British Columbia Hansard — 9 March 2026, p.m., Issue 136 (43rd Parliament, 2nd Session)

20260309pm-Hansard-n136

British Columbia — Debates (Hansard)

Second Session, 43rd Parliament OFFICIAL REPORT OF DEBATES (HANSARD) Monday, March 9, 2026 Afternoon Sitting Issue No. 136 THE HONOURABLE RAJ CHOUHAN, SPEAKER ISSN 1499-2175

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

CONTENTS Monday, March 9, 2026 Afternoon Sitting Page Routine Business Introductions by Members ............................................................................................................................................. 5569 Statements ........................................................................................................................................................................ 5569 Similkameen Sparks Basketball Team Provincial Championship Donegal Wilson Introductions by Members ............................................................................................................................................. 5569 Statements ........................................................................................................................................................................ 5569 Kalle Eriksson Achievements at Milano Cortina Paralympic Games Scott McInnis Introductions by Members ............................................................................................................................................. 5569 Introduction and First Reading of Bills ........................................................................................................................ 5571 Bill 12 — Safe Access to Schools Amendment Act, 2026 Hon.

Niki Sharma Bill 13 — Safe Access to Places of Public Worship Act Hon.

Niki Sharma Bill M236 — Health Professions and Occupations Repeal Act Anna Kindy Bill M237 — Insurance (Vehicle) Amendment Act, 2026 Sheldon Clare Members’ Statements ...................................................................................................................................................... 5573 International Women’s Day and Support for Vulnerable Women Amshen / Joan Phillip Networks Ministries Larry Neufeld Public Libraries in Kootenay-Monashee Steve Morissette Cameryn’s Cause for Kids Society Anna Kindy Pacific Gateway and National Economy Paul Choi Process for First Reading of Bills Bruce Banman Oral Questions ................................................................................................................................................................. 5575 Affordable Housing and Community Housing Fund Trevor Halford Hon.

Christine Boyle Management of B.C. Housing Units Claire Rattée Hon. Christine Boyle Permitting Process for Local Projects Jeremy Valeriote Hon. Randene Neill Provincial Sales Tax and Support for Small Business Gavin Dew Hon. Ravi Kahlon

Oral Questions (continued) Crime in Communities and Action on Community Safety Gavin Dew Hon. Nina Krieger Provincial Sales Tax and Support for Small Business Reann Gasper Hon. Brenda Bailey Kristina Loewen Hon Chan Hon. Ravi Kahlon Bruce Banman Budget Priorities and Expansion of Provincial Sales Tax Peter Milobar Hon. Brenda Bailey Orders of the Day Second Reading of Bills .................................................................................................................................................. 5581 Bill 2 — Budget Measures Implementation Act, 2026 (continued) Sheldon Clare Hon.

Randene Neill Rosalyn Bird Hon. Sheila Malcolmson Brennan Day Hon. Ravi Kahlon Peter Milobar Bill 10 — Labour Statutes Amendment Act, 2026 Hon. Jennifer Whiteside Proceedings in the Douglas Fir Room Committee of the Whole ................................................................................................................................................ 5611 Bill 7 — Post-Secondary International Education (Designated Institutions) Act Korky Neufeld Hon.

Jessie Sunner Lawrence Mok Proceedings in the Birch Room Committee of Supply ...................................................................................................................................................... 5625 Estimates: Ministry of Education and Child Care (continued) Heather Maahs Hon. Lisa Beare Jeremy Valeriote Estimates: Ministry of Housing and Municipal Affairs Hon. Christine Boyle Linda Hepner

5569 MONDAY, MARCH 9, 2026 The House met at 1:33 p.m. [The Speaker in the chair.] Routine Business Introductions by Members Lynne Block: Yesterday when I came into the House to get organized, I was pleased to see so many young people being escorted and having a tour of the Legislature. It was our interns from both sides of the aisle. I’d like to introduce — and I’d love them to stand — all the interns from Washington state who are here to ob - serve how we do business. Please stand. Hon.

Niki Sharma: It’s with great pleasure that I intro- duce what is called a wisdom of faith leaders — when you have a lot of faith leaders together, it’s called a wisdom; we learned that today — who are joining us in the House. I’m so grateful for them being here.

We have Congregation Emanu-El, Victoria Hindu tem - ple, Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama’at, Khalsa Diwan Society of Vancouver and Victoria, Victoria multifaith council, Cha - bad of Vancouver Island — if Rabbi Kaplan is somewhere up there, it’s his birthday today, so we can all wish him a happy birthday while we’re welcoming him — the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, Christ Church Cath - edral, Victoria masjid and B.C. Muslim Association, and the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs.

Thank you so much for joining us here today and all the work that you do every day. [1:35 p.m.] Statements SIMILKAMEEN SPARKS BASKETBALL TEAM PROVINCIAL CHAMPIONSHIP Donegal Wilson: On Saturday, the Similkameen Sparks from the Keremeos elementary secondary school defeated the St. John’s School Eagles 75-63 at the Langley Events Centre, winning their first provincial champion - ship since 2001. They defeated the top seed champion for the gold- medal game, capturing the fourth provincial title in pro - gram history. I’m very thankful and very proud of them. Go, Sparks! Introductions by Members Hon.

Kelly Greene: I’d like to introduce two of my constituents today, Lisa and Patrick Fisher. Lisa and Patrick — I met them back in 2015, when together we were parents fighting to keep schools open in Richmond. Since then, they’ve been dedicated volunteers for me over a number of political campaigns. The most important thing that everybody needs to know is that they are my dear friends, and I am so honoured to have their friendship. Will the House please honour them and welcome them today.

Statements KALLE ERIKSSON ACHIEVEMENTS AT MILANO CORTINA PARALYMPIC GAMES Scott McInnis: What a start to the Paralympic Games for Team Canada in Milano and Cortina. Special shout-out. Our first medal was won by Kimber - ley’s Kalle Eriksson, in the visually impaired men’s down- hill, as a silver. I also just learned, messaging with Kalle, that this morning he also won a bronze medal in the vis - ually impaired super-G. Kalle has been a real story of resilience. He only started to lose his vision a couple of years ago. And on top of that, with a major knee surgery….

I’m just so proud of him — he’s a former student of mine — and so happy for his family. Would the House please congratulate Kalle and all the Paralympic athletes. Introductions by Members Hon. Diana Gibson: I want to take the time today to welcome the Victoria Bengali Cultural Society. They’re dedicated to preserving and celebrating the rich heritage of Bengali culture. We have today Shaibal Datta, Tapati Datta, Rajib Das, Shobnam Sultana, Arjun Banik and Anirban Mandal.

I can speak from personal experience about the incred - ible richness of the cultural events that they host — the cultural teachings and learnings, the dance, the music and the sharing of history that makes our region so rich and diverse. So thank you. Claire Rattée: I don’t get the opportunity very often to introduce people — my riding is pretty far away — but I’m really, really happy that today I have some family here in the audience. I’ve got my sister and my brother-in-law, Tessa and Gabriele Desantis.

They’re leaving, and they are moving to Italy very soon, so I’m really glad that they got the op - portunity to come here and see me speak before they leave. I also have my cousins Jamie and Matthew Rattée as well as Kate, Matthew’s girlfriend, and they’re here all the way from the U.K.

5570 B ritish Columbia Debates M onday, March 9, 2026 It’s really nice to have them in the audience today, and I appreciate them making the trip out here and wanting to come and see me speak. So I promise I’ll be on somewhat of my best behaviour today. Hon. Sheila Malcolmson: Will the House please join me in wishing former MLA and Cabinet Minister Jan Pullinger a very happy birthday. She’s the first woman ever elected provincially to repre- sent Nanaimo. She held cabinet positions, including small business, cooperatives and volunteers, social development and economic something.

From 1989 to 2001, she repre - sented both in cabinet and representing Nanaimo. Will the House please wish her a very happy birthday. Steve Kooner: Today we have staff members from 1200 AM Radio Swift — Jinny Sims, host, as well as Kulwant Dhesi, the owner of the radio station — in the House. Can you please give them a welcome. Hon. Christine Boyle: Today in the gallery we have guests from the Canadian Home Builders Associa - tion. CHBABC is here in Victoria to advocate on behalf of members to reduce the cost to build more homes, re - duce barriers to more housing choices and streamline approvals.

I gather there are about 25 folks in the room, so rather than reading all the names, maybe I’ll ask folks to stand up. [1:40 p.m.] In particular, I want to mention the government rela - tions chair, Tom Calne. This is his last big advocacy event before he steps down after nearly three years serving in the role. Thank you, Tom. Please will the House join me in making folks feel welcome. Linda Hepner: I want to, as well, welcome the Can - adian Home Builders Association. I had a chance this morning to have a conversation and then a longer conver - sation with the fireside chat.

I do appreciate the association coming here on their ad- vocacy days, and I hope that this side of the House will also give a very warm welcome. Hon. Ravi Parmar: I want to build off of my col - league from Richmond-Queensborough’s introduction and introduce someone who I don’t think really needs an introduction. She’s a former Member of Parliament and, prior to that, former president of the B.C. Teachers Fed - eration and former MLA from Surrey and Minister of Cit - izens’ Services. She was my first boss when I started in this place.

It’s just so fitting the day after International Women’s Day for me to be able to welcome to the House someone who I hold in the highest regard, someone who has broken so many glass ceilings and now is a famous radio host from Surrey. She’s done it all. Please join me in welcoming Jinny Sims on the floor here. Á’a:líya W a rbus: It is a very momentous month in our household and in our family.

