Hansard Blues

Legislative Assembly

Draft Report of Debates

The Honourable Raj Chouhan, Speaker

4th Session, 42nd Parliament

Monday, October

16, 2023

Morning Sitting

Draft Transcript — Terms of Use

The House met at 10:02 a.m.

[Mr. Speaker in the chair.]

Routine Business

Prayers and reflections: B. Anderson.

Introduction and

First Reading of Bills

BILL 35 — SHORT-TERM RENTAL

ACCOMMODATIONS ACT

Hon. R. Kahlon presented a message from Her Honour the Lieutenant-Governor: a bill

intituled Short-Term Rental Accommodations Act.

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

I am pleased to introduce the Short-Term Rental Accommodations Act. Our government

has made real progress in delivering housing for people in B.C., but inflation, rising

interest rates and a growing population have added new complexities and challenges.

Vacancy rates across the province are extremely low, people are struggling to find

homes that they can afford, and the rapid increase in short-term rentals is making

the problem worse.

[10:05 a.m.]

In B.C., short-term rentals are removing thousands of long-term homes from our communities,

homes that are desperately needed. Today there are 20 percent more short-term rental

listings in B.C. than there were a year ago.

This bill takes action to address the explosion of short-term rentals by bringing

in more effective regulations and making it easier for people to find stable, long-term

housing options. This bill responds to the requests from local governments and gives

them more tools to help enforce their short-term rental bylaws. It will establish

a provincial role in the regulation of short-term rentals by requiring hosts to be

part of a provincial registry and brings in provincial compliance and enforcement

measures to further ensure hosts are following the rules.

The proposed legislation supports the return of short-term rental units to the long-term

housing market.

A central component of this legislation will be a new principal residence requirement

that will limit short-term rentals in B.C. to principal residences only. In other

words, hosts will be limited to renting out one suite on their own property, which

could include a secondary suite or a laneway home. This will apply to municipalities

with 10,000 people or more and provides exemptions for tourism-dependent and smaller

B.C. communities.

This proposed legislation will crack down on investors using short-term rentals to

make huge profits and will return long-term homes back to people who need them.

Through this legislation, we're taking strong action through a thoughtful, phased-in

approach that will tackle short-term rental challenges and deliver more homes for

people.

Mr. Speaker: The question is the first reading of the bill.

Motion approved.

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

next sitting of the House after today.

Bill 35, Short-Term Rental Accommodations Act, introduced, read a first time and ordered

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

after today.

Orders of the Day

Private Members' Statements

ANCIENT LANDSLIDE

L. Doerkson: I rise in the House today to speak on an issue of great concern to my constituents.

Terra Ridge is a cherished neighbourhood in Williams Lake known for its seniors living

and strong sense of community. The appeal of this neighbourhood has been recognized

for decades, and there's every reason to believe that it will remain a wonderful place

to live for years to come.

[J. Tegart in the chair.]

On September 29, four homes within Terra Ridge were ordered to evacuate after a structural

integrity report found that they were no longer habitable. While these four units

have been condemned, the majority of these units remain completely untouched and unaffected

by the ancient landslide.

I've had the privilege of visiting Terra Ridge numerous times and can attest to the

beauty and the quality of these units, perched gracefully on a gentle slope, offering

picturesque views of Williams Lake and, of course, our beloved city.

It's not just the scenery that makes Terra Ridge special. It's the residents that

create such a terrific sense of community. Terra Ridge has always been renowned as

a wonderful home for seniors, offering a warm and inclusive community for residents

to call home, host a family gathering and welcome trick or treaters for Halloween.

I know that these cherished traditions and strong sense of community will continue.

While 76 units remain in good condition, the situation for the four units impacted

by this landslide is absolutely dire. This slow-moving ancient landslide has been

a known issue for years, with various levels of government conducting research and

studies. Unfortunately, these efforts have yet to yield clear solutions to address

the problem effectively. The existing solutions presented seem uncertain at best.

The sad reality is that the residents of these four units are now paying for this

inaction. People have lost their family homes, for most of them the most significant

investment they will ever purchase. After large cracks started appearing in the foundation

of their homes, the residents of these four units were put on evacuation orders and

forced to immediately evacuate.

In such cases, our province is expected to provide a safety net through disaster financial

assistance. However, it appears that in this case residents may not qualify for this

program due to the definition of unexpected and sudden loss not being met. I must

express my bewilderment at this classification. In my view, the circumstances unquestionably

represent a matter of unexpected and sudden loss.

[10:10 a.m.]

This program is meant to provide support in times of need, natural disasters and events

beyond a resident's control. These people were forced to suddenly evacuate due to

earth moving below their homes, a situation well beyond their control that certainly

couldn't have been anticipated.

Governments are actively working to understand the extent of the slide's impact on

Terra Ridge, the community and essential infrastructure in our community, such as

Highway 20. In the absence of immediate solutions to curb the slide, we really must

deploy every single tool at our disposal to support these vulnerable residents. Leaving

seniors who have contributed enormously to our community to suffer from massive financial

loss is unacceptable and simply not an option.

While disaster financial assistance is needed to help these residents in the long

run, we must also address the existing challenges facing these people in the short

term. In the face of disaster and uncertainty, the most pressing question for them

is, frankly: where will they sleep tonight? This is where emergency support services

comes in. It's vital that this support continues through the immediate aftermath of

an event like this one. These residents were given just hours' notice to leave, and

they currently find themselves stuck in limbo, with no clear solutions in sight.

While the ESS support program is absolutely of immediate help, and I'm grateful for

that, the constant timelines and reapplication processes and the other unnecessary

stresses that have been placed on these residents through this program are unbelievable.

Residents worried about where their next meal will come from or where they are going

to sleep tonight should not be burdened with frequent reapplications and bureaucracy

just to get the assistance that they need to survive.

Madam Speaker, imagine the stress going through one's mind, being evacuated due to

flood, fire or landslides, knowing that you will never, ever return to that home.

We owe this to these individuals to streamline this process and to make it as straightforward

as possible. Although this program has been very beneficial, there's certainly room

for improvement in its efficiency to provide optimal support to those that desperately

need this after a disaster.

As for the Terra Ridge residents who have lost their homes, most are currently in

hotels, while one is residing with her daughter far from her community with no financial

assistance at all. There is no time to delay, no time to wait for the next disaster.

We must improve these programs now. It's long overdue. The residents of Terra Ridge,

the people of Kelowna, the Shuswap, northern B.C. and, frankly, all over British Columbia

that have been forced to evacuate this summer are counting on us to get this right.

We need to see all levels of government working together to mitigate the impact of

future disasters and to support residents when they require it. I do look forward

to hearing solutions brought forward by the members opposite to help the owners of

these four units and, of course, all British Columbians needing support from disaster

financial assistance and emergency services.

R. Russell: Thank you to the member for Cariboo-Chilcotin for both his words and his passion on

behalf of his constituents.

I will, of course, start by recognizing the challenges and appreciation of just how

hard it is. I know, from reading an

article a few days ago, the challenges for Debbie

Graham's parents, for example, in that facility who have been evacuated. As the member

spoke to, they have been in the community for a great deal of time.

I think many of us, probably, in this place have now gone through the experience of

evacuation. I certainly have myself. I know how hard that was. It was a much shorter

period of time and a situation where I was able to relocate with somebody that I knew,

and it still was extremely difficult. So I share the pain that the member refers to

around seeing residents go through an experience like that. So I understand that challenge.

[10:15 a.m.]

I also will say that I can, I think, commiserate, to some degree, with the member

around the challenges of disaster financial assistance and some of the expectations

that the broader community, the public at large has in terms of what that is able

to deliver and the reality of what that tool is and how it works and recognizing some

of those challenges.

Certainly for myself, in my own experience, having gone through that and running up

against many challenges…. For things such as farm operators that have a corporate

ownership on their home and then discovered that they're not eligible historically

because of that corporate ownership, or local governments…. As the member mentioned,

this is certainly a shared responsibility among different levels of government when

you get some of the local authorities coming forward to help and struggling with the

cost-sharing formulas within DFA.

The happy news to report, I guess, is that over the last couple of years, we have

seen changes in a number of those components of DFA. We have seen that cost-sharing

formula for local authorities drop from a 20 percent cost share to a 5 to 10 percent

cost share, which makes it more doable.

We have seen changes where communities, like Lytton, were struggling with the structure

of DFA in the sense that they were obliged to pay for everything and then ask for

reimbursement. So those things have been changed, which is great to see.

We have seen minimum income thresholds for small businesses change, because certainly

in rural communities, many people have many, many different jobs. So the notion that

"if you can't show 50 percent of your income as coming from that source, it is ineligible"

was problematic for our rural small businesses. And so those things have changed.

Those kinds of modernization pieces to DFA are very important and recognize what the

member is speaking about, I think to some degree, in terms of those challenges with

disaster financial assistance and with emergency support services. So it's good to

see those pieces are getting the attention.

I will also flag the fact that right now those programs…. I don't think I am permitted

to speak about legislation that is currently in front of us here, but I am, I think,

permitted to speak to the fact that the regulation is open for public engagement right

now.

It is a great opportunity for people across the province who have been struggling

with whatever they may have been struggling with, with a program like DFA, to be able

to make sure that they get their comments in before December 31 to make sure that

the challenges of those programs are well understood within the system and we can

work to make them better.

The province some years ago committed, I think probably all of us in this House would

agree, to the principles of the Sendai framework for disaster risk recovery. Two key

components of that — one is disaster risk reduction; one is shared responsibility

— are principles that govern what we're doing.

That risk reduction…. This is a good example, I think, of where we have to work together

to be able to figure out how we come together and help address these problems for

our constituents.

