Fourth Session, 42nd Parliament

(2023) OFFICIAL REPORT

OF DEBATES

(HANSARD)

Monday, May 8, 2023

Morning Sitting

Issue No. 324

ISSN 1499-2175

The HTML transcript is provided for informational purposes only.

The PDF transcript remains the official digital version.

CONTENTS

Routine Business

Tabling Documents

Office of the comptroller general, Investigation of B.C. Housing , report

of observations and recommendations, March 2023

Statements

B.C. Housing operations and audit report

Hon. D. Eby

K. Kirkpatrick

Orders of the Day

Private Members’ Statements

AccessAbility Week

S. Chant

D. Davies

Emergency preparedness

B. Banman

R. Russell

Period poverty

K. Paddon

R. Merrifield

Skills training

G. Kyllo

R. Leonard

Private Members’ Motions

Motion 47 — Watershed security

F. Donnelly

R. Merrifield

B. Anderson

L. Doerkson

J. Routledge

I. Paton

MONDAY, MAY 8, 2023

The House met at 10:04 a.m.

[Mr. Speaker in the chair.]

Routine Business

Prayers and reflections: B. D’Eith.

[10:05 a.m.]

Hon. R. Kahlon: I seek leave to table a report.

Leave granted.

Tabling Documents

Hon. R. Kahlon: Today I am tabling the Ernst and Young report on the forensic

investigation of B.C. Housing. By releasing this report, this is the first

time that

section 25 of FOIPPA has been used to release a report of this

kind. Names of individuals and organizations whose roles were not central to

the issues investigated by Ernst and Young were redacted from the report,

and 97 percent of the report’s original content is included.

The Information and Privacy Commissioner set out two-part tests to

determine whether disclosing information is clearly in the public interest.

Does the information at issue relate to the matter that engages the public

interest? If so, does the nature of the information at issue meet the high

threshold for disclosure?

In making my preliminary decision, I determined that the information

of the report engaged the public interest, because the information regarding

the conflict of interest between the then CEO of B.C. Housing and the CEO of

its major service provider was a matter of widespread debate or discussion

by the media, the Legislature office and legislatures or an oversight body,

and the matter related to systemic problems rather than an isolated

situation.

In advance of my decision, third parties named in the report were

advised of the contents or were given the opportunity to make

representations. The representations have not dissuaded me from my earlier

conclusion that the matter was the subject of a widespread discussion and

related to systemic problems. I confirmed that the public interest is

engaged by the information in this report.

The second stage of the test is whether the information meets the high

threshold required for disclosure. In approaching this stage, I considered

whether releasing the information would do any one or more of the following:

contribute to educating the public about a matter; contribute, in a

substantial way, to the body of information already available; facilitate

the expression of public opinion or allow the public to make an informed

political decision; or contribute, in a meaningful way, to holding a public

body accountable for its actions or decisions.

After reviewing the report, the representations submitted by third

parties and understanding my responsibilities under the act, last week I

made the determination that releasing the report is clearly in the public

interest, so I’m tabling it in the House today.

Hon. D. Eby: I seek leave to make a statement.

Leave granted.

Statements

B.C. HOUSING OPERATIONS

AND AUDIT

REPORT

Hon. D. Eby: Thank you to members for leave to make this important

statement.

I rise to provide members of this House with an update on the

forensic investigation of B.C. Housing. As the Housing Minister has

noted, for the first time in the province’s history, we’re tabling a

full version of a report containing personal and private information

using the public interest exception in the Freedom of Information and

Privacy Act,

section 25(1)(b). This is the first time government has

used this

section of the act for a report of this nature, despite this

authority existing in our laws for more for almost 30 years.

The Minister of Housing has determined, after considering all the

submissions of those who are named or who have an interest in the

report, that it is clearly in the public interest that this report be

released. I agree. Thanks to the minister’s decision, we are able to

table this report for the House today so that all may review

it.

In late November 2020, I was sworn in as Minister Responsible for

Housing. It was certainly a dream appointment. I’ve been interested in

housing for my whole political career. As new minister, early on, I

prioritized the public release of the Little Mountain Housing contract,

an agreement that dated back almost two decades, related to the sale of

a publicly owned family housing development to a large

developer.

[10:10 a.m.]

When I finally had the opportunity to review this contract to see

if we could force the developer to meet the previous government’s

promises of new affordable housing, it was clear the contract didn’t

have the enforcement provisions needed.

In opposition, I had certainly questioned the political motive for

the sale and the impact on the low-income community by the previous

government. But setting aside the policy differences and reviewing the

contract itself, I struggled to see the safeguards in place now that

would prevent our own government from facing similar challenges on a

future contract. What was different now?

At about the same time, in my new role, I had repeated feedback

from the Ministry of Finance and my own ministry that the public service

was not happy with information or cooperation provided by B.C. Housing,

and this lack of confidence had the potential to delay needed approvals.

The conflict wasn’t one-sided. I heard repeatedly from B.C. Housing,

expressing frustration with what they saw as bureaucratic government

processes slowing down the construction of needed housing. Something had

to change.

As a result, shortly after being appointed Minister of Housing, I

ordered a review of B.C. Housing in March of 2021. That review process

began in August of 2021, and the completed review was released to the

public in June 2022. While the report was helpful and comprehensive and

identified a clear path forward, what was not in the report was perhaps

even more important than what was in the report.

During my briefing on the report with the public service, I was

told that the external review team had not been satisfied with the level

of cooperation at B.C. Housing, with requests for basic financial

documentation that should have been quickly and easily provided not met

or only met after extended delay.

I was also advised that during the process of the review, some

senior B.C. Housing employees had made serious allegations about the

conduct of the CEO of B.C. Housing in relation to a conflict-of-interest

protocol governing his interactions with files related to the non-profit

housing society Atira. These conflict-of-interest protocols had been

established by the previous government in 2010, when the B.C. Housing

CEO began his relationship with the CEO of Atira, a housing provider.

They were later married, and remain married to this day. These

guidelines were designed, in theory, to prevent any unfair advantage to

Atira in contracts awarded by B.C. Housing.

In addition to the conflict allegations, and profoundly concerning

to me, was a printout I was shown of what appeared to be text messages.

I was told the messages were allegedly from the CEO of B.C. Housing,

directing a staff member of B.C. Housing to award funding to Atira and

also directing his name not be used. I was told they were part of a

larger set of concerning messages.

This, combined with the allegations, caused me to believe that the

CEO was most likely actively breaking the conflict-of-interest agreement

to direct funding to Atira and appeared to be taking steps that would

keep that activity secret from external review and oversight. I was told

the external review team were limited by the scope of their review from

digging deeper. They also advised government they had not done their

work to a forensic investigation standard. They told me this meant their

work could not be relied on in the same way as a formal forensic

investigation for human resources, legal or other purposes.

Urgent action was needed. I believed that the CEO of B.C. Housing

should be removed from his position by the board, either placed on leave

or fired, and a full forensic investigation done. I passed that message

through the public service to the board at B.C. Housing. I was advised

that the board of B.C. Housing disagreed with my assessment, based on

the preliminary nature of the information. They declined to place the

CEO on leave or to dismiss him.

I was also told by the public service that they believe there was

a significant gap between my very high level of concern and the level of

concern of the board in response to this serious information.

Independent of this gap between me and the board, I knew from the

findings of the first report — both those in the printed pages as well

as those I was briefed on outside the report — that significant heavy

lifting was ahead to fix the systems at B.C. Housing.

As a result, in July of 2022, I reached the difficult decision to

dismiss the B.C. Housing board in its entirety. At the time, I was not

able to reveal the full explanation of the context of that difficult

decision. I replaced the board members with people I was confident had

extensive experience targeted to transform the organizational culture

and practices for the long term at B.C. Housing. They have been doing

this work since then, for almost a year.

While in the process of replacing the board, I worked with my

colleague the member for Coquitlam-Maillardville, then Minister of

Finance, to request that the comptroller general initiate a review of

the allegations to a forensic standard. The comptroller general retained

Ernst and Young to do the work. Throughout this period, I was told that

confidentiality was key, as important files and documents needed to be

secured, including, potentially, outside B.C. Housing. A specialized

team would be assembled and flown in from Toronto.

[10:15 a.m.]

This team attended B.C. Housing, seized laptops and phones and

secured databases and began a lengthy investigation. The complete

findings of their forensic investigation of B.C. Housing is the report

the Housing Minister just tabled in the House.

The investigation found a structured and systematic breaching of

the conflict-of-interest rules at B.C. Housing. Investigators found

altered meeting minutes at the most senior levels of B.C. Housing. It

found a pattern of missing important financial documentation, including

audited financial statements; significant spending of, in some cases,

millions of dollars without necessary approvals; and raised concerns

about the candour of the CFO and the CEO.

Perhaps most troublingly, they found that the majority of the text

messages of the B.C. Housing CEO and CFO had been deleted, which

“effectively obstructed the investigation.”

The report has been shared with individuals and organizations

named in the report, or otherwise impacted, to give them an opportunity

to respond. I want to note that this process has somewhat delayed the

public release of the report, but despite repeated allegations, this

process has not changed the content of the report from the original

version completed by the auditors and issued to government.

Names of secondary parties have been redacted, as have the names

of other non-profit service providers and witnesses who provided

background information to investigators. It is my sincere hope that this

will encourage cooperation with government investigations in future.

Individuals whose names are redacted are free to identify themselves to

media or to the public if they wish to do so.

The names of four individuals are not redacted in the report. One

is a senior accountant who acted as CFO at B.C. Housing. Another is the

former chair of the board for B.C. Housing. The remaining two are the

CEO of B.C. Housing and the CEO of Atira, both rightly respected widely

in the housing community across Canada.

The CEO of B.C. Housing and the CEO of Atira have worked for

decades for poor and vulnerable British Columbians and delivered

significant results doing so. As a result, this report is a serious

matter for them, and, certainly, for me.

