Orders of the Day

Private Members’ Statements

EDUCATION

J. Tegart: I rise in the House today to speak on education. It’s a topic near and dear to my heart, having served as a school trustee for many years.

[S. Chandra Herbert in the chair.]

I have a great deal of respect for the people who work in the system, who excite our children every day about learning and who ensure that all children are given the opportunity to be curious, excited, social, and all the other things that happen at school on a daily basis. There is something about the eyes of an excited kindergarten child who can’t wait to get to school, the pride of the little one who reads you their first book and the casualness of a teenager whose whole world revolves around the school and all that goes on within it.

But today I want to talk about the importance of school during this pandemic, the current state of our province’s education system, amidst the challenges of COVID-19. I think it’s critical that we recognize the work that thousands of teachers, administrators, support staff, parents and families have done to continue our children’s education, to allow them to keep learning and growing throughout what has undoubtedly been the most challenging school year in recent history.

[10:10 a.m.]

There has been some debate regarding the opening of schools, but health experts, professionals, parents and students themselves are wanting the schools to be open. That being said, government has a responsibility to ensure that those who have given our students so much support feel that they are given the tools and the resources they need to safely carry out their jobs.

There are still some significant gaps in our schools’ COVID plans that desperately need to be addressed. We must listen to the concerns of teachers, staff and parents and take the necessary steps to meet promises, increase transparency and add the necessary layers of protection that will help our schools throughout COVID and beyond.

Although government has taken steps in the right direction, parents and teachers have been left needing more and are still asking for improvements. Government has faced strong criticism for a lack of transparency in its COVID data reporting and the allocation of federal grant funding, including promised upgrades to ventilation in B.C. schools. There seems to be no concrete plan or timeline for the planned ventilation upgrades, despite health authorities describing them as a crucial layer of protection for our classrooms.

Government must offer greater transparency and public disclosure of how the $242.4 million in federal grant money has and will be allocated to improve health and safety standards in our schools, including a financial breakdown and a summary of resources that have already been distributed. The public is asking for it, the system is asking for it, and we are asking for that kind of reporting and transparency.

B.C. has also fallen drastically behind other provinces when it comes to COVID data reporting in our schools. While other provinces provide daily case breakdowns, B.C. COVID data reporting continues to be plagued with delays and postponements.

I’m hearing daily from parents and from people working in the system concerns about the timeliness of sharing information. We’re now a year in. Surely we can do what they ask. Surely we can give them timely information that helps them make decisions for their family. Parents, teachers and school staff have been urging transparency — to report daily data, which is easily accessible, to those wanting to access it.

We all know that when there’s a gap in data, if government is not forthcoming, others will fill in the information gap. Government has faced calls from parents, teachers and even the Prime Minister to implement additional health and safety measures in schools, such as using COVID rapid tests in classrooms. Yet more than a million COVID rapid tests sit on a warehouse shelf.

As Lower Mainland schools report further exposures to COVID-19 variants, government’s one-size-fits-all for B.C. schools’ health and safety plans just doesn’t cut it any more. As variants arise in clusters, government must grant school districts the flexibility to add extra layers of protection to address the unique challenges they are facing within their own communities.

There has been a chorus of voices asking and pleading for information that would ease the anxiety in the system. It’s time for government to listen and to act. Teachers, support staff, parents and students are doing their part. Where is the support and leadership from government? Let’s all commit to do everything we can to lower the anxiety felt by all and to support the education system.

[10:15 a.m.]

I’d like to end by thanking everyone who steps up every day to ensure our students are safe and have the opportunity to attend school in a safe environment and to learn every day.

Deputy Speaker: Now I’m going to move to the member for Chilliwack-Kent for the member’s response.

K. Paddon: I am privileged to be speaking from the unceded traditional territory of the Stó:lō people.

There is no doubt that this has been a difficult year for everyone in the K-to-12 system, especially for teachers and educational staff. I understand, and have felt myself, the anxiety that parents, students and staff are feeling. All of us want to ensure the safety of ourselves and our families, and the anxiety and worry are only magnified when it comes to our children.

Teachers and school staff have done a tremendous job in keeping our kids learning through the pandemic. The level of commitment and dedication they bring every single day, going above and beyond to ensure kids can learn and grow in safe schools, is a testament to the passion, compassion and dedication they bring to their roles in nurturing our future.