I will not have time to get into…. The title of "ancient landslide" led me down a

very fascinating path about hazard cascades, and I will put a pin in the Elliot Creek

landslide for anybody that is curious about a fascinating ancient slide caused by

glacial retreat.

L. Doerkson: Thank you for the comments from across the aisle.

I noted the comments with respect to modernization and cost-sharing and things that

are happening within different levels of government. But where the rubber hits the

road for these residents, this program is not working. I can appreciate that there

have been efforts made to improve it, but it hasn't improved where people need the

funding.

As I expressed earlier, Terra Ridge has long been a beautiful place to live and visit,

and I certainly know that that will continue. My heart goes out to the residents,

though, of the four units who have lost their homes through circumstances completely

outside of their control. I will do everything I can to support them and certainly

push for greater support and a real, long-term solution.

[10:20 a.m.]

This is, no doubt, an awful situation. These residents have had their lives turned

upside down, and they are living with stress and anxiety, wondering what is next for

them.

The sad reality is that the programs being announced and touted as helping British

Columbians simply are not working to help the residents of Terra Ridge, and they're

certainly not working to help many in other disaster zones in our province. It needs

to change. A lack of support has failed countless British Columbians in the past,

and it's failing these residents right now. We need to absolutely rethink disaster

financial assistance and ensure that in cases like Terra Ridge, it activates and pays

the residents the full amount of their losses.

This situation was not their fault. There was nothing that these residents could have

done to protect themselves. They should not be forced to pay for the failure of a

system designed to protect them. Furthermore, we must review our emergency support

services program. While this program is incredible, and it has helped British Columbians

when immediate need is required, there are certainly some gaps that we could improve

on.

In a situation like this where residents could end up homeless — in fact, they have

ended up homeless — we must streamline the process and decrease the considerable burden

put on those who we absolutely need to help. I want to work together to make both

of these programs work more effectively and ensure that the four residents of Terra

Ridge evacuated by this horrendous landslide will get the support they need.

R. Russell: May I seek leave to make an introduction?

Leave granted.

Introductions by Members

R. Russell: I had the opportunity this weekend to discover — with a visit from a member opposite,

to my part of the world — that he was endowed with an award, from the Canadian Wildlife

Federation, of legislator of the year for Canadian wildlife.

I want to acknowledge the member for Prince George–Mackenzie for an award. We don't

get a lot of recognition, I don't think, in the broader circles around things we do

in this place.

Congratulations.

Deputy Speaker: Thank you, Member, and congratulations.

Private Members’ Statements

INVISIBLE DISABILITIES WEEK

S. Chant: Before I begin my remarks, I'd like to acknowledge that I'm currently working and

staying on the lands of the lək̓ʷəŋən, specifically, the Songhees and the 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 the Squamish Nations.

I am very grateful to have the opportunity to work and learn with these Indigenous

communities.

This week I am honoured to highlight Invisible Disabilities Week in the Legislature,

celebrating its tenth anniversary of bringing awareness, education and support to

people around the world. In British Columbia, more than 926,000 people live with some

form of disability, representing about 25 percent of the population. Each of them

is an individual with their own unique story to tell.

Within this 25 percent are people living with disabilities that don't present themselves

in the ways that we traditionally think of or that don't present outwardly at all.

their accessible needs taken seriously.

Invisible Disabilities Week is a great reminder to everyone to be compassionate, as

you really have no idea what someone may be going through or what health challenges

they may be facing. The disability community is diverse, and the barriers that people

experience are also diverse.

While each individual living with a disability has their own lived experience, it's

so important that the global community take the onus to educate themselves on things

that they can do to make things easier for the people around them. There are different

types of disabilities, and our approach needs to be broad and inclusive and to consider

the full range of disabilities people experience, whether they're short-term, episodic

or chronic.

[10:25 a.m.]

I know that many British Columbians are people with invisible disabilities or people

with less visible disabilities, from people with chronic health conditions, hidden

mobility disabilities or brain injury to people with gastric disorders, fatigue, pain,

mental illness, processing disorders and people who are hard of hearing. This group

also includes people with neurodiverse disorders, such as varied learning disabilities

and autism.

I know that the barriers people face are influenced by many factors, including where

they live, discrimination and the attitudes of others. They may include how information

is communicated. For instance, speaking very quickly might be a barrier for someone

with a speech processing disability.

It could also be an attitude. People with disabilities share their frustration with

having questions about them directed at friends and family.

It could be a physical barrier. Blocking the accessible parking space when removing

snow is a common issue, we hear, from folks in the north.

None of these barriers are impossible to fix. They just require extra care and thoughtfulness

in our day-to-day life.

While there are things that individuals can do to make the world more inclusive, there

are also things that our governing bodies can be doing as well. Just as the barriers

are diverse, so too are the solutions. That's why it's so important that we honour

the UN convention on the rights of people with disabilities principle "Nothing about

us without us."

had the privilege of learning and being part of the Accessible British Columbia Act.

The Accessible British Columbia Act provides a solid foundation for building a barrier-free

B.C., including for those with invisible disabilities.

This legislation was informed by extensive consultation in fall of 2019, has ongoing

in spring of 2022. It is enabling legislation, and certain areas, such as

definitions

and standards, are intentionally broad, to ensure that no one or no one area is excluded.

In many ways, the legislation is just beginning. Ongoing consultation and collaboration

is essential to ensure an accessible and inclusive British Columbia. The proposed

definitions of "disability" and "impairment," under Bill 6, are in alignment with

the social model of disability applied in the United Nations convention on the rights

of persons with disabilities.

Under this approach, the focus is on the effects of exclusion and discrimination experienced

by the person. It positions disability as a structural issue in which society is responsible

for removing these barriers. The proposed

definitions do not exclude British Columbians

with invisible disabilities from the scope of the legislation.

One of the initial steps under the legislation was related to 750 prescribed public-facing

organizations, such as municipalities, school boards, recreation commissions and libraries.

to address barriers within their organization and have a feedback mechanism in place

by September 1 of this year. This work was supported through a number of strategies,

and comprehensive.

Another area that has been a focus is increasing access to outdoor activities, such

as making trail rider equipment available, which is used to get spinal-cord-injury

participants out on trail networks in some of our provincial parks.

of barriers that people with disabilities face. The technical committees advising

on standards development include a diverse range of British Columbians who have lived

experience of encountering and managing barriers. We are so grateful for their skills,

knowledge and wisdom.

These are people with invisible disabilities on the technical committees that assist

standards. The committees will consider a range of factors that can create barriers,

such as non-inclusive policies and technologies, inaccessible infrastructure, workplace

recruitment practices and lack of appropriate training.

We all want everyone to have the opportunity to enjoy full and equitable participation

in their communities. We are working hard to remove barriers for people with disabilities,

and everyone benefits when our communities are inclusive and when all people have

access to opportunity. We want the doors of opportunity to be open for everyone in

B.C., whether or not they have a disability and whether that disability is invisible

Deputy Speaker: Thank you, Member.

[10:30 a.m.]

D. Davies: Thank you to the member for North Vancouver–Seymour for her words and for raising

this important issue.

I'm pleased to rise in the House today to talk about the recognition of invisible

disabilities, as well as to bring notice that this is Invisible Disabilities Week.

When we talk about building a more accessible and inclusive British Columbia for those

with disabilities, people living with invisible disabilities often feel just that

— invisible. Over 20 percent of the people in Canada live with some sort of disability,

which means one in five people are facing barriers every day.

In many cases, their situation is invisible to others. This means that people likely

won't be able to tell if a person has a disability by looking at them or communicating

with them, making it difficult for people to understand the daily battles that they

endure. Often this can lead to people dismissing or diminishing the lived experience

of those with invisible disabilities and the profound impact that this has on their

daily lives.

These hidden conditions encompass a wide spectrum ranging from chronic pain to diabetes

to mental health conditions such as depression, anxiety or bipolar disorder, or learning

disabilities such as ADHD, dyslexia or autism.

Individuals living with invisible disabilities confront many of the same barriers

as those with visible disabilities while also dealing with their own distinct challenges.

Sadly, the invisible nature of the disability can result in delayed support and care.

As their needs may be deprioritized or ignored, this can lead to postponed diagnosis,

treatment and the essential support that they require.

Stigmatization is another concern faced by people with invisible disabilities. They

encounter doubt and skepticism from many of those around them, including family, friends

and employers who sometimes delegitimize the disability and fail to provide for the

necessary accommodations and support.

Accusations of dishonesty or lack of trust can take a severe mental toll on the well-being

of those who live with a disability every day. Consequently, many individuals with

disabilities choose not to disclose their condition out of fear of discrimination

and insensitive stereotypes about their disability.

Many unfair generalizations and misconceptions about, maybe, one's ability to learn

or to work or to communicate create an environment where people fear disclosing their

ability, as it could change the way that people see them. Suppressing those realities

can create stress and anxiety, exacerbating the stigma and preventing them from being

their authentic selves.

While progress has been made in this area, we have a lot more work to do here in British

Columbia to ensure that there's equitable access and services for all. We must continue

to dismantle barriers and reduce stigma to enhance understanding and amplify the voices

of those with disabilities. It is important that we all work together to create schools,

communities and workplaces that are mindful and inclusive of those with invisible

disabilities.

Working in the school system, I've seen firsthand the importance of supporting people

with both visible and invisible disabilities, especially from a young age. It is crucial

that we work with parents to develop a plan to build a strong support system for kids,

to ensure that no one slips through the cracks.

It is vital that we continue to engage with and support our community partners such

as non-profit organizations that are committed to this cause. Let's make these changes

together and build a more inclusive province and reduce barriers for all British Columbians.

No one truly knows what it's like to live someone else's experience. We must work

on improving inclusivity in all of our spaces. So, for example, the next time you're

on public transit, remember that if you do see someone sitting in priority seating

on a bus or on the SkyTrain, even if they are young, they might be living with an

invisible disability.