To underline that seriousness, I should be clear that although we

asked investigators to track this specific issue, there is no evidence

from this forensic investigation that money went to any of these named

individuals or to their family or friends instead of where it was

supposed to go — to deliver services. While it does not excuse the

unacceptable behaviour outlined in this report, it is an important

conclusion.

B.C. Housing is in a better position today. Since July of last

year, the new board at B.C. Housing has been implementing

recommendations made by the external review team. The CEO resigned and

did not receive severance. The CFO was dismissed without cause in

advance of this report’s completion. We’re exploring all possible steps

to recover the severance paid to the CFO.

The new CEO was selected based on his record of leading

transformative change in complex organizations as well as his high

standards of integrity, commitment to advancing equity and

reconciliation, and extensive experience leading complex residential

development projects. Based on this, and his record at B.C. Housing to

date, the new CEO has the confidence of government to do the work of

delivering housing and continue the important restructuring at B.C.

Housing.

Housing is opening faster, and we are taking additional steps to

ensure that even more housing is built faster while working with

non-profits to improve accountability in both directions.

I would like to thank those employees at B.C. Housing who stood up

and who brought information forward to the review team. I’d like to

thank those B.C. Housing employees who had nothing to do with this

matter and just show up to work to help people every day. You are the

foundation of the new culture at B.C. Housing, a construction project

that is well underway and will house many tens of thousands of British

Columbians in the years to come.

While B.C. Housing is back on track and regaining momentum,

unfortunately I am unable to make the same optimistic assessment of

Atira. B.C. Housing has set out some key steps to restore confidence in

their partnership with that organization, including operational reviews

and audits, a freeze on programs and new funding and a request to have a

government board appointee to observe the work internal to that

organization. We will continue to keep the House and the public posted

as B.C. Housing does this work.

Atira houses thousands of very vulnerable British Columbians,

particularly women. They operate low-cost rental buildings owned by

third parties, owned by Atira directly and owned by government. Atira’s

workforce includes hundreds of hard-working front-line staff and

advocates who do this work because they believe in the organization, its

mission, and, most importantly, they believe in supporting those who are

sick, those who are homeless, those who are vulnerable. Their

experience, compassion and knowledge are hard, if not impossible, to

replace. As a result, this is a very challenging situation.

[10:20 a.m.]

I want to recognize the tireless efforts of Atira front-line staff

and their work to ensure Atira tenants are protected. At the same time,

I cannot ignore the reality that both the Minister for Housing and I are

not satisfied with the organization’s response to this crisis to date.

For example, that key financial documents for the organization were not

available for the investigators and that still more review work remains

to be done to get a full picture of the issues involved are not

acceptable.

At this point, I’d like to take this opportunity to speak directly

to a few people.

First, to the people who live in Atira-managed buildings: you are

our focus, and you are the focus of the people who work on the front

line for Atira every day. You’ve no doubt gone through some extremely

difficult days in your life, and I know the last thing you need is more

upheaval. We’re going to ensure that you continue to receive the

supports and stable housing you need, and B.C. Housing will stay in

touch with you through this process.

To Atira’s front-line staff: we value the incredible work you do

every day supporting people in distress. We will address this issue with

your employer, but your support for the people you serve is needed more

than ever. Please continue doing that work. We need your experience,

your compassion and your ability on the front lines through these

difficult days to avert a greater crisis for the people we all care

about deeply. We will do everything we can to support you through this

process and look to you to support your organization to work with

government on this challenging effort ahead.

To other non-profits and community housing providers: the Minister

of Housing and I are very proud to work with you. We have a talented

professional community housing sector in B.C. We will take the lessons

from this difficult work, along with your feedback and that of the

people we’re supporting together, to continue our effort to ensure

transparency and accountability for you and for government to the

public, as we deliver care for people in communities across the

province.

We cannot and will not let this slow down the work that all

communities need us to continue doing and expand doing and do better

every day. We will not let it slow us down.

K. Kirkpatrick: I seek leave to respond.

Leave granted.

K. Kirkpatrick: This has been a long time coming. I would, however, like to remind

the Premier and this Minister of Housing that this is a two-term

government, and the mismanagement at B.C. Housing has occurred on their

watch.

It’s crucial to recall that this Premier has consistently avoided

accountability for his time as Housing Minister. He buried a report by

BDO that outlined severe and organizational mismanagement at B.C.

Housing with respect to B.C. Housing and Atira Women’s Resource Society.

Despite knowing about financial mismanagement at Atira, Atira’s funding

under this government has increased from $18 million in the 2016-17 to

$52.3 million in 2021. That is after knowing that there was financial

mismanagement.

On what the Premier also said as to the firing of the board, I’ll

just remind the House of when that happened. It was 6:34 p.m. on Friday,

July 8, 2022, just a week before the start of the NDP’s leadership race.

This Premier quietly announced he had fired seven members of B.C.

Housing’s NDP-appointed board.

Now, I’ll read a quote from the Premier. “The changes in the board

are not related to any sort of wrongdoing. It’s just a change in

direction and priority.” Having read that quote, I would like to point

out that what the Premier has just said to us is that the mismanagement,

the review of Atira and the E&Y report did actually have something

to do with the firing of that board. We need to understand more clearly

that the words of this Premier are accurately reflecting what has been

happening.

[10:25 a.m.]

FOI documents show a massive spike in dysfunction and problems at

B.C. Housing while this Premier was the Housing Minister, including a

dramatic increase in staff departures over previous years. This is not

insignificant, and the Minister of Housing has tried to say that this is

just natural turnover. This is not. We have heard, from employees at

B.C. Housing, of the toxic environment and the severe concerns they’ve

had over the mismanagement of this organization.

All of this has an impact. The NDP is failing to build the housing

they promised, like women’s transition housing. Only 188 units out of

the 1,500 that were promised have been opened. Results on housing and

homelessness continue to be awful. When will this Premier finally take

accountability for the mess at B.C. Housing? We have not heard that

accountability here today.

The official opposition commits to British Columbians that we will

review this in great detail and hold this government to account for the

mismanagement that has happened under its government. We, of course,

have not had the opportunity to review the outcomes in detail, and we

look forward to the ability to do that, but we are very concerned, on

behalf of British Columbians, as to what has been happening on this

Premier’s watch and when he was Minister of Housing — all of the

mismanagement and issues that we are going to learn about

now.

We are also hoping that the redaction of this document is fair and

balanced, and that key pieces of information are not kept from us and

not kept from the public. We, as MLAs, all of us on both sides of this

House, have to be accountable to our constituents and think about the

questions that they’re going to be asking us. We need to be able to

answer them.

I appreciate the time, and I’ll take my seat.

Orders of the Day

Private Members’ Statements

ACCESSABILITY WEEK

S. Chant: Thank you for the opportunities that I continue to have to address

the members of this House and to speak to the people of British

Columbia.

Before I begin my remarks, I would like to acknowledge I am

currently working and staying on the lands of the

lək̓ʷəŋən, specifically the

Songhees and Esquimalt people.

North Vancouver–Seymour, my riding, where I live and work, is in

the territory of the Coast Salish, specifically the Tsleil-Waututh and

Squamish Nations. I am grateful to have the opportunity to work and

learn with these Indigenous communities.

The month of May is all about people. The 29th of May through the

fourth of June is AccessAbility Week, May is care providers month, and

this week we remember and celebrate nursing.

Today my remarks will be about AccessAbility Week. Many

passed in 2021. Of course, there is much more to be done in working

towards a barrier-free British Columbia.

As an example, let’s look at some basic poverty rate information

that comes from a baseline of 2016 and looks at the data from 2020.

During that time, TogetherBC, an anti-poverty program, was implemented.

The key performance indicators were to reduce overall poverty by 25

percent and child poverty by 50 percent, with a target date of 2024. As

of 2019, these targets had been met, and as of 2020, they had been

exceeded.

[S. Chandra Herbert in the chair.]

As the members in this House will be well aware, the correlation

security, steady and stable employment, with reasonable pay and other

social determinants, is high. Having a visible or invisible condition

makes accessing these basics that much more challenging, not to mention

more time- and energy-consuming. It’s also highly correlated with

poverty.

Indigenous peoples experience higher rates of disability, and

people with disability are twice as likely to live in poverty. Through

coordination and partnerships with all orders of government,

organizations, businesses, communities and individuals, some progress

has been made in connecting people with the services that they need. In

addition, work has been ongoing in building a culture of empathy,

understanding and respect that supports everyone in moving

forward.

[10:30 a.m.]

Some of that work has been through increasing income assistance

and disability assistance rates, three times since 2017. Additionally,

earning exemptions for those on income or disability assistance have

been increased, and a benefit for those who are on assistance and are

unhoused has been restored. And 102 WorkBC centres have been providing

employment services that include training and work experience, many

through community-based projects that are funded by community and

employment partnerships.

The B.C. family benefit, reduced ferry rates, building affordable

homes, free transit for under-12s, the expansion of $10-a-day child care

are also ways, amongst others, that help the people of B.C. make their

money go further.

In British Columbia, we have over 926,000 people who live with a

disability, and our government is continuing to develop laws, standards

and policies that support these folks to live with dignity and

participate meaningfully in their communities. That means utilizing

their diversity of interests, talents and experiences to enrich our

overall society, culture and economy, which is beneficial to

all.

The Accessible B.C. Act creates a path to breaking down barriers,

promoting fairness and equity and creating a culture of inclusion. This

is done through identifying, removing and preventing barriers, to

support full and equal participation.

An example of barriers is readily found in the area of employment,

where physical, systemic and attitudinal barriers have been identified

that reduce or deny entry to the workforce or contribute to people

leaving the workforce prematurely. Experience has demonstrated that

diverse and inclusive work spaces have better business outcomes,

including being two times more likely to meet or exceed their financial

targets.