In March, we have my brother Lewis Point’s birthday; my daughter Starling Warbus, who turned six on International Women’s Day; my late nephew Geoffrey Point, who we love and miss dearly; my sister Christine Seymour; and my mom, Gwen Point. They all decided that March was going to be their month. They’re all very special to me. They keep me grounded and remind me every single day why I wanted to be elected. I come here to share the voice of my com - munity and those very important perspectives. To all of you, thank you for everything, for always be - ing by my side, and happy birthday. Exciting month.

Darlene Rotchford: I have some constituents in the House today, so I would like everyone to help them feel welcome. I have David and Judy McCoy here today as well as their grandson Liam Waters. Hopefully we can all make them feel welcome. Gavin Dew: I rise to acknowledge my constituent Raghwa Gopal, his wife, Sarita, and their entire team for another successful Bollywood Gala in Kelowna this Sat - urday. Through the Gopal Foundation, they have now helped raise more than $1 million for charitable causes across British Columbia, and this year’s gala supported the Central Okanagan Food Bank.

Saturday’s event also helped lay the cornerstone for the $5.5 million food rescue transformation centre, an innov - ative long-term solution to food insecurity in our region. I thank everyone involved for their generosity, leader - ship and service, and I hope that, in due course, govern - ment will step up to support this worthy food security initiative. Hon. Christine Boyle: I understand that there are also guests in the House from the B.C. Real Estate Association. I had notes that they were coming tomorrow, but I think we have quite a few guests today and tomorrow. I was honoured to join them for lunch today.

Will the House join me in making them feel welcome. Korky N eufeld: It’s always nice when your spouse comes to spend the week here in Victoria. I’d like everybody to welcome my wife, Cynthia, to the House, please. Also, I heard through the rumblings that it’s Fraser-

Monday, March 9, 2026 B ritish Columbia Debates 5571 Nicola’s birthday, the member for Fraser-Nicola. We’re not sure what age he is, but he’s looking younger every day. Wish him a happy birthday. Mable Elmore: I have the pleasure of introducing 32 Washington state legislative interns who are visiting from Olympia today. They are here as part of an annual exchange between our two internship programs in Washington state and British Columbia. And we’re so happy that this tradition continues.

This is their 21st visit to our parliament. [1:45 p.m.] As part of the Washington state internship program, their interns work for members of the House of Repre - sentatives or senators while earning academic credit from colleges and universities around the state,

whereas B.C.’s legislative interns have already graduated from a Can - adian university. This morning they met with several Members of the Legislative Assembly to learn about our parliamentary system and discuss issues of importance to both of our jurisdictions. They are accompanied by Louis Lindstrom, the dep - uty civic education director, and Ady Schafer, the assist - ant civic education coordinator for the Washington state Senate. Would the House please make them feel very welcome.

Jeremy Valeriote: I’m going to tag along on the Can - adian Home Builders Association and introduce my friend and constituent Alex Tavuchis, who can only be properly introduced in this accent, intended most respectfully. George Anderson: In the gallery today, we have Dr. Daegan Sit, a radiation oncologist at B.C. Cancer. He com - pleted his radiation oncology fellowship at Stanford. His research includes stereotactic body radiotherapy, immunotherapy and usage of artificial intelligence in clinical settings. He has had 30 publications and has been cited 503 times. Wow.

On that note, I also get to say he’s a good friend of mine. Very happy to have him in the House today. I hope the entire House will make Dr. Sit feel very welcome. Ian Paton: My wife, Pam, is here today. She doesn’t make it over that often. She’s not actually in the gallery, but she’s enjoying watching QP from my office television. Pam’s a very motivated and busy person in the riding of Delta South. She’s the past chair of the Delta Hospi - tal Foundation, among other things — looking after our farm, looking after her horses. I actually forgot to mention, what a Christmas present….

Over Christmas, on December 17 and 21, we had two new grandbaby boys born, and that brings us to seven grandchildren. Please make Pam welcome. Hon. Diana Gibson: We have some young people with us today in the House. We’ve got St. Patrick’s Elementary School grade 5s and their teacher Lauren Crisp. Would the House give them a very warm welcome. Jennifer Blatherwick: I would like to acknowledge the members of the Ribbon Community, who came to visit us here on the precinct today.

They were formerly AIDS Vancouver, and for decades they have been advocating for people living with HIV in British Columbia and continuing to fight for better access to testing and education throughout British Columbia. Their work is incredibly difficult, and their stories that they shared with us today were powerful. Thank you so much for spending time with us today. And I raise, especially, in my heart Daphne, who shared her personal journey. Hon.

Anne Kang: I’d like to welcome to the House to - day Sarah Chown, executive director of Ribbon Commun - ity; and Daphne Harry, committee member; and Wayne Campbell of GIPA and MEPA, the program coordinator with Ribbon Community. They are here in connection with In My Day, a power- ful play by Victoria playwright Rick Waines that tells the story of the first 15 years of the HIV/AIDS pandemic in British Columbia.

Inspired by a community-based Uni - versity of Victoria research project, it brings to life true stories of long-term survivors living with HIV and their caregivers, highlighting the experiences of diverse voices and honouring the resilience of communities during a time marked by loss, fear and stigma. Showing begins March 12 to 21, 2026, at UVic’s Phoe- nix Theatre here in Victoria. Will the House please join me in welcoming Sarah, Daphne and Wayne to the Legislature. [1:50 p.m.] Introduction and First Reading of Bills BILL 12 — SAFE ACCESS TO SCHOOLS AMENDMENT ACT, 2026 Hon.

Niki Sharma presented a message from Her Honour the Lieutenant Governor: a bill intituled Safe Access to Schools Amendment Act, 2026. Hon. Niki Sharma: I move that the bill be introduced and read a first time now. I’m pleased to introduce the Safe Access to Schools Amendment Act, 2026. This bill effectively extends the act

5572 B ritish Columbia Debates M onday, March 9, 2026 from its current repeal date of July 1, 2026, to July 1, 2028. The purpose of this legislation is to preserve safe access to education by protecting students and staff from harmful and disruptive behaviours at or around K-to-12 schools. It allows the Lieutenant Governor in Council to estab - lish access zones around K-to-12 schools through regula - tion.

Within an access zone, certain forms of harmful and disruptive prohibited behaviour.… These prohibitions are designed to protect students and staff from the negative impacts of protests that regrettably became an increasing problem at our K-to-12 schools before this act was first passed. While the number of disruptive incidents has de - creased since this legislation was first enacted, the need for protection of schools, students and educators continues. I’m pleased to say that the act is having a meaningful de - terrent effect.

By clearly defining unacceptable behaviours and establishing consequences for engaging in them, it discourages individuals and groups from bringing harm - ful disruptions to school environments in the first place. The presence of access zones signals that harassment, intimidation and obstruction will not be tolerated around schools. This is helping to prevent incidents before they arise and contributing to overall confidence in school safety. Keeping the act in place for two more years will pre - serve an important deterrent that helps prevent harmful disruptions before they occur.

This extension upholds our commitment to safe learning environments and will en - sure that students, staff and families can continue to ac - cess educational programs free from obstruction, intimi - dation or harm. The Speaker: Members, the question is first reading of the bill. Motion approved. Hon. Niki Sharma: 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. Motion approved. BILL 13 — SAFE ACCESS TO PLACES OF PUBLIC WORSHIP ACT Hon.

Niki Sharma presented a message from Her Honour the Lieutenant Governor: a bill intituled Safe Access to Places of Public Worship Act. Hon. Niki Sharma: I move that the bill be introduced and read a first time now. I’m pleased to introduce the Safe Access to Places of Public Worship Act. The purpose of this bill is to ensure safe and unobstructed access to places of worship by pro - tecting people from harmful or disruptive behaviours around those spaces.

This legislation would allow qualifying places of wor - ship that want to take advantage of these protections in the legislation to post required signage, ensuring the pub - lic has clear notice of where restrictions apply. Within these zones, specific disruptive or harmful behaviours are prohibited. These measures respond to the growing issue of disruptions directed at places of worship and people at - tempting to access those places of worship. People in our province — whether they attend a gurd - wara, church, synagogue, mosque or temple — deserve to access their place of worship without fear.

These are spaces that offer connection, comfort and belonging. Dis - ruptions in these places do more than disturb activities. They erode people’s sense of safety and community. To ensure that this legislation remains focused and proportionate, it includes a four-year sunset clause, al - lowing the Legislature to reassess the need for these meas - ures over time. Most British Columbians respect the importance of allowing others to access their place of worship without fear. The increasing frequency and intensity of disrupt - ive behaviour makes it clear that additional measures are needed.

This bill provides responsible, balanced and time- limited responses to protect the safety and well-being of people attending their chosen place of worship. The Speaker: The question is first reading of the bill. Motion approved. Hon. Niki Sharma: 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. Motion approved. BILL M236 — HEALTH PROFESSIONS AND OCCUPATIONS REPEAL ACT Anna Kindy presented a bill intituled Health Professions and Occupations Repeal Act.

Anna Kindy: I move that a bill intituled Health Pro - fessions and Occupations Repeal Act, of which notice has been given in my name on the order paper, be introduced and read a first time now. [1:55 p.m.] I am pleased to introduce the Health Professions and Occupations Repeal Act. Health care is the single-biggest expense in the B.C. budget. Despite this, reports of long wait times due to lack of health care workers and insuffi - cient facilities lowers the public’s confidence in health care. The NDP government is implementing the HPOA act. Most professionals and the public are not aware of this.

