BC politics

Angela Mason of Amala Vacation Rental Solutions Ltd. located in Victoria fears new short-term rental regulations will have a negative impact on tourism in Greater Victoria, may be not immediately, but next summer, when tourists stop coming to Victoria in the absence of affordable accommodations. (Mark Page/News Staff)

New short-term rental rules will hurt tourism: B.C. business owner

New provincial rules restricting short-term rentals to principal residence now in effect

 

New housing starts are expected to slow down in Greater Vancouver, Greater Victoria in 2024 before rebounding in 2025, 2026, according to a new report from Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jeff McIntosh)

B.C. homebuilding going to drop off before rebounding next year: CMHC

Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation also expects vacancies to remain low and rents high

 

Premier David Eby says Friday’s announcement that B.C. is seeking changes to decriminalization tries to balance the interests of people using substances and public safety. The move has earned praise from UBCM, but also criticism from others. (Matthew Claxton/Langley Advance-Times)

B.C. municipalities praise NDP for proposed decriminalization changes

Poverty advocate more critical of Friday’s request for changes to drug pilot project

 

Housing Minister Ravi Kahlon listens as Premier David Eby Monday (April 29) announces eight new B.C. Builds sites across B.C. including three in the Township of Langley. (Matthew Claxton/Langley Advance-Times)

B.C. announces 8 new Build B.C. housing sites across the province

Sites awaiting affordable housing development located across B.C. including Kelowna and Kamloops

Housing Minister Ravi Kahlon listens as Premier David Eby Monday (April 29) announces eight new B.C. Builds sites across B.C. including three in the Township of Langley. (Matthew Claxton/Langley Advance-Times)
Stacey Sumners, acting service project manager of mobile service outreach with the Ministry of Citizens’ Services, gives Citizens’ Services Minister George Chow and Emergency Management Minister Bowinn Ma a tour of the government’s service van that can deliver 300 different services remotely. (Wolf Depner/News Staff)

Service B.C. is hitting the backroads with satellite-phone equipped van

Van officially launched mid-February following trial runs in late 2023

Stacey Sumners, acting service project manager of mobile service outreach with the Ministry of Citizens’ Services, gives Citizens’ Services Minister George Chow and Emergency Management Minister Bowinn Ma a tour of the government’s service van that can deliver 300 different services remotely. (Wolf Depner/News Staff)
BC Green Leader Sonia Furstenau. Furstenau is accusing government of ignoring the courts and the real harms of drug use after Premier David Eby announced April 26 that the government would be moving to ban public drug use. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chad Hipolito)

B.C. opposition gives thumbs-down to proposed decriminalization changes

B.C. United’s Sturko renews calls to end pilot while B.C. Greens’ Furstenau warns against a roll-back

BC Green Leader Sonia Furstenau. Furstenau is accusing government of ignoring the courts and the real harms of drug use after Premier David Eby announced April 26 that the government would be moving to ban public drug use. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chad Hipolito)
B.C. United leader Kevin Falcon, here seen speaking to a town hall at the Chilliwack Cultural Centre in February, says he hears concerns about public safety wherever he goes. (Jessica Peters/Chilliwack Progress)

B.C. United being pulled to the right, but can’t alienate centrists: SFU prof

Nicolas Kenny also wonders whether public is noticing opposition work of B.C. United

B.C. United leader Kevin Falcon, here seen speaking to a town hall at the Chilliwack Cultural Centre in February, says he hears concerns about public safety wherever he goes. (Jessica Peters/Chilliwack Progress)
B.C. is one of only two Canadian provinces that retain and attract more young skilled workers than they lose, but Alberta tops B.C. by a double-digit margin. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck)

B.C.’s ‘brain gain’ 2nd only to Alberta in terms of skilled young workers

Western-most pair the only provinces to attract and retain more than they train: Statistics Canada

B.C. is one of only two Canadian provinces that retain and attract more young skilled workers than they lose, but Alberta tops B.C. by a double-digit margin. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck)
Island Health, the health authority covering Vancouver Island, says a document said to be “actively” directing drug use in hospitals according to B.C. United is a “resource document” to support and promote both patient and staff safety. (CHRIS BUSH/ Black Press Media)

B.C. United says health authority actively supporting hospital drug use

Island Health says document coming under fire supports and promotes both patient and staff safety

Island Health, the health authority covering Vancouver Island, says a document said to be “actively” directing drug use in hospitals according to B.C. United is a “resource document” to support and promote both patient and staff safety. (CHRIS BUSH/ Black Press Media)
B.C. Premier David Eby, here seen speaking at the Vitalus Nutrition announcement in Abbotsford on Tuesday (April 23), is the most popular among the four major party leaders with an approval rating of 51 per cent, according to a Research Co. poll released on the same day. It shows the NDP with an 18-per-cent lead over the provincial Conservatives. (Ben Lypka/Abbotsford News)

Conservatives becoming perfect ‘foil’ for B.C. NDP election hopes: SFU prof

With election still an eternity away, Kenny calls recent Research poll good news for incumbents

B.C. Premier David Eby, here seen speaking at the Vitalus Nutrition announcement in Abbotsford on Tuesday (April 23), is the most popular among the four major party leaders with an approval rating of 51 per cent, according to a Research Co. poll released on the same day. It shows the NDP with an 18-per-cent lead over the provincial Conservatives. (Ben Lypka/Abbotsford News)
Health Minister Adrian Dix says the public will be able to review a report into the economics of safe supply commissioned by public health officer Bonnie Henry. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck)

B.C. to release report into economics of safe supply as part of larger review

Public Health Officer commissioned U.S. expert to review economics of safe supply