Our government is committed to support organizations to integrate

Collaboration with valued partners, such as the Presidents Group,

promotes the knowledge and awareness of the many values of inclusive and

diverse workplaces. I have met with this group, which is a network of 25

B.C. business leaders from large, medium and small businesses who are

workplaces.

In 2022, they did a Pledge to Measure campaign which surveyed over

48,000 B.C. employees, and 2,567 responded and self-identified as having

a disability, 76 of whom were senior leaders. They found the staff

retention rate is 72 percent higher amongst employees with disabilities.

Organizations benefit from this survey, as it helps understand how many

of their staff have a disability, establishes a baseline for tracking

progress, measures the success of diversity initiatives, demonstrates a

commitment to diversity and supports improvement of organizational

culture.

Within the Ministry of Social Development and Poverty Reduction,

significant work is being undertaken in supporting the development of

employment standards which clearly articulate the role of employers in

ensuring that disability is not a barrier to achieving meaningful and

fulfilling employment. Work is also being done toward ensuring that

access to public service is barrier free.

framework that incorporates the broad spectrum of possible challenges:

mobility, cognitive, mental health, physical health, low or no vision,

low or no hearing, computer literacy or access, just to name a

few.

The Ministry of Citizens’ Services is

improving the government’s digital tools and services in order to make

them more fully accessible. Many public sector organizations are

of 2023, and I’m happy to report many of those have already done that

and are working on plans to improve as employers and service

providers.

D. Davies: It’s a pleasure to rise today and respond to the member for North

Vancouver–Seymour on the important occasion of National AccessAbility

Week.

Too often many of us take for granted the ability to move through

our neighbourhoods or our communities with ease. We may not see or

consider the physical obstacles that pose significant challenges to

other people: the lack of a proper sidewalk, a telephone pole blocking

part of the sidewalk, or possibly the crosswalk button in an

inconvenient place.

[10:35 a.m.]

I was lucky enough a few years back, when I was on city council in

were put in wheelchairs for an afternoon and toured throughout the

community and got to experience the challenges that many of our folks

with disabilities face every day. It’s as simple as going to get a

coffee or visiting our cultural centre. That little, tiny lip when you

go onto a sidewalk poses significant challenges.

Then there are the barriers that are less visible, like stigma,

judgment or fear. There can also be financial, emotional, social and

economic barriers as well. We must do more to break down these barriers

to ensure a more accessible and inclusive society for all. But it’s not

just about removing barriers; it’s about preventing them from being

there in the first place. One area that comes to mind is housing. B.C.

housing is in a crisis, and many people are struggling to purchase or

rent a home that meets their needs.

When we talk about this, we often only focus on the affordability

issue, which is, indeed, a huge component of this crisis. But just as

much as we need to focus on affordable housing, we need to focus on

accessible housing. People living with disabilities or those wishing to

age in place often have an incredibly difficult time to find a home. Too

often housing is built with no thought or little thought of

I’ll remind the House that we do have an opportunity to be better

in this regard. In fact, the former member for Surrey South, Stephanie

Cadieux, brought forward ideas that would require all new multi-unit

would have at least one accessible entrance and an accessible bathroom.

As she pointed out, it’s critical that action is taken to ensure housing

is more inclusive in our province — not that it’s just available but

that it’s accessible, adaptable and visitable. That is just one

example.

We also need to take a look at our workforce, especially as we

continue to grapple with our labour shortage. People with disabilities

have a lot to offer workplaces, yet are significantly less likely to be

employed. The Institute for Work and Health says nationally 795,000

people with disabilities are unemployed despite being willing to

work.

Some of the barriers that they face include discrimination and

bias, employers’ concern about the costs and productivity and the lack

of knowledge about accommodation. It’s important that employers have the

information to make their workplaces more inclusive. Oftentimes,

employers are unaware that requested accommodations are quite easy to

manage.

Finally, I think we all need to challenge our own biases and

stereotypes and the language we might use as British Columbians face

barriers that are not only physical but attitudinal. Regardless of our

ability, disability, race, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status or

other factors, we all should have the same rights.

This is a human rights issue and dignity issue. We need to work

together to ensure that everyone can engage equally in society, whether

policies that are debated in this very chamber. It’s critical that we

consider the perspectives of those who are too often overlooked and work

to address those issues.

As I conclude my remarks, I also want to thank the many

organizations across British Columbia that provide programs, services

and advocacy for people living with disabilities. In my riding, the

Association for Community Living, the Child Development Centre. People

like Kristi Leer, with StepuP, who has done an incredible amount of

advocacy throughout the region and across the province. Lori Slater, a

longtime advocate who has worked with many organizations across the

province and also spearheaded taking the city council around Fort St.

John to see what it was like to live with a wheelchair.

They and other agencies in each and every one of our communities

continue to do great work, and it’s important that we recognize them as

part of AccessAbility Week.

S. Chant: Thank you to my colleague from Peace River North for his comments.

Yes, we can all work together. This is work we all need to

do.

[10:40 a.m.]

AccessAbility Week highlights the progress and ac­knowledges

the outstanding work that is needed towards a barrier-free B.C. It runs

from the 29th of May through June 4 this year, which is the sixth year

that is has been celebrated.

Again, we recognize the amazing contributions that have been made

by people with disabilities and those who work with them towards making

B.C. much more accessible. Identifying, removing and preventing barriers

to inclusion is work that all of us need to be part of.

Toward that end, I have written letters to all of our ministries

outlining suggestions of what could be done by their staff to increase

awareness, support diversity and inclusion in their work and their

staff to get information and ask questions.

Several organizations will have public funding

an­nouncements, funds that will support their continued work

throughout the province. ICBC is holding an internal workshop with B.C.

WiN, recognizing gains achieved over the past year.

June is also deafblindness month, raising awareness of this

multisensory loss of information-gathering capacity. TransLink will be

holding an event that highlights their successes of 2022, and the

technical committees of employment and service access will be meeting on

June 2 to share their progress. The BCAA is holding an event and hosting

a webinar during that week.

ICBC, TransLink and BCAA are all members of the Presidents Group,

which is the network of 25 business leaders from large, medium and small

workplaces. They have a number of members who represent medium and small

businesses and bring a broad base of both lived and learned experience

to the challenge of ensuring workplace inclusiveness.

recognizing the impact of actions, attitudes, structures and systems

that deny others basics of housing, food security, employment,

transportation, housing, health care and other needs. During

AccessAbility Week, we recognize and honour the work that many people in

British Columbia have done over the past year to identify, remove and

prevent barriers to inclusion and diversity — work that we all need to

do.

EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS

B. Banman: As the official opposition’s shadow minister for Emergency

Management and Climate Readiness, I am pleased to rise and speak on a

subject that impacts many British Columbian communities: emergency

preparedness — or, may I say, the lack thereof.

It has been 677 days since a fire essentially wiped out the

community of Lytton right off the map. While commendable community

spirit, public support and local leadership have pursued the slow

rebuilding of a once-thriving village, business, health services,

housing and many other necessities are far from complete.

What many would argue is missing here is actually the provincial

government. Two years later, as the member for Fraser-Nicola reminded

members of this House last week, Lytton is still waiting to reopen while

they wait for the promised support and development from the

government.

Meanwhile, not a single home has been rebuilt. Folks are still

waiting to go back home, as we heard last week. Some, sadly, passed

before they could rejoice at the idea of going back home.

To quote the member for Fraser-Nicola: “It seems once the

emergency is over, government forgets until the next time.” That time is

now.

As you all should know by now, heavy rains and spring snow melt

threaten several B.C. communities with flooding and mudslides. Some,

like Cache Creek and the Okanagan Indian Band territory, are already

facing the devastating impacts of this natural disaster. Folks are being

evacuated, infrastructure is being damaged, major transportation

networks shut down and emergency services, such as fire halls, are being

wrecked.

I fear that some people living in the impacted areas, such as

Grand Forks and the rest of the interior of B.C., will have to face the

same consequences that Lytton has been experiencing for the past 677

days.

Firstly, we see the current government’s lack of

preparedness.

Deputy Speaker: Member, Member.

Member was here last week. Member knows the rules in private

members’ time. We do not….

B. Banman: Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker.

Deputy Speaker: Member, if you’ll take a moment. It is not the time for throwing

charges at government or government throwing charges at opposition. The

member knows this well, so I’d ask him to reframe his comments in that

regard.

[10:45 a.m.]

B. Banman: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

However, those in rural parts of our province are looking for

help. They’re seeking government right now to help them, to be there for

them.

We heard from the Minister of Emergency Preparedness, who

mentioned a flood mitigation plan that was first brought forward in

2020. While it may sound proactive, in fact, three years before these

floods, communities facing devastation on the ground learned the hard

way that the plan is actually only being implemented now, three years

later, after the flood started.

It is a similar story with fires. As I speak, there is a fire

burning through Charlie Lake, along the Alaska Highway, that had grown

to over 70 hectares when I last checked. We all know that fires are not

new to B.C. I certainly know that because my son, as this House has

heard, is a firefighter.

Yet, news reports show that a helicopter that was purposely built

to fight wildfires with equipment with life-saving night-vision

technology, amongst other tools, the only one of its kind in British

Columbia, was just contracted out by the government of Alberta for a

multi-month deal to fight fires in that province.

This is B.C. technology, owned by Talon Helicopters, that could be

used to fight fires here, could save lives here and protect our

environment here in British Columbia. Instead it was scooped up by the

neighbouring province, which, for some reason, was able to act in a more

timely manner and put more resources towards its emergency preparedness

than our own province could.

It is offensive and insulting to all communities in British

Columbia that have faced fire and devastation that this would have been

avoidable or mitigated had we made the right decisions to protect all

British Columbians with this equipment.