I have been fortunate to hear from several teachers over the past months and have had the opportunity to follow up and check in with them over the past couple of weeks. When they speak, they tell me about how great their students are. I hear about the many students who have successfully transitioned back into in-person learning and how adaptive and resilient kids and youth have been with safety protocols.

There is no doubt that teachers, parents, staff and students are tired and looking forward to a time when the pandemic is not the centre of everything, when extracurricular activities can return to normal. [Audio interrupted] I hear about how teams are working together, how students are flourishing with in-person learning and how routines have been established and are working, given the limitations imposed by the pandemic. I also hear about how appreciated and impactful it is that public health continues to review and update approaches and supports as we move forward together, supporting safe schools and in-class learning.

I hear from parents that there’s anxiety and uncertainty. There’s also gratitude, gratitude to see the majority of our kids back at school, able to carve out the small bit of normalcy they can, as we move through this pandemic together.

I have heard about, and seen as a parent myself, the positive impact that attending school, seeing friends, interacting and learning with others has had on our kids as they have adjusted to the way school looks for now. The mental health, social, emotional and developmental improvements described by some parents remind us of why this is a priority, and we are grateful to the teachers and staff that make this possible.

I am grateful for the parents who remind us that not all students have been able to return to school, as they experience higher risks than some of their peers, have family members who are vulnerable, or even as matter of choice. Some of our students with diverse needs and abilities have not yet had the opportunity to return. The stories of what is missing for them highlight why we are all working so hard to keep our schools open and safe and on options for those who cannot yet join.

The words of one constituent from Chilliwack-Kent, a parent and a teacher, seem to me to summarize the themes I am hearing. “We are tired, and it is hard. But it is worth it. Kids need to be in school, and we know that school is the best place for them to be.” So we will continue working extremely hard to make sure that this keeps happening, while also being aware that for some who cannot attend, it’s still hard.

We know that what happens in schools mirrors what is happening in our communities. Although that means that we’ve seen some cases in schools, we continue to see low transmission rates inside of our schools. This demonstrates the impact of the hard work of our teachers, school staff and students in following the guidelines set out by public health.

We continue to follow the advice of the public health office, knowing that as the pandemic has continued to evolve, so has the guidance. We have been working with our partners in education and public health to ensure a continuous review of guidelines in order to keep kids and staff safe.

[10:20 a.m.]

As we move through this school year and this phase of the pandemic together, I want to take a moment to acknowledge the students and teachers who are moving towards the second high school graduation of this pandemic. I have heard the sadness and hopefulness of parents, grads and teachers that this milestone may again look different.

Despite this, I want to recognize the heroic efforts of the teachers and our soon-to-be graduates. They have achieved amazing things together. This graduating class is poised, although by necessity rather than choice, to be the most innovative, inclusive, adaptive graduating class yet.

Thank you for the gifts you will bring forward with this. Thank you to the teachers who inspired and made it safe.

J. Tegart: Thank you to the member for her comments. Supports for B.C. schools go beyond offering them appropriate layers of protection during COVID. Government has a responsibility to ensure that our schools can still offer our students the same quality of education from across the province, regardless of circumstances.

This is why I’m sure this House can understand the concern of parents in Vancouver when they learned about the dramatic cut to instructional hours in Vancouver secondary schools. Vancouver school board students are receiving only 8.75 hours of instruction per week, far below school districts as well as the minimum 25.5 hours of instructional time as required by law. Students in Vancouver are receiving far fewer hours of instruction compared to those in neighbouring school districts and are at risk of falling behind students in the rest of the province in their studies.

As you can well imagine, parents are calling our offices and sharing their concerns in that regard. Government must step up to the plate, address these discrepancies and require the Vancouver school board to amend its restart plan to comply immediately with the instructional time requirements under the School Act and provide full-time instruction as soon as possible. Parents are asking for it; students are asking for it.

I know that the minister has expressed her concern — and we really appreciate that — but time is of the essence. Parents are looking at students who, they believe, need 25.5 hours of instruction and feel that they’re being shortchanged at this time. They are becoming much more vocal, and of course, it very much adds to the anxiety of both parents and students in regard to what impact it will have on their future.