This Invisible Disabilities Week we remember that just because you cannot see something

does not mean it is not there, and we commit to taking time to listen, to believe

and to support those living with invisible disabilities.

[10:35 a.m.]

S. Chant: Thank you so much to the member for Peace River North for his solid support of Invisible

Disabilities Week. It is truly appreciated.

An accessible B.C. means playgrounds that every child can play in, websites that anyone

can understand and workplaces that anyone can access. Advocates, self-advocates, organizations,

businesses and communities have been instrumental in making B.C. more accessible and

inclusive for everyone. We have so much gratitude for their guidance and strength

as we continue to identify, prevent and remove barriers. A more inclusive and accessible

B.C. for all is possible when we work together.

However, we also have a form of discrimination occurring, which is called ableism.

Ableism is a set of unwritten rules in our society that favours the needs and experiences

of non-disabled people in big and small ways every day. They show up in every aspect

of our lives, from health care and education to the workplace and the built environment.

They have critical impacts on the people who live with disabilities.

These unwritten rules about disability add up to a system that favours the needs and

experiences of the able-bodied and neurotypical people in big and small ways every

day. For instance, deaf people requiring

interpretation or other services at some

universities have to have their hearing tested on a yearly basis to confirm that they're

still deaf. No dignity. This is discrimination.

I met a blind woman who had described her experience in an elevator that did not have

Braille or audio cues. She ended up in the underground parking trying to find her

way to a doctor's office. Once again she ended up being dependent on a sighted person

to help her get to her destination, a dependency which is discouraging and demoralizing

and can also be very unsafe.

These unwritten rules, which able-bodied people rely on when designing buildings and

public spaces, impact where people with disabilities can go, how they get around and

what activities they can join. There is a lot of work being done to upgrade building

codes to incorporate a much greater degree of universality in design, which promotes

It is so important that we all work towards dismantling ableism. Other people's attitudes

towards people with disabilities, organizational policies and practices represent

a significant barrier.

that there are many disabilities that are invisible. Ableism is a real form of discrimination

that occurs both consciously and unconsciously and that can be avoided through awareness

and effort.

SMALL BUSINESS IN B.C.

J. Sturdy: I'm pleased to rise in the House today to.... Well, I'm not sure if I'm pleased, but

I rise in the House to again raise the issue and focus on the affordability crisis

our local small businesses are facing.

British Columbia, as many of us know, is home to over half a million small businesses,

or 98 percent of all businesses in British Columbia, leading to the employment of

well over a million people or half the workers in this province. Small businesses

are the backbone of our provincial economy, yet feel abandoned, forced to bear the

weight of ever-increasing business costs on their own, with little outside assistance.

Small business owners range vastly, from restaurant owners to accountants to contractors

to child care operators to tech professionals, retail shop owners and service providers

of all sorts.

And, of course, there are also the farmers and ranchers who play a crucial role in

supporting and sustaining our food supply. Like so many small business owners, their

resiliency has been tested time and time again. Even just over this past year, farmers

have faced endless challenges that range from fires and floods to drought and mudslides,

persevering through it all to provide food to British Columbians.

During these challenging times, we're fortunate that people in this province have

continued to support small businesses by shopping and eating locally. In West Vancouver–Sea

to Sky, certainly, this is no exception and, I think, in many respects, demonstrated

in no small

part in the community through a thriving chamber.

[10:40 a.m.]

Whistler, for example, is a town of 12,000, yet it has a chamber of commerce with

a membership of over 700. Outside of government in Whistler-Blackcomb, that means

that Whistler is almost exclusively a small-business community. That's an amazing

statistic, yet it seems that it is repeated up and down the Sea to Sky corridor from

Squamish through to Pemberton.

The Whistler chamber represents a majority of the town business community, and it

plays a key role in providing cost-saving services that provide vital education, knowledge

and support to all its members, and it acts as a voice for the business community

as a whole. It is work like this being done by our local chambers right across this

province that is helping small business survive and possibly thrive at a time when

pursuing entrepreneurship looks unpalatable if not unsustainable.

Across this province, British Columbians look forward to their weekly visit to, for

example, the local market, where selection provided by local farmers, artists and

food artisans can surprise and delight and, in turn, support a farm family that is

competing every day in a tough global market. Access to these market opportunities

and your market dollars makes an enormous difference to farm families in almost every

community. If these same businesses had no option but a storefront, the cost of doing

business with the added fees, rents, licences, taxes, financing costs and infrastructure

could drown initiative in costs and create burdens that are overwhelming.

Farm markets help people get a foot into the market, test out products, build relationships

with customers and share common costs with other vendors. Farm markets have launched

1,000 businesses over the years and continue to do so every single market day. They

really are a type of innovation hub where young entrepreneurs get started. The cost

of doing a business start-up in some place other than a collective or a farmers market

is simply not feasible for many small businesses.

Not everybody fits a farmers market, and if we want to legitimately boast about shopping

and eating locally, then we need to provide many businesses with the tools and opportunities

to expand their services and truly establish themselves in our community. Yet the

investment climate doesn't look good. Tax revenue for small businesses is projected

to decline in 2023 in this province as money is diverted to critical family needs,

and small business owners are increasingly feeling left out.

The future looks more than a little bleak for small business in B.C. Increasing costs

— be it insurance, taxes, labour, materials, fuels or any one of dozens and dozens

of other inputs — have many wondering whether it's worth it to keep going. Some family

businesses have operated for generations, and now owners are facing transition costs

and cost uncertainty and having to make critical decisions as to whether or not there

is a future for their family business.

Small businesses in B.C. have also found themselves increasingly on the front lines

of the recent explosion of crime and vandalism, where they've been crushed with the

cost of replacing broken windows, hiring security, graffiti removal, being constantly

on guard for theft and frustrated by deteriorating customer experience and the subsequent

loss of business. These challenges can push people to close their doors permanently.

Businesses need to be supported, not just through actions that address this ongoing

crime but also through genuine support to deal with many serious financial challenges

that we see across this province.

Urban or rural, everyone is feeling the strain today. The ag sector is faced with

its own set of challenges, be it forage costs that are out of control as yields are

down by half or impacts of increasing fuel prices or a myriad of other input costs.

Failure of these family businesses could have a serious impact on the province's food

security.

How can we expect small businesses to keep up with these added challenges? Small businesses

are the backbone of our economy but don't seem to rate highly on our list of social

priorities. More and more debt is crushing, and what we need is a plan that addresses

the crisis facing B.C. businesses, a plan that grows our private sector economy to

increase our productivity and to foster long-term growth and investment.

For the sake of the shop owner in Vancouver dealing with constant vandalism and threats

to employee and patron safety or of the local farmer struggling to get by, it's time

our small businesses receive the attention and support they deserve in recognition

of all they do for British Columbia.

[10:45 a.m.]

R. Parmar: It's such a pleasure to be able to rise in this House and respond to my colleague,

the MLA for West Vancouver–Sea to Sky.

I'll also take an opportunity this morning to be able to recognize Small Business

Week here in British Columbia, an opportunity for all of us in this House and British

Columbians from every corner of our province to be able to recognize the hard-working

small business owners.

As my colleague mentioned, over 500,000 small businesses make up 98 percent of businesses

in British Columbia. Also, roughly one in ten British Colombians are small business

owners or entrepreneurs. I agree with my colleague across the way. Small businesses

are the backbone of our economy. In fact, in 2022, small businesses contributed nearly

34 percent to B.C.'s GDP, the highest in Canada. They also, as my colleague mentioned,

employ over a million people here in British Columbia in communities throughout the

province.

I also want to talk a bit about a couple of things. I want to talk about some small

businesses in my community. But I also want to mention some of the final comments

from my colleague across the way around a plan to be able to support businesses. We

have a plan on this side of the House. That's our StrongerBC economic plan, which

is delivering for small businesses each and every day.

I want to take a moment to be able to recognize small businesses in my community of

Langford–Juan de Fuca, whether it's Brothers Barbershop, which is located in downtown

Langford. It opened during the pandemic and faced some pretty significant challenges

during the pandemic. It's been able to grow into a very successful business to the

point where they've been able to give back to their community and annually hold events

to be able to donate proceeds that they collect from cutting hair to Cops for Cancer.

There's Poncho's coffee shop, which is just around the corner from Brothers Barbershop,

which is a place where community gathers in Langford. It's a place where people from

all different political stripes come for a good cup of coffee and also an opportunity

to be able to chat politics and everything else that's going on in the world.

There's Dumont Tirecraft in Otter Point. I had a chance to be able to engage with

Ron Dumont, a strong local business owner in my community who's now in the process

of retiring and passing on his family business to his son — but again, a business

that has been a centre point in Sooke for so many years.

Or the 17 Mile House Pub. There was a pretty significant highway infrastructure project

that had a considerable impact on 17 Mile pub. But we were able to work with that

pub to be able to ensure that it can continue to thrive and prosper, and it continues

to do so. There could be Shirley Delicious, all the way out in Shirley, which I think

a lot of members throughout this province know about, or the Port Renfrew Pub.

I also want to acknowledge that businesses in Langford–Juan de Fuca and across the

province, as my colleague has acknowledged, are facing some challenges, whether it's

a slower global economy, high interest rates, increased costs or labour shortages

and also the impacts that the fires and floods and other economic disasters have had

on some small businesses, like the pandemic.

I want to just take a moment and speak directly to small businesses across the province,

those in Langford–Juan de Fuca and every business across British Columbia. I want

them to know that their government will always be there for them. I want them to know

that we're always going to be committed to supporting the growth of small businesses

across British Columbia.

That's why it's so important for us as MLAs to be able to engage with our local chambers.

