BC politics

Sheila Malcolmson, here seen in July 2023 in Surrey, said new poverty goals tabled Tuesday are “both ambitious and realistic.” (Anna Burns/Surrey Now-Leader)

B.C.’s new poverty goals both ‘realistic and ambitious,’ says minister

B.C. to cut poverty rate by 60 per cent, child poverty by 75 per cent and seniors’ poverty by 50 per

Sheila Malcolmson, here seen in July 2023 in Surrey, said new poverty goals tabled Tuesday are “both ambitious and realistic.” (Anna Burns/Surrey Now-Leader)
A report into the workplace culture of the B.C. legislature is recommending 17 changes after finding “instances” about inappropriate behaviour, including disrespect, bullying, harassment and discrimination. (Photo courtesy of Don Denton)

‘Instances’ of bullying, harassment, discrimination in B.C. legislature: report

While B.C.’s legislature’s workplace culture has improved, “there is much still to do,” report says

A report into the workplace culture of the B.C. legislature is recommending 17 changes after finding “instances” about inappropriate behaviour, including disrespect, bullying, harassment and discrimination. (Photo courtesy of Don Denton)
Premier David Eby, here seen with Minister of Children and Family Development Grace Lore (left) and Victoria-area parent Ryan Schumm, said Monday federal rules prohibiting public drug consumption on school grounds and playgrounds remain in effect notwithstanding a court injunction issued in late December. (Wolf Depner/News Staff)

Judge rejects B.C. appeal, injunction against law limiting drug use remains

Challenge blocking provincial law prohibiting drug use in certain public areas remains in place

Premier David Eby, here seen with Minister of Children and Family Development Grace Lore (left) and Victoria-area parent Ryan Schumm, said Monday federal rules prohibiting public drug consumption on school grounds and playgrounds remain in effect notwithstanding a court injunction issued in late December. (Wolf Depner/News Staff)
BC Place Stadium will host seven games including two games featuring Canada’s Men’s National Soccer Team when FIFA’s Men’s World Cup, comes to North America. But a report published in 2019 raises questions about the effectiveness of promoting tourism through mega-events like the world’s largest soccer tournament. (Ryan Adams/Wikimedia Commons)

Hosting soccer’s World Cup ‘ineffective’ says study as B.C defends 2026 goal

Study published in Tourism Economy raises questions, but ministry ‘thrilled’ to host seven games

BC Place Stadium will host seven games including two games featuring Canada’s Men’s National Soccer Team when FIFA’s Men’s World Cup, comes to North America. But a report published in 2019 raises questions about the effectiveness of promoting tourism through mega-events like the world’s largest soccer tournament. (Ryan Adams/Wikimedia Commons)
Health Minister Adrian Dix, here seen at an announcement for a new hospital in Surrey B.C. on Tuesday, September 12, 2023, said new six minimum nurse-to-patient ratios will improve quality of care for patients and working environments for nurses. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Ethan Cairns)

Nurse-to-patient ratios unveiled as B.C. pumps $237M into nurse incentives

Health Minister Adrian Dix says 1st-in-Canada ratios will improve care, reduce burnout

Health Minister Adrian Dix, here seen at an announcement for a new hospital in Surrey B.C. on Tuesday, September 12, 2023, said new six minimum nurse-to-patient ratios will improve quality of care for patients and working environments for nurses. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Ethan Cairns)
Post-Secondary and Future Skills, here seen in 2021, said Friday public post-secondary institutions will largely remain whole when it comes to international students but private institutions will receive fewer permits. (Neil Corbett/The News)

B.C.’s public universities will ‘largely remain whole’ under foreign student cap

Post-secondary minister expects some private institutions to close as capping begins next week

Post-Secondary and Future Skills, here seen in 2021, said Friday public post-secondary institutions will largely remain whole when it comes to international students but private institutions will receive fewer permits. (Neil Corbett/The News)
Sonia Furstenau Thursday tabled legislation to prevent rents to go up when a unit becomes available. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chad Hipolito)

BC Greens want rent hike limits tied to units, instead of renters

BC United accuses NDP of failing to support seniors by neglecting SAFER program

Sonia Furstenau Thursday tabled legislation to prevent rents to go up when a unit becomes available. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chad Hipolito)
Tents and people are seen at a homeless encampment at Crab Park below the towers of the downtown skyline in Vancouver, on Sunday, August 14, 2022. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck

Vancouver’s unhoused could reach more than 4,700 people by 2030: report

Housing Minister Kahlon says improvements have been made, but acknowledges more work ahead

Tents and people are seen at a homeless encampment at Crab Park below the towers of the downtown skyline in Vancouver, on Sunday, August 14, 2022. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck
Fiona Famulak, president of the BC Chamber of Commerce, here seen with Premier David Eby in December, (Screencap)

B.C. business leader calls for ‘balance’ after government raises minimum wage

BC Chamber of Commerce’s Fiona Famulak worries about rising costs, while union leader praises hike

Fiona Famulak, president of the BC Chamber of Commerce, here seen with Premier David Eby in December, (Screencap)
B.C. Auditor General Michael Pickup Tuesday tabled a report that finds that the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change has not been effectively managing ministry effectively managing hazardous spills.(Photo Courtesy of Office of the Auditor General)

Hazardous spills increasing, B.C. not prepared or transparent

Auditor-general: B.C. lacks up-to-date major spill response plan, failing to keep people informed