No traditional graduations, probably, this year. Limited sports teams. Restricted social interactions. It’s not the school system you and I attended, but it is the experience of our students of today. Ask yourself: what can I do to support our schools? How can I help to alleviate the anxiety felt in the system? How can I ensure that every student comes through the COVID experience whole, healthy and strong? I know that all of us in this House have a common interest to ensure quality education. I thank you all for your commitment to that goal.

CAPITAL PROJECTS

D. Coulter: Today I’d like to speak about transportation infrastructure in the Fraser Valley. Every day thousands of British Columbians commute throughout the Fraser Valley. Some even go from Chilliwack to downtown Vancouver. They spend countless hours in their cars, hours that they could be spending with their families. With housing cheaper in the Fraser Valley, this is a choice that many folks are making — in particular, people with young families.

I have a constituent — her name is Kirsten — who travels from Chilliwack to Vancouver and back every day. She’s lucky that she has some flexibility in her hours and can start early. Otherwise, it would be impossible for her to make it home in the evening in time for dinner and her kids’ extracurricular activities. But heading off in the morning as early as 5:30 a.m. means that she often misses out on sleep and doesn’t get to see her kids before they go off to school.

[10:25 a.m.]

I myself used to work in Vancouver and travel there every day from Chilliwack. I think I averaged 3½ hours in my car every day. If you average that out over the working days of a year, I would spend around one month in my car.

Relief is on the way, though. The government is working to address congestion issues. The widening of Highway 1 from 216 Street to 264 Street is in the design stage, with construction expected to begin in 2021. This will add HOV lanes in each direction. One of the main sections where there are long delays on Highway 1 is between 264 Street and 232 Street. I have waited in stop-and-go traffic there many times. This project will reduce congestion but also put fewer cars on the road. It will make much more sense to carpool if folks are able to use HOV lanes all the way from 264 Street through Burnaby.

This project will also add a new underpass at Glover Road and the CP Rail crossing. Anyone who has commuted down Highway 1 for any length of time has been trapped because an overheight truck has hit this overpass. I was once held up for 1.5 hours there. The current project from 216 Street to 264 Street is an important phase of the government’s commitment to expand Highway 1 out to Abbotsford. This will make a real and positive improvement to the lives of Kirsten and many others from my constituency. They’ll be able to spend more time with their families and get the sleep that they desperately need.

These projects are also good for the economy. Goods will be more easily transported between communities in the Fraser Valley and Vancouver. Recently, the member for Chilliwack-Kent and I took a virtual tour of the new Molson brewery in Chilliwack. They’re strategically located beside Highway 1 so that they can get their products to market. The widening of Highway 1 will make it much easier for them to do this, and many other businesses will benefit as well. The time and fuel savings alone will be a boon.

There’s another project that will transform the region. Government is committed to investing in transit projects that meet the needs of folks in the Fraser Valley. They’ve made the Surrey-to-Langley SkyTrain a priority, and they are working closely with TransLink, the Mayors Council and other partners to make it happen. Getting out of our cars and onto transit will be a viable option for those of us in the Fraser Valley now.

The best part of infrastructure projects is that they are built under community benefit agreements. B.C. is experiencing a shortage of labour in the skilled trades. We know we need to grow that, and we need to grow a diverse workforce to grow our economy. Community benefit agreements are designed to ensure that spending on public projects results in public benefits. These are great for local economies, as they make sure that locals will be employed on these projects, and these locals will spend their money in their local communities, helping local business to thrive.

There’ll be priority hiring and priority rehiring for local people, Indigenous communities, women and other traditionally underrepresented groups in the trades. There’ll be greater apprenticeship and skills training opportunities on site as well. This can jump-start a career for someone in the building trades. These projects will have safe working conditions, be free of discrimination and harassment, and ensure a culturally competent workforce. Because of CBAs, my constituents, along with the Fraser Valley MLAs’ constituents, will benefit from these projects.

I know one particularly young woman from Chilliwack that this will help out. Her name is Sari, and she’s finishing up her grade 12 year at one of our local high schools. She wants to be an equipment operator and work on projects like the Highway 1 widening. CBAs will allow Sari and many young folks from Chilliwack and the Fraser Valley to do so. They’ll be able to make careers in the building trades, where they will earn good wages that they will be able to support families with. I’m excited for young folks like Sari.

Because of this government’s commitment to build infrastructure and transit projects, commuters like Kirsten and workers like Sari will have bright futures.

