BC politics

Chris O’Riley, B.C.’s Hydro president and chief executive officer, and Josie Osborne, B.C.’s energy, mines and low carbon innovation minister, formally announced B.C. Hydro’s first call of power in 15 years. (Wolf Depner/News Staff)

B.C. Hydro calls for new energy sources for the first time in 15 years

But the call for the power comes amidst concerns about the long-term supply

Chris O’Riley, B.C.’s Hydro president and chief executive officer, and Josie Osborne, B.C.’s energy, mines and low carbon innovation minister, formally announced B.C. Hydro’s first call of power in 15 years. (Wolf Depner/News Staff)
Health Minister Adrian Dix Wednesday faced questions about a July 2023 Northern Health memo that says patients can use drugs while in their rooms and keep knives under four-inches. BC United cited the memo as evidence of the NDP having “created a free-for-all with open drug use” but Dix’s ministry says Northern Health “should have reconsidered how it phrased this memo” in noting the illegality of drug use in hospitals settings.

Leaked memo sparks heated debate about drug use in northern B.C. hospitals

Northern Health memo says ‘patients can use substances while in hospital in their rooms’

Health Minister Adrian Dix Wednesday faced questions about a July 2023 Northern Health memo that says patients can use drugs while in their rooms and keep knives under four-inches. BC United cited the memo as evidence of the NDP having “created a free-for-all with open drug use” but Dix’s ministry says Northern Health “should have reconsidered how it phrased this memo” in noting the illegality of drug use in hospitals settings.
Licensed child care facilities in B.C. will no longer be able to charge waitlist fees. The move, effective April 1, comes as government faces questions about the availability of availability of $10-a-day child care. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck)

B.C. drops waitlist fees for child care spaces

Effective April 1, the move comes as government faces pressure over $10-a-day child care promise

Licensed child care facilities in B.C. will no longer be able to charge waitlist fees. The move, effective April 1, comes as government faces questions about the availability of availability of $10-a-day child care. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck)
Premier David Eby (far right) welcomes Ottawa’s pledge of $6 billion for housing infrastructure, but says B.C. should be among the first provinces to receive funding given that its record of building more housing. (Wolf Depner/News Staff)

B.C. welcomes promises of infrastructure dollars, but will ‘push’ for more

Ottawa’s announcement of $6 billion comes with strings attached

Premier David Eby (far right) welcomes Ottawa’s pledge of $6 billion for housing infrastructure, but says B.C. should be among the first provinces to receive funding given that its record of building more housing. (Wolf Depner/News Staff)
Murray Rankin, provincial minister for Indigenous Relations and Reconciliation, has tabled legislation that would allow First Nations to buy, hold and sell land under their own names. (Elena Rardon / Alberni Valley News)

B.C. property act changes allow First Nations to purchase, hold and sell land

Prior to this switch First Nations only able to legally hold land through a variety of proxies

Murray Rankin, provincial minister for Indigenous Relations and Reconciliation, has tabled legislation that would allow First Nations to buy, hold and sell land under their own names. (Elena Rardon / Alberni Valley News)
Housing Minister Ravi Kahlon speaks at a news conference in Victoria Tuesday (April 2, 2024). He was joined by Premier David Eby, right, Spencer Chandra Herbert, premier’s liaison for renters, and Victoria-Beacon Hill MLA Grace Lore. (Mark Page) Housing Minister Ravi Kahlon speaks at a news conference in Victoria Tuesday (April 2, 2024). He was joined by Premier David Eby, right, Spencer Chandra Herbert, premier’s liaison for renters, and Victoria-Beacon Hill MLA Grace Lore. (Mark Page)

B.C. tables legislation to combat ‘bad faith’ evictions

Other elements of new law prevent landlords from raising rents if families grow

Housing Minister Ravi Kahlon speaks at a news conference in Victoria Tuesday (April 2, 2024). He was joined by Premier David Eby, right, Spencer Chandra Herbert, premier’s liaison for renters, and Victoria-Beacon Hill MLA Grace Lore. (Mark Page) Housing Minister Ravi Kahlon speaks at a news conference in Victoria Tuesday (April 2, 2024). He was joined by Premier David Eby, right, Spencer Chandra Herbert, premier’s liaison for renters, and Victoria-Beacon Hill MLA Grace Lore. (Mark Page)
Large parts of Merritt flooded in November 2021. Mayor Michael Goetz welcomes B.C.’s new flood strategy, but says senior spheres of government need to do more to help protect the community through dikes among other measures. (Contributed)