Health Minister Adrian Dix says the public will be able to review a report into the economics of safe supply commissioned by public health officer Bonnie Henry. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck)
Surrey, which has significant growth in recent years around but not just transit hubs like the King George Skytrain station, finds itself among 20 communities targeted for additional housing. Other notable communities on the list include Nanaimo, Kelowna and Prince George.(Photo: translink.ca/kinggeorgeclosure)

Surrey, Kelowna, Prince George added to B.C.’s housing target hit list

Multiple communities in Metro Vancouver, Fraser Valley and on Vancouver Island are also on list

Surrey, which has significant growth in recent years around but not just transit hubs like the King George Skytrain station, finds itself among 20 communities targeted for additional housing. Other notable communities on the list include Nanaimo, Kelowna and Prince George.(Photo: translink.ca/kinggeorgeclosure)
BC United’s Elenore Sturko Thursday reiterated her party’s call to end decriminalization, but government has other options. She added that ending decriminalization would not automatically “flood” the courts with people using drugs, adding other countries have used forms of administrative rather criminal justice as part of a broader response. (Black Press Media file photo)

Ending decriminalization won’t end ‘our fight’ to ‘save people’ says B.C. United

B.C. United’s Elenore Sturko says there are “other options” to decriminalization

BC United’s Elenore Sturko Thursday reiterated her party’s call to end decriminalization, but government has other options. She added that ending decriminalization would not automatically “flood” the courts with people using drugs, adding other countries have used forms of administrative rather criminal justice as part of a broader response. (Black Press Media file photo)
B.C. is expected to spend $55.5 million with the federal government spending $19.5 toward planting 50 million trees this year. (Photo courtesy of Paige Mueller)

B.C. set to shovel more than $55M out to plant 50 million trees in 2024

This year’s tree-planting season happens with several hold-over fires burning in northern B.C.

B.C. is expected to spend $55.5 million with the federal government spending $19.5 toward planting 50 million trees this year. (Photo courtesy of Paige Mueller)
Premier David Eby, here seen with Housing Minister Ravi Kahlon, said Thursday that his government will continue to treat addiction as a mental health issue, but also promised additional resources for police to deal with public safety. (Matthew Claxton/Langley Advance Times)

Premier says B.C. will continue to treat addiction as a mental health issue

But David Eby also said police will have the necessary resources to address public safety

Premier David Eby, here seen with Housing Minister Ravi Kahlon, said Thursday that his government will continue to treat addiction as a mental health issue, but also promised additional resources for police to deal with public safety. (Matthew Claxton/Langley Advance Times)
B.C. legislation ostensibly allowing government to sue social media companies is under fire from business groups and parts of the political opposition for being broad. (AP Photo/Michael Dwyer, File)

B.C. ‘classic consumer protection’ law raising unintended consequence concerns

Business leaders calls legislation allowing government to sue social media companies too broad

B.C. legislation ostensibly allowing government to sue social media companies is under fire from business groups and parts of the political opposition for being broad. (AP Photo/Michael Dwyer, File)
The federal budget tabled by the government of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, here seen Friday (April 19) at the University of Victoria, is getting a thumbs-down from the Business Council of British Columbia because of its lacking fiscal discipline and other effects on B.C. The B.C. Office of Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives calls the budget “decent” but notes that it won’t have an effect for years, if at all. (Mark Page/Black Press Media)

B.C. economists spar about what about the federal budget means for B.C.

BCBC’s David Williams laments ‘lack of fiscal discipline’ while CCPA’ Marc Lee calls it ‘decent’

The federal budget tabled by the government of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, here seen Friday (April 19) at the University of Victoria, is getting a thumbs-down from the Business Council of British Columbia because of its lacking fiscal discipline and other effects on B.C. The B.C. Office of Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives calls the budget “decent” but notes that it won’t have an effect for years, if at all. (Mark Page/Black Press Media)
Metro Vancouver mayors are part of a growing chorus concerned about the perceived indifference of the federal government for the financial needs of TransLink, the regional transportation authority that runs buses and SkyTrain across 21 municipalities in Metro Vancouver, home to just over half of the provincial population. (Black Press Media file photo)

B.C. economist calls on Ottawa to get on board with more transit spending

Canadian Centre for Policy Alternative’s Marc Lee says Ottawa needs to spend more money faster

Metro Vancouver mayors are part of a growing chorus concerned about the perceived indifference of the federal government for the financial needs of TransLink, the regional transportation authority that runs buses and SkyTrain across 21 municipalities in Metro Vancouver, home to just over half of the provincial population. (Black Press Media file photo)
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was in Victoria on Friday, April 19 for a media availability talking budget 2024. (Mark Page/News Staff)

Trudeau highlights research funding in stop at the University of Victoria

The prime minister being in town sparked a pro-Palestine protest on campus

  • Apr 19, 2024
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was in Victoria on Friday, April 19 for a media availability talking budget 2024. (Mark Page/News Staff)
Federal NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh did not tip his hand Wednesday when asked whether his party would support the federal budget. Reactions in B.C. meanwhile range from supportive to critical, with the provincial government calling Ottawa’s housing commitment’s “welcome but overdue” (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld)

B.C. reaction to the 2024 federal budget predictably mixed

Reaction from B.C. businesses and political opposition ranges from supportive to critical

Federal NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh did not tip his hand Wednesday when asked whether his party would support the federal budget. Reactions in B.C. meanwhile range from supportive to critical, with the provincial government calling Ottawa’s housing commitment’s “welcome but overdue” (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld)