BC politics

Minister of Finance Katrine Conroy, here seen in February 2023 tabling her first budget, says tomorrow’s budget will target middle-class British Columbians, but the political opposition questions the direction. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chad Hipolito)

Minister says coming B.C. deficit budget aimed at helping middle-class

BC United and BC Greens question NDP’s priorities, call approach out of touch

Minister of Finance Katrine Conroy, here seen in February 2023 tabling her first budget, says tomorrow’s budget will target middle-class British Columbians, but the political opposition questions the direction. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chad Hipolito)
City of Merritt Mayor Michael Goetz wants financial credit for last year’s ER closures at Nicola Valley Hospital. (Photo Courtesy City of Merritt)

Merritt wants a refund for multiple hospital ER closures in 2023

Mayor Michael Goetz says his community should not ask to be charged for services it did not receive

City of Merritt Mayor Michael Goetz wants financial credit for last year’s ER closures at Nicola Valley Hospital. (Photo Courtesy City of Merritt)
BC United Leader Kevin Falcon, here seen announcing Karen Long as the party’s candidate in Langley-Abbotsford, said his party’s candidates for the upcoming provincial election reflect a wide variety of backgrounds, while acknowledging the loss of several sitting MLAs who won’t be running again. (Special to Langley Advance Times)

BC United Leader Falcon says new candidates reflect party’s ‘renewal’

Nine out of 26 current BC United caucus members won’t seek re-election

BC United Leader Kevin Falcon, here seen announcing Karen Long as the party’s candidate in Langley-Abbotsford, said his party’s candidates for the upcoming provincial election reflect a wide variety of backgrounds, while acknowledging the loss of several sitting MLAs who won’t be running again. (Special to Langley Advance Times)
B.C. politicians and business leaders are calling on federal environment Steven Guilbeault to clarify comments that can read as Ottawa’s unwillingness to pay for additional transportation improvements to major highway corridors like Highway 1 through the Fraser Valley. (Langley Advance Times files)

Road rage? B.C. leaders nervous as feds hint they won’t buck up for highways

Politicians, business leaders want federal minister Steven Guilbeault to clarify comments

B.C. politicians and business leaders are calling on federal environment Steven Guilbeault to clarify comments that can read as Ottawa’s unwillingness to pay for additional transportation improvements to major highway corridors like Highway 1 through the Fraser Valley. (Langley Advance Times files)
BC United Leader Kevin Falcon unveiled four proposals Thursday to create more affordable housing. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck)

Rent-to-own program, tax cuts promised as BC United unveils housing platform

BC United Leader Kevin Falcon says measures market-friendly, and would help improve affordability

BC United Leader Kevin Falcon unveiled four proposals Thursday to create more affordable housing. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck)
Abbotsford West MLA Mike de Jong announces on Wednesday in the Legislature in Victoria that he is retiring from provincial politics. (Wolfgang Depner/Black Press Media)

Abbotsford MLA Mike de Jong to retire from provincial politics

BC United MLA says he is considering a run with the federal Conservatives

Abbotsford West MLA Mike de Jong announces on Wednesday in the Legislature in Victoria that he is retiring from provincial politics. (Wolfgang Depner/Black Press Media)
Global politics intruded on provincial politics Sunday afternoon once more during this pro-Palestinian, anti-Israel protest outside the provincial legislature. (Wolf Depner/News Staff)

Global political stands come with risk and reward for local B.C. politicians

UBC’s Stewart Prest says taking a stand on global issues can distract from core duties of government

Global politics intruded on provincial politics Sunday afternoon once more during this pro-Palestinian, anti-Israel protest outside the provincial legislature. (Wolf Depner/News Staff)
Minister of Water, Land and Resource Stewardship Nathan Cullen is rejecting criticisms of proposed amendments to the Land Act, saying First Nations won’t get a veto, as claimed by critics. (Black Press Media file photo)

B.C. minister says land act changes don’t give First Nations veto power

Nathan Cullen said proposed amendments are designed to provide certainty

Minister of Water, Land and Resource Stewardship Nathan Cullen is rejecting criticisms of proposed amendments to the Land Act, saying First Nations won’t get a veto, as claimed by critics. (Black Press Media file photo)
Figures from Statistics Canada show that the wholesale and retail trade lost 8,500 workers in January 2024 as the provincial unemployment rate dropped to 5.4 per cent. (Black Press Media file photo)

B.C.’s unemployment rate improves despite losing 2,600 jobs

Seasonal, weather-dependent industries lost jobs, while business, public administration gained jobs

Figures from Statistics Canada show that the wholesale and retail trade lost 8,500 workers in January 2024 as the provincial unemployment rate dropped to 5.4 per cent. (Black Press Media file photo)
Premier David Eby, here seen Monday, Feb. 5, following the resignation over former post-secondary education minister Selina Robinson has denounced a death threat against her. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Ethan Cairns)

Premier Eby denounces death threat against former minister Robinson

Eby said Thursday police continue to investigate the threat against Robinson, who is said to be safe