I've had an opportunity to be able to meet with the West Shore Chamber of Commerce.

I'm looking forward to meeting with the new executive director of the Sooke Chamber

of Commerce. Just at UBCM, I had an opportunity to be able to meet with the team at

CFIB and talk about the challenges facing businesses but also the opportunities here

in British Columbia.

I'm really proud of the track record that our government has had over the last seven

years in supporting small businesses. During the pandemic, one of the most difficult

times for small businesses in its history, the most supports per capita for people

and businesses in the entire country were here in British Columbia. I think that's

something that we ought to be proud of. Over $600 million in grants — not loans —

were able to support small businesses, like the circuit breaker grant and like the

launch online and digital marketing bootcamp.

That's not all. The number one challenge that I hear from businesses time and time

again is that we have a labour shortage, that we need more people. In my community,

when we're talking about opening up a new university a year from now, that's going

to mean more talent closer to home.

We've also introduced hydro credits, property tax relief and a delivery fee cap for

food. Talk about trade export supports. Also, as the Minister of Jobs has announced,

we will be opening the securing small business rebate program very soon. We've taken

a different approach from governments in the past.

[10:50 a.m.]

I want to end by saying that small businesses are always there for our communities,

they're there to support our communities, they're there to invest in our communities,

and our government will always be there to support small businesses.

J. Sturdy: I would like to thank the member opposite for his remarks. Clearly, we agree on the

role that small businesses play in our community, how important it is and what an

impact they have on our economy. Where we maybe don't agree is what the levels of

supports are.

I'm, as many of you know, a farmer. This is a business that I know best, and I feel

I need to emphasize what those impacts look like long term for agricultural businesses

in British Columbia. For the most part, British Columbian farmers compete globally,

with U.S., Central or South American and Asian producers as our competition.

We talk about how rising costs can impact everyday British Columbians, but we don't

often consider the farmer, who has no choice, in terms of fuel prices, for example,

but to be out on their tractor every day consuming fuels that are the highest-cost

fuels in North America and, frankly, beyond. They have no other choice. Food takes

energy to produce, and the cost of B.C. energy continues to put us, as farmers, at

a competitive disadvantage.

B.C. farmers' input costs are amongst the highest in the world, yet we must compete

without protections against those low-cost producers. Land prices here in British

Columbia, per acre, are amongst the highest in the world. Labour costs and payroll

taxes put us at an enormous disadvantage. B.C. farmworkers are paid more in a day

than Mexican farmworkers are paid in a week, and we have an added payroll burden on

top of that. So we're competing on very much an unlevel playing field.

Taxation rates in B.C. are amongst the highest of our competitors. The aforementioned

energy costs saddle farmers with the highest fuel prices in North America. And of

course, we shouldn't forget that our competitors often have a climate advantage that

allows multiple crops per year,

whereas we are lucky sometimes to get one.

Then, of course, there are relatively few, to no, agricultural supports. The 2023

American farm bill that supports American farmers is expected to be $1.5 trillion

over five years, or $150 billion a year. The Canadian agricultural partnership, which

ends this year, is $3.5 billion over five years. I mean, the contrast is stark, and

B.C.'s contribution to that is something of a rounding error.

If the costs for operating and producing food in British Columbia continue to go up,

they must be passed on to the consumer. The consumer is increasingly feeling stressed.

They vote with their wallet by choosing the lowest-cost product and producer, and

B.C. farmers are not the lowest-cost producers. They operate without protection and

will be increasingly challenged to survive.

WATERSHEDS

F. Donnelly: Freshwater challenges are accelerating in B.C. and around the world. The UN predicts

that by 2030, there could be as much as a 40 percent global shortfall in water availability

if world economies do not course correct. We know that growing populations, more water-intense

growth patterns, increasingly unpredictable rain due to climate change, more frequent

and severe storms and pollution are the cause.

When it comes to watershed security, communities and businesses can't afford to wait.

Global water reports show the cost of inaction on water risk is up to five times the

cost of action. With huge economic and business opportunities to seize, communities

and companies need to rethink their strategies and transform their operating and business

models to help build a water-secure world.

In 2020, companies around the world reported financial impacts of water risks at $301

billion U.S. That's five times the $55 billion U.S. cost of addressing them now. Beyond

risk management, there are also economic and business opportunities when investing

in water security, estimated at more than $711 billion U.S.

Last week I attended a restoration conference in Vancouver where it was estimated

that B.C. will need billions over the next decades to restore its watersheds. B.C.'s

watersheds are under severe pressure. Three consecutive years of drought culminated

in 2023 with the worst drought and wildfire season in the province's history. This

followed the devastating floods of 2021 that cost nearly $9 billion.

[10:55 a.m.]

Climate impacts combined with decades of watershed degradation are reducing the security

of communities and ecosystems. The climate crisis is a water crisis. In B.C., the

issue is not enough water at certain times of the year or too much water all at once.

We know water is life. Water is essential to human survival and our well-being. It

is critical for food security, biodiversity and economic well-being. Salmon and wildlife

depend on clean, cold water just as we do.

Addressing watershed security offers an opportunity for reconciliation, taking immediate

and long-term action to work with modern-day treaty and all First Nations to try and

remedy past wrongs and work together to heal and protect the land for future generations.

Building a strong, secure future requires shared approaches to caring for the land,

waters and all life that depends on healthy ecosystems.

For example, the pilot guardian shared compliance and enforcement program is a positive

step in ensuring the land and its natural and cultural values are protected for the

long term. Under this program, First Nations will steward protected areas within their

territories with the same legal authority as B.C. Parks rangers.

In 1997, I was given the name Iyim Yewyews by the Squamish Nation, not long after

I first swam the length of the Fraser River. Iyim Yewyews means orca or strong swimmer

in the animal world. Squamish Elders recognized the work I was doing back in the 1990s.

They saw I was using my abilities as a swimmer to raise awareness of the environmental

issues threatening the health and well-being of B.C.'s ocean, rivers, lakes and their

watersheds for their protection and restoration.

I made 14 swims across the Salish Sea, Juan de Fuca Strait, B.C.'s lakes and down

many rivers, including the entire 1,325-kilometre length of the Fraser River — twice.

So I literally have an in-depth knowledge of many issues facing B.C.'s watersheds.

My swimming endeavours certainly prepared me for my current role as Parliamentary

Secretary for Watershed Restoration.

Our government is taking action on securing access to cool, clean water in B.C.'s

watersheds. On March 6 of this year, our government and the B.C.–First Nations Water

Table announced an unprecedented $100 million investment in the new, co-developed

watershed security strategy and fund, alongside the launch of an engagement of a new

Watershed Security Strategy Intentions Paper, to help ensure safe, clean water is

available to communities throughout B.C. for generations.

Our $100 million investment in the watershed security fund builds on our $30 million

commitment announced in Budget 2022 to heal and protect B.C.'s watersheds, which built

on our success of the previous $27 million investment in the healthy watersheds initiative

under the StrongerBC economic plan and our $85 million investment to restore salmon

habitat through the salmon restoration and innovation fund.

In conversations with First Nations, we have heard watersheds referred to as health

infrastructure for their communities. This has been echoed by B.C.'s Auditor General,

the provincial health officer, local governments, labour organizations and industry,

who are calling on the province to do more to ensure source-water protection through

better watershed management.

That's precisely why we held the Premier's round table on watershed security last

month. We heard clearly from First Nations, watershed conservation organizations,

the mining council of B.C., COFI, agriculture, ranching, academia and others that

action around water must be proactive, coordinated, immediate and sustained. They

told us that the province and others must invest in watershed security now.

Our Watershed Security Strategy Intentions Paper reflects input received from British

Columbians and First Nations, outlining potential priority strategies for government

including examples of actions government could take to improve watershed health, such

as investing in watershed restoration and protection, strengthening existing water

data and tools used to monitor demand and supply, and enhancing local watershed governance.

The $100 million watershed security investment and our ongoing work with First Nations

on co-developing a watershed security strategy aims to inspire the private sector,

the philanthropic sector, the federal government and other partners to grow the fund

and ensure we have healthy ecosystems and resilient communities, not only today but

for future generations.

I look forward to hearing from the opposition and working with them.

[11:00 a.m.]

M. Morris: I understand I've only got a minute or two to speak here.

Interjections.

M. Morris: We stop at 11?

Interjection.

M. Morris: Okay. I appreciate that.

Our watersheds are the lifeblood of British Columbia. I agree with the member in highlighting

that factor. The transition that we've seen….

A hydrological tool that our forest companies and our resource companies have been

using for years in British Columbia has been the equivalent clearcut area for our

watersheds to determine how much area can be clearcut at any particular given time.

For our community watersheds, it's 20 percent. For fishery-sensitive watersheds, it's

25 percent, and for other watersheds in British Columbia, it's 30 percent.

Yet we see areas like the Chilako River, in my particular riding, where the equivalent

clearcut area is 90 percent, and it's a fishery-sensitive watershed to boot, at the

same time.

[S. Chandra Herbert in the chair.]

Back prior to 2000, the chinook counts for that particular watershed were in the thousands.

In recent years, it's been down into single-digit numbers. This needs to be looked

at. The Chilako River watershed is not alone. There are several other watersheds in

the province that suffer from the same consequences.

Recent science has developed over the last 15 years. They call it attribution science,

where we look at some of the major flood events and the fire events and all these

other events that we've been having in British Columbia to see if there are any patterns

associated to the flood events and the fire events that we see in the province.

There are some attributions that are surfacing that have been noted by scientists

at UBC faculty of forestry, the hydrology department, when they look at the loss of

forest cover, whether it be from forest fires, whether it be from beetles or whether

it be from forest harvesting.

When we see the elimination of the forest cover itself, we see the increased snow

melt in a lot of these watersheds from the sun's radiation because there's nothing

protecting the ground cover from the sun's radiation.