[10:30 a.m.]

I. Paton: Thank you to the member opposite for the opportunity to speak to this very important issue, because in my riding of Delta South, there is one capital project in particular I hear about on a near-daily basis. I’m speaking, of course, about the Massey Tunnel, the aging seismically unsafe structure that desperately needs replacing.

About 85,000 commuters continue to get stuck in gridlock every single day. Yet it’s not only commuters but also our huge trucking industry, where we see hundreds of semi-trailers idling and creeping along every morning, heading south, with only one lane open — goods that are heading for the U.S. border, B.C. Ferries, Delta container terminals and Tilbury Industrial Park. They’re frustrated, and they’re running out of patience for a solution.

There was a time several years ago that drivers saw light at the end of the tunnel when a plan was finalized to replace the existing tunnel with a bridge. The bridge would not only provide a safer, smoother, more efficient and less congested ride for motorists, but it would finally allow for increased public transit, which would get even more people moving along this corridor. What’s more, building a bridge rather than a brand-new tunnel has fewer environmental impacts.

Environmental standards have changed dramatically since the Massey Tunnel was built in the 1950s. In 2021, the idea of plunking a giant concrete tube into the Fraser River doesn’t fly as it would have in 1959. Even Chief Ken Baird of Tsawwassen First Nation openly voted against a submerged tunnel at the Metro Vancouver mayors taskforce, citing harm to the marine life, especially salmon and sturgeon.

So the bridge project was ready to go. All of the engineering reports and environmental assessments had been done, and the alignment of the new bridge directly over the existing Highway 99 and tunnel would have least impact to businesses, farmland and Deas Island Park. Pedestals to support the new bridge were all on land, with no part of the bridge structure touching the water. Prep work at the site was well underway with several companies and thousands of jobs on the line and ready to roll.

Unfortunately, those bridge plans were cancelled in 2017, and it was sent back to square one — more studies, more consultation, more opinions, as we continue to wait for the release of a business case for an entirely new replacement project. Back in the middle of December, the government said that it had that business case and would be reviewing it. Now, in March 2021, we’re still waiting for a final decision on the fate of this aging structure, which remains one of B.C.’s worst bottlenecks.

When discussing infrastructure projects in the era of COVID-19, Ian Ius of the Daily Hive had this to say in May of last year. “The federal government has made it clear that they will be allocating billions of dollars in stimulus money for the shovel-ready infrastructure projects nationwide.” When it comes to shovel-ready, no project in the nation could fit this term better than the cancelled George Massey bridge project. All design work and environmental approvals had been completed, along with roughly $100 million worth of technical studies, utility relocation, preloading and the site preparation for the bridge piers.

Before its cancellation, the lowest bid for the George Massey bridge project was $2.6 billion, a bargain compared to the estimated $4 billion to $5 billion for the eight-lane immersed tube tunnel being proposed. If politics could be put aside, resurrecting the George Massey bridge project would be a win both in the short term and the long term for the people of B.C.

The people of Delta South and all those living south of the Fraser continue to wait and wait. I should note that if the bridge plan had proceeded, it would have been close to completion by now, and with it would have come some additional benefits to the area — some new overpasses and a major widening of Highway 99 leading up to the new bridge. Yet here we are four years after the bridge project was scuttled with nothing to show for it. I should note that the local MP in Delta recently told me that there haven’t been any requests from the province to the federal government for funding of any kind of new crossing.

I can’t stress enough that motorists have had enough. They’re simply tired of all of the stalling, literally and figuratively, and need action on this important capital project now.

D. Coulter: I’d like to continue talking about transportation infrastructure projects within the Fraser Valley. But I would like to respond with something on the Massey bridge. They couldn’t find ground in the test piles. They never completed the test piling. I know this because I spoke with a pile driver.

[10:35 a.m.]

Improvements are coming to the Highway 7 corridor — safety enhancements. This includes a four-lane expansion with median barrier between Silverdale Avenue and Nelson Street near Mission, B.C. This will help my constituents and constituents all over the Fraser Valley access places like Maple Ridge and Pitt Meadows. There are ongoing intersection improvements along the Haney Bypass in Maple Ridge. This will also contribute to safety in the region.