I am sure that all members in this House would agree that it is

unacceptable for us as a province to move forward in a direction that

prioritizes reacting to issues when it’s too late instead of effectively

preparing for these disasters.

Floods, fires and other emergencies are not new to British

Columbia. As this House knows, my riding was underwater. My riding was

underwater, and we were not prepared for it. We have seen time and time

again for the past six years that this lacklustre response causes more

damage than good.

We shouldn’t be sending the only helicopter in British Columbia

with night vision to other provinces when we have fires of our own to

fight just because we have failed to fund it. We should be empowering,

now more than ever, to put this valuable equipment to use. We shouldn’t

be implementing a flood mitigation plan from three years ago after

floods again ravaged through a B.C. community.

Rural communities deserve better. British Columbia deserves

better. Quite frankly, better is possible.

R. Russell: I appreciate the opportunity to speak to this. I wish I was there

with you all.

To be honest, it’s hard to know where to begin with correcting the

pieces of the previous member’s comments that are incorrect. I guess I

will jump in by saying, maybe initially, that he made reference to the

fact that the province has been missing in the recovery process for the

community of Lytton.

I think if he took the time to speak to the mayor and council and

speak to the community, he would understand just how much the province,

through the public service, has been doing to help support that

community navigate, with them in the lead, what their challenges are and

find resourcing to help support that. We are at $56 million that has

been committed from the province to support that community’s recovery,

of which $36 million has already been transferred.

I will leave it at that, perhaps, for now and maybe also share

with him a story of my own community here, where I am now. Forty-eight

hours ago we were in the midst of what would have been, probably half a

dozen years ago, a very dramatic and traumatic flood event.

[10:50 a.m.]

Probably, initial estimates would be that this would be one of the

top-ten floods this community has seen in recorded history.

Interestingly to note, four of those have taken place over the last few

years.

In the conversations I’ve had with the community here…. In talking

with a floodplain resident on Thursday evening, for example, he said:

“I’ve pulled my furnace out of the basement. I’m feeling pretty ready.

I’m prepared and comfortable.” Similarly, last night I had a chance to

speak with my family doctor. He told me about the fact…. He had

installed some water removal equipment in the basement of his

mother-in-law’s place. She weathered the flood over the last few days,

so far, pretty painlessly.

On top of that, the community here, the city of Grand Forks as

well as the regional district, has put an enormous amount of energy,

with the support of the province, into reducing future impacts through

things like flood walls, disaster planning, dikes, riparian restoration,

planned retreats, bank armouring, tiger dam deployment strategies and so

much more. That has meant that the pre-flood anxiety, the preparedness

of this community and the real risk exposure of people who live here are

much lower than they were six years ago.

This is preparedness. This is how we help move forward and put

ourselves in a better position than we have been in the past in

enormously emotionally and physically painful situations, especially

given the last few years of natural disasters.

It’s, in fact, why I’m here in the Legislature — having to

navigate climate disasters on a local level. The local level is the one

that is closest to the mud and closest to the tears of those people that

are impacted.

It was very apparent to me, even with all the political will of

the government of the day, in 2018, that the legal and policy framework

for us to be able to actually deliver on the solutions we need was

insufficient, inadequate or absent. Three examples of that would be

paying attention to more than just response, as the member had mentioned

there, delivering creative solutions with some agility or wraparound

supports for the community and people. There’s an enormous amount of

work to do there.

This government has embraced these challenges head-on. It

committed to the UN Sendai framework, which focuses our attention on all

the pillars of disaster risk reduction, including preparedness. That

hadn’t been done before. It recognizes the shared responsibility, from

individuals through to the federal government and all points in

between.

We are in the process right now of tackling the sticky problems

that had been neglected by the previous government. We’re working

on…

Deputy Speaker: Member. Caution, Member.

R. Russell: …rewriting, with partners, the Emergency Program Act so that it

works better for all of us. Actions like this mean individuals in this

province are less likely to be harmed and more likely to be

prepared.

Examples would be investing $145 million in more than 380 flood

risk reduction projects since 2017. It would be partnering to map flood

hazard risks across the province. It would be the community emergency

preparedness fund; Alert Ready, which has been expanded; climate ready

B.C., a one-stop online hub to help communities and people mitigate

these risks; and the creation of a stand-alone ministry. These are the

kinds of actions that do make a difference on the ground.

Twenty years ago we were in a very different world than we are

today. I can’t help but think that the members of this government, at

that time, would’ve seen how shortsighted and siloed the government’s

toolkit was previously.

Deputy Speaker: Member, this is not the time for partisan debate. It is the time

for both sides to state their opinions about what should happen going

forward, not attack previous to that.

B. Banman: I’m thrilled that things seem to be going well in the member’s

riding. That, sadly, is not the case in many ridings in British

Columbia.

I’m glad that we can agree that emergency preparedness is

essential for British Columbia. I hope we can also agree that we need to

start putting our money where our mouth is.

Emergency preparedness is a critical issue that affects all

British Columbians. The recent flooding and ongoing wildfires have

highlighted the urgent need for proactive measures and adequate

resources to mitigate the impacts of natural disasters. However, the

current government’s lack of preparedness and inadequate response to

emergencies have put many communities at risk, as we are seeing in live

time right now.

Deputy Speaker: Member, again, this is not the time for a partisan attack. The

member knows that.

[10:55 a.m.]

B. Banman: The failure to provide timely, adequate support to Lytton and

other affected communities just is not acceptable. Two years after the

devastating fire, not a single home has been rebuilt in Lytton, leaving

residents in a state of limbo. Moreover, the government’s decision to

contract out the only helicopter in British Columbia….

Deputy Speaker: Member, again, this is not the time for naming each other and for

throwing barbs. If the member wants to make the point, he can make the

point in a different way.

B. Banman: Fair enough.

The fact remains that that vital piece of equipment is now

operating in another province. It is the only one in the world, and it

should be here in British Columbia. That technology should be used right

here, fighting wildfires in B.C., to protect the environment of B.C. and

to protect the lives of those in those affected areas. We need to

prioritize the resource, and we need to make sure that we are doing what

we can in this province.

The interior of B.C. is watching. They’re experiencing it in

places like Grand Forks, Cache Creek and Lytton. They understand what

happens when the response is too late. I would ask that we don’t put

other communities in British Columbia in the same situation.

We have consistently called on the government to take action on

emergency preparedness. The response is what is needed. As the summer

heats up, the risk of natural disasters increases.

The time for action is now. The current flooding and wildfires

show that we cannot afford to wait for the next disaster before taking

action. We need to prioritize emergency preparedness and provide

adequate resources for the community in need on the ground

now.

It is time to take responsibility now. It’s time to take

responsibility for the failures and commit to proactive measures to

mitigate the impact of natural disasters.

As the opposition, we will continue to hold government accountable

and advocate for the safety and well-being of all British Columbians. We

have to work together to ensure that our communities are safe and

resilient and prepared for emergencies both now and in the

future.

PERIOD POVERTY

K. Paddon: Today I rise to talk about period poverty. Over 50 percent of the

population has had or will have a monthly period, yet many of them,

including right here in British Columbia, do not have access to

reliable, affordable menstrual health products such as pads, tampons,

menstrual cups, period underwear or other options. There are some, for

example, on worksites or evacuees who may not even have access to clean

water that they can use to appropriately cleanse or wash.

A lack of menstrual hygiene products means that many of these

people will miss school, lose work hours, not be able to participate in

sports or other social activities or even not be comfortable accessing

community. According to the United Way, 26 percent of people who

menstruate in B.C. have gone through a period without having menstrual

products available to them. This is period poverty.

I would ask us all to imagine, together, what it might be like to

find ourselves here at work and needing to use the restroom, only to

find that there is no toilet paper, none in the whole building. One

might suggest that the issue could be solved simply by bringing our own

toilet paper. Maybe ask a friend under the stall to use some of theirs

if you’ve forgotten. After all, as Elmo says, everybody does it, so

surely there will be somebody who can help.

If you find yourself with no option, however, you’d have to go

home, hopefully before there is any embarrassment, for the natural but

stigmatized biological function that requires hygiene products to be

made available, readily and freely, in order for everyone here to be

healthy, hygienic and able to carry on participating in their

day.

It would be ridiculous to have to go home for a natural and common

bodily function, especially where it is so easy to ensure that everyone

in the building has access to toilet paper, with no stigma attached to

its use. It would be unthinkable to let someone go without a basic

hygiene need, let alone over 50 percent of the population.

Period poverty is about more than just pads. Period poverty is

also about feelings of shame and the stigma that surrounds menstruation.

This stigma makes it difficult to advocate for yourself or ask for

assistance if you need it. This stigma means people who menstruate end

up going to work, even with debilitating cramps and other symptoms,

often afraid to mention the pain and discomfort they may be feeling.

There are just so many jokes and so many comments that minimize the

reality that many have to live with every 21 to 28 days.

[11:00 a.m.]

This stigma, shame, turns a natural bodily function that occurs

for most of us who have a uterus into something to be feared or to

dread, which, let’s be blunt, would not be the case if the other 50

percent of the population were experiencing it.

[J. Tegart in the chair.]

Period poverty takes away choice. While it is becoming more common

to have free menstrual products in public bathrooms, they are often

higher up on the counter or in pre-existing dispensers, making it

unclear that they are free and available. Very rarely are they in

washrooms that aren’t specifically designated as for women, and there is

usually no variety within the available products.

In 2019, the then Minister of Education issued a ministerial order

to require all public K-to-12 schools in British Columbia to provide

stigma-free access to menstrual products for students in all school

washrooms. This means that every school in this province must have

menstrual products available for free in a way that protects privacy, is

easily accessible and barrier-free, is consistently available and is

non-stigmatizing.

Despite this, there are still many schools who offer the products

only in the principal’s office or by going to another staff. I’ve heard

from middle school and high school students about this. They share with

me that the reasons they’re given for the restriction on access is

because “the guys are messing around” or “people took more than

one.”