We see these watersheds with the rapid melt in the spring, washing the freshet downstream.

It collects, and, of course, we all know water flows downhill. What we do in the upland

areas of British Columbia affects the lowlands in British Columbia as well.

We see these watersheds drying out very quickly because of these floods, and the magnitude

of the floods are increasing all the time. We see these watersheds starting to dry

out. The sun beats down. There's nothing to protect these watersheds. These watersheds

dry out. We see the increased risk of fire as a result of those watersheds drying

out throughout the province.

Just about every single watershed in the province has been harvested, has been affected

by the magnitude of the fires that we've seen, and the beetle kill. In my riding alone,

we've seen over a million hectares of spruce killed by the spruce beetle, and that

has an effect on the downstream activities that we see.

We need to start looking upstream and concentrating on better forest management practices,

whether it be from harvesting or beetle kill or fires or whatever the result is in

order to address the downstream flooding that we see in the province here.

The Fraser basin is an enormous watershed. The member speaking before me has swum

the length of that entire watershed. But when we see all these contributions that

these upland water systems and watersheds make to the overall water flowing downstream

throughout the summer months, that does have an impact.

If we start concentrating more on forest management at the upper levels, instead of

putting billions of dollars into increased size of bridges and culverts and engineered

design, we should be looking upstream to see what we can do upstream to use natural

sources as a result to mitigate some of the floods and fires that we've seen throughout

the province here.

There's a lot that can be done in our watersheds. I think it's time that government

and the forest companies — governments at all levels — start paying attention to that.

The science is written. It's out there. I think it would behoove us to pay attention

to what the science says with respect to that.

[11:05 a.m.]

F. Donnelly: I appreciate the member's comments and will work with him to ensure that our government

not only listens to his comments but incorporates them into our work.

The watershed sector is a major employer in B.C., contributing billions to our province's

economy every year. According to the Working for Watersheds report, catalyzed by the freshwater legacy initiative, Polis water sustainability

project, the Delphi Group and the B.C. Water Funders collective, in 2019, the watershed

sector included over 47,000 jobs and contributed 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 it's 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 software engineer

designing new water-monitoring technology, a restoration worker replanting native

trees and wetlands, a planner developing an urban water conservation strategy or a

labourer installing stormwater infrastructure, the watershed sector supports British

Columbians at all career stages.

Water is needed to grow food. It's essential to tourism. B.C.'s abundant lakes, rivers

and creeks are a large part of its super, natural draw. Fresh water is vital to B.C.'s

booming high-value specialty beverage industries such as wineries, distilleries and

craft breweries. Under StrongerBC, the healthy watersheds initiative generated over

1,500 jobs in 18 months. The HWI demonstrated the tip of the iceberg in terms of opportunities

in watershed restoration, guardians and Indigenous stewardship, water tech and innovation,

industrial and urban water management, and planning and monitoring.

Last week, in partnership with business, technology, First Nations, local government

and stewardship organizations, the Working for Watersheds roadmap was launched. Building

off the 2019 Working for Watersheds report, the roadmap presents a clear strategy for growing B.C.'s watershed sector

to sustain healthy and resilient watersheds and support local economies over the next

five to ten years. The roadmap will inform important policy development work by provincial

and federal governments, including the B.C. watershed security strategy and fund,

the Canada Water Agency and the freshwater action plan.

Growth in the watershed sector is needed to meet the growing watershed and climate

challenges. B.C. can position itself as a global leader in water solutions, where

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

Our government is assisting the watershed sector and growing B.C.'s restoration economy.

Healthy watersheds support local economies and resilient communities.

R. Russell: I seek leave to make an introduction.

Leave granted.

Deputy Speaker: Please proceed.

Introductions by Members

R. Russell: Very quickly, before they're all gone, I just wanted to welcome and make them feel

here and at home in their House: Duncan Christian School, grade 5-6 class.

Thank you, everybody.

Deputy Speaker: Thank you, Member.

Welcome.

Member for Peace River South.

M. Bernier: Sorry, I think we have to go through….

Deputy Speaker: Yes, we've got to go to the acting Government House Leader.

Hon. A. Dix: I always like to set up the member for Peace River South.

I ask that the House consider proceeding with Motion 49, standing in the name of the

member for Peace River South.

Deputy Speaker: Members, unanimous consent of the House is required to proceed to Motion 49 without

disturbing the priorities of the motions preceding it on the order paper. If any member

is opposed to leave, please indicate now.

Leave granted.

Private Members' Motions

MOTION 49 — AFFORDABILITY FOR

BRITISH COLUMBIANS

M. Bernier: I move:

[That this House agrees that British Columbians deserve a break from seven years of

middle-class squeeze.]

I also want to thank the Minister of Health for letting me have this opportunity by

allowing me to get up and speak to this. But you know, all kidding aside, I think

every single person in this House — I hope; I assume — is hearing the same thing that

I am. That is that British Columbia has become one of the least cost-effective places

in North America — especially in Canada, where people are struggling.

When you look at whether it's gas, housing, groceries, I know we're hearing the same

things, especially in the middle class. People are struggling right now, hoping, with

the uncertainty in British Columbia, to keep their jobs. But even when they have their

jobs, they are struggling to make ends meet.

[11:10 a.m.]

The amount of people that are contacting me in my office right now who are saying:

"I'm fortunate enough to be working. So is my spouse. But we're still in a situation

where we have to sometimes decide: "Are we buying groceries, or are we paying our

rent? Are we buying groceries, or are we paying our utilities?"

The people that are coming to me right now, knowing that we're going into a winter

season — winter is coming — are trying to decide: "Are we going to be able to pay

our natural gas or heating bills? Is that going to have to take precedence now over

groceries or cutbacks? Are we going to be able to afford to put our kids in hockey

this year?"

These are the real talk-around-the-table discussions that we're hearing people have

right now in the province of British Columbia. And it's not a surprise. It's not a

secret. I mean, over the last seven years, we've watched this province deteriorate

with the amount of new taxes that we have coming into the province of British Columbia

— new taxes or increased taxes.

The struggles are real, and that has an impact on our families, on our children, on

the lives of the people here in the province of British Columbia.

How disheartening is it when a minister and this government stands up and says: "You

know what? Embrace this. This is the new normal"? Well, I can tell you this is not

what people expect or want to acknowledge as the new normal. They need a government

that's pushing back. They need a government that's fighting this and coming up with

ideas and solutions.

Now, I know members opposite are going to try to stand up and talk about the photo

ops that they've done over the last couple of years. But that has not materialized

into action on the ground that's actually making British Columbia more affordable.

When you look at the red tape, when you look at the increased taxes, life is not affordable

for many. We know that the Premier thought it was okay to give his political staff

a 17 percent increase. Why? Probably because they were talking about the fact that

it's getting harder to make ends meet, but that's not helping the everyday British

Columbians. That's not helping the families, again, who are struggling to figure out

what they want to do to make ends meet for their families.

It is unacceptable if this House wants to say that this is the new normal. If this

government wants to say this is the new normal, I wish they would just stand aside

and let people come in with actual ideas, things that are going to work for people,

because if you want to make things more affordable, well then adding new taxes is

not going to do it.

Now, you cannot tax your way to affordability. And we cannot have a government that

just keeps pointing fingers, whether it was COVID — we all recognize the struggles

then; that was then — or the federal government or what's happening around the globe.

When we have impacts from other jurisdictions, governments need to stand up and show

leadership and say: "We're not going to accept this. We're going to have better ideas.

We're going to put policies in place to help people."

But we're not seeing that, and because of that, British Columbia is now a place with

a lack of certainty, where people have to make a decision: "Is this the best province

like it used to be? Can I afford to live here?" Right now, unfortunately, we're hearing

day after day from people right across this province, whether it's in urban centres

or rural centres, that British Columbia is not an affordable place. The middle class

is feeling the squeeze, and they are waiting and pleading for policies that are going

to help them, not increased taxes.

J. Sims: It is my pleasure today to rise and speak on this motion. There is one thing I do

agree with my colleague who just spoke, and that is we know that it is rough out there

for middle-class families. We know that working families are struggling. We know that

working families, middle-class families and low-income families are all struggling.

But we also know something else — that those struggles are not confined to B.C. alone.

As we look at what's happening around the world, it is happening everywhere.

[11:15 a.m.]

The cost of living has gone up incredibly since COVID. We have seen inflation like

I have never experienced before in my life.

At the same time, I think it's a bit disingenuous not to acknowledge all the great

things that have been done. I'm not going to say things are perfect — they're not

— but I will say this: lots has been done and lots more to do.

Let me start off with some of the international pressures — the rising interest rates.

We have no control over the interest rates here in British Columbia. Those are set

by the Bank of Canada, and they follow international monetary rules. My colleagues

across the way know that.

Many people, I know — especially when it comes to housing, whether it's rent or paying

their mortgage — are really feeling the pinch, feeling the hurt from the rising interest

rates. But you know, if this was a government from before the last seven years, the

government we had for 16 long years, then people's experiences over the last seven

years would have been very, very different. They would have been very, very different.

People would still have been paying their MSP premiums out of incomes that are challenged.

Can you imagine if you were still having to pay MSP premiums for yourself and your

family?

And guess what. For those who live to the south of the Fraser, we watched families

coming up to us…. They still come up to me and say: "You know something? I've saved

$600, $800, $900 a year from not having to pay tolls as I go over the bridge to work

or when my children go to school." Those are the kinds of steps that have been taken.

I'm trying to paint that picture.

We can remember a time, without mentioning any government, when the ICBC was a dumpster

fire, right? Yet people have seen rebates. They've seen their premiums go down by

quite a bit. You know something else? Over this last week, I was with a group of dear

friends, who are not always politically aligned, and we were walking around Grouse

Mountain. I was out of breath, but some of my friends were not. They were telling

me how ICBC has really improved. Not only have their premiums gone down, but one of

them said: "Now I can get the massage I need. There isn't a limit."