There’s been design and planning for the widening of Highway 7 between 266 Street and 287 Street in Maple Ridge. There’s Highway 11 widening and the Vye Road overpass in between Mission and the city of Abbotsford. This will help my constituents access the West Coast Express so that they have a transit option into downtown Vancouver.

HOUSING

B. Stewart: Today I am pleased to take the time to discuss an issue of concern to everyone in this province. That is of housing — both its growing unaffordability and how we approach housing-related issues in our communities.

Access to safe and affordable housing is absolutely vital. The COVID-19 pandemic has served to reinforce this fact, as one of the primary strategies that we have used to fight this virus is simply to stay at home, wherever possible. However, it seems like, with each passing day, purchasing a home in British Columbia — or even just finding an affordable place to live — feels further out of reach for so many British Columbians. The facts show clearly that over the past four years, homes have gotten more expensive throughout the province. Rents have gone up, and particularly in this past year, the construction of new homes has declined.

Recent reports have shown that this year the supply of homes for sale has reached a 21-year low. Commenting on this figure, the chief economist for the B.C. Real Estate Association, Brendon Ogmundson, remarked: “With so few listings, markets are starved for supply, and prices are under extraordinary pressure.” As our population grows, we haven’t been able to build the necessary housing to keep up. It is estimated that B.C. will add approximately 60,000 new residents a year, requiring at least 20,000 new homes.

The only true way to address skyrocketing house prices and accommodate future growth is to build more supply. That simply isn’t happening in B.C. right now. Somehow, the exact opposite is happening. This shrinking supply of homes is having dramatic impacts on affordability. Even prior to the last year and the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, we were seeing this problem. Government needs to take this seriously, both on moving projects forward and by working with every level of government to decrease red tape and get projects started.

What does this mean to the average person? This means that they are going to have to work hard and long to make certain that they are able to find a way to being able to afford a home. A February report from the National Bank found that it will take an average household 34 years to save for a typical Vancouver home — 34 years. That’s an incredibly long time, and it means that it is functionally impossible for someone living in Vancouver to even hope for owning a house before they are well into middle age.

This is the state of the housing market in B.C. Despite what we may have been promised for the last few years, it looks like the trend is going to continue in a worrying direction. If we want to keep young people in our communities and allow for future growth across the province, we need to see major changes and immediate, decisive action to build more supply. Only then can we make the dream of owning a home a reality for more people around B.C.

[10:40 a.m.]

In addition to the challenges of affordability, a continuing housing issue impacting British Columbians is seen in the community of supportive housing. It is impossible to have a discussion about housing in our province without talking about the importance of providing shelter to the most vulnerable in our communities. This is an area that has been dramatically impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Over the past year, we have seen the province attempt to cope with new challenges in this area. Instead, what we have seen is that the people that are most needing this are not getting the wraparound supports required for these strategies to be successful and meet the needs of those people. Instead, we have seen cases of extreme violence, some even tragically leading to death, yet there has been little effort to improve the situation.

Providing people with a roof over their head is important as a first step, but it will not address the underlying issues and be successful in the long run without being coupled with 24-hour wraparound supports and other resources. In the past few years, we have rarely seen this kind of comprehensive approach to housing.

The current minister responsible for housing even admits that complex care like this is another level of support that is not widespread through the system. Even he said that what is available today are low to medium supports, depending on the building. Well, it’s blatantly obvious that we need much more than low to medium supports to make these projects successful.

Supportive housing is not something that can be done halfway. We cannot simply warehouse people with no supports in the middle of communities that have not been consulted and expect that everything is going to unfold smoothly and in the best interests of all involved, because it doesn’t work.

This type of approach is why we have seen so much frustration and fear around supportive housing, especially in the past year. When supports are not provided and communities are not consulted, it only serves to drive division, reinforce stereotypes and breed opposition. This does nothing to improve the lives of the most vulnerable in society.

In fact, it is those we are most trying to help who lose out most when government fails to devote the necessary resources to these housing projects. What it’s really come down to is a lack of resources being dedicated to housing issues, despite them being so widespread and so integral to the health of our society.

Whether it’s comprehensive, wraparound supports or the funding and initiation of new housing developments, we need to see more action around housing in British Columbia. Government cannot continue to talk about these considerable issues while making very little effort to actually solve them.

Deputy Speaker: Thank you, Members.

