to the member’s question about Atlin, the Taku River Tlingit and

others, the opportunity in that region that was facilitated by making what was a difficult

decision, but an important decision, about jade placer mining has enabled the possibility

of what we think is $30 billion in capital investment in major projects.

In the Atlin region of the Taku River Tlingit area, there is a Canagold project which

will provide significant employment in the region and has the potential to assist

with remediation of an historic mine site in the area that’s resulting in acid rock

leakage in the region as well. It is an area of remarkable opportunity.

We’re working through our backlogs with respect to placer mining, and the member’s

constituents should be hearing answers from the regional office and can check with

the regional office on timelines. Probably the Smithers office would be the most likely

location for that.

Finally, with respect to the online permitting process, I’m not totally sure. The

member might be able to assist me with clarification.

On the new exploration mineral tenure application process, the only online information

that is public is the name of the company. Proprietary information is not made public.

We are aware of the sensitive nature of that information with respect to exploration

that’s taking place in the province. What is public is the name of the company.

If it’s not what the member was talking about, I’m happy to hear from her, and we’ll

do our best to get updated information.

Sharon Hartwell : Thank you to the Premier for that. I would welcome that information, because that’s

not what I’m hearing on the ground.

Part of the discussion, I think, with the placer miners is that although there is

an office in Smithers, which the Premier knows, it is taking an awful long time from

season to season to get some of them processed. I don’t know whether that’s a lack

of staffing or a lack of people that are qualified to do that. I will be happy to

follow up on that with the Premier or the mining office.

Moving on to roads, Babine Lake resource roads and the Suskwa are in terrible shape,

and on those two roads alone, as we’ve talked about before, the majority of the money

to fuel this province comes out of the North, out of the Golden Triangle in that area.

So they’re seeing about 150 or 160 truckloads a day on each of those roads for the

only two mills that are operating in that area.

The Babine Lake Road is a historically old road. It’s had improvements up and down,

but right now the Premier needs to commit to putting a substantial amount of repairs

to those roads, because the loggers are seeing up to $75,000 in repairs on their vehicles.

What’s in the budget for that, and how soon can that be accomplished on both of those

roads?

[4:50 p.m. - 4:55 p.m.]

Hon. David Eby : The Minister of Forests is responsible for forestry roads, many of which serve small

rural communities and First Nations communities.

Obviously, being the sole means of access and egress for these communities, support

for road maintenance and capital upgrade funding is important. That’s why Budget 2024-2025

increased road maintenance and capital upgrade funding, which is already improving

five key forest service roads in the province that access ten First Nations communities,

making them safer for community members, ambulances, service vehicles and school buses.

Budget 2024-25 provides the Ministry of Indigenous Relations and Reconciliation with

$12 million in one-time funding that it’ll allocate to the First Nations to support

capacity-building, including equipment acquisition and training so they can maintain

the roads for their own communities.

The forest road maintenance budget has increased by $3.2 million, totalling an amount

of $9.6 million over the three-year fiscal plan. That’s the increase. The forest base

capital budget increased by $5.5 million, totalling $16.5 million. That’s the increase

over the three-year fiscal plan.

In the North, it was the Leo and Driftwood FSRs and the Cunningham FSR, a combination

of 270 kilometres of improvements, where some of these roads were improved.

Specific to the member’s question, we were able to find information about the Babine

Lake Road. Specifically, there is a local maintenance contractor responsible for maintaining

that road and paid by the province to do so, paid to maintain the road in good condition,

and if there are issues related to that, reporting that to the Minister of Forests

so we can ensure that the maintenance contractor is meeting expectations.

[5:00 p.m.]

I can advise that the contractor has been awarded a contract to do $100,000 in base

repairs to the Babine Lake Road, that there will be a seal coating of the first 18

kilometres of the road starting at H-16 and that gravelling work will also be done

on the road.

We don’t have information about any scheduled improvements to the other road mentioned

by the member, but the Ministry of Forests maintains a maintenance budget to address

issues in communities. I would encourage the member to meet with the Minister of Forests

on that.

Sharon Hartwell : Thank you to the Premier for the answer.

I will follow up with that, but it’s my understanding that that piece of road that

I’m speaking of actually belongs to the province and it’s part of the highway system

which the provincial government is supposed to maintain.

The other road that’s in really bad shape is Highway 37. As you know, we talked about

Highway 37, or the province did. You talked about $30 billion invested in the North

for mining. Is the Premier prepared to upgrade Highway 37, put money into it so that

they can get up there and bring out these resources? How much is that?

The pavement condition reports 42 percent of the segments are in poor or very poor

shape. At what point are they going to upgrade the road so that we can get on with

the mining that’s expected in the North?

[5:05 p.m.]

Hon. David Eby : The province is committing $120 million to this project to improve Highways 37, 37A

and 51. The federal government is committing $75 million out of their critical minerals

fund for this project. It’s a combination investment of $195 million, which will enhance

road safety and reliability. It will definitely assist with mining development in

the region, but it will also open up better access to more services for First Nations

and local communities in the region.