Anyway, all of those were good things. But let me add some more good news: child care.

You know, as a mother, grandmother and now a great-grandmother — I always like to

squeeze that in — I have been an advocate for universal child care. This government

has made huge strides.

I have story after story after story from people in my riding who come and tell me

what a difference it's made. They're saving $900, $1,200, $500 a month on child care.

Do you know, when they save that money on child care, where it's going? It's going

to buy shoes for the kids. It's going to buy a better selection of food. It's being

spent in the local community and therefore growing the local economy. All those things

are good things.

Only a few weeks ago, Manjeet walked into my office. She's a young lawyer who had

believed that because of the cost of child care, it would be impossible for her to

go to work.

Deputy Speaker: Thank you, Member.

J. Sims: I was only just beginning, Mr. Speaker. I needed another hour just to do the highlights.

K. Kirkpatrick: Thank you to the member for Surrey-Panorama. It is good to know that today we can

get a massage, but we cannot get a ferry in British Columbia.

Today I rise to address an urgent and enduring crisis that has afflicted our province.

It is the relentless middle-class squeeze in British Columbia.

[11:20 a.m.]

Throughout the six-year tenure of this NDP government, their actions have amounted

to little but an exacerbation of economic hardships for British Columbians. There

has been a deterioration of our societal fabric and an unyielding burden shouldered

by the middle class.

A glaring issue resulting from the NDP's ineptitude, in contrast to what the member

for Surrey-Panorama has told us…. Across our province, countless families continue

to struggle with the challenge of securing affordable child care. This has a significant

impact, in particular, on women and on women's financial health.

Now, despite this NDP government's promise of $10-a-day child care…. They have woefully

underdelivered on this commitment. In fact, last week an analysis by the public policy

group Cardus said the rollout of child care expansion programs in British Columbia

has stumbled, with a slow start and underwhelming results. The NDP rollout of child

care has been marked by inconsistency and delays, leaving parents perpetually ensnared

in uncertainty.

A promise of universal child care in B.C. has been repeatedly made by this government

throughout the course of two elections.

The $10-a-day child care program, just so we understand, is primarily funded by the

federal government. The federal government provides hundreds of millions of dollars

to the province of B.C. to administer child care programs.

Let's remember. This B.C. government touted that B.C. was the first province in Canada

to sign under this federal child care program. That's not something to be proud of

when it's not working. Of the millions of dollars provided to British Columbia by

the federal government…. Only 11 percent of those dollars have actually been provided

for child care programming in British Columbia.

This is not the province's money. This money should be in the pockets of British Columbia

parents. It should not be sitting in government accounts.

The money that has been distributed hasn't been done equitably. Only a small percentage

of parents have access to $10-a-day child care. Other parents have been paying full

fees while the province sat on this money.

One mom pointed out to me that while both she and her neighbour have a four-year-old

child…. One mom paid $4,500 per year for child care, and the other paid $17,000.

Will government retroactively provide funding for families that did not win the initial

$10-a-day lottery? This has been thousands of dollars out of parents' pockets in a

time of significant financial pressure on families and when government had this money

already provided to them by the federal government. Why weren't all families and all

children in British Columbia treated equally?

They still are not being treated equally. Earlier this year I expressed deep concerns

regarding the significant delays that child care providers were undergoing in order

to even receive their funding from government.

From groceries to gas to housing and child care, everything in British Columbia is

more expensive, and middle-class British Columbians are struggling to keep up. This

province has to provide people with the affordable child care solutions they deserve,

with the $10-a-day child care programs that have been promised to British Columbians,

and they have to give them a break from this middle-class squeeze.

Government has been completely inept in running the rollout of this $10-a-day child

care program. They are now behind other provinces, despite claiming to be or despite

touting the fact that they were the first to sign on, meaning they've had even more

time than any other province to get this right.

M. Elmore: I am pleased to stand and speak to Motion 49, affordability for British Columbians.

We know and we've heard…. We all hear that the situation is tough for middle-class

families. It's not a situation that we hear just in British Columbia or across Canada.

[11:25 a.m.]

This is a reality. Global inflation has driven up the cost of groceries and daily

essentials around the world. We know, as well, it's compounded by rising interest

rates that put pressure on the already high cost of buying or renting homes. Running

against this grain, it's difficult for families to get ahead.

We know that the approach of our government has been to be proactive, to put in initiatives

to build and strengthen public services to support families, on the one hand, and

then, also, to reduce costs for families as well as the tax burden. This is the commitment

that our government has made. Difficult but right across the board. These steps to

strengthen public services, reduce fees for families and, also, reduce taxes are something

that we are committed to every day.

In Vancouver-Kensington, I talked to a young family yesterday with two young kids.

They talked about how the provision and the reduction of costs for child care have

been a game-changer for their family in terms of access to child care and also reducing

that cost.

As well, our government has made a commitment. We know that housing affordability

is a big pressure for families, and the commitment to build and, really, roll out,

across our province, affordable housing initiatives is so critical.

Just last month I had the honour of attending the opening of a new 58-unit affordable

rental housing project for seniors in Vancouver. This was a project…. Our government,

in partnership with the city of Vancouver and in partnership with the Community Land

Trust Foundation of British Columbia, is working together to open these affordable

homes for low- and middle-income seniors in Vancouver.

Accompanying that, as well, was the opening of the 411 Seniors Centre Society, providing

important and essential services for seniors. They've got a seniors centre, a commercial

kitchen, a multipurpose space and an office space. Just a real benefit and support

for seniors right across Vancouver.

In addition, we know that access to health care is so critical. We have a new, as

well, urgent…. The Southeast Urgent and Primary Care Centre opened on Victoria Drive…

Interjection.

M. Elmore: …in East Vancouver. Absolutely right.

I've got the Health Minister there, working hard.

Really, an important and valuable service for the community, providing access for

urgent but non-life-threatening conditions. These are services that really support

communities and families in the area.

That's accompanied by the expansion of these public services — the seniors centre,

affordable child care, housing and our urgent and primary care centre. It's also accompanied,

hand in hand, with a reduction in fees for child care, a reduction and caps on rental

increases and, also, reducing and eliminating MSP premiums. That, hand in hand, together,

resulted in…. Now British Columbia sees the lowest tax burden on families across our

country.

These are concrete steps that have been taken to support families and to address the

affordability crisis. We know, in contrast to our friends across the way…. Their efforts

to cut taxes for the top 2 percent while cutting public services are not the plan

that our government has taken. Our commitment to families, expanding access to public

services, across the board, providing tax breaks and, also, reducing fees, is how

we prioritize having to support families. It's something we have to commit to every

day. We're committed to expanding that.

C. Oakes: I rise today in support of this motion and to express that we are all feeling the

squeeze from the lack of results from this NDP government on issues that matter most

to British Columbians.

[11:30 a.m.]

People deserve a break. The reality on the ground is that the well-being of people

is simply not improving. The challenges that British Columbians are facing are growing

and sometimes disproportionately affecting young people and seniors, and the NDP need

to listen.

We need to talk about affordability. The NDP government continues to make an announcement

and then a re-announcement while the cost pressures continue to increase, and people

continue to live paycheck to paycheck. Inflation and cost-of-living crises are making

it difficult for people to make ends meet. The lack of hope for homeownership is leading

to difficult choices for people about their future and their ability to stay in this

beautiful province. As rents continue to increase, housing costs for students and

seniors become a huge weight on people's shoulders. There is no end in sight.

This does not paint a bright picture of the future for many, and it's time that the

NDP realizes this. The NDP's blizzard of new taxes only makes the housing crisis worse.

Under seven years of the NDP, B.C. now has the highest rents in Canada and the worst

affordability in North America.

The member for Surrey-Panorama talked about young people. Car insurance is now, for

young people, a staggering rate. For that individual who lives in Surrey and goes

and studies at UBC…. Think about the cost pressures that this government has put on

young people. Whether it is insurance or whether it is the plethora of taxes, it's

simply not sustainable, and the NDP needs to do better. How are students supposed

to focus on their studies and attend school when they fork over $3,000 a month just

to sleep? It is unreasonable, and the young people in our province deserve better

results than this.

Unfortunately, the increased cost of living is putting significant pressure on our

students. In the past year, we have continued to hear from student associations about

the major increase in students accessing food banks on campus. Last Christmas, we

heard of students dumpster diving for food. I'm sure that all members in this House

can agree that this situation is deeply troubling. The most recent poverty index points

to a failing grade for the NDP government in this province.

Today I have my dad joining us here from the Cariboo. Our family has been in the Cariboo

since 1933, so multiple generations. A retired farmer, he has worked hard his entire

life. He's helped build our community, and we're incredibly grateful and proud of

that. But we have these conversations about the pressures that seniors are facing

in our communities. It's very real. As tax increases continue, as we see the inflationary

cost pressures, as we see food costs increase, especially in our rural and remote

communities, that pressure is very real.

There are things that this government can do to improve that. That is why it is our

job to hold the government to account and to raise the continuous message that we

need to look at things. You cannot continue to raise taxes on everything and expect

that things are going to get cheaper. Those cost prices…. Whether it's driving up

gas prices in our rural communities or whether it's raising costs on food, everything

has an impact. When you continue to raise taxes, when you continue to erode productivity,

our communities suffer.

Not only is it a grim economy both for our students and for our seniors, but the NDP

should be looking at taking real action to deliver results to lower the cost of living,

make food more accessible for both students and seniors and work to create a hopeful

future for both our young people and our seniors. People should not have to leave

British Columbia to have hope for their future.