B.C.’s flood strategy not ‘perfect’ but a ‘pretty good’ start: insurance analyst

Merritt Mayor says strategy helps cities “sleep better at night” but more diking is needed

Large parts of Merritt flooded in November 2021. Mayor Michael Goetz welcomes B.C.’s new flood strategy, but says senior spheres of government need to do more to help protect the community through dikes among other measures. (Contributed)
Conservative Party Leader Pierre Poilievre, here seen during a rally Ottawa, on Sunday, March 24, 2024, will hold a rally in Nanaimo Monday as the provincial carbon tax has jumped by 23 per cent to $80 per tonne. But Trevor Melanson, a spokesperson for Clean Energy Canada, said the carbon tax is not the ‘real culprit’ of inflation in arguing that most British Columbians will ultimately be better off. Melanson, however, acknowledged that opponents of the tax have an easier story to tell. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Spencer Colby)

B.C. ‘better off’ with carbon tax, but foes have ‘easier’ story to tell: analyst

Clean Energy Canada’s Trevor Melanson says governments should have done a better job explaining tax

Conservative Party Leader Pierre Poilievre, here seen during a rally Ottawa, on Sunday, March 24, 2024, will hold a rally in Nanaimo Monday as the provincial carbon tax has jumped by 23 per cent to $80 per tonne. But Trevor Melanson, a spokesperson for Clean Energy Canada, said the carbon tax is not the ‘real culprit’ of inflation in arguing that most British Columbians will ultimately be better off. Melanson, however, acknowledged that opponents of the tax have an easier story to tell. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Spencer Colby)
A new poll finds more than half of British Columbians planning to vote for the federal Conservatives under Pierre Poilievre would also vote for the Conservative Party of B.C. in the upcoming provincial election. (Don Denton/Black Press Media).

More than half of federal Tories in B.C. would vote for provincial Tories

82 per cent of federal New Democrats, 57 per cent of federal Liberals would vote B.C. NDP

A new poll finds more than half of British Columbians planning to vote for the federal Conservatives under Pierre Poilievre would also vote for the Conservative Party of B.C. in the upcoming provincial election. (Don Denton/Black Press Media).
UBC political scientist Stewart Prest says provincial New Democrats are trying to present themselves as the party that is willing to do the most on fixing various issues, “above else housing,” but also finds that the party’s attempt to become a big tent party runs the risk of alienating traditional working-class voters. (Photo courtesy of Stewart Prest)

B.C. NDP’s push to become ‘big-tent’ party bears risk: political analyst

Assessment from UBC’s Stewart Prest comes as populist Conservative Party of BC rises in polls

UBC political scientist Stewart Prest says provincial New Democrats are trying to present themselves as the party that is willing to do the most on fixing various issues, “above else housing,” but also finds that the party’s attempt to become a big tent party runs the risk of alienating traditional working-class voters. (Photo courtesy of Stewart Prest)
British Columbia’s environment minister George Heyman defends the April 1 increase in the carbon tax. Some 200 economists also recently penned a letter in support of carbon taxation. But opposition to the tax is growing and less than half of current tax households receive the full climate action tax credit with increases planned for the future. (Black Press Media file photo) THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck

B.C. to ‘stick’ with April 1 carbon tax increase: Environment Minister

Economists across Canada support the tax, but public support is waning

British Columbia’s environment minister George Heyman defends the April 1 increase in the carbon tax. Some 200 economists also recently penned a letter in support of carbon taxation. But opposition to the tax is growing and less than half of current tax households receive the full climate action tax credit with increases planned for the future. (Black Press Media file photo) THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced a Canadian Renters’ Bill of Rights among measures to protect renters. (Screencap)

New bill of rights helping renters unveiled by Trudeau in B.C.

Wednesday’s announcement includes making rental payments count toward credit scores

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced a Canadian Renters’ Bill of Rights among measures to protect renters. (Screencap)
This photo shows some of the 280 cats BC SPCA will start removing from a rural Houston property after its owner had called the BC SPCA for help. (BCSPCA photo/Houston Today)

‘Unparalleled’ intake of 280 cats by SPCA draws help from B.C.