Monday, March 9, 2026 B ritish Columbia Debates 5573 This act will not bring more doctors or nurses or any of our much-needed front-line health care providers to B.C. and will not decrease wait times. Instead, this act will control our front line to practise more defensively and bring greater distrust between health care providers and patients. This act removes the self-regulation of health colleges, as the government will appoint all college board members. More bureaucracy will be created by adding an office of discipline and a superintendent’s office to control the col - leges and their members.

This added bureaucracy is all ap - pointed and will only increase costs. The new regulatory framework grants power to en - ter a health care provider’s premises to inspect, search or copy any personal or confidential information. This will erode public trust and privacy. Health care providers who breach regulations face potential fines and/or jail time. This will mean statutory immunity for regulatory colleges but no review or appeal for health care workers. In addition, there will be no protection from frivolous complaints, as registrants will be considered guilty until proven innocent.

Why would any doctor or nurse come to B.C. knowing that this act does not occur anywhere else in Canada? Some will retire early, change their practice or leave B.C. We cannot afford to lose any more health care workers. That is why I am proposing to repeal the Health Profes - sions and Occupations Act as is written. The Speaker: Members, the question is first reading of the bill. Motion approved. Anna Kindy: I move that the bill be placed on the or - ders of the day for second reading at the next sitting of the House after today. Motion approved.

BILL M237 — INSURANCE (VEHICLE) AMENDMENT ACT, 2026 Sheldon Clare presented a bill intituled Insurance (Vehicle) Amendment Act, 2026. Sheldon Clare: I move that a bill intituled Insurance (Vehicle) Amendment Act, 2026, of which notice has been given in my name on the order paper, be introduced and read a first time now. On April 25, 2023, Chantelle Sutton was in a motor - cycle accident which cost her a leg at the hip. Most people would recognize this as a catastrophic injury. It occurred on Highway 97, just south of the Quesnel River Bridge, which you’ve heard me sing about in this House.

The bill is a simple one. It’s not complex. I would hope that this House would provide broad support for it. In clause 1, it would extend the time period within which an individual can make a claim for benefits in re - spect of a catastrophic injury. In clause 2 — this is the key part of the bill — it would reduce the number of amputa - tions for an insured to sustain a catastrophic injury, from two to one or more. That is my bill, and I hope that it will receive broad sup- port. It is simple. I think it’s elegant. I thank the Clerk’s of- fice for their assistance in composing this.

That is my bill, and that is all I have to say at this time. Thank you, and I so move. The Speaker: Members, the question is first reading of the bill. Motion approved. Sheldon Clare: I move that the bill be placed on the or - ders of the day for second reading at the next sitting of the House after today. Motion approved.

Members’ Statements INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY AND SUPPORT FOR VULNERABLE WOMEN Amshen / Joan Phillip: I rise today to celebrate Inter - national Women’s Day and the amazing women and femmes in my constituency and beyond — women like my constituency adviser Sylvia Wu, who is a strong advocate for our constituents and a trusted contact for many within the Chinese community — thank you, Sylvia — and women like Alice Kendall, the executive director of the Downtown Eastside Women’s Centre.

For over 30 years, Alice has been a tireless champion for women’s rights and safety across Vancouver and the Downtown Eastside. [2:00 p.m.] Nearly half of women in British Columbia face or will face intimate-partner violence. The women’s centre of - fers vital supports for these vulnerable women. By provid - ing meals, safe washrooms and skills development, they are key to our community. Alice recently organized the women’s centre Herstory fundraising gala, raising more than $180,000 to support vulnerable women. Housing is the number one concern that we hear about from women in the community.

That’s why we continue to push to create more quality, affordable places for fam - ilies to live. Our government created the women’s transi - tion housing fund so that women and their children have safe places to go when leaving abuse. We know there’s much more to do, and we won’t stop

5574 B ritish Columbia Debates M onday, March 9, 2026 until everyone is safely housed and has a place to call home. Huy ch q’u siem. NETWORKS MINISTRIES Larry Neufeld: Over the Christmas break, my wife and I had the opportunity, in my beautiful riding of Peace River South, to do some volunteer work at a very import - ant organization, a not-for-profit organization in Dawson Creek. That organization is named Networks Ministries. For more than three decades, Networks Ministries has been a place where both compassion and commun - ity come together.

What began as a small, local effort has grown into a vital organization that provides food, cloth - ing and essential household items to individuals and fam - ilies facing difficult circumstances. In a community like Dawson Creek, we understand the importance of neighbours helping neighbours. At Networks Ministries, that spirit is visible every single day. Dedicated staff and volunteers work tirelessly to ensure that anyone who walks through their doors is welcomed with dignity, respect and kindness.

For someone facing financial hardship, an unexpected setback or simply a difficult season in life, the support they provide can make a real and immediate difference. Beyond meeting practical needs, Networks Ministries also helps restore a sense of stability and hope for people work - ing to get back to their feet. Their work is made possible by the generosity of the community. Volunteers give their time. Local businesses offer support. Residents step forward to help ensure help is available when it is most needed.

I ask all members of this House to join me in recogniz - ing the staff, volunteers, donors and community partners who make the work of Networks Ministries possible, be - cause organizations like Networks Ministries remind us of something important: the true strength of a commun - ity is measured not only by what we build but by how we care for one another. PUBLIC LIBRARIES IN KOOTENAY-MONASHEE Steve Morissette: I’m pleased to rise today to speak about some valuable community assets in my riding and, indeed, in every riding.

I recently had the opportunity to visit four of our li - braries in Kootenay-Monashee as well as to visit the Cherryville Library last summer. I was struck by just how vibrant, welcoming and well used they are. These libraries do so much more than lending books. They’re inclusive community spaces where people of all ages can learn, con - nect and feel a true sense of belonging. For our youngest residents, these libraries spark a life - long love of reading through storytimes, early literacy pro - grams and family activities that bring parents and chil - dren together.

For students and teens, they provide quiet study spaces, homework support, digital resources and programming that encourages curiosity, creativity and confidence. [2:05 p.m.] Adults and seniors also benefit enormously. From au - thor talks and book clubs to technology training, online access to social programs, language learning and lifelong learning opportunities, these libraries help people stay en - gaged and connected in a rapidly changing world. They’re also trusted places where neighbours meet. Community information is shared there, and people can simply enjoy a welcoming public space.

What truly stands out is the dedication of staff and vol - unteers who make these libraries such vibrant hubs. These libraries demonstrate the very best of what public librar - ies can be: inclusive, innovative and deeply rooted in their communities. They strengthen social connections, sup - port learning at every stage of life and enrich quality of life across Kootenay-Monashee. I thank everyone involved for the invaluable work they do every single day.

CAMERYN’S CAUSE FOR KIDS SOCIETY Anna Kindy: I am honoured to recognize an extra - ordinary organization in the community of Campbell River, British Columbia — Cameryn’s Cause. Cameryn’s Cause provides financial assistance to families facing one of life’s most unimaginable challenges: when a child is suffering from a life-threatening illness or a serious injury, or when a family is grieving the heartbreaking loss of a child. The organization was founded in honour of Cameryn Harris, a bright and beloved three-year-old who tragically passed away from a brain tumour.

Since its founding in 2007, Cameryn’s Cause has provided more than $600,000 in direct support to over 400 families in Campbell River. The organization has also helped fund important med - ical equipment at the local hospital and strengthened care for families across the region. Beyond the numbers, what Cameryn’s Cause truly provides is dignity, relief and sup - port at the moment when families need it most. One family who received support after the loss of their daughter shared these words: “The generous gift from Cameryn’s Cause extended far beyond financial as - sistance.

It gave us the dignity and grace to make those heartbreaking decisions about our daughter’s final ar - rangements without having to ask how much something costs.” Cameryn’s Cause reminds us that even in the face of profound loss, communities can come together to sup - port families when they need it most. I ask all members of this House to join me in recogniz - ing the volunteers, supporters and the Harris family for their incredible work and lasting legacy in Campbell River.

Monday, March 9, 2026 B ritish Columbia Debates 5575 PACIFIC GATEW AY AND NATIONAL ECONOMY Paul Choi: In today’s world, economic security is na - tional security. Across the globe, we are witnessing a period of profound economic change. Supply chains are shifting, geopolitical tensions are rising, and countries are increasingly recognizing that economic resilience is essen - tial to long-term prosperity. In that changing landscape, B.C. holds a unique and strategic position. Our province sits at the gateway be - tween North America and the Indo-Pacific, the fastest- growing economic region in the world right now.

Through our ports, our energy sector, our agricultural producers and our innovative technology companies, B.C. helps con - nect Canada to global markets. Economic leadership is not just about geography; it’s about people, the workers, entrepreneurs, the industries that power our economy every day. As Parliamentary Sec - retary for Trade, I’ve had the opportunity to meet with businesses and industry leaders across our province. They consistently tell me that B.C. has the talent, the resources and the entrepreneurial spirit needed to compete and suc - ceed in a rapidly changing global economy.

Our role as legislators is to ensure that B.C. remains competitive, resilient and forward-looking, strengthening trade partnerships, supporting key industries and en - suring that our province continues to serve as Canada’s Pacific Gateway. If Canada is to succeed in the Pacific century, B.C. will play a leading role. Our province has the ports, the indus - tries and the innovators needed to compete globally. The task before us now is to ensure that B.C. turns those ad - vantages into long-term economic leadership. When B.C. leads in trade, innovation and economic strength, Canada succeeds.