This is not barrier-free. This is not stigma-free. This means

additional class time missed. For students who struggle with the stigma,

it results in going without or, even worse, in going home. Students

should not have to miss school sports or extracurricular activities due

to the cost of menstrual products. We need to do better.

Another area where period poverty affects people is when

emergencies and natural disasters occur. During the atmospheric river in

2021, Chilliwack was essentially cut off from the rest of the province.

And while we heard about the issues in getting fuel and groceries and

toilet paper, what many may not have thought about was another essential

hygiene need — menstrual products. Thankfully, organizations such as

United Way, the Red Cross and Project AIM, who are here today with us,

helped to provide emergency support.

With the increase in natural disasters in our province and around

the world, the rate of people being evacuated has also increased. In

emergencies, we have seen people forced from their home with very little

notice, and access to many essential supplies, including menstrual

products, is drastically limited.

People who menstruate who are experiencing gender-based violence

face further difficulty in being able to leave their situation. Going to

a transition home, potentially losing your income and all of the

unknowns that come with leaving an unsafe situation are even more

difficult if you are worrying about affording menstrual products or

unsure when you will have a private space with access to clean

water.

People don’t want to talk about menstruation. It’s often a taboo

topic, but I’m here to talk about it. Even standing in this place and

saying “tampon,” “period,” “uterus” may cause some discomfort for some.

I think we need to acknowledge that, recognize it and move forward

together.

Our government is here to talk about it. That’s why in May 2022,

the then Minister of Social Development and Poverty Reduction

established the multisector Period Poverty Task Force to explore all

these factors and more. I was honoured to join their most recent

meeting, this past Friday, where there were several very informative

presentations. Their final report will be submitted by March 31, 2024,

and I’m looking forward to seeing their recommendations. This is

currently the only task force on period poverty globally.

In October 2022, we also announced funding for pilot projects that

will test models for increased access to free menstrual products across

the province. All this work is part of TogetherBC, the poverty reduction

strategy.

United Way British Columbia has a Period Promise campaign to

increase access to free menstrual products in communities across the

province. Over 40 businesses, organizations and cities are signatories,

including our B.C. NDP caucus. This means they are committing to having

free menstrual products in washrooms in our constituency offices. I call

on all parties as well as businesses and organizations across the

province to sign on to this campaign as well. For more information, you

can visit uwbc.ca/periodpromise.

R. Merrifield: It’s a privilege for me to rise today in this House and bring

attention to such an important topic, and I thank the member opposite

for highlighting period poverty and our responsibility as legislators to

address this problem head-on.

[11:05 a.m.]

As we work to bring an end to gender inequality that still remains

in our society, it’s vital that we tackle this issue of access to

affordable menstrual products and less frequently discussed barriers

that many women and gender-diverse people face every single

day.

Despite the fact that approximately half of our population

menstruates or will menstruate in their lifetime, it remains an

incredibly taboo topic, one that comes with a great deal of stigma.

However, having open and frank conversations about menstruation,

particularly in places like this Legislature, will help to break down

that stigma and the shame that is so often associated with

it.

Menstruation is simply a reality of life as a woman and for many

non-binary and trans people. We are expected to go about our day as if

nothing is out of the ordinary and to carry the costs, burdens, pain and

interruption of it without anyone noticing and without

complaining.

Many of us are taught from a young age to hide our menstrual

hygiene products when we go into the bathroom, to make up excuses for

absences and to avoid discussing our periods in nearly all settings. It

adds to the feeling that there is something that we should be ashamed

of. It’s part of the reason why it’s difficult for people to ask for

help when they need it and why the mental toll, in addition to physical

practicalities of not being able to afford products, can be so

great.

It’s estimated that half of the people who menstruate in B.C. have

struggled to buy period products at some point in their life. The same

survey revealed that 26 percent of respondents had gone through a period

without having menstrual products available to them. As inflation and

other affordability pressures continue to skyrocket and increase, with

the cost of personal care items like tampons and pads up 6.2 percent in

the last year, even more people in our province could begin to struggle

with period poverty.

No one should have to choose between buying groceries to feed

their family and their menstrual products that they need. We have to

work together in this place to do everything we can to prevent people

from having to make this devastating choice. It’s an issue of equality,

of human dignity, and it’s simply the right thing to do.

I want to thank the United Way B.C.’s Period Promise campaign and

the incredible work that they’ve done over the past few years on this

issue. From their important research and advocacy to their work to break

the stigma and to distribute hundreds of thousands of period products

every year, we all are grateful.

I also have to acknowledge the important work the province has

done to support these efforts, including their decision in 2019 to make

menstrual products free and available in K-through-12 schools in B.C.

These are vital steps for improving access and furthering equality in

our province. But there is still so much more to do.

We can all take

part in small ways, whether by working to break

the stigma around menstruation or by supporting the work of

organizations that provide free menstrual products to those that need

them. Additionally, we need to think of what we as legislators can do to

further the cause.

There are growing examples of other jurisdictions around the world

taking innovative steps to end period poverty and further gender

equality. For example, in 2021, Scotland became the first jurisdiction

to make it a legal right for people to access free menstrual products in

all public buildings.

We cannot forget that right now there are people in our province

who have had to miss out on work, school, appointments and other

opportunities because they do not have access to the period products

that they need. It shouldn’t be this way, and it’s in our power to make

a real difference.

I hope that today and every day in this House we can commit to

working together to once and for all end period poverty.

K. Paddon: Access to menstrual health products should not be a barrier to

participation, and people who menstruate should not have to choose

between buying menstrual products or food.

The realities of period poverty show up in many additional ways to

financial cost, including the stigma and shame that surrounds

menstruating, how it’s viewed through various cultural lenses, within

emergencies and natural disasters. These issues include age and

gender.

Menstruation is seen differently in different cultures and world

views. Some view it as sacred moon time when it is a time to connect and

learn and share. Some are forced to miss school or work or other

activities because they can’t access or afford products. For some, it is

a very difficult time that adds to gender dysphoria, which is further

exacerbated when we make menstruation gendered.

Everyone has a unique experience with their period, and that

experience is, all too often, not a positive one.

[11:10 a.m.]

In Chilliwack-Kent, there is a fantastic organization called

Project AIM, access to incontinence and menstrual products. The

founders, Miel Bernstein and Tiffany Francis, recently attended a city

council meeting and asked Chilliwack mayor Ken Popove if there were

menstrual products in the washroom at city hall. After looking to staff

for an answer, he was told that no, there were not. AIM then called on

the mayor and council to take the first steps in making that change and

provide menstrual products in not just city hall but all public

buildings across the city.

I am so pleased to have Miel and Tiffany here at the Legislature

today and that they are here with us in the gallery listening to our

comments. We had the chance to meet this morning with the Parliamentary

Secretary for Community Development and Non-profits to share and discuss

the works and areas of opportunity in continuing to move forward

together.

AIM is a grassroots, volunteer-run non-profit in Chilliwack-Kent

that was started in 2020. They work with donations to make menstrual and

incontinence products barrier-free and accessible across the Fraser

Valley. In 2020, they distributed $800 worth of products in their first

year. Last year, just two years after starting, they distributed $35,000

in products with the support of volunteers and community partners. Their

vision is that everyone, regardless of gender or economic status, should

have barrier-free access to support for menstrual and incontinence

needs.

Project AIM has expanded to also offer product education. I’m very

excited to be partnering with them and the United Way to host four

conversation events about period education and menstruation products

over the next couple of months. These are free, inclusive and safe

events, and we are inviting anyone in or near Chilliwack-Kent to join us

for these conversations. If you’re interested in attending, you can

register at www.projectaimcommunity.com.

I want to finish by inviting all businesses, organizations and

governments across British Columbia to join me in United Way’s Period

Promise. I look forward to hearing from you about your good

news.

SKILLS TRAINING

G. Kyllo: I rise in the House today to express my concerns for all British

Columbians, especially future British Columbians, in the province that

we will be building for our children and grandchildren.

People in B.C. are facing a health care crisis, a public safety

crisis and skyrocketing costs of living that are completely

unaffordable. It’s simply not good enough for us to continually speak

about how British Columbians are struggling. Our constituents need

action. Young people have been hit hard by the housing crisis, as many

lose hope of ever being able to own their own place.

Despite the rising number of young people attending post-secondary

education, the availability of student housing is limited, with only

less than 10 percent of the promised housing units delivered by the

current government. This has created a precarious situation for students

who are already struggling to pay for tuition and the rising costs of

everyday living. We must recognize that housing is a basic necessity,

and we need to ensure that our students have access to affordable, safe

and stable housing that will enable them to pursue their education and

to contribute to the workforce.

The only type of reprieve we are seeing is that students can now

double the amount of debt they hold. No one should be forced to start

their adult life burdened with these huge amounts of debt. Doubling the

availability of student debt maximums does nothing to offset the costs

students are already facing.

These young workers need hope that they can get more financial

relief without also having to spend an arm and a leg in order to move

out of their parents’ place. This issue is especially pressing for

students who don’t have access to higher education in their home

communities and are forced to leave to pursue their

education.

Now, let’s look at the $58 million being spent over three years

for the streamlined foreign credential recognition program and the B.C.

provincial nominee program. As recently announced, B.C. aims to have 30

percent of nominees residing outside of Metro Vancouver by ’25-26. This

goal is interesting, given that a large amount of B.C.’s tech sector

resides within the Metro Vancouver area.

The 2019 Don Wright economic plan specifically mentioned that

immigration and temporary foreign workers are a significant driver to

B.C.’s technology growth, which adds pressure to the availability and

cost of housing in Vancouver. The situation has gotten so bad that we

now need to resort to a plan that has one in three immigrant workers

living outside of Metro Vancouver.

[11:15 a.m.]