Just a reminder to everybody that this is private members’ time. If there is a desire to have the duke-it-out fights of who did what, where and when, there is plenty of time to do that in this House. Private members’ time is the time to discuss issues of interest to private members and not get into partisan scraps.

Just a reminder to everybody at this time, as we’re back in the House. Thank you, Members.

Over to the member for North Vancouver–Seymour.

S. Chant: Thank you, Mr. Speaker, for this opportunity to speak to a very, very important subject.

I come to you from the unceded territories of the Musqueam, Tsleil-Waututh and Squamish today.

I am delighted to be able to speak a little bit about housing. It’s one of the very few things that we actually all agree on. Every one of us recognizes that housing is desperately important in everybody’s life.

It is a major health determinant. It is a determinant as to how well people do in the job market. If you’re living in a Volkswagen van, it’s much more difficult to have the appropriate clothes on for your job. It’s very imperative to all of us to have safe and secure housing that we can afford and that provides us with the supports that we need.

We’ve got data all over the place. We’ve had lots of opportunities to read reports and everything else. Every one of those data points represents a person. These are people, and people are imperative. People are imperative to all of us in this House. We all want to work towards the people having what they need.

I had the opportunity last week to talk to a gentleman who actually is living in our local homeless shelter. He had moved here from Montreal because, actually, Vancouver and B.C. are safer and warmer. This is something that is part of our data set. We’ve got people moving in from all over the place to stay here because it’s safer and we have a climate. These people are….

[10:45 a.m.]

We are aware. The government has been providing opportunities for people to have somewhere. There has been a lot of work done in the Homes for B.C. plan. We’re working towards the goal of 114,000 homes being built over the next ten years.

I know of a person who, a couple of years ago, told us he’d won the lottery. I had the opportunity to work with some folks. He’d won the lottery. He was so excited. He had gotten a single room in a single-room-occupancy hotel. It was the first time in his life that he had been anywhere that he had his own bathroom — in his life — and he didn’t have to share a bathroom with somebody else, mostly non-family members and mostly people he didn’t know.

These people are important. We understand that. We need to do that work, and we’re doing that work. It’s in play. In B.C. housing, the market share is everybody’s dream. I so hear it from the member for Kelowna West. Everybody dreams of owning a home. We need to make that a possibility, and we’re doing things towards making that a possibility.

We’ve looked at rent capping so that people can actually do some saving. We’ve looked at rental freezes so that we can try and do some saving. We hear from our young. They want to be able to live in the communities that they grew up in. Let’s make that happen. Let’s see how we can make that work. We’ve got housing units coming together in various different communities that are looking towards multigenerational — accommodating our seniors, accommodating our young families, accommodating our folks that are not necessarily within the average definition. We are looking towards doing many, many different things.

The speculation and vacancy tax. That brought much more housing onto the market to make it available for renting. Good start. Much more to do. We recognize that. There are so many things that we can do, so many things that we should do, so many things we could do. We will get on to some of those things and maybe all of those things. However, we’ve got to work together.

I’m proud to be part of a government that is using its heart, its mind and its feet to get this work done, to work together and work forward so that we can provide the best opportunities for our folks. We can only do it by listening together, working together and providing together to meet the needs of our people. I appreciate this opportunity to speak.

B. Stewart: Well, I think that this is an important issue. I appreciate that the members opposite do have some opinions, that they think that lots has been done on this. But the evidence is showing that it’s clear that…. We may not see eye to eye, but when it comes to the approach, I know that we can both agree there are problems that desperately need to be addressed.

Just so you know, a few weeks ago I was part of a round table attended by more than 100 people, where we were discussing housing and transportation issues in our province. Person after person came forward to talk about the challenges around housing that they witness in their communities. Many specifically mentioned the supply as a major issue and brought forward ideas about decreasing red tape and encouraging more housing projects through­out B.C.

Everyone knows that the price and availability of housing is a problem in our province, yet still, after years of frequent discussions about housing affordability in this House, we have not seen much change or progress on that front. I look forward to more on that from the minister in the coming session.

Over the last few years, we’ve heard many times about how life is getting more affordable, yet the reality of the situation never seems to be as simple. For as long as it continues to get more expensive to buy or rent homes in B.C…. That’s one thing that the member opposite mentioned — that more rental was being created. Prices for rent are going up astronomically as well. Affordability in general can never truly improve unless we make big strides. It’s time to stop simply discussing the issue and for government to finally take the necessary steps to fix it.