With the hard work of British Columbians, I am confident that our province will help shape Canada’s eco - nomic future. [2:10 p.m.] PROCESS FOR FIRST READING OF BILLS Bruce Banman: Here in the British Columbia Legisla - ture, the first vote — as demonstrated four times this very afternoon — on a motion or bill is normally, traditionally, a yes vote. This reflects an important democratic princi - ple: that ideas should be examined before they’re judged. At first stage of the legislative process, members are not deciding whether they fully support the proposal.

Instead, they are deciding to move the idea forward to be read, to debate, to scrutinize — and possible amendment. A yes vote allows legislators to read and study the proposal more carefully, hear from experts and the public and consider improvements before making a final decision. This approach protects the deliberative nature of par - liamentary democracy. If proposals were rejected immedi - ately at the first stage, many ideas, some of which might become better laws through debate and amendments, would never receive serious consideration.

In fact, some jurisdictions go even further by auto - matically approving bills at first reading. For example, in the Parliament of the United Kingdom, first reading is largely ceremonial and usually happens without debate or a vote. The purpose is to simply introduce the bill and

schedule future debate. Similarly, in the Parliament of Canada, first reading is mostly procedural, allowing a bill to be printed and distributed so members and the public can review it before discussion begins. These systems exist for a clear reason. They separate introduction from evaluation. By ensuring every proposal can at least be presented and studied, legislatures promote transparency, informed debate and fairness. Voting yes at the first reading does not mean supporting the bill it - self.

Instead, it means supporting the democratic process, giving ideas, good or bad, the opportunity to be read, de - bated, scrutinized and improved before the final decision is made. Oral Questions AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND COMMUNITY HOUSING FUND Trevor Halford: We’ve recently learned that the NDP cut $1.4 billion from the community housing fund. Now, the centre for belonging has already invested over $2 mil - lion to provide housing for adults living with develop - mental disabilities. That funding is gone, leaving vulner - able people in limbo.

Geoffrey Ewart, CEO of the Garth Homer Society, says: “We are now on the hook for the entire project.” How does the minister justify sticking this non-profit with the bill? Hon. Christine Boyle: This government takes housing seriously, as I’ve been proud to stand and say numerous times in this House. The community housing fund is one of a number of historic investments that we have made as a government in affordable and non-market housing. The commun - ity housing fund is a $3.3 billion fund. There have been multiple rounds of intakes.

There are thousands of units, more than 4,600 homes actively under construction, more than 3,000 in early stages of development. I absolutely understand the frustration from project proponents who applied to the round of the community housing fund last fall who were frustrated that that round of the funding was cancelled. I hear that frustration. I know those are good community partners trying to build important and badly needed community housing.

5576 B ritish Columbia Debates M onday, March 9, 2026 We are continuing with the historic investments that we have made in the past, protecting the housing that we have built that is providing good, stable homes to people in communities across this province. We will continue to invest in housing because we on this side of the House know how much it matters. The Speaker: Member, supplemental. Trevor Halford: I would call $1.4 billion a historic cut. That’s historic, and that’s the record of this NDP govern - ment.

We’re talking about a non-profit that raised $2 mil - lion of their own money to house adults with develop - mental disabilities. [2:15 p.m.] Valerie Mains represents just one of the dozens of families who have been working towards bringing Garth Homer Society’s centre for belonging to life. She said: “I have been working for housing solutions for over 15 years, and now I’m going back to ground zero.” She’s not alone in her frustration. My question is a direct one to the minister.

What does the minister say to Valerie and her family who were de - pending, who were fundraising to get this going, and now the government has pulled the rug out from under them? Hon. Christine Boyle: We as a government have com - mitted $19 billion in funding for non-profit housing. That’s funding across the community housing fund, the women’s transition housing fund, the Indigenous housing fund, the supportive housing fund. Those are important dollars working in partnership with local governments and community housing providers to deliver housing.

I find it rich to stand here in the House and defend this, standing across from a government who has made it clear they would cut funding to housing, who have opposed supportive and transitional housing. Interjections. Hon. Christine Boyle: Nine long years is right. We have delivered…. Interjections. The Speaker: Shhh, Members. Members. Hon. Christine Boyle: We have, since forming gov - ernment, invested historic amounts. We have delivered 95,000 homes across this province. We are making up for the skyrocketing cost of housing and rent that we saw when members opposite were in government.

We have more work to do, absolutely. We will continue to do that work in partnership with… Interjections. The Speaker: Shhh, Members. Hon. Christine Boyle: …the community housing sec - tor, who we have worked well with in the years that we have been making these investments and who we under - stand is an important player. MANAGEMENT OF B.C. HOUSING UNITS Claire Rattée: This minister will do anything to get out of having to admit that this is a cut. I don’t care if the community housing fund intake was paused. It’s a cut. That’s just the reality here, and people are suffering be - cause of it.

This is a file that I can’t even begin to get into in one question period. But I’m going to tell you a story about a single mother of six. Her name is Erin. She’s trying to raise her family in B.C. Housing. When she first moved in, she had to deal with a bedbug infestation that was so bad that she de - veloped sepsis from the bites. For three years now, she has been begging this ministry to fix a leak above her unit that has rotted the ceiling and rendered her only washroom completely unusable. After years of neglect, the repairs are so bad now that B.C. Housing is evicting the family from the unit.

Their solution is to intimidate Erin into accepting a unit next to the cockroach- and mice-infested unit that my col - league raised back in November, which still hasn’t been addressed. So why does B.C.’s top slumlord punish, rather than help, single mothers who simply want safe, affordable housing for their families? Hon. Christine Boyle: I appreciate the member op - posite raising this question. This is a terrible situation that this family is in, absolutely horrific for those children and the mother. That’s why B.C. Housing has been working with the family.

The repairs needed are extensive and, as such, require that the family move out while renovations are happening. B.C. Housing has been working with the family to find a suitable alternate location so that those repairs can be done. It’s important work, and I’m happy to work on it with the member opposite if she’s interested. The Speaker: Member, supplemental. Claire Rattée: I appreciate that, but the reality is that for three months, she has been trying to get this fixed, and it wasn’t. So that’s why it got so bad. There’s no way of dancing around that.

The reality is that, just last week in this House, the minister admitted that she “understands that single- room-occupancy housing is not a good, safe long-term solution.” Yet every time, she tries to bully and shame any-

Monday, March 9, 2026 B ritish Columbia Debates 5577 one that opposes her government building more of these slums that she knows are neither good nor safe. Clearly, this minister has never had to comfort dis - traught children while cockroaches are crawling on their sleeping bodies. Can you blame this woman for not want - ing to move into another unit with a bug problem? We want more supportive housing, but what we have in this province right now isn’t supportive.

It’s degrading and inhumane. [2:20 p.m.] Three years ago, British Columbians were promised a solution to this nightmare, and we still haven’t seen the report that was allegedly done. So maybe I’ll try asking the future leader of the NDP if he can table the report today, since he’s the one that ac - tually allegedly had it done. Hon. Christine Boyle: As members opposite know, I can’t get into the personal details of an individual family situation but absolutely understand how challenging it is. B.C. Housing has been working with the family to try to find a good solution.

I just want to be clear on the record because we as a government have been working hard to replace old single- room-occupancy homes with new self-contained, digni - fied supportive housing in the Downtown Eastside and more broadly. I have heard in this House the opposition complain about the old housing — which, yes, we recognize needs to be renewed — but continuing to oppose the new hous - ing that we are trying to build to replace that old housing. You can’t be against homelessness and against old housing and against new housing. We on this side are working… Interjections. The Speaker: Members, shhh.

Shhh, Members. Members. Hon. C hristine B oyle: …to deliver good-quality, dignified housing in the Downtown Eastside and in com - munities beyond; to replace old, aging stock; and to pro - vide good, stable options for our neighbours who deserve it. PERMITTING PROCESS FOR LOCAL PROJECTS Jeremy V aleriote: How long is a reasonable wait for a permit from the Ministry of Water, Land and Resource Stewardship? A few months, maybe a year. Despite the government’s recent and welcome interest in investing in tourism, adventure tourism operator Squamish Enduro has been waiting ten years.

The Sea to Sky corridor sees a huge demand, for ex - ample, for new campgrounds and film productions, but permit delays are holding back the local economy. This government has demonstrated it can fast-track approv - als for multinational corporations, but small businesses, community groups and homeowners wait years for simple permits. My question to the Minister of Water, Land and Re - source Stewardship: with 15,000 public service workers about to be laid off, what is the plan to fix the permitting backlog that is stifling local economies in the Sea to Sky and across B.C.? Hon.

Randene Neill: I thank the member opposite for the question. I can certainly meet with the member after this to discuss this particular permit in question. I don’t have a list of all the permits before me, but I’m happy to look into it and get you the answers and solutions after this question period. But I do want to mention, as part of your second ques - tion, we are working in partnership to move forward with permitting, making it more efficient, more streamlined and maintaining really strong environmental standards.

We’ve cleared 100 percent of the provincial permits back - log for building housing, for example. We’ve reduced the average number of days to process a housing application by 40 percent. We’ve reduced water licence approval times for transportation projects from 24 months to less than one month. We’ve also recently introduced, last month, our per - mitting regulations based on public input, so rebuilding homes after disasters should not take years of waiting for permits. We’ve added flexibility for developments in low- risk riparian areas to proceed along streamlined processes.

Those are some of the things that we’re doing to im - prove permitting times as part of our Look West strategy as well, and it’s something we’ll continue to do. The Speaker: Member, supplemental. Jeremy Valeriote: We know this ministry can stream - line approval processes and cut red tape when it wants to, as the minister has described. Two weeks ago the ministry announced regulatory amendments to speed up permit - ting for rebuilding homes after wildfire, new home con - struction and ecosystem restoration. The permit in ques - tion is merely an example of a systemic failure.