On the topic of rural B.C., I can’t help but focus on the complete

failure to help the struggling forest sector. Instead of supporting

workers in their current jobs, $30 million is being utilized to

transition workers out of their current jobs. Many of these workers feel

as though it’s too late for them to go back to school or simply don’t

want to leave their current profession. It cannot be expected that

forest workers in B.C. transition to a completely different

field.

While students are facing an affordability crisis and our natural

resource workers are being forced to transition to other sectors, we’re

also seeing a downturn in investments made to increasing the number of

trades-training spaces for the trades sector in British Columbia.

Despite the introduction of heavy red tape and regulation to the trades

in B.C., such as the skilled trades certification program, which calls

for more journeymen and trades-training seats than we have in B.C., I

continue to hear from stakeholders who are concerned about the lack of

available training seats and funding to meet demand.

We appreciate that government has the opportunity to establish

policies similar to the trades certification program. However, it’s

imperative that government actually provide the funding to ensure that

the trades-training seats are there in advance of the certification

requirements coming into effect. We don’t have enough seats to train

British Columbians in the trades. There are massive backlogs at the

employment standards branch, and workers in almost all sectors are being

left in the dark. This does not sound like a plan that the future is

ready.

I’m a grandfather of 12 amazing, talented young grandchildren, and

I want them to grow up in a British Columbia that supports their

interests and ensures their future will be attainable. Many parents are

worried for the future of their children and families as affordability,

health care and public safety continue to worsen.

We need to provide them with the hope that the future will be

better, because it can be. If the necessary steps are taken, we can

alter the current direction the province is going in and ensure that our

labour market is resilient and that support for workers will be there.

We need action, not empty promises for British Columbians today and in

the future. Better is possible.

R. Leonard: Thank you to the member for Shuswap for introducing the topic of

future skills to this House. What do we mean by future skills? I’d like

to just set the stage through a timeline.

My Uncle Charlie was born in 1914. His father, my grandfather, was

a farmer from Poland. Going to school and growing up in a new world,

Uncle Charlie learned new ways to farm. They butted heads, but gradually

the new ways won out. For 99 years, Uncle Charlie was a lifelong learner

and enjoyed every new thing he was introduced to.

I’d also like to reflect on the progress during the life of a baby

boomer, me being one of those many. As a youth, the discovery of DNA was

just beginning to unfold. The notion of a computer in every household

was only in the fantasy world of science fiction. The fast pace of

progress made for an uneasy world. All that was certain was uncertainty.

The world of work was definitely changing over the decades.

Today we’re experiencing exponential changes as we unlock more

understanding of the world. With all the new challenges of today and

tomorrow, we must meet the challenges of building a strong, well-trained

workforce to support businesses for all of us.

What are the big changes? Demographics. There are more people

retiring, with fewer young people to replace them. Technology keeps

advancing, and workers need the education to match those new

understandings and to continue to innovate. Climate change is impacting

our workforce too.

Since day one, from investing in affordable housing and child

care, from closing the digital divide and increasing the participation

of underrepresented groups like women, Indigenous people and others, our

government has focused on building a strong foundation, eliminating

barriers to education and participation in the workforce.

[11:20 a.m.]

Today’s Future Ready action plan shows how we are taking on the

challenges now so that we’re ready for the future. B.C.’s labour market

outlook helps guide us with what is needed in a ten-year forecast.

Certainly, we’re feeling the tight labour market already. Coming out of

the pandemic, we’ve begun to experience what it means to have more

people retiring than can fill the positions they’ve left. As we age, we

rely more on our health care system, which means we need more qualified

people.

That’s why we’ve added more spaces for post-secondary students

throughout B.C. and for student housing. We know that where you train

means a greater likelihood that you will remain in your new career. We

are making post-secondary training more affordable for more people.

We’re improving the B.C. provincial nominee program, and we’ve streamed

foreign credential recognition, unlocking the training and skills that

immigrants to B.C. arrive with, to better serve the people of

B.C.

By honouring self-determination and building capacity to address

First Nations’ workforce priorities, we’re casting our net farther,

capturing more workers who heretofore have faced barriers to

employment.

The same holds true for others. Former youth in care whose tuition

has been waived have already brought benefit to themselves and to us

with their training. We’re now expanding the waiver for all ages, which

unlocks even more potential. Others who face multiple barriers have

expanded skills training available to them that they will bring to the

workforce.

When some jobs diminish within our economy, we are creating space

for new workplaces like the growing manufacturing sector. Technology is

exploding, and we in B.C. need to be part of it, or the world will leave

us behind. Future skills training and support for innovation mean that

we will see clean and inclusive growth with high-care, low-carbon goods

and services.

Around the globe, success comes with strong environmental, social

and governance credentials. In all respects, we are prepared to be

leaders. It is an exciting time to be a British Columbian. With a $480

million, over three years, Future Ready action plan, we will all be a

part of a stronger B.C.

G. Kyllo: I do appreciate the member opposite for their remarks. I believe

all of us in this House can recognize the incredible impact that workers

across the province have on our economy and our communities, but more

must be done to ensure that these workers are optimistic about the

future of our province. They need to be able to afford to live here, and

they deserve opportunities to succeed.

I mentioned before, and I’ll continue to speak of some of the

concerns around even government policy, picking winners and losers. I’m

reminded of the community benefits….

Deputy Speaker: Member, I’d remind you that it is non-partisan.

G. Kyllo: Thank you very much, hon. Speaker.

Policies create significant challenges for workers, as an example,

and for small business owners, in their inability to bid and compete on

contracts, due to some of these discriminatory policies. I think all

British Columbians certainly deserve the opportunity to find

econ­omic opportunity and work within the province of B.C.

However, the current policies of this government are not supportive of

that.

We’ve heard serious concerns raised about the Cowichan Hospital

project. It has caused considerable challenges within the community of

Cowichan. We still see no changes for this particular project. Other

similar challenges only fail local communities and Indigenous economic

reconciliation. CBAs have also been shown to significantly increase and

drive up costs, almost doubling costs of projects in some

areas.

British Columbians need more action. Our business owners need

support to offset the costs that are associated with the rise in theft

and vandalism. Our students need more than an increase in allowable

debt. They need funding and support with the affordable housing

crisis.

Workers in the natural resource sector continue to have questions,

with few answers. They are struggling, yet we see nothing to combat

their increasing challenges, specifically within forestry, as we see

mill closures, curtailments and the loss of shifts. A transition to

other specialized skills is simply not always doable for everyone in

these fields.

I am concerned about how B.C. expects to fill the 81,000

skilled-trades shortages that are expected over the next decade,

according to the Labour Market Outlook . Much more needs to be

done to ensure training seats and learning opportunities are available

for future generations. In our current state, we are far from

future-ready. British Columbians deserve more when it comes to their

future. We need to work to ensure that everyone is supported and that we

have a place for everyone in our labour force, going forward.

[11:25 a.m.]

Hon. J. Whiteside: Hon. Speaker, I ask the House to consider proceeding with

Motion 47, standing in the name of the member for Coquitlam–Burke

Mountain.

Deputy Speaker: Members, unanimous consent of the House is required to proceed to

Motion 47 without disturbing the priorities of the motions preceding it

on the order paper. If any member is opposed to the request for leave,

please indicate now.

Leave granted.

Private Members’ Motions

MOTION 47 — WATERSHED SECURITY

F. Donnelly: I move:

[Be it resolved that this House supports this government’s actions

to secure B.C.’s watersheds so that safe, clean, abundant water and

healthy functioning ecosystems are available to communities, nations and

wildlife for generations to come.]

The watershed sector is a major employer in B.C., contributing

billions to our province’s economy every year. In fact, according to the

Delphi report, in 2019 the watershed sector, broadly, supported jobs for

47,900 British Columbians, contributing an estimated $5 billion to the

province’s GDP.

The watershed sector supports a diverse spectrum of jobs from

entry-level to skilled, seasonal to permanent, and in all regions of our

province — urban, suburban, coastal and rural. When you compare the

watershed sector to other sectors in B.C., it’s on par with agriculture,

mining and oil and gas.

Whether it’s a restoration worker replanting native wetland

species, a planner developing an urban water conservation strategy, a

labourer installing stormwater infrastructure or a software engineer

designing a new water monitoring technology, the watershed sector

supports British Columbians at all career stages.

The watershed sector consists of five subsectors: watershed

management and restoration; industrial water management and

infrastructure; urban water management and infrastructure; regulatory

and public administration; and education, training and

capacity-building.

Securing our watersheds has co-benefits too. Water is an essential

aspect of tourism. B.C.’s abundant lakes, rivers and creeks are a large

part of its super, natural draw. Growing food is simply not possible

without clean, abundant, fresh water. Fresh water is a vital ingredient

to B.C.’s booming, high-value, specialty beverage industry, such as

wineries, distilleries and craft breweries.

Under StrongerBC, the healthy watersheds initiative generated over

1,500 jobs in 18 months, with a return on investment including training

and skills development; cross-sector benefits for ag, forestry,

fisheries and tourism; cost savings for municipalities, through reduced

climate impacts on infrastructure; drinking water protection; and water

supply for businesses, First Nations and communities.

The HWI demonstrated the tip of the iceberg for opportunities in

watershed restoration, Indigenous stewardship, water tech and

innovation, industrial and urban water management, planning and

monitoring. Growth in the watershed sector is not only needed to meet

the growing watershed and climate challenges in B.C., but B.C. can also

position itself as a global leader in water solutions, where global

demand is predicted to be over $1.5 trillion by 2028.

Everyone lives in a watershed, and everyone relies on water. A

watershed is land, from its heights, like a mountaintop, hill or ridge,

drained by a common system of waterways — like rivers, creeks, lakes and

aquifers — to a single point, usually the ocean, a lake or a big river.

Fresh water is precious. It means life, and there is a limited amount of

it.