These factors are determining all of our futures. We deserve to do better for our

people.

[11:35 a.m.]

H. Yao: Before I start, I want to take a moment to express my sincere gratitude to the Richmond

South Centre constituents for allowing me to represent them here today.

We do need to acknowledge that British Columbia is struggling. Today is a challenging

time for many people around the world, including for British Colombians. We've seen

global inflation. We're seeing a housing crisis. We're seeing health care challenges,

food costs.

Now, of course, we've also seen 250 people within the last two years moving to British

Columbia because they want to call this beautiful province their home. We see interest

rates increase. And we have also understood that when there are a lot of financial

challenges, the vulnerable population in our society gets hit the most.

I also want to take a moment to acknowledge that I want to thank the member for Cariboo

North, who mentioned the importance of investing in the future. We should not simply

think of the economy as just a one-dimension strategy. We have to understand, and

I think everyone can agree to this, that the best way to address economic prosperity

is actually investing early and investing well to ensure that we actually reduce the

cost in the beginning and really find a way to support British Columbia, as we maximize

British Columbia's potential.

I'm going to take some examples that recently happened in our community. Look at some

of our environmental emergencies: forest fire, heat dome, drought, flood. As some

of the members mentioned earlier, all those are climate challenges, but if we, as

a globe, invest earlier, it can reduce the dramatic impact.

We also need to understand that we also need to find a way to invest in our economy

in a different way to protect our health care, our education, our mental health, and

of course, our skills training. That reminded me that, in Richmond, we are upgrading

our Richmond Hospital because we need to make sure we invest in our health care system.

We have introduced a UPCC. I personally used that service multiple times to help my

family address some of their health challenges.

I also want to say we have many schools getting seismic upgrades. I really do not

want to see a disaster when there's an earthquake in Richmond or that we have to deal

with an unnecessary tragedy that's avoidable. We can reduce the cost of that as well.

We also have added a second medical school in B.C. to help us invest in training medical

students. Think about all those, if we invested earlier in the past years, even before

our terms, and how much of a benefit would come through.

The housing crisis. If we've been building houses early on, would we be addressing

this housing crisis? No, we wouldn't be.

We're training workers for tomorrow, but yesterday we should be training workers for

today. Our government is playing catch-up. We are investing a historical $1 billion

for health care, not simply doing something more but really filling a major gap that

was created before.

Our government is looking after British Columbia, not simply for tomorrow as well

as today. We understand that British Columbians are struggling. I, even as an MLA,

am privileged. I know we are facing difficult financial challenges as well. That's

why we have been…. The child care cut has been $900 per month, per child. I personally

have two under two, and I benefit from this dramatically. I thank our government for

taking care of that.

Our insurance. ICBC has been reduced by $400 per year.

We have the largest tax break in a generation by removing the health premiums.

We're attacking all fronts of the housing crisis because we had to play catch-up.

I want to remind the House as well that we have invested into 8,000 student housing

units, and we're adding 4,000 onto our target, far more than the previous government

had established.

We also have an affordability credit, as much as $1,230 per family with two kids.

A permanent boost to the B.C. family benefit up to $250 per month and $500 for single

families. A $100 B.C. Hydro credit. Two times the climate action tax credit, nearly

$450 per adult.

We also have capped the rent to inflation.

And in 2021, we doubled the senior supplement increase through our whole history of

the supplement itself.

We eliminated road tolls. We raised the disability income assistance rate.

We eliminated the interest rate on student loans, and free transit for kids 12 and

under.

On average, a family earning $100,000 used to pay $7,473 taxes. They now pay $4,948.

If a family makes about $80,000, they used to pay $5,637. Now they're paying $2,458.

If they're making $60,000 as a family, they used to pay $4,238, and they're now paying

$363.

[11:40 a.m.]

There is so much more we could talk about. Our government now simply tried to reduce

the cost to increase affordability as much as we can, also invest in the future so

British Columbia in fact is prepared for today and tomorrow, and we can prosper all

together as well.

I. Paton: Across the province, everyone is feeling this NDP government's middle-class squeeze

from gas to the worst housing affordability in North America. Real incomes are dropping,

and costs are soaring. Along with record-high costs, government spending in the first

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

bringing the total forecast deficit to $6.7 billion. Despite all this NDP spending,

the results for people have never been worse.

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

and these pressures are significantly impacting their operations. I think every member

of this House does acknowledge and appreciate the vital work of B.C.'s farmers and

ranchers and everyone involved in the food production process, meaning we can all

agree that the affordability crisis they are facing could have major effects in our

province.

Farming has become increasingly unaffordable here in B.C. Unfortunately, that's due

to many of the measures brought in by this NDP government, including the introduction

of the employer health tax and 28 other new and increased taxes, along with higher

insurance premiums, increased minimum wage and skyrocketing transportation costs.

Amongst these skyrocketing costs, B.C. also continues to have the highest gas and

diesel prices and gas taxes in the country. If you're a farmer, it really hurts to

fill up your vehicles and your farm equipment.

Most pressing are the rising costs of the three Fs: feed, fuel and fertilizer. Shortages

of feed and fertilizer, combined with the higher cost of transportation, are posing

significant challenges for our agricultural industry.

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

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

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

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

future and for those currently struggling to turn a profit.

In British Columbia's essential agricultural regions, ranchers and farmers are facing

an unprecedented crisis this year. With fires and drought, we are witnessing decreasing

pastures and exorbitant hay and feed prices. An alarmingly high percentage of cattle

ranchers in B.C. are considering selling their herds entirely. Meanwhile, crop failures

due to droughts are compounding the issues, and farmers are worried about future growing

seasons.

However, for breeders, reducing livestock count is not necessarily an option, making

it necessary to purchase more feed, adding to their financial burden. Unfortunately,

many find themselves resorting to borrowing substantial sums of money this fall to

sustain their livestock through the upcoming winter.

For many families who have relied on agriculture for decades, the prospect of losing

everything is becoming all too real. Farms that have been handed down from one generation

to the next are now at risk of being lost forever.

The cost of doing business as a farmer or rancher in B.C. is becoming too high, and

it is now also taking a toll on food security in the province. With over 50 percent

of households in British Columbia $200 or less away from insolvency at the end of

each month, these costs compound and put major pressure on our food sources.

As the cost of food continues to skyrocket and food insecurity deepens, more people

than ever need help. Food banks are seeing record numbers of patrons struggling to

keep up with the demand. So many people suffering from this crisis.

However, instead of helping communities, this NDP government has increased costs for

everyone, including our food producers. Unfortunately, if government does not change

course, we will continue to lose farmers over the next few years, making B.C.'s food

security even worse.

The crisis gripping B.C.'s agriculture sector demands immediate attention and action.

Stakeholders across the province are hoping for government intervention to ease the

burden on ranchers and farmers. Swift and decisive measures are essential to safeguard

both the livelihoods of ranchers and the province's food security.

Our farmers and ranchers, who are experiencing the very same financial worries and

concerns as the rest of us, continue to dedicate long hours day after day to put food

on our tables. I often remark that farmers are very resilient people. They are, but

they also need our support from government.

[11:45 a.m.]

I will continue to advocate for financial incentives and tax relief for farmers that

would help make life more affordable and ensure food security in our province for

years to come. It is imperative we make life easier for farmers, lowering their costs

and consequently making food more affordable and accessible for all British Columbians.

M. Starchuk: Before I start, I'd like to remind everybody that on the 24th of February, 2022, Russia

invaded Ukraine. On Wednesday, this will mark 600 days, and the conflict remains the

same. My thoughts and hopes go out to all those Ukrainians who have made the ultimate

sacrifice and to those who are fighting for their rights — their rights to live, their

rights to enjoy each and every day.

We all know things are tough out there for middle-class families. They're feeling

like we can't get ahead. As a person who's getting ready to re-enter the housing market,

I understand that the rising interest rates by the Bank of Canada are making the already

high costs of buying a home even more expensive.

Our government is working with partners to deal with housing. Specifically, in my

riding, we're addressing the seniors housing with a project called Zappone Manor.

This government has brought forward funding to allow the 51 people that are there

today to move across the parking lot into a place that will have 89 subsidized units

that will be there. Then the place that they are in…. We'll see it redeveloped into

another 100 units, which will allow for tripling the amount of seniors' subsidized

housing that comes to my riding.

In the last six years, our government has taken actions to reduce the costs to families

and, in some cases, get rid of fees and charges that the previous government put in

place to make it harder for everyone, with the exception of the top 2 percent in the

province.

I'd like to talk about what we did for those people who drive a vehicle in B.C. As

a previous speaker has talked about…. We talked about the tolls that were placed on

the Port Mann and Golden Ears Bridges. Those hit the pocketbooks of middle-class wage

earners in my constituency — the tolls that the Leader of the Opposition said it wasn't

a good idea to remove. Well, we did remove those tolls, and it saved my constituents

well over $1,000 annually every single time they left the city of Surrey to head into

Vancouver or into Maple Ridge.

Earlier on the member for Cariboo North spoke to the pressures of students, and I've

heard from them as well. There is an incredible amount of pressure that's on them.

But the one thing that this government has done is to build more student housing and

plan for more student housing than the opposition ever achieved in their time in power.

When we talk about driving, let's talk about the ICBC rates that have been reduced

by nearly $400 a year for every person that's out there instead of the annual increases

that the former government saw. Those annual increases were returned to general revenue.

The rate reduction was only part of how our government distributed the efficiencies

of ICBC, and those rebates were put back, over $400, into the jeans of these drivers.

I had a conversation in the past week with a person who would identify as a middle-class

wage earner about the things that have made a difference to them financially. While

she benefits from previously mentioned items such as ICBC rates, she pointed out how

she no longer pays for MSP and how that's made her life easier for her family. As

a self-employed worker, she no longer needs to budget for that $800 annually, with

no idea of how steep those rates were going to be in the coming year. The elimination

of those premiums has made her life easier.