It’s only been moved because my constituency office started ask - ing hard questions. Elderly constituents in my riding have been waiting over three years for a permit to replace a bridge so they can access their home safely. They were recently told they’re still in the permit queue. After our inquiries, that moved from another one to three years from promised to be delivered this summer. In the meantime, they have to travel on a forestry road, forestry bridge, a CN Rail cross -

5578 B ritish Columbia Debates M onday, March 9, 2026 ing and over private property to get to the home they have lived in for 37 years. [2:25 p.m.] Some homeowners get routine permits fast-tracked. Others spend years in permit purgatory. Does the recent fast-tracking announcement for some applications mean the rest will take even longer? Hon. Randene Neill: I am familiar with that second application that we discussed previously, and I can con - firm that it is actively being processed and is in the final stages of decision-making now and happy to discuss this with you further.

The land authorizations branch is act - ively engaged with the proponent’s agent on the status of that application as well. As you mentioned though, Member — and I appreci - ate it — those four amendments we put forward with the Water Sustainability Act will speed up and streamline per - mitting. We know that the waits are too long for anybody, and we know that delays the economy, so this is our num - ber one priority. Water, Land and Resource Stewardship is getting funded to ensure that we have additional staff on to do the permitting we need to do. Another example of the success.

Though we’re re - ducing mine permit timelines by 35 percent from explora - tion drilling to mine permits, the Cariboo Gold mine, for example, was approved in just 13 months, after a rigor - ous technical review conducted by a team of experts, in collaboration and in partnership with First Nations. And we’ve reduced cutting permits in the forestry sector from 40 days to just 25 days. It’s not perfect. We’re working on it, and we’re working hard on it. It’s a big priority for us.

PROVINCIAL SALES TAX AND SUPPORT FOR SMALL BUSINESS Gavin Dew: In Rutland and all over B.C., small busi - nesses are already paying for the NDP’s public safety fail - ures through theft, vandalism, lost revenue and soaring insurance and private security costs. Business improvement associations of B.C. say that 90 percent of members report impacts from non-violent repeat crime. Forty percent are losing more than $5,000 a year. Many are losing far more. They’re losing hope. Slapping 7 percent PST on security services is not a tax on growth. It’s a tax on safety.

Will the government cancel their tone-deaf PST tax grab, yes or no? Hon. Ravi Kahlon: I appreciate finally getting a chance to answer a question in question period. I appreciate the member raising the concern. I understand how hard it is to have a family business have to deal with windows being broken, have to deal with people leaving garbage in front of it. My family ran a busi - ness not far from here, and I remember having to come to the restaurant in the mornings with my mom and having to deal with this very same thing. Now, that was 20 years ago, and the challenge then is just as real as it is today.

We know how important it is to address this. That’s why in this budget there’s $16 million to create a chronic property-offending intervention team to help small businesses deal with that very issue that the member highlighted. We know how important this is. My colleague has been travelling the province, meet - ing with local governments, meeting with small business organizations, to come up with strategies to be able to ad - dress this. We’ve got money in the budget to do the very thing that businesses have been asking us to do. The Speaker: Member, supplemental.

Gavin Dew: I wasn’t aware there was a cabinet shuffle and we had a new Minister of Finance. Next thing, he’ll be Premier. Just wait. The Speaker: Member. CRIME IN COMMUNITIES AND ACTION ON COMMUNITY SAFETY Gavin Dew: On Friday, I visited Roxanne, a Rutland resident living every day with the consequences of the NDP’s drug decriminalization experiment and under- investment in keeping streets safe and helping people off drugs. Roxanne has administered Narcan more than 50 times.

The day I visited her, after she asked someone using drugs in her front yard at 5 a.m. to leave, she found a ten- inch knife stuck in the fence outside her front door. That was not her first or her worst death threat. Why has this government forced Rutland residents like Roxanne to become their own first responders just to live in their own neighbourhood? Hon. Nina Krieger: Thank you to the member oppos - ite for the question.

Any time we hear about somebody like Roxanne, I know this is deeply frustrating for resi - dents and communities. [2:30 p.m.] Our priority is ensuring the safety of all residents and all businesses in communities. That’s why we have set up programs that provide tools and resources to police to tackle repeat violent offenders and repeat property crime offenders as well. However, an aspect of the member’s question speaks to, also, the health challenges that we know first respond - ers are often called to respond to — instances where there is a mental health crisis or somebody tackling addiction issues.

That is why our government has bolstered support

Monday, March 9, 2026 B ritish Columbia Debates 5579 for addiction services and care for people that are experi - encing substance use disorders and mental health chal - lenges as well. We will not stop standing up those supports and ensur - ing that police, where appropriate, have the tools that they need to support safe communities. PROVINCIAL SALES TAX AND SUPPORT FOR SMALL BUSINESS Reann Gasper: Mary Lou Newbold, owner of Mayfair Optometric Clinic, is just one business owner in B.C. who will be impacted by the PST expansion.

She said: “It’s an - other hit, and they just keep coming.” She already pays $1,000 a month in security costs, and now this govern - ment wants to add another $1,000 every year in PST on top of that. Why does this minister think it’s acceptable to tax busi- ness owners like Mary, just trying to keep their businesses and customers safe? Hon. Brenda Bailey: There are a number of things in the budget that are very supportive for business.

I’ll start first by identifying the $400 million strategic investment fund that allows us to draw investments into British Col - umbia and unlock those opportunities… Interjections. The Speaker: Shhh. Hon. Brenda Bailey: …for British Columbia. We also have a manufacturing tax credit that is going to help the manufacturing sector. We know that there are 22,000 manufacturing companies right here in British Columbia that’ll benefit from that. We know that expanding the PST is one way to assist us in making sure that we protect the services that are so important to British Columbians.

That benefits British Columbians. It also benefits businesses that are looking to hire people and have people be successful here in British Columbia. This supports them as well. The Speaker: Member, supplemental. Reann Gasper: British Columbians are watching. It is dismissive. Small business is the backbone of B.C. It is unacceptable in question period that we’re not getting an - swers for small business.

Christina Clarke, chair of Greater Victoria Chamber of Commerce, said, “All businesses are facing death by a thousand cuts,” yet this government says their goal with this budget is to grow the economy and stabilize provin - cial finances. When will this government listen to small businesses and scrap the PST expansion, yes or no? Hon. Brenda Bailey: Since coming into power, this side of the House has listened to small businesses. We’ve reduced the small business tax credit. Interjections. The Speaker: Members. Interjections. The Speaker: Shhh. Hon.

Brenda Bailey: We’ve reduced the small business tax credit from 2.5 percent to 2 percent. That tax credit was possible because of the revenue that came from the carbon tax. The logical thing to do would be to change that and go back to a higher tax for small businesses. We absolutely did not make that decision, because small busi - nesses are so important to us. Last year, as well, we were able to raise the EHT thresh - old — again, to support small businesses. We all know how important small businesses are in the community, and that’s why we’ll continue to do this work.

Kristina Loewen: Small businesses are not feeling the love. Cheryl Brown, owner of Kelowna Yarn and Needle - crafts, is warning that this government’s decision to apply a new 7 percent PST to yarn and fabric will hurt her busi - ness and her customers — many of them seniors and people on fixed incomes. Knitting is not a luxury. It’s how a mother makes a blanket for a new baby or how seniors stay connected and fight isolation. When British Columbians are already stretched to the breaking point, why is this government nickel-and- diming them for the simple things that bring people together? [2:35 p.m.] Hon.

Brenda Bailey: The member rightly says that af - fordability remains a challenge for many people in British Columbia. We understand that on this side of the House, and that’s why we continue to protect the gains that we have made, protecting low-cost child care in Budget 2026, keep- ing lower-cost auto insurance. We’ve been focusing on re- ducing the cost of rent for people. We know that focusing on housing — it is the most expensive thing for most fam - ilies — assists them across the board. We’ve continued with free prescription birth control.

We’ve got zero-interest student loans and the B.C. access grant for post-secondary and protecting the B.C. family benefit, which provides more than 276,000 families support. We understand that there’s more to do to support fam -

5580 B ritish Columbia Debates M onday, March 9, 2026 ilies who are dealing with affordability, and we’ll continue that work. Hon Chan: Well, it’s okay for the minister to stand up and not listen to us, but can they at least listen to the small businesses? The Canadian Federation for Independent Business says that over 70 percent of the businesses will have no choice but to pass these new costs on to customers. I am hearing this from businesses all across Richmond.

In fact, I just talked to one who has been open for 30 years and said they are ready to pack up and leave because it’s so expensive to do business in Richmond and across British Columbia. I am sure the member for Richmond- Steveston is hearing the same story as well. But the differ - ence is she is doing nothing about this. I would like to ask this question. Does the Minister for Emergency Management from Richmond continue to do nothing when the small businesses in Richmond continue to shut down permanently? Hon.

Ravi Kahlon: I appreciate the line of questioning from members, because small businesses are important to members on this side of the House as well. The Minister of Finance highlighted that when we formed government, one of the first things we did was reduce the small business tax burden by 25 percent. We right now have one of the lowest small business tax rates in the entire country. We heard from small businesses that permitting times were taking too long. We invested $40 million to reduce permitting backlogs.

We heard from businesses that we wanted to attract bigger businesses because they help when small busi - nesses can form around them — so $400 million to make investments into attracting large investors and businesses in our communities. We heard that skills training was the biggest challenge they’re facing. They can’t find the people with the skills to be able to take the jobs that they have. We are doubling the amount of money for skilled-trades training across British Columbia. We have heard from businesses that they want us to re - move interprovincial trade barriers so they have a bigger market to access.