B.C. Auditor General Michael Pickup Tuesday tabled a report that finds that the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change has not been effectively managing ministry effectively managing hazardous spills.(Photo Courtesy of Office of the Auditor General)
B.C.’s tourism minister Lana Popham says “numbers” for hosting seven matches of the 2026 FIFA Men’s World Cup in Vancouver “have changed substantially” since Vancouver learnt that it would host seven rather than five games. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck)

Tourism minister says cost of B.C. hosting World Cup grew ‘substantially’

Lana Popham has a ‘ballpark figure’ but won’t release it until staff has completed work

B.C.’s tourism minister Lana Popham says “numbers” for hosting seven matches of the 2026 FIFA Men’s World Cup in Vancouver “have changed substantially” since Vancouver learnt that it would host seven rather than five games. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck)
Premier David Eby, here seen with Housing Minister Ravi Kahlon Monday in Vancouver, says a new flipping tax will give a families a “leg up” in the search for housing. (Screencap)

‘Final warning’ given B.C. house flippers, Eby says new tax not about revenue

But BC United says new new flipping tax is ‘primarily a political announcement’

Premier David Eby, here seen with Housing Minister Ravi Kahlon Monday in Vancouver, says a new flipping tax will give a families a “leg up” in the search for housing. (Screencap)
Minimum wage workers in industries such as food and accommodation will see their hourly earnings rise to $17.40 on June 1. (Black Press Media file photo)

B.C. tying minimum wage increases to inflation permanently through new law

Minimum wage will rise to 65 cents to $17.40 on June 1 for most eligible workers

Minimum wage workers in industries such as food and accommodation will see their hourly earnings rise to $17.40 on June 1. (Black Press Media file photo)
Former attorney-general Wally Oppal headed Missing Women Commission of Inquiry in wake of the Robert Pickton trial. A comedy group known as Danger Cats is now facing criticism for selling merchandise featuring Pickton and Premier David Eby has called on the group to apologize. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck)

B.C. premier calls on comedy group to apologize to families of Pickton victims

David Eby calls merchandise depicting Robert Pickton a ‘sad attempt at humour’

Former attorney-general Wally Oppal headed Missing Women Commission of Inquiry in wake of the Robert Pickton trial. A comedy group known as Danger Cats is now facing criticism for selling merchandise featuring Pickton and Premier David Eby has called on the group to apologize. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck)
Speaking at the Junction neighbourhood pub in Vancouver Friday afternoon, Premier David Eby said businesses across B.C. will benefit from the budget’s decision to raise the threshold on the Employers’ Health Tax and the temporary hydro rebate. (Screencap)

Business leaders criticize, praise B.C.’s budget in talk with Premier Eby

Eby says budget will help B.C. respond to growing population and set the stage for economic growth

Speaking at the Junction neighbourhood pub in Vancouver Friday afternoon, Premier David Eby said businesses across B.C. will benefit from the budget’s decision to raise the threshold on the Employers’ Health Tax and the temporary hydro rebate. (Screencap)
Home builders and others are praising housing-related aspects of the 2024 provincial budget, but it has also prompted questions about government’s commitment to build new temporary and permanent emergency shelters on top of the 500 existing ones for all of B.C. (Black Press Media file photo)

B.C. builders and housing analysts happy with province’s direction

Policies confirmed in new budget expected to make it easier to turn renters into owners

Home builders and others are praising housing-related aspects of the 2024 provincial budget, but it has also prompted questions about government’s commitment to build new temporary and permanent emergency shelters on top of the 500 existing ones for all of B.C. (Black Press Media file photo)
B.C.’s opposition parties are criticizing the NDP’s provincial budget but on different grounds. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chad Hipolito)

B.C. Budget 2024: opposition parties slam NDP’s 2024 provincial budget

BC United, Conservatives accuses NDP of reckless spending, while Greens criticize climate policies

B.C.’s opposition parties are criticizing the NDP’s provincial budget but on different grounds. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chad Hipolito)
Keerit Jutla, president and CEO of the Association for Mineral Exploration, addresses Rock Talk 2024 in Smithers after learning provincial Lands Act amendments are being suspended. (Photo courtesy of Smithers Exploration Group)

Mineral exploration industry supports B.C. Land Act pause

Mineral exploration association president says pause is a chance to get things right for everyone

Keerit Jutla, president and CEO of the Association for Mineral Exploration, addresses Rock Talk 2024 in Smithers after learning provincial Lands Act amendments are being suspended. (Photo courtesy of Smithers Exploration Group)
Thursday is Budget Day in B.C. with Finance Minister Katrine Conroy publicly presenting the budget Thursday afternoon. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chad Hipolito)

2 B.C. budget wish lists: economists share what this province needs

Finance Minister Katrine Conroy will publicly table budget Thursday afternoon

Thursday is Budget Day in B.C. with Finance Minister Katrine Conroy publicly presenting the budget Thursday afternoon. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chad Hipolito)
B.C.’s Minister of Water, Land and Resource Stewardship Nathan Cullen, here seen in 2022, said it is time to press the pause on proposed amendments to the Land Act. He did not say when government, assuming its re-election, would return to the issue following months of concerns about the substance and process of consultations leading up to amendments. (Thom Barker photo)

B.C. presses pause on Indigenous-related changes to the Land Act

Lands Minister Nathan Cullen says more consultation needed in the wake of growign conflict

B.C.’s Minister of Water, Land and Resource Stewardship Nathan Cullen, here seen in 2022, said it is time to press the pause on proposed amendments to the Land Act. He did not say when government, assuming its re-election, would return to the issue following months of concerns about the substance and process of consultations leading up to amendments. (Thom Barker photo)