The last couple of items are about transit and child care. With no fares for children

12 and under, a family could be saving over $600 a year. But what's more important

is that without those fares being placed on those 12-and-unders, they will become

used to public transit and more inclined to become long, lifetime riders where transit

is available.

When parents re-enter the workforce after having children, child care becomes a necessity

as they enter the next

chapter of their lives. These parents who are enjoying the

lower ICBC rates are, in some cases, driving their children to child care spaces that

our government has created and funded.

This new funding is providing families with savings of up to $10,000 a year. I've

lost track of how many constituents have reached out to our government for these new

affordable spaces.

[11:50 a.m.]

I'll leave it with this. When I see the motion and I see the word "squeeze," it reminds

me of the squeeze that I get from my grandchildren when I pick them up from those

affordable child care spaces.

R. Merrifield: Well, the middle-class squeeze is not about interest rates, and it's not about inflation.

It's about the seven years that this NDP government has had to deliver on the promise,

which they made to British Columbians, of a future where home ownership was within

reach. But today B.C. is home to the highest average rents in the entire country,

and we've ended up with the highest housing prices in North America.

Seven years ago British Columbians were promised an economy of opportunity and the

ability to work in good, family-supporting jobs. Instead, we face an unprecedented

affordability crisis that has left everyday British Columbians struggling to make

ends meet and a $7 billion inflationary deficit — the largest in B.C.'s history.

Now, I'm sure the Minister of Finance isn't proud of the fact that we now rank near

the absolute bottom in the country for GDP growth, with a sluggish 0.8 percent growth

rate predicted for 2024. It is high time that the Premier and his cabinet stop playing

the blame game and start taking responsibility for the dire state in which so many

British Columbians find themselves. Under the NDP government's seven-year-long middle-class

squeeze, people are paying more, while their paycheques are falling behind.

I know that cabinet ministers, their political staff and top bureaucrats might not

relate, given their comfortable raises that they've given themselves over the last

few years. This is why I invite the Premier to come visit Kelowna, where families,

community members, leaders and many others will tell you the truth of how out of touch

and disconnected this government has become.

Just yesterday I ran into Ed and his lovely German shepherd while on a walk. We spoke

of how dire things are in the natural resource sector and, as well, for middle-class

people. What happens when the natural resource sector contracts? Well, B.C.'s middle

class pays more than ever, while the quality of life in B.C. worsens every day.

I have a constituent, Tanya, who wrote me about the middle-class squeeze, noting that

her family isn't making ends meet, despite having a two-income family. They're having

to take their kids out of after-school care because they can't afford it anymore.

Sadly, they don't even qualify for any of the subsidies sent out by this government.

Why are they having such a hard time making ends meet? Well, in the past seven years,

this NDP government has introduced 29 new or increased taxes and fees, squeezing over

$20 billion more a year out of the pockets of British Columbians. That's $5,000 for

every single taxpayer. Economics 101: whatever you tax costs more.

What have the people received in return for the provincial government's out-of-control

taxes and out-of-control spending? Nothing but an out-of-control housing market and

an out-of-control cost of living.

Then there's Jerry. He's a 72-year-old constituent who puts 70 percent of his pension

towards his rent. He asked me which he should afford next — food or utilities? Shame

on this government for not seeing this and for not doing anything about it.

While members opposite may deflect responsibility or blame history, the opposition

stands up every day for British Columbians feeling the weight of increasing costs,

and things are only going to get worse the longer that they stay on that side of the

House. If we continue on the path that this NDP government has taken us on for the

past seven years, it is safe to say that paycheques will continue shrinking and that

purchasing power will continue evaporating.

I should remind members that economists are clear that the NDP's reckless policies

will cut key industries by up to 20 percent, leading to recession-like conditions,

fewer jobs and declining incomes. By 2030, the NDP's middle-class squeeze will take

nearly $5,000 every year out of the pockets of British Columbians. It is imperative

that we stop this now.

[11:55 a.m.]

We continue to raise concerns from all British Columbians — families, new immigrants,

students, workers, small business owners and more. This economy isn't working for

anyone. British Columbians deserve a future that they can look at with optimism and

excitement, not the current environment which feeds despair and starves hope. British

Columbians deserve a break from seven years of this government's middle-class squeeze.

D. Routley: It's with great pleasure that I rise again in the House to speak to this motion.

As we look around the world, look around the country and look around the continent,

we see that people are struggling with inflation. They see higher interest rates.

They've seen war in Europe; they now see war in the Middle East. A lot of pressures

are being felt around the world, but what's important is what we do locally, what

we do with what is in our own control.

We need to compare and contrast how this government approaches these challenges versus

the way the previous government did. The previous B.C. Liberal-B.C. United government

answered that by giving tax breaks mostly to the wealthy — a 25 percent tax break

on their first day in office which this province spent 16 years paying back through

a deficit in services, cuts to health care, cuts to housing. They cut the B.C. NDP

child care plan when they came into office. They cut the B.C. NDP housing plan. That

has put us a decade and a half behind in these crucial areas.

There's no doubt that we're facing these challenges, but the opposition would hike

the costs on people. Let's take the example of rent control. We introduced a 2 percent

cap on rents. That was in place of a B.C. Liberal-B.C. United plan that had inflation

plus 2 percent. Just last year that would have led to almost 10 percent rent increases.

Instead this government limited that to 2 percent. Had that previous government, the

B.C. Liberal-B.C. United government, been in power, that inflation would have been

cemented into our economy permanently. That is not in the interests of British Columbians.

This government, the B.C. NDP government, got rid of the MSP premiums. We were the

only province in the country that paid MSP premiums. We were also the only province

in the country without an employer health tax. Members opposite should note that when

that tax was introduced, it was the lowest in the country. So we gave British Columbians

the largest middle-class tax break in the history of this province.

We have reduced child care costs. We've increased the B.C. family benefit up to $2,850

a year for a family with two kids.

We've lowered car insurance by at least $400 per year. We've given rebates to insurance

policyholders. Their approach was to raise ICBC rates, force ICBC to report a false

profit and, thereby, balance the budget in their eyes, but we have given $100,000

income earners a 34 percent net reduction in tax.

Deputy Speaker: Noting the hour, Member.

D. Routley: Yes, Mr. Speaker. Noting the hour, I would note also that we gave $80,000 earners

a 56 percent net reduction in tax. It's clear to British Columbians: that side raises

their costs; this side lowers their costs.

[Mr. Speaker in the chair.]

T. Halford: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. He's….

Interjections.

Mr. Speaker: Just please continue.

T. Halford: As the member wants to hold us past our lunch, I'll continue on here.

[12:00 p.m.]

I rise to speak in support of the motion before us that this House agrees that British

Columbians deserve a break from the seven years of middle-class squeeze we've seen

from this NDP government.

Now, if you've heard the previous NDP speakers, like the one just prior to me, you

would almost believe that we don't have an affordability challenge here. Everything

is good.

If you go down to the food bank in Surrey right now, you won't see the longest lines

that you've ever seen. You won't see a shortfall. You won't see single moms in there

with their kids making a determination whether or not they can register their child

for soccer or pay their rent or put food on the table.

No. What you've heard from the members today on the government side is: "Everything

is fine. In fact, if it's not fine, we'll blame somebody else, because it's their

fault." But right now we are saying….

Interjection.

T. Halford: The member can get up and chirp all he wants. If he wants to stand up and say something….

But what I'll say right now….

Interjections.

Mr. Speaker: Shhh.

Member, please continue.

T. Halford: You know what's funny is that we are in this House by the people to speak on issues

like this, and the member from Maple Ridge wants to go have his lunch. He can go have

his lunch, but I'm going to take my three minutes, and I'm going to speak about affordability

and the importance that it has to us. Because that is the priority, not getting three

minutes to go get my lunch a little bit quicker.

I'll say this. When it comes to the fact that over half of British Columbians are

$200 away from not being able to make ends meet, I think that that shows us that we

have an incredible problem and an incredible challenge right here, right now in our

province.

I know for a fact that 87 members of this House are getting the phone calls, are getting

the emails, are getting stopped every day that they are out in their community saying,

"I can't make it work. I can't pay for my groceries. I can't pay for my rent. I can't

make my mortgage. It's too much." They're hearing that from employers with the costs

that this government has levelled on and on, on them.

We talk about ICBC. Well, the fact is that if you have a 16-year-old that is getting

ready to drive and you have to insure them, sometimes that….

Interjection.

T. Halford: It's cheaper? It's not cheaper. It's not cheaper, and we know that for a fact because….

If the member wants to go out and actually indicate if you put somebody on your insurance

at that age, I think you'll find out very well that it is not cheaper, and that isn't

affordability.

We see the challenges that we have every single day in this House because we see them

every single day in our community. I attended a homeless rally that was held outside

my office on Friday. We have seniors after seniors that are making some of the hardest

choices they've ever had to make in their life when it comes to trying to get through

the month, whether it's being able to pay their rent, whether it's being able to afford

medication in some instances, whether it's being able to meet their hydro payments.

We are seeing challenges after challenges, and this government knows it. They see

it, and if they don't, they're not doing their job. But they know they are hearing

the same stories that we are hearing. They have to be. I think what they are expecting

is when are they seeing the relief from this government? Not the announcements, not

the blame. Seven years, two elections, broken promises, and the cycle continues.

When we look at what we need to do for our constituents, I think we need to be based

in reality.

T. Halford moved adjournment of debate.

Motion approved.

Hon. A. Dix moved adjournment of the House.

Motion approved.

Mr. Speaker: This House stands adjourned until 1:30 p.m.

The House adjourned at 12:04 p.m.

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