We are chairing and leading that work across the country, leading to our first agreement and many more to come. Since 2017, B.C. has led the country in GDP growth. We’re going to continue that into the future. Bruce Banman: According to the CFIB, 80 percent of businesses oppose the PST expansion by this government. It would be nice if we had a government that would take their concerns around the PST expansion seriously.

In - stead, we have an NDP government who said: “If the PST on the accounting bill is sufficient to move you to another province, I don’t know what to say.” Wow, talk about being totally out of touch. Professional services aren’t optional extras. They are crucial to the overall operation of small business. My question to this out-of-touch NDP government: why are they dismissing the concerns of businesses across this province instead of addressing the real cost pressures that this government has created? Hon. Brenda Bailey: We are not dismissing the very important concerns of small businesses.

In fact, I met with the CFIB this very morning. Since the PST’s introduction, B.C.’s economy has shifted significantly towards services. Interjections. The Speaker: Members, do you want the answer to the question or not? The minister has the floor. Hon. Brenda Bailey: I’ll be frank. Updating the PST means that we can continue hiring doctors. It means that we can continue hiring nurses and teachers. [2:40 p.m.] We’re not out of step with other provinces. The PST changes that we’ve brought in have aligned us with the other PST provinces.

We continue to make important investments for small businesses and important investments for businesses across the board in Budget 2026. But we know the other side has said — the member for Fraser-Nicola has been clear — that for them, the priority would be seeing cuts in education, seeing cuts in health care. That is not the decision that we are making. We are protecting these services and taking care of businesses at the same time. BUDGET PRIORITIES AND EXPANSION OF PROVINCIAL SALES TAX Peter Milobar: I think we’ve discovered why this gov - ernment has problems with their budget.

We’ve heard that they care about seniors and affordability and the overall affordability for working families. So their solution is to slap hundreds of millions of dollars of extra taxation on those very people in this budget. They hear from small businesses that they need help with all of the mounting cost pressures and the death by a thousand cuts. And their solution…. The minister said it earlier today. They actually put the extra PST costs on for the businesses’ own good this year. That’s why they’re get- ting all these extra taxes layered on them. Here’s the reality in this budget.

We see cuts on social spending in terms of social housing projects. We see six long-term-care facilities cut. We see the Burnaby Hospi - tal cut. We see UVic student housing cut. We see fees and

Monday, March 9, 2026 B ritish Columbia Debates 5581 charges and taxes increased to seniors on fixed incomes as well as hard-working families. And we see PST added to services on small businesses, like security and accounting services — all crucial to their operations right now. Instead of cutting all those other things, will this gov - ernment finally show a little bit of leadership, actually lis - ten to the small business community and actually make a cut to those PST changes that are in this budget, yes or no? Hon. B renda B ailey: I hear from my colleague across the way.

My nickname for him is the minister of mis - information. Here we go again, saying things that aren’t accurate. Interjections. The Speaker: Members, shhh. Shhh, Members. Members. The minister will be careful in her comments, please. Also, withdraw the “concerted” word. Withdraw what you said. “Concerted effort.” Did I hear that? Hon. B renda B ailey: On your advice, I withdraw, hon. Speaker. I think it’s important to understand that this budget does a number of things at the same time. Speaking specifically about the business community, we hear from the business community that they need to remain competitive.

The choices that we’ve made in this budget are very careful. They’re very gradual. We hear from the business community that their workers need to rely on the services that we all rely upon. That is part of Budget 2026. It takes action on both. The choices that we are making mean that we can con - tinue to ensure that we can provide health services for British Columbians and ensure that we can continue to provide services for the business sector, like the manufac - turing credit, like the $400 million fund.

These are important investments that need to be made, like the decrease that we’re doing — 35 percent decrease in timing for a mining permit. These things are very important. In Budget 2026, we do two things at the same time. We protect our business sector and drive forward… Interjections. The Speaker: Shhh. Hon. Brenda Bailey: …on economic growth. And we protect the services that everyone, including the business community, relies on. [End of question period.] Orders of the Day Hon. Mike Farnworth: In this chamber, I call second reading on Bill 2, Budget Measures Implementation Act. In

Section A, the Douglas Fir Room, I call committee stage on Bill 7. And in

Section C, the Birch Room, I call Committee of Supply, estimates, the Ministry of Education and Child Care. [2:45 p.m.] [Lorne Doerkson in the chair.] Second Reading of Bills BILL 2 — BUDGET MEASURES IMPLEMENTATION ACT, 2026 (continued) Deputy Speaker: Members, we are going to continue our debate in this chamber on Bill 2. Sheldon Clare: I rise today to speak against the imple - mentation of Bill 2, the Budget Measures Implementation Act. In starting my remarks, I would like to relate a story. I am a historian. Stories are part of my nature.

Many years ago when my sister was an emergency nurse working at Vancouver General Hospital, management decided that since there were no significant incidents happening in the emergency department, they would get rid of the security guard. Clearly, the security guard was not needed because there were no incidents. Now, when I was hearing this story for the first time, it occurred to me right away that the reason there were no incidents was because there was a security guard. And sure enough, as was related to me, as soon as they got rid of the security guard, they started to have many incidents.

They started to have all kinds of problems. They started to have violence. They had difficulty. It was pandemonium. They were ultimately forced to return the security guard because there were so many problems. Well, when I heard that this NDP government wanted to get rid of the Office of the Merit Commissioner, that story popped into my mind right away. According to the 2010-11 report of the Merit Commissioner: “Merit has been the foundation of staffing in the B.C. Public Service for 100 years.” The Merit Commissioner was established in 2001.

Sec - tion 8 of the Public Service Act requires all appointments to the public service to be based on merit and as the result of a process “designed to appraise the knowledge, skills and abilities of eligible applicants.” The act also provides for appointments reflecting edu - cation, skills, knowledge, experience, past work perform - ance and seniority, as well as external recruitment and

5582 B ritish Columbia Debates M onday, March 9, 2026 internal advancement. In addition, the act provides for employment equity, career development and focus on par - ticular groups, position levels or organizational unit or geographical areas. The Office of the Merit Commissioner became in - dependent in 2005. Before that, it was a deputy minister. In 2018, the responsibility for dismissal reviews was added to the Merit Commissioner’s portfolio. Decisions for merit transcend decisions made for other reasons. So what, then, is merit? Well, there are many words related to merit. A key feature is that it is earned.

Virtue, excellence, quality, skill, ability, integrity, value, worth, talent, stature, capability, credibility and so on are all words that describe the essence of what makes merit. These are all characteristics that are commendable. Merit is intended to prevent dominance of social class, wealth or other unfair considerations in hiring practices. In short, it avoids entitlement. It avoids favouritism. [2:50 p.m.] Merit and advantage are not the same thing. Merit is about the qualities of a particular individual.

Advantage is usually used in the context of comparison with a particu - lar condition, circumstance — a hand up, if you like — or other characteristic that aids in one’s success, regardless of whether or not that success was, in fact, earned. Advantages are given. Merit is earned. Merit is achieve - ment, while advantage is more related to favourable cir - cumstances unrelated to having been earned. For example, skills and experience would be merit. A personal rela - tionship with the human resources manager might be an advantage.

With an emphasis on identifying the most qualified and capable person, the danger is lessened of favouritism based on a range of factors unrelated to observable skills and qualifications. A well-crafted, merit-based hiring process is object - ive, with emphasis on job-related characteristics. Merit hiring removes the effect of personal bias, favouritism or other characteristics unrelated to the specific role. Merit emphasizes fairness, and it emphasizes equality of oppor - tunity. All candidates are measured on their potential and the position requirements rather than irrelevant criteria or connections.

When merit is the criteria, it avoids stigmatizing people and creating impressions that anyone was hired because of their friends, relations or to fill a quota. Morale can be damaged if hiring is not based on merit and performance. A fair and clear emphasis on excellence is clear and well understood by everyone. The danger of not relying on merit is that one hires the wrong person, who is thus set up to fail. It mustn’t be the case that the government believes that members of pre - scribed or identifiable groups are not capable of being hired on their merits. It simply can’t be the case.

I’d be shocked if that was true. Why, then, would the government eliminate the Office of the Merit Commissioner, an office intended to ensure that those appointed to government jobs are duly qualified for the work that they aspire to do for the public service? The Merit Commissioner is an essential independent officer of the Legislature. This office is one that ensures that hiring practices for taxpayer-funded positions are based on skills, competence and qualification rather than favouritism, patronage or identity politics.

The Merit Commissioner has several important roles which protect the interests of the taxpayer and the integ - rity of a non-partisan public service. For example, the Merit Commissioner conducts audits of hiring appoint - ments to ensure that recruitment and selection procedures were fairly applied and that those selected were actually qualified for the work they aspire to do. The role provides the opportunity for unsuccessful ap - plicants to request a final and binding review if they be - lieve that the hiring process wasn’t fair — that is, that it was not, in fact, based upon merit.

The Merit Commissioner reports directly to the Legis - lative Assembly and, in so doing, holds government min - istries and organizations accountable for their hiring practices. The Merit Commissioner provides a significant check that ensures fairness and transparency in evaluat - ing process vis-à-vis principles of fairness when examin - ing hiring practices. Another important role of the Merit Commissioner is to provide oversight of the process for just cause dismiss - als to ensure that they meet established standards and policies. Thus, the Merit Commissioner is all about pre - venting hiring abuses.