Watersheds come in all sizes. Just to give a bit of context, I

live in the Coquitlam watershed, one of 34 main watersheds that make up

the Fraser watershed, one of B.C.’s largest. Specifically, I live near

Hoy Creek, which drains into the Coquitlam River, which drains into the

Fraser River, which drains into the Pacific Ocean.

Watersheds are useful for measuring ecosystem impacts and

determining a region’s health. They’re often similar to First Nations’

traditional hunting and fishing territories. Without efforts to improve

watershed security, B.C.’s watersheds are at risk from droughts, floods,

wildfires, urban development, drinking water and industrial demand, food

production and resource extraction.

[11:30 a.m.]

Our government is building the watershed sector and growing the

restoration economy. We’re co-developing a watershed security strategy

in partnership with First Nations. The final strategy will be out this

fall.

In March, we announced $100 million in a new watershed security

fund that will also be co-developed and co-managed. This fund will

optimize the sector’s growth and yield significant employment and

economic returns. This builds on our $27 million under the HWI and $30

million under Budget 2022 and over $85 million under the B.C. salmon

restoration and innovation fund. We encourage the federal government and

others to contribute to this fund so that the fund continues to

grow.

Healthy watersheds support local economies and resilient

communities. That’s why we need to secure B.C.’s watersheds so that

safe, clean, abundant water and healthy, functioning ecosystems are

available to communities, First Nations, wild salmon and other wildlife

for future generations.

R. Merrifield: I rise today to speak to this motion and the critical need to

secure B.C.’s watersheds. Our province’s rivers and streams are the

lifeblood of our communities, supporting wildlife, fisheries, human

health and well-being. Yet despite their importance, as spoken about by

the last member, our watersheds face significant threats from a range of

human activities, urbanization, but also climate change.

As the MLA for Kelowna-Mission and shadow minister for environment

and climate change, I’m acutely aware of the challenges facing our local

watersheds, including the Okanagan River, Kettle River and Mission Creek

just in my riding alone.

Unfortunately, human activities and natural disasters have taken a

toll on Kelowna’s watersheds in recent years. Yes, there are forestry

practices which can increase erosion, sedimentation and the disruption

of natural water flow patterns. The loss of vegetation also makes the

land more vulnerable to wildfires, which have become more frequent and

severe due to climate change. These wildfires further exacerbate the

watersheds’ degradation by burning vegetation, leaving the soil exposed

and increasing the risk of erosion and sedimentation. The resulting

accumulation of sediment in the creeks raises the creek bed, reducing

the capacity to carry water and increasing the likelihood of

flooding.

Floods. Fires. It sounds familiar, doesn’t it, as they rage over

50 percent of our British Columbia province today? Floods are a

challenge faced by Kelowna’s watersheds. Heavy rainfall events and rapid

snow melt have led, this year, to an increase in flooding occurrences.

These floods not only damage the watersheds but also cause widespread

destruction to homes, farmland and infrastructure. The combined effects

of all of these human-caused fires and floods have had disastrous

consequences for both the environment and the people of

Kelowna.

And then there are Mother Earth’s naturalized fires and floods.

Flooding can lead to the destruction of homes, businesses and vital

infrastructure, causing significant economic losses and displacing

residents. Farmland is also severely impacted, with floods causing soil

erosion, crop damage and reduced agricultural productivity.

Over the last two years, I’ve toured many of the areas of our

local watersheds to see these aspects of the changes in water patterns

and how they have occurred. Recently in my own riding, I toured McMillan

Farms, and I could see how tertiary streams were no longer active, as

sediment prevents the water from entering.

This blockage causes the water levels in Mission Creek to rise and

floods the farm’s valuable farmable lands. Additionally, the floodwaters

threaten the homes along Mission Creek in the KLO area more times, in

recent years, than not. This same creek is the one that washes out

Highway 33 because of no barriers to the water.

The creek bed has risen so much through sediment deposits that the

capacity of the creek’s flow is diminished. With nowhere to go, the

waters flood the entire area. There are places along the creek where I

used to be able to walk under the bridges just 20 years ago, and now I

couldn’t even crawl. Additionally, the degradation of watersheds poses a

significant threat to Kelowna’s wildlife, particularly the Okanagan

salmon. The increased sedimentation to the waterways disrupts their

spawning habitats, which can lead to a decline in our fish

populations.

[11:35 a.m.]

We need this government to take action and prioritize the

watershed mapping and contribute funds for mitigation. We need this to

happen now, while working with the various stakeholders to bring forward

a united voice. Without it, we can see that the degradation of Kelowna’s

watersheds is just an example of the lack of coordination among various

layers of government.

Between the provincial and municipal authorities all having

jurisdiction over different aspects of watershed management, the lack of

adherence to a cohesive strategy has resulted in a stagnation of

critical watershed-mapping efforts. This paralysis has hindered the

development and implementation of effective programs and policies that

could actually help mitigate the impacts of forestry, fires and floods

on the region’s watersheds.

To achieve meaningful progress in protecting and restoring all of

our watersheds, it’s important and imperative that all levels of

government work collaboratively to develop a comprehensive and

coordinated approach that prioritizes watershed health and resilience

before it’s too late.

B. Anderson: I would like to thank the member for Coquitlam–Burke Mountain for

all of his work on watersheds and salmon, and I rise here today to

enthusiastically support this motion.

Water is life. Watersheds are the lifeblood of our province.

Healthy watersheds are at the forefront of climate resiliency and are

the foundation to all social, environmental and economic systems. In

rural areas, people are intimately connected with their watersheds and

are directly affected when issues with water arise. I’ve had many

discussions with folks in the Kootenays about watershed security and

their desire to have a more direct involvement and input regarding what

happens in their watersheds.

During the summer of 2021, B.C. experienced record-breaking

temperatures, massive wildfire events and prolonged droughts throughout

the province. In Creston that summer, I had an entire residential water

system that had run dry. Some of these folks had grown up on that

property and they were elders now, and this is something they had never

experienced before.

It was extremely emotional for them as they were trucking water

in. This one woman described, you know, having to go around and teach

her husband how to flush the toilets with buckets. It was very

distressing for all of them and very emotional.

Subsequently, in the fall of 2021, we had extreme rainfall and

flooding events that impacted our communities profoundly. Just over the

weekend, we had rising water levels and rain that was in the weather

forecast. In my riding, the village of Salmo and the surrounding areas,

as well as the Duhamel Creek area at Lower 6 Mile Road near Nelson, were

both placed on evacuation alerts on Friday, with the entire regional

district on flood watch. Thankfully, both alerts have been

rescinded.

Research shows that climate change amplifies not only extreme

events like heatwaves and wildfires but also floods. This is threatening

the health of watersheds and, by extension, the well-being of all living

things. Watershed security is absolutely necessary, and I am grateful

that our government is committed to developing and implementing a

watershed security strategy and fund with Indigenous peoples and in

collaboration with local and federal governments.

I’ve had dozens of conversations about watershed security in my

riding, and I know that folks from Argenta to Ymir and everywhere in

between want to be a part of watershed solutions. Protecting B.C.’s

water and watersheds is a top priority for our government. We are

working with local governments, interest groups and industry to take a

holistic approach to stewarding B.C.’s watersheds and ensuring that they

are healthy and resilient for the long term.

As outlined in the intentions paper, our government is committed

to enabling new approaches to watershed governments through inclusion,

capacity-building and collaboration; pursue legislative change, policy

development and alignment of the laws and policy to be consistent with

the UN declaration; build a strong foundation of watershed science and

knowledge that is accessible for use by Indigenous peoples, local

governments and communities; apply a holistic approach to watershed

management and ecosystem protection; and balance water supply and

demand, quality and quantity at the watershed scale to address the needs

of people, the environment and the economy.

[11:40 a.m.]

Watershed security means the availability of good-quality water

for healthy ecosystems and communities. Watershed security will look

different from watershed to watershed, so it is best that we define it

locally.

Now, zooming in from the macro to the micro, I would like to take

this opportunity to acknowledge and congratulate one person, Gerry

Nellestijn, for being named a recipient of the 2023 Community Award.

Gerry is a trail-blazing force behind the Salmo Watershed Streamkeepers

Society working tirelessly to promote research, awareness and

restoration of threatened fish and wildlife, and their habitat in the

Salmo Watershed and beyond.

Gerry is just one member of our community that’s doing this work.

There are several other organizations and countless people committed to

protecting our watersheds in the Kootenays. I would like to thank them

for their vital work. Water is life.

H. Yao: I seek leave to make a quick introduction.

Leave granted.

Introductions by Members

H. Yao: I’ll take a moment to welcome the Sacrament School, led by teacher

Terry Brennan, and of course, all the grade 4 and grade 5

students.

Welcome to our chamber. I hope you guys had a lovely time observing

our debate.

Debate Continued

L. Doerkson: It’s certainly a great opportunity to rise today in this House and

talk about such an important issue, one that impacts everyone in this

province probably much more than we actually realize.

I know that my B.C. United colleagues and I are proud to support

B.C.’s watersheds and efforts to keep them safe and healthy for generations.

Watersheds are, of course, vital, interconnected ecosystems. They are home

to thousands of organisms. They provide us with food and other resources. As

much as we are dependent on them, they too are deeply impacted by our

actions. As such, we have a responsibility to maintain them for future

generations.

I’m lucky to live in the Fraser Basin, a region spanning a massive

area of the province. In fact, it’s B.C.’s largest watershed and the fifth

largest in the country. The Fraser River Basin is itself composed of

numerous smaller watersheds — for instance, like the Chilcotin in my

constituency — that all drain into, of course, the Fraser.

The fact that so much of our province is dependent on the Fraser River

highlights that our actions have consequences that go far beyond the

immediate vicinity. Changes at the mouth of the river can have significant

consequences for the rest of the system. And in the same way that something

like a rock slide in a tributary far upriver can have consequences far

downstream.