President Slater of the Tāłtān Central Government has been supportive of this investment.

President Slater says: “Mining is a part of our culture and economy. For thousands

of years, Tāłtāns prospected, mined and traded obsidian. While we recognize the need

for critical minerals for a low-carbon future, this can only happen with the free,

prior and informed consent of Indigenous Peoples. Therefore, the pace and scale of

mining in our territory will be determined by the Tāłtān Nation. Today’s announcement

regarding safer highways for our people is welcomed by the Tāłtān Nation.”

You can hear in that quote the importance of improvements to community, to continued

support of the Tāłtān for mining. In the Golden Triangle, we have a generational opportunity

to partner with First Nations, protect land and water for future generations and also

realize $30 billion in capital investment in this province, hundreds of jobs and significant

GDP growth, leading to increased revenues for the province to deliver services to

British Columbians.

Upgrades to these highways — 37, 37A and 51 — have been a top priority for the Tāłtān

Central Government for many years, which is why this was prioritized. Specifically,

the project will provide a series of improvements for Highway 37, including widening

shoulders; creating pullouts for slow-moving vehicles; adding chain-up/chain-off areas;

and increasing Wi-Fi access along 800 kilometres of roadway, which might sound like

an amenity, but it’s actually potentially a life-or-death emergency service for people

in remote areas.

Highway 37A, which provides access to Canada’s northernmost ice-free port in Stewart,

will also be upgraded. The Highway 51 segment includes the connection from Telegraph

Creek to Dease Lake and Highway 37.

Chief Carmen McPhee of the Tāłtān Band said: “Our three Tāłtān communities have struggled

for generations with safe passage via Highway 37 and 51 to southern communities where

people depend on the everyday facets of life, including emergency health care, food

and other everyday necessities often taken for granted by many residents of B.C. Resource

development must result in the betterment of First Nation communities. While we applaud

this announcement, there is much more work to do not only in Tāłtān territory but

elsewhere in the province.”

I can assure the member that we are definitely doing that group. This highway will

benefit not just mining, not just the Tāłtān but the entire region.

I thank the member for the question.

Sharon Hartwell : Thank you to the Premier for the answer.

I just want to know if that work is going to start this year. There are many communities

up there that are going to benefit from those improvements.

[5:10 p.m.]

Hon. David Eby : On Stewart-Cassiar Highway, engineering and geotechnical work is underway right now.

Major works are expected to commence next year.

On Highway 51, culverts are being replaced, and other work is underway this year.

We are in different processes on different aspects of the project, but work is beginning

this year on 51, and then major works start next year once the geotech and engineering

is complete on the other.

John Rustad : Thanks to the Premier for those answers for my colleague. One of the reasons the

questions were quite specific around a number of projects is that there is often a

timely delay in getting responses from ministers, when requested, about this, so we

thought it might be a way to be able to get some of the information.

Perhaps a quick question to the Premier with regards to the time it takes for ministers

to be able to respond to questions from MLAs. How long does the Premier consider to

be appropriate to be able to get a response?

Obviously, there are lots of issues that come up that can be responded to pretty quickly,

but in several cases here, particularly around questions around mining, it was several

months and no answer.

I wonder if the Premier has an opinion in terms of how quickly his ministers should

be able to respond to questions and whether or not there’s a message he would send

to his ministers with regards to being able to respond more quickly or appropriately

to questions that have come from members of this Legislature.

[5:15 p.m.]

Hon. David Eby : Top line, my expectation is that ministers provide answers as quickly as possible

to colleagues in the Legislature, including from the opposition and Third Party. I

don’t have knowledge of the specific issue the member has identified; I was trying

to do my best to figure out with our team what he was referring to. But that is the

expectation that I have.

One of the things that MLAs can do to assist…. I suspect we’re past this point, but

in the early days, there would be questions going to Legislature offices rather than

ministerial offices or political staff. The fastest and best route is to direct it

either to the minister directly or through political staff to the minister.

Certainly, my expectation is that those staff and ministers make themselves available

to receive and answer those questions.

John Rustad : Thank you to the Premier. In many cases, at least certainly in my experience…. I’ve

been in this building and had the honour of representing my riding for a number of

years. I’ve always had the opportunity and many of my other colleagues have had the

opportunity to end up talking to regional staff to be able to answer questions.

Of late, all regional staff, certainly that I’m hearing from other members of the

Legislature on the opposition side…. They have been told by regional staff that they

can’t answer the questions, that they have to go through the minister’s office, which

obviously creates significant delays.

I’m just wondering if the Premier can confirm that that is now the direction of this

government — that all questions must go through ministers’ staff and that there is

no opportunity for MLAs to be able to have those quick and easy relationships with

people on the ground to be able to answer questions directly.

[5:20 p.m.]

Hon. David Eby :