This role is an important one that helps to maintain public confidence — a public confidence that has been sorely, sorely tested for a very long time. It ensures that those who serve the public are the most qualified and ca - pable. The position is a clear check against political pa - tronage and other interference. Again, why would this government be opposed to keep - ing such an important position with such critical roles? That is a most vexing and important question indeed. [2:55 p.m.] This is of concern for many on this side of the House, as to why the Merit Commissioner position would be eliminated.

This cannot, clearly, simply be a cost-saving measure. There must be more to it than that. Is this something about making sure that merit is not measured? Is it about making sure that people are able to conduct these abuses which I have enumerated? Is that what this is about? I would certainly hope not. Is this, in fact, about making sure that patronage can be exploited and used in the hiring of the public service? I certainly hope that that’s not the case as well. But the fact that this particular independent office has been targeted for elimination just a few months after the

Monday, March 9, 2026 B ritish Columbia Debates 5583 commissioner found that more and more appointments did not have merit for the positions for which they were appointed is indeed somewhat concerning. Even the head of the B.C. Public Service is opposed to this change, and stakeholders have characterized this as rolling out the trough for the swine to devour. British Columbia needs quality, hard-working public sector workers, not friends and insiders soaking taxpayers for every last dollar.

The Merit Commissioner service plan of October 2025 said: “It is notable that since 2022-2023, there has been an increase in ‘merit not applied’ findings and a decrease in their ‘merit’ findings.” That’s shocking. It’s really a dem- onstration of why this particular role is so important. There is a real need to make sure that the Office of the Merit Commissioner is maintained, that it is kept in place and that it is allowed to continue to do the valuable work that does, in fact, protect the interests of the public at large.

But Bill 2 does much more than just target the Merit Commissioner — a significant problem on its own. This particular bill is what puts in place everything around all of the tax hikes and all of the expansions that the NDP has given us. This is what they talked about in the budget, which we’ve been looking at. Why is it that we are seeing a budget that targets so many people? We heard in question period how this goes after small businesses — 7 percent PST on so many new things. When you’re supposed to be helping people, why would you go after them in such a fashion?

Why would you not take different measures that would actually make a difference, look at the waste and any kinds of areas where there are inefficiencies and deal with those rather than looking at taxing an already overtaxed public? British Columbians are in dire straits. People are won - dering about whether or not they can pay their electric bills, pay their rent, pay for their utilities, yet here we are having people given extra taxes. Most direly affected by all of this are seniors.

Our sen - iors, particularly rural seniors, who do not have the sup - ports available to many in larger centres, are very much under attack by this budget. It shocks me. I couldn’t be - lieve this budget when I read it. To see these measures be - ing implemented, as cold and as hard as they are, I don’t think that they’re going to help. I think they’re going to cause harm.

Just like the story that I related to you at the start about the unintended consequence of getting rid of a security guard, there are many unintended consequences — like what would happen if we get rid of a merit commissioner, for example, and the extra costs that we’re going to be see- ing in the public service because of that mistake. This Budget Implementation Act is full of potential un - intended consequences.

This application of the PST and getting rid of the exemptions that keep goods and services affordable is a mistake. [3:00 p.m.] I think of my own cousin, who himself is a cobbler run - ning a successful business, and the cobbler that I encoun - tered in my riding in Quesnel, who repaired my well-worn boots after a year and a half of heavy campaigning and door-knocking — in which I learned a great deal about what is costing people money.

I thought to myself: “How is it that this cobbler, who is working hard to make a decent living in his very small business, is going to be subjected to having to raise all of his prices on not only his work but all of the products he’s selling in his store related to his business?” This is not okay. The other side of this, not just limited to the 7 per - cent, is what’s happening with income tax. In effect, the amount of income tax that people will pay has been in - creased for the first time since, I think, 2008. This, effect - ively, is a 10 percent increase in income tax.

This is one of the largest in British Columbia’s history. Yes, British Columbia has a massive debt, and yes, it needs to be dealt with in a very dire and effective way, with drastic measures. But this little snipping at things, which are hurting real people in a substantive way, is not how you get this done. Exemptions on cable, land lines. In the North, we use land lines. I have a land line in my house. You know why I have this land line? Well, I’ll tell you. I have this land line because when the power is out, the phone works. When the power is out, you can’t charge your cell phone.

When it’s dark at night because of the way the time change is going to be, you won’t be able to use anything solar to get power to charge your phone if it’s out. You’re going to rely on a land line. Many seniors in rural areas where they don’t have cell phone coverage still rely on those land lines, yet those are going to be more expensive. This hurts a particular demo - graphic. It hurts those older folks who know and trust the technology they’re familiar with. Fixing your clothes and fixing your shoes. You can’t af- ford new clothes, so what do you do? You fix the old one.

You get your old sweater and you get your knitting nee - dles out. You have to go to the store and buy some yarn. Oh, what? You’re busy looking in your pin box to see if you have enough pennies. Oh, you can’t take pennies any - where because dollars aren’t worth anything. You’re looking for enough coins to see if you can ac - tually buy the yarn, and then you find out when you get to the store that yarn is 7 percent more expensive too. So you can’t even knit something or fix something that’s broken, and you can’t afford the new thing in the first place. This is crazy.

Then if you’re a small business, you’re having to look at your boarded-up business with its windows and doors shuttered because, once again, someone started a fire that’s caused your business a problem or they put a rock through a window.

5584 B ritish Columbia Debates M onday, March 9, 2026 I come from a family of small business. My dad owned a hardware store. We used to get those calls in the mid - dle of the night where somebody had kicked in a door or smashed a window. We’d go down and we’d slap up the plywood, maybe after doing a quick screening of the store to make sure there was nobody inside. You can do that once in a while, but after a while, insur- ance says no. So what do you do? You hire a security guard. You get that security guard, and that security guard is there with their job.

They’re there to make sure they have presence so that someone sees that if they break a window, someone’s going to be able to take a picture of them or they’re going to identify them or they have an increased likelihood of being caught. And now security guards are going to be more expensive? What’s going on here? It’s like every aspect of everything that one needs to do to fix things is being stymied. It doesn’t make any sense. If you’re a landlord and you’re trying to look after hous- ing for people and provide rental housing that works, that becomes more expensive too.

Why would anyone be in - volved in renting houses or apartments or condos or any - thing like that? It doesn’t make sense. All of a sudden, you’re getting more and more of this tax. Strata fees — they’ve even increased. [3:05 p.m.] How is it that we can expect small business and our business community to be able to continue this way? This was described earlier by one of my colleagues as death by a thousand cuts. It’s insidious. It’s painful. And it does cause people to bleed out. It’s causing business to bleed out, and that’s hurting. I’ll give you an example.

I have some friends, and the mother in the family operated a used-woollen store. This is in Prince George. It’s a small business. She would buy used clothing; recondition, refurbish and sell this cloth - ing. Her business kept getting the doors kicked in. People would try to bring a rope or a string and they’d put it through the mailbox and try to pull things through the mailbox to steal them. After having the windows broken, after having the door kicked in, after having products stolen so many times, she couldn’t get insurance anymore. Why would you even make a claim? It’s not worth it.

Your insurance premiums go up. The cost of insurance isn’t returned by the sales in your business, and that business had to close. Now those folks are looking at being evicted from their home because they can’t keep their home anymore. The son who has been funding things got an injury. Disability has run out. He can’t return to his job driving truck. So what are they going to do? It’s all government policy that has driven this particular agenda, and this Budget Meas - ures Implementation Act is just continuing the whole pro - cess and making it worse for average people.

This really is an attack on working families. It really is an attack on seniors. When we see $400 million, what’s been characterized as a slush fund going to the Premier’s office, to maybe put who knows where, it’s just crazy to me. All of this in the backdrop of getting rid of the Merit Commissioner. We’re going to make it less likely that we find prob - lems in public service sector hiring. We’re going to make it more expensive for working families. We’re going to make it more expensive for small businesses.

This is not where this province needs to be heading in order to solve the debt and deficit problem with which we are faced. These problems are solvable, but this Budget Meas - ures Implementation Act will not solve those problems. I would argue that it makes them worse. It drives us down and is not even a delay of the inevitable collapse that this is going to provide. When we consider Bill 2, I think we must consider it in the light not of the good that it pretends that it will do but in the harm that it will actually present to the people of British Columbia.

Those are my remarks, and I hope that this House will vote down Bill 2 and cause it to die the death that it rightly deserves. Hon. Randene Neill: I’m so thrilled and honoured to be able to speak to Budget 2026: Securing B.C.’s Future and Bill 2. As we’ve heard the Finance Minister say many times, this is a tough budget for tough times. I just want to start with a tiny little anecdote in my 20-plus years working as a journalist through different news organizations.

We knew we had done a good job on a story when all of the interviews and the interviewees we had spoken to were equally dissatisfied with the outcome of the story. This is certainly the case, I think, with this budget in many cases. It’s a tough budget. These are tough times that we’re in, and we have to make really tough decisions. We’ve made the right decisions in this case.

I want to go through a little bit about what Bill 2 is talk - ing about and a little bit about what this budget is going to bring to all of us. [3:10 p.m.] First of all, though, I do want to just acknowledge that I’m incredibly grateful to be on lək ̓ ʷəŋən territory, other - wise known as the Esquimalt and Songhees Nations as well. Talking a little bit about Budget 2026, it still protects what matters most to people, while securing B.C.’s future.