Additionally, we need to see more action to address the deepening problem of homelessness in our communities. The challenges facing supportive housing in this province cannot be addressed as long as people fail to admit that many of the current initiatives are failing and are not working.

[10:50 a.m.]

They’re not working for the individuals that need a roof over their heads. They aren’t working for the surrounding communities. From Paul’s Motor Inn to Strathcona Park to Maple Ridge to Penticton, we can identify clear problems across the province. Those problems can almost be entirely attributed to the lack of a comprehensive wraparound set of supports. It’s in everyone’s best interest to provide these supports, yet in so many places, it’s just not happening. It’s time to do better for everyone in our society, especially the most vulnerable.

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I appreciate that in the coming months we’re going to see many discussions on this particular topic.

RAINBOW CROSSWALKS IN LANGLEY

A. Mercier: One night in 1965, Everett George Klippert had a knock on his door. It was the RCMP. There had been a fire, and they suspected arson. Mr. Klippert was new to the area, a mechanic who had only recently moved to the Northwest Territories. He cooperated with the police, and he answered all their questions until they were satisfied that Mr. Klippert wasn’t an arsonist. They ruled him out as a suspect, but they arrested him anyway.

Mr. Klippert was gay. Over the course of their questioning, investigators had learned that Mr. Klippert had had consensual sexual relations with four different men in the Northwest Territories. He’d offered this information openly and honestly. He saw no reason to hide it.

Under the Criminal Code of the day, the matter was clear. He was charged with four counts of gross indecency. The court deemed him incurably homosexual and sentenced him to indefinite detention as a sex offender. He appealed his conviction to no less a court than the Supreme Court of Canada. His appeal was dismissed. The law had no remedy for Mr. Klippert.

It wasn’t until 1967, two years after his conviction, that Mr. Klippert had any reason to hold out hope. In November 1967, an opposition Member of Parliament from Burnaby named Tommy Douglas rose in the House of Commons to press the Justice Minister of the day on what he was going to do about this situation. That minister, a rookie Member of Parliament named Pierre Trudeau, responded six weeks later with an omnibus bill decriminalizing homosexuality and famously declaring that the state has no place in the bedrooms of the nation.

Now, that was in 1968. Today we’re standing here in the B.C. Legislature in 2021, and we’ve come a long way since then. We’ve institutionalized human rights through the implementation of human rights codes and specialist administrative tribunals. We’ve patriated the constitution, with a Charter of Rights and Freedoms that entrenches equality rights. We have same-sex marriage now.

In B.C., we established a Human Rights Commissioner to promote and advance human rights and created and introduced curriculum on sexual orientation and gender identity into our schools.

Yes, we’ve come a long way, but we still have a lot of work to do. The fact of the matter is that bullying and social isolation are still features of our society and our schools. It doesn’t do well to tell a teenager struggling with their identity that everything is okay now because we’re not going to put them in prison.

Life is hard enough for young people to navigate, and that’s why public symbols like rainbow crosswalks are more important than they’ve ever been. They are symbols of tolerance and inclusion that let folks know that it is okay to be different. More than being okay, it lets them know that they’re accepted and that they’re celebrated by their community, that there is a safe space for them.

Langley is getting a rainbow crosswalk, and it couldn’t come at a better time. Langley’s new rainbow crosswalk is the product of the hard work of school district 35 and countless individuals. This crosswalk will go between the Langley school district building and the RCMP detachment, just minutes down the street from where I grew up.

When the crosswalk was approved by council, the school district foundation wasted no time in raising the money. It is going to cost $12,000 to paint this crosswalk. The foundation and the incredible work of their executive director, Susan Cairns, have already raised that money. I am so proud of the work that the foundation in the district have done to make this happen.

[10:55 a.m.]

I’d like to take a moment, too, to acknowledge a friend of mine and a friend of many in the House. Paul Faoro, the president of CUPE B.C., was critical in helping to raise the money. When CUPE heard that the foundation was collecting donations for the crosswalk, they stepped up with a cheque for $6,000, half of the total, in a moving act of solidarity.