We saw this just a few years ago, with the Big Bar landslide up near

Lillooet, which created a barrier that deeply affected the migration of

Fraser River salmon. It required a significant response from all levels of

government to help mitigate the damage and work to restore it to its

original condition.

A similar kind of coordinated response is needed on a more general

scale for the health of all species dependent on our watersheds. The Fraser

is the largest salmon-producing river in the world, yet many populations are

in decline. Other species are also at risk, notably steelhead trout. The

number of steelhead returning to the Thompson and Chilcotin watersheds is

the lowest ever recorded, according to a spring 2022 spawning population

estimate from the province. Both populations were classified as an extreme

conservation concern and are at risk of extirpation.

The state of steelhead populations in the Fraser Basin, particularly

within my constituency, is dire. Last year, the steelhead spawning

population for the Chilcotin watershed was estimated to be at just 19

individuals, down from 3,149 in 1985. It’s certainly clear that further

action needs to be taken to protect this vital species.

Issues like habitat destruction, pollution and climate change are some

of the most serious challenges facing fish populations as well as watersheds

as a whole. It’s worth noting that all of these are largely related to human

influence. The explosion of growth in industry along the Fraser River

corridor over the last century has had significant impacts on the

environment, but it’s not out of our power to take positive steps to restore

and protect our watersheds and all that depend on them.

[11:45 a.m.]

Investments in habitat restoration projects, controls on pollution and

further measures to address climate change will all have positive impacts on

the ecosystem. The health and the future of our communities depend on this

kind of leadership. It’s certainly within everyone’s best interest to slow

the progression of climate change; to ensure we have clean, safe water

available for us; and to have healthy wildlife populations.

Healthy ecosystems are more resilient to natural disasters. They can

support industry and economic activity. They have a value in simply

existing. I’m encouraged that the government has brought a motion forward

like this in the Legislature today and took the time to talk about these

important issues. Now I look forward to members opposite delivering on

actual results, because words alone are not enough to protect our watersheds

for generations to come.

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

House supports this government’s actions to secure B.C.’s watersheds so that

safe, clean, abundant water and healthy functioning ecosystems are available

to communities, nations and wildlife for generations to come.”

Two years ago, like a lot of people, I didn’t really know much about

watersheds. Then I was appointed to the Select Standing Committee on Finance

and Government Services. One of the central functions of that committee is

to seek public input about what items should be included in the next

provincial budget.

During the 2021 public consultations, we heard from many organizations

who raised the alarm about water security. These organizations included

Living Lakes Canada, Okanagan Basin Water Board, B.C. Watershed Security

Coalition, Outdoor Recreation Council of B.C., B.C. freshwater legacy

initiative, Lake Windermere Ambassadors and Rivershed Society of

B.C.

They told us that climate change is increasing the necessity to

monitor our water supply. To do so, we need to increase our monitoring

capabilities. They warned that if we don’t do so, B.C. will run out of clean

water, and we will have to start making hard choices about how and where to

limit water usage.

To illustrate the point, the Lake Windermere Ambassadors informed us

that the glacier that resupplies the Columbia water basin will be gone in 20

years. The Okanagan Basin Water Board told us that the water levels in the

lake fluctuate more than they did in the past, and the current

infrastructure is no longer adequate. The Real Estate Foundation of B.C. and

Watersheds B.C. suggested that developing and funding a watershed security

strategy would create jobs, boost local economies, protect drinking water,

protect critical salmon habitat and strengthen relationships with Indigenous

partners.

In our conclusions, the committee noted that water has long been

considered a limitless resource but that in the face of climate change, the

abundance of water can no longer be taken for granted. We agreed that water

security is vital to health, to the environment and to economic growth. To

that end, this bipartisan committee unanimously recommended that funding for

watershed security be increased.

Watershed security became an even greater presence during the public

consultation the following year. Two themes ran through the more than 20

submissions. One was the importance of watershed planning.

The Peachland Watershed Protection Alliance highlighted that in the

face of the previous year’s climate disasters, watersheds provide natural

defenses against drought, fire and floods. Organizing for Change explained

that in a decades-long absence of planning, many of our watersheds have

become degraded. The B.C. Dairy Association noted that farmers have begun

working together to

schedule watering, and that without water planning, our

food security is in jeopardy.

The other theme that struck me, as a member of the committee, was that

so many of our watersheds in B.C. are privately owned. Cumberland Community

Forest Society explained that the watershed that supplies the town of

Cumberland had been privately owned until it was purchased to create a

watershed and biodiversity conservation area.

They also drew our attention to the fact that the majority of land

containing watersheds in southern Vancouver Island is privately owned and

that, therefore, the water supply of surrounding communities is vulnerable

to profit-based resource extraction companies. Living Lakes Canada expressed

similar concerns regarding other parts of the province.

[11:50 a.m.]

The First Nations Fisheries Council of B.C. explained that accelerated

development and climate change is infringing upon First Nations’ rights,

livelihood, health outcomes and food security. The committee learned that

the only protected watershed in B.C. is the one that feeds the Metro

Vancouver water system.

In our conclusions, the committee acknowledged that the province is at

risk of reaching a dangerous point of water insecurity. We expressed

considerable concern about the prospects of failing to address this issue

now. We noted that B.C. is lagging behind other jurisdictions when it comes

to water conservation. We noted that we need to do a better job of

monitoring all bodies of water to ensure usage and extraction is

sustainable. Our sense of urgency was reflected in our

recommendations.

In conclusion, I want to thank the many individuals and organizations

throughout the province who are working hard to protect this valuable yet

underappreciated resource. They motivated me to teach myself that refreshing

water that comes out of my tap and my home in Burnaby is part of 115 million

litres that come through our pipes every day.

I. Paton: I’m glad to have the opportunity to speak to this motion before the

House today. Watersheds play a vital role in our province, providing clean

air, regulating water supply and maintaining pristine water for consumption.

The water that everyday British Columbians drink is almost all from surface

water, which becomes groundwater into lakes, creeks, rivers and streams,

meaning it is integral that we take care of these watersheds to ensure they

continue to be viable for the future.

Not only are they very important, moving forward, but they’ve also

played a significant role historically. In my riding of Delta South, I have

one of the major watersheds in B.C., the Fraser River. Historically, this

river played a large

part in the livelihood of the Indigenous population on

the Lower Mainland. It was a significant transportation route and a source

of food for the Indigenous people of the region for a very long time, with

many First Nations dependent on it.

As significant a role as the Fraser River played in the past, its

importance holds the same value today. As the longest-running river in

British Columbia, it is a major waterway and extremely important to our

local economy. Unfortunately, there is a significant risk of flooding

further upriver, where the shallow riverbank is very susceptible and could

cause major disruptions. This could lead to water contamination, hurt the

ecosystem and have negative effects, impacts on the local economy and

residents.

A process that can help prevent flood risk is dredging, which would

remove sand, dirt and mud from the secondary channels of the Fraser River.

Sediment in the Fraser River is a natural phenomenon, occurring mainly

during late spring and early summer with the melting of the snow-packed

mountains. The dirt clogs up not just the main channel but the secondary

channels that house marinas and businesses, making the water dangerously low

and impassable in spots during low tide.

We have a major float home community in and around Ladner. Where it’s

low tide, these float homes are sitting on an angle, which compromises their

natural gas connections, their sewage connections and their water lines, not

to mention major recreational marinas where people can’t even get their

boats out of the marinas on low tide. These concerns have been consistently

brought up by the local municipalities, but surprisingly, the NDP government

chose to only invest money in dredging for the NDP-held riding in

Richmond.

The Delta-Ladner side of the Fraser, a B.C. United riding, has

conveniently not received any funding to prevent flooding risk and minimize

safety hazards. Steveston’s commercial fishing harbour is one of the largest

in Canada, with more than 400 vessels. However, Ladner is not far behind,

including major seafood processing businesses like Lions Gate Fisheries and

S.M. halibut products.

Twenty million tons of sediment washes down the Fraser River annually

as it drains one-quarter of the province. The drainage basin of the river is

the size of Great Britain, and with the intensive rainfalls last fall and

winter, there is more sediment coming down the river than ever before. In my

riding, at the end of the drainage journey, there are secondary channels,

including Ladner Reach and Canoe Pass, that are home to fishing marinas,

float home communities, recreational boating and commercial businesses that

all use the river to maintain their way of life.

In 2013, the cities of Delta and Richmond and the Vancouver Port

Authority and the province came together with an unprecedented $10 million

collaboration to dredge the secondary channels around Ladner and

Steveston.

[11:55 a.m.]

Since then, there has been little attention paid to dredging, and the

silt has risen to dangerous levels in Delta South. Richmond, a few weeks

ago, received $2.1 million of dredge funding for Steveston harbour, but the

issues remain in the secondary channels of Delta South, even though a recent

Port of Vancouver report graded the need for dredging to be the same in both

areas.

These kinds of antics are expected when it comes to this government,

which is blatantly gifting money to a riding they hold while withholding

much-needed funding to the other side facing the same dredging risk. While

Richmond has safety issues, so do the individuals in my riding who will be

put in precarious situations while this government refuses to fund this

dredging project.

To highlight the need for this funding, I tabled a petition last week

with more than 900 signatures from citizens in my riding along the Fraser

who are worried about how not taking care of this watershed can severely

damage their livelihoods. I hope this government makes the right decision

and prioritizes British Columbians, not just those in their

ridings.

Noting the hour, I move adjournment of the morning debate.

I. Paton moved adjournment of debate.

Motion approved.

[Mr. Speaker in the chair.]

Hon. J. Whiteside moved adjournment of the House.

Motion approved.

Mr. Speaker: This House stands adjourned until 1:30 p.m. today.

The House adjourned at 11:56 a.m.

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