I know we’ve been focusing on building a strong founda - tion for the province, and we’re delivering those things that are incredibly important to every single British Col - umbian. When you talk to them in the grocery store, at their front door, at church, at the community centre or in the middle of nature on a hike, they are worried about health care, housing and affordability. We’re tackling all those things. We’re delivering hos -

Monday, March 9, 2026 B ritish Columbia Debates 5585 pitals, schools, roads, transit, housing and clean energy. We’ve made these investments while experiencing extra - ordinary challenges, including a global pandemic, major floods, devastating wildfires — not even just in the sum - mer but now year-round — and attacks on our economy and our sovereignty. Our investments are delivering real results for real people. We’re creating major projects that are moving forward. We’re bringing in more family doctors and nurses in communities than ever before. I was a recent recipient of one.

For the first time ever, I have a family doctor, as of about six months ago. I’m actually going to meet him for the first time next week, when we’re on break week. He’s an American doctor who came up as part of several thou - sand fleeing what’s happening in the United States right now. I’m incredibly grateful for the work that our Health Ministry has done here, and I’m incredibly grateful to meet my new Dr. Williams next week, for the first time. Rents are coming down.

We are initiating free HRT, hormone replacement ther - apy, and diabetes medication and free birth control for so many folks here in B.C., which is critically, critically important. Everyday costs are being eased through the B.C. family benefit, affordable child care and lower car insurance rates. Budget 2026 defends all of those gains as well, also rec - ognizing that we face a tough reality right now. Global uncertainty is slowing growth everywhere. Recent, un - expected wars are increasing costs in some areas, creating volatile commodity prices and putting unexpected pres - sures on finances.

Budget 2026 makes choices to protect what matters most to every single British Columbian. That includes supporting core services like health care and edu - cation and reducing the deficit responsibly over time. We’re taking three key steps, as well, in this budget. We’re making the public sector more efficient. We’re pa - cing infrastructure projects to control costs. And we’re generating new revenue while growing the economy and advancing major projects. We’re doubling trades training. We’re supporting ma - jor projects. We’re speeding up permitting and making it more efficient. We’re protecting services.

We’re keeping taxes low. And we’re strengthening B.C. for the long term. Part of my role here is as Minister of Water, Land and Resource Stewardship, and I want to talk about a couple of specific highlights that WLRS, as we’re affectionately known, is doing in terms of Bill 2, in the budget. We are playing a critical role in supporting people, in strengthening communities and in helping to make B.C. a better place to live. Budget 2026 is investing $238 million in this ministry over three years to accelerate economic growth.

A strong economy means more jobs, better wages and greater capacity to meet today’s challenges. My ministry is leading work to reduce permitting times and move projects forward. We are removing barriers and duplications. We are simplifying processes across the gov - ernment. In fact, it’s such a priority for this government to reduce permitting wait times that we are increasing our budget by $7.5 million for WLRS to support permit - ting improvements.

These changes will get shovels in the ground faster, and we’re improving certainty for busi - nesses while maintaining high environmental standards. [3:15 p.m.] Permitting improvements are already delivering re - sults. Over the past two years, we’ve applied a one-win - dow approach in housing and connectivity, and hous - ing permitting backlogs have been absolutely eliminated. Connectivity application turnaround times have been re - duced by more than 60 percent since 2023. We’re expand - ing delegated decision-making to improve efficiency and stewardship.

For example, a specialized team within the Ministry of Transportation and Transit is approving water licences for transportation projects. By delegating that responsibility, approval times have dropped, from 12 to 24 months, to just one month. In land use planning…. We all know and understand that this is an incredibly key tool to support economic growth and reconciliation as well. It is transparent. It is inclusive. And it is partnership-based. For example, the Gwa’ni land use planning project, which we just announced earlier in January — myself and the Minister of Forests — will protect biodiversity.

It will support cultural values and provide operational certainty for the forest industry. It will also unlock areas of forests for timber and timber companies that have not been able to be unlocked before because of conflicts over the land base. That land use plan has brought clarity to that. Land use planning also provides certainty for industry, protection for cultural and ecological values and reduces legal risk and delays. We’re also able to unlock major re - source opportunities across northern B.C., support recon - ciliation and conserve wildlife and ecosystems.

In terms of wildlife, we need to work hard to combat threats that we can’t control — threats like invasive species that are coming into our province. Chronic wasting dis - ease is a deadly disease that attacks cervids in B.C. — our deer, our elk, our moose populations. Since its detection in 2024, we have responded quickly with enhanced sur - veillance, mandatory testing and targeted management. Right now these costs aren’t extraordinarily high, but if we don’t continue to keep the number of cases really in - credibly low, we’re going to look at reactive pricing, which is always going to be much, much higher.

Part of the proactivity that we’re doing…. We allowed a recent deer hunt in January, a general open hunt where

5586 B ritish Columbia Debates M onday, March 9, 2026 we asked hunters to go out and tag a deer. We received 226 samples from deer that were harvested from hunters dur - ing that one-month period within the chronic-wasting- disease test area. What we discovered was not a single sample came back positive. That means what we’re doing is working. We’re containing the spread. We’re protecting our wildlife popu- lations. We’re supporting communities for the long term, and we’re doing that in a proactive way, and that is some - thing we have not stopped doing in Budget 2026.

We also want to thank, critically, all the hunters and trappers that participated in that January hunt. Their partnership in all of this is absolutely critical. I just have a couple of minutes left, so I also want to talk about my constituency. I am the MLA for Powell River– Sunshine Coast, an absolutely magical slice of geography in British Columbia, and I want to talk about some of the investments that this budget has made in my riding in the past several years.

Most recently, a couple of Saturdays ago, I believe, I joined a group of school kids and their moms and dads at a new pedestrian crossing at a popular trailer park, called Poplars trailer park, and a traffic signal at another nearby park called Woodcreek Park. I would talk to moms who would have to run their elementary-age children across the highway, the 80-kilo - metre-an-hour highway, in the mornings to get to school and do the same thing in the afternoon because there was no crosswalk. So this new pedestrian traffic signal was widely applauded.

People are incredibly happy, and this, absolutely, will prevent tragic accidents in the future. I also want to talk about our coastal hazard prepared - ness. This is a big one for the Sunshine Coast, where we’re pretty much surrounded by water everywhere you look.

In the last year, the shíshálh Nation received $150,000 for coastal erosion hazard mitigation, and the ɬəʔamɛn Nation up in qathet received coastal flood protection and seawall extension planning as well. [3:20 p.m.] Community emergency preparedness fund investments include qathet regional district volunteer fire department — yay, our volunteer fire departments everywhere — Se - chelt fire protection district, Pender Harbour fire protec - tion district and the ɬəʔamɛn Nation fire equipment fund - ing.

Together they received close to $400,000 in funding for all of our incredibly important volunteer fire depart - ments, who, just five years ago, actually saved my husband from an almost fatal allergic reaction. I literally owe these volunteer firefighters my husband’s life. In education and child care, a $16 million investment for a five-classroom addition at Edgehill Elementary. In Madeira Park, very close to the community where I live, we converted 13 child care spaces at Serendipity Child Development to $10-a-day spaces. This is going to be an absolute game-changer for 13 families in my already tiny community.

This means that their moms or their dads who are looking after their kids full-time are going to be able to return back into the workforce for the first time. As we know, that brings, overall, billions of dollars back into our economy when parents can go back to work. The manufacturing jobs fund, supporting our local forestry and manufacturing. I’m so pleased that Tla’amin Timber Products received almost $40,000 and HomeD modular building technologies received up to $50,000.

These are just a taste of the things that our budget is doing every day for the people not only in my community but all across British Columbia. Again, this is a difficult budget for a difficult time, but I am so proud of this budget and the work we are going to do to bring down costs, increase affordability and con - tinue to work on improving our health care and our child care spaces for our kids. I want to thank you so much for the opportunity to speak to Budget 2026 and Bill 2.

Rosalyn Bird: I rise today to speak to Bill 2, the Budget Measures Implementation Act, 2026, the legislation that gives legal effect to the tax changes, structural changes and policy decisions contained in this year’s provincial budget. As members know, second reading debate is not simply about the technical clauses of legislation. It is about the principle of the bill. It is about what direction the govern - ment is choosing for the province, what priorities it is set - ting and what the consequences of those decisions will be for British Columbians.

When we look carefully at Bill 2, what we see is deeply troubling. This legislation does three things at once. First, it implements significant tax increases on Brit - ish Columbians, including increases to personal income tax and the expansion of provincial sales tax to new goods and services. Second, it quietly makes structural changes to trans - parency and accountability laws that weaken oversight. Third, perhaps the most concerning, it eliminates the independent office of the Merit Commissioner, a watch - dog responsible for ensuring that hiring in the B.C.

Public Service is based on merit rather than political favour. Taken together, this bill reflects a government that is asking British Columbians to pay more while, at the same time, reducing the transparency and oversight that tax - payers deserve. Let me begin with the tax changes embedded in this legislation. Bill 2 implements an increase to the low - est provincial income tax bracket, raising the rate from 5.06 percent to 5.6 percent. That means the very first dol - lars British Columbians earn will now be taxed at a higher rate. This is significant for two reasons.

First, this affects every taxpayer in British Columbia, not just those at higher incomes. Second, this is the first

Monday, March 9, 2026 B ritish Columbia Debates 5587 increase to the lowest provincial income tax rate since 2008. At a time when families are already facing rising costs for housing, groceries and energy, this government has chosen to increase the taxes people pay on the very first dollars they e

Document details

Collection	British Columbia — Debates (Hansard)
Citation	20260309pm-Hansard-n136
Type	hansard
Volume / chapter	20260309pm Hansard n136
Language	en
Format	pdf
Source	PROVINCIAL
Identifier	d814218129c9dbe04505ba4790d596ecf1b21434

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