BC politics

Housing is the most important among decided voters, according to a new Leger poll that shows B.C. NDP with a “sustained, substantial lead” with 43 per cent and the Conservative Party of B.C. at 26 per cent. (Black Press Media file photo)

NDP lead ‘sustained, substantial’ in B.C.’s ‘shifting political landscape’: poll

Premier David Eby’s party with 43 per cent, Conservative of B.C. with 26 per cent

Housing is the most important among decided voters, according to a new Leger poll that shows B.C. NDP with a “sustained, substantial lead” with 43 per cent and the Conservative Party of B.C. at 26 per cent. (Black Press Media file photo)
The latest job numbers show B.C.’s unemployment up by 0.3 per cent to 5.5 per cent in March. The health care and social assistance sector added 10,300 people, but the information, culture and recreation, and accommodation and food services sectors lost a combined 11,000 jobs. The construction industry gained jobs, but only marginally in the face of high interest rates.

March job numbers offer “mixed bag” for B.C. as unemployment rose slightly

Health care, social assistance sector added more than 10,000 jobs, but other key sectors lost jobs

The latest job numbers show B.C.’s unemployment up by 0.3 per cent to 5.5 per cent in March. The health care and social assistance sector added 10,300 people, but the information, culture and recreation, and accommodation and food services sectors lost a combined 11,000 jobs. The construction industry gained jobs, but only marginally in the face of high interest rates.
Housing prices in Metro Vancouver have reached a ‘full-blown-crisis’ according to report from the Royal Bank of Canada and the CMHC expects new home construction to dip in 2024. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck)

B.C. housing minister says province will surpass grim housing start forecasts

New RBC report also finds Metro Vancouver in ‘full-blown-crisis’

Housing prices in Metro Vancouver have reached a ‘full-blown-crisis’ according to report from the Royal Bank of Canada and the CMHC expects new home construction to dip in 2024. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck)
Premier David Eby Thursday (April 4) announced that Kamloops would host a fire training and education centre at Thompson River University, the first of its kind in North America. (Barbara Roden/Ashcroft-Cache Creek Journal)

B.C. to open first-of-its-kind wildfire training, education centre in Kamloops

Eby says the centre was among recommendations from a task force after the 2023 wildfire season

Premier David Eby Thursday (April 4) announced that Kamloops would host a fire training and education centre at Thompson River University, the first of its kind in North America. (Barbara Roden/Ashcroft-Cache Creek Journal)
Conservative Party of B.C. Leader John Rustad and House Leader Bruce Banman flank former NDP MLA Gwen O’Mahony during a news conference Wednesday. O’Mahony will be running in the newly riding of Nanaimo-Lantzville. (Wolf Depner/News Staff)

Former Fraser Valley NDP MLA to run for B.C. Conservatives in Nanaimo

Gwen O’Mahony was the MLA for Chilliwack-Hope for 2012 to 2013

Conservative Party of B.C. Leader John Rustad and House Leader Bruce Banman flank former NDP MLA Gwen O’Mahony during a news conference Wednesday. O’Mahony will be running in the newly riding of Nanaimo-Lantzville. (Wolf Depner/News Staff)
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)