Premier David Eby, here seen Monday, Feb. 5, following the resignation over former post-secondary education minister Selina Robinson has denounced a death threat against her. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Ethan Cairns)
BC Green Leader Sonia Furstenau Tuesday called on government to take several steps to help renters. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chad Hipolito)

B.C. Greens seek change to rental cap for landlords between renters

Furstenau’s party Tuesday calls on government to raise various support thresholds for renters

BC Green Leader Sonia Furstenau Tuesday called on government to take several steps to help renters. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chad Hipolito)
Cloverdale-Langley City MP John Aldag was in the City Friday, Dec. 1, 2023, for the announcement of the names of the Surrey and Langley SkyTrain stations. (Black Press Media files)

Cloverdale-Langley City Liberal MP mulls provincial run for NDP

John Aldag has twice represented the federal riding

Cloverdale-Langley City MP John Aldag was in the City Friday, Dec. 1, 2023, for the announcement of the names of the Surrey and Langley SkyTrain stations. (Black Press Media files)
The provincial government is promising additional support for Okanagan wine growers impacted by a shortage of grapes and a trade dispute with Alberta. (Black Press Media file photo)

Premier Eby questions Alberta’s reasoning behind trade dispute over B.C. wine

B.C. promises additional support as interprovincial wine dispute brews up

The provincial government is promising additional support for Okanagan wine growers impacted by a shortage of grapes and a trade dispute with Alberta. (Black Press Media file photo)
B.C. Premier David Eby Friday confirmed that Post-Secondary Education Minister Selina Robinson remains in cabinet, but added that her comments about the place of Palestinians in the Middle East “crossed the line” and that she “much work to do” to “repair the harm” that her comments have caused. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Ethan Cairns)

Robinson to remain in B.C. cabinet after calling Gaza ‘a crappy piece of land’

Premier David Eby said Selina Robinson ‘crossed the line’ and has ‘some work to do’ to repair harm

B.C. Premier David Eby Friday confirmed that Post-Secondary Education Minister Selina Robinson remains in cabinet, but added that her comments about the place of Palestinians in the Middle East “crossed the line” and that she “much work to do” to “repair the harm” that her comments have caused. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Ethan Cairns)
New figures given provincial New Democrats the lead in two new polls and in fundraising. (Black Press Media file photo)

BC NDP maintaining a sizeable lead in latest polls

Conservative Party of BC strengthens its grip on second place in two recent polls

New figures given provincial New Democrats the lead in two new polls and in fundraising. (Black Press Media file photo)
B.C. Green Party Leader Sonia Furstenau will be running in Victoria Beacon-Hill instead of Cowichan Valley. She made the announcement Wednesday in Victoria. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chad Hipolito)

BC Green Party Leader Sonia Furstenau shifting to Victoria-area riding

Furstenau leaving Cowichan Valley to challenge cabinet minister Grace Lore in Victoria Beacon-Hill

B.C. Green Party Leader Sonia Furstenau will be running in Victoria Beacon-Hill instead of Cowichan Valley. She made the announcement Wednesday in Victoria. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chad Hipolito)
Details about the provincial government’s strategy for critical minerals are starting to emerge, but so are questions about its environmental ethics. (Illustration courtesy the Mining Association of B.C.)

Some dig, others bury first phase of B.C.’s critical minerals strategy

Push for more mining to fight of climate change raises environmental questions

Details about the provincial government’s strategy for critical minerals are starting to emerge, but so are questions about its environmental ethics. (Illustration courtesy the Mining Association of B.C.)
Elections BC says “voters in B.C. should have a high degree of confidence in the security of our elections and trust the results” in noting that it is prepared for various challenges including AI to election integrity. (Black Press Media file photo)

Closeness of B.C. election to U.S. election ‘likely’ to lead to more false news

But Elections BC says it is prepared to handle threats to election integrity

Elections BC says “voters in B.C. should have a high degree of confidence in the security of our elections and trust the results” in noting that it is prepared for various challenges including AI to election integrity. (Black Press Media file photo)
Concerns about the Crofton mill’s operation have prompted North Cowichan Mayor Rob Douglas to write to Minister of Forests Bruce Ralston. (Photo by Don Bodger)

BC United would move province’s forestry ministry to Prince George: Falcon

Promise comes as industry deals with multiple issues, from supply to climate change

Concerns about the Crofton mill’s operation have prompted North Cowichan Mayor Rob Douglas to write to Minister of Forests Bruce Ralston. (Photo by Don Bodger)
Chris Tenove, a UBC expert on studying the effects of digital media on democracy, says concerns about election interference in the upcoming provincial election should be taking seriously, but also warns against exaggerating the issue. (Black Press Media file photo)

Be aware of potential B.C. election interference, don’t exaggerate risk: expert

UBC’s Chris Tenove says automatically dismissing opposing views as fake also damages democracy

Chris Tenove, a UBC expert on studying the effects of digital media on democracy, says concerns about election interference in the upcoming provincial election should be taking seriously, but also warns against exaggerating the issue. (Black Press Media file photo)