Animal welfare society says rescue from Houston home expected to drain resources

This photo shows some of the 280 cats BC SPCA will start removing from a rural Houston property after its owner had called the BC SPCA for help. (BCSPCA photo/Houston Today)
Tla-o-qui-aht Tribal Parks Guardian Gisele Martin shares a moment with an old growth tree. The provincial government is currently accepting public submissions for plans for two conservancies in Clayoquot Sound following discussions with Ahousaht and Tla-o-qui-aht First Nations. (Submitted photo)

B.C. considering new forest-protective conservancies in Clayoquot Sound

Proposal would prohibit logging in large parts of what was ground zero in the War in the Woods

Tla-o-qui-aht Tribal Parks Guardian Gisele Martin shares a moment with an old growth tree. The provincial government is currently accepting public submissions for plans for two conservancies in Clayoquot Sound following discussions with Ahousaht and Tla-o-qui-aht First Nations. (Submitted photo)
A new poll finds that New Democrats would win 40 per cent among decided voters while the Conservative Party of BC would win 34 per cent. BC United would win 15 per cent of the vote and BC Greens would win 10 per cent of the vote. (Black Press Media/Don Denton)

New B.C. poll sees NDP in the lead, Conservatives surging within 6 points

Mainstreet poll points to NDP majority and a strong Conservative opposition

A new poll finds that New Democrats would win 40 per cent among decided voters while the Conservative Party of BC would win 34 per cent. BC United would win 15 per cent of the vote and BC Greens would win 10 per cent of the vote. (Black Press Media/Don Denton)
Premier David Eby Tuesday, here seen announcing BC Builds, last month announced nearly 2,000 new rental units in Metro Vancouver to be built through 17 projects receiving funding through Community Housing Fund.

B.C. economist calls 2,000 new rental units in Metro Van a ‘good start’

But Marc Lee of the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives questions scale, pace of building

Premier David Eby Tuesday, here seen announcing BC Builds, last month announced nearly 2,000 new rental units in Metro Vancouver to be built through 17 projects receiving funding through Community Housing Fund.
(Black Press Media file photo)

B.C. sparks new public EV charging stations in rural corners of province

More than 500 new stations to help fill ‘geographic gaps’ in B.C.’s charging network

(Black Press Media file photo)
Auditor-General Michael Pickup found “significant deficiencies” in the implementation of two “integral” policies designed to reduce the harms caused by B.C.’s illicit drug toxicity, including at least 14,000 deaths since 2016. (Screencap)

‘Significant deficiencies’ in programs to curb toxic drug deaths: B.C auditor

Overdose prevention services, prescribed safe supply not properly implemented

Auditor-General Michael Pickup found “significant deficiencies” in the implementation of two “integral” policies designed to reduce the harms caused by B.C.’s illicit drug toxicity, including at least 14,000 deaths since 2016. (Screencap)
The record-setting wildfires across western Canada including British Columbia did not just destroy millions of hectares of forest but also contributed to the on-going shrinkage of glaciers across western Canada. (Pete Laing/Courtesy of BC Wildfire Service) (THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO - Metro Vancouver)

B.C.’s wildfires helped feed glacier meltdown across western Canada: report

World Meteorological Organization report also confirms 2023 as the hottest year on record

The record-setting wildfires across western Canada including British Columbia did not just destroy millions of hectares of forest but also contributed to the on-going shrinkage of glaciers across western Canada. (Pete Laing/Courtesy of BC Wildfire Service) (THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO - Metro Vancouver)
A new Angus Reid survey finds Premier David Eby and the BC-NDP with a double-digit lead in the polls over the Conservative Party of BC and BC United. Surveyed would-be voters also think that New Democrats are the best to handle top issues like housing affordability compared to the other parties. But the survey also finds what it calls “potentially concerning” findings for governing Democrats. At least seven in ten think government is doing a poor job on most issues facing the province. (Screencap)

B.C. NDP still leading Conservatives, BC United by double-digit margin

Seven months from the next election, poll also finds 51 per cent want change in government

A new Angus Reid survey finds Premier David Eby and the BC-NDP with a double-digit lead in the polls over the Conservative Party of BC and BC United. Surveyed would-be voters also think that New Democrats are the best to handle top issues like housing affordability compared to the other parties. But the survey also finds what it calls “potentially concerning” findings for governing Democrats. At least seven in ten think government is doing a poor job on most issues facing the province. (Screencap)