But crosswalks aren’t all rainbows and sunshine. As sure as you can paint them, there are those who would oppose them. While certain organized groups and individuals come to mind in the Fraser Valley, I won’t dignify them by naming them in this House. Nor will I give them a platform for bigoted and toxic views.

Suffice it to say that there is a disturbing rise in hate speech in this province. That alone is a reason to be painting rainbow crosswalks. More than that, some of these groups and individuals have the gall to claim that their hateful views and homophobic and transphobic speech attract human rights protection, that they are protected by freedom of conscience or freedom of speech. Well, there is no human right to hate.

Make no mistake. While those expounding these views are vocal, they are a small minority in our society. But they have been emboldened over the past years, and this is exactly why we need rainbow crosswalks right now. No one, let alone a child, should ever have to feel the social isolation and hatred that Everett George Klippert felt.

The crosswalk in Langley is a good start, but when it comes to rainbow crosswalks, one is not enough.

K. Kirkpatrick: Thank you to the member opposite. There are many things that we agree upon, and this is one of them. I’m pleased to have the opportunity to speak in the House today on this international Zero Discrimination Day.

The rainbow flag is a symbol of pride for LGBTQ+ people across the world. The various colours reflect the immense diversity and unity of this community. It’s an expression of this community’s joy, beauty and power. But it’s more than just colours. A rainbow crosswalk is intended to demonstrate a city’s commitment to inclusivity for all of its residents. It’s a visual representation that we are all welcome.

[N. Letnick in the chair.]

Canada has come a long way since the open celebration of LGBTQ+ identities, seeing the community achieve significant milestones, such as equal rights and legalized marriage, as well as codified protections against discrimination. LGBTQ+ people should be able to be who they are without harassment or attacks based on fear. People shouldn’t be judged for who they are, who they love or how they express themselves. However, discrimination continues and is pervasive in this community. It’s not only unethical, but it also entails substantive economic and social costs.

We just celebrated Pink Shirt Day last week. It was a day to raise awareness of bullying in our schools, workplaces and homes and on the Internet. It also serves as a reminder that LGBTQ+ youth are more likely to be bullied than their peers are. This not only hampers their educational achievements but also puts them at greater risk of depression, substance abuse and suicide.

In particular, young people who experience homophobia within their families or foster homes are often left without real support or care. They are disproportionately represented in the homeless community, made more difficult by the lack of adequate LGBTQ+-friendly shelters and housing, as well as discrimination when looking for employment or accessing health and social services. These young people are vulnerable, and they need our help.

As parents, we need to give our kids courage to stand up to their peers. We need to call out friends and relatives if they make homophobic comments. We need to encourage our children to report bullying, and we need to help them find safe places in community and online. As individuals, we need to do our part to counter unconscious bias and create a sense of belonging for the LGBTQ+ community.

We also need to remember and support those organizations doing support for the LGBTQ+ community, such as QMUNITY and its youth support programs, and events like the Pride parade and the Vancouver Dyke March.

[11:00 a.m.]

Many of these organizations and celebrations can help to not only improve lives, but when it comes to LGBTQ+ people who have faced years of oppression and discrimination, it can also help to save lives.

As a society, we must continue to advocate for equal rights for the LGBTQ+ community. No one deserves to be evicted, fired or denied accommodation and services because of who they are. We must address the stigma, social exclusion and hate crimes against members of the LGBTQ+ community and put in more effort to improve inclusion for all.

Rainbow crosswalks are an important reminder to us all to celebrate our differences and to create an inclusive and welcoming community, including our lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and two-spirited friends. Let’s work together to build and foster a tolerant and accepting society for everyone to live in, in British Columbia.

A. Mercier: I’d like to thank the member for West Vancouver–Capilano for her statement in support of rainbow crosswalks in Langley. Rainbow crosswalks are a basic extension of human dignity and acceptance to vulnerable teenagers and folks who need them.

They shouldn’t be remarkable. We shouldn’t be here having statements in this House about them, but the fact of the matter is that right now they are. It’s the work of those who have made it possible to paint a rainbow crosswalk in Langley that should be heralded: all of the trustees and the staff at school district 35 and the hard work that they’ve done; the donors — in particular, CUPE B.C. and their president, Paul Faoro — who’ve made it possible and who’ve certainly sped up the process, with their donation; and Susan Cairns in the Langley School District Foundation for doing the heavy lifting to make it happen.

I can’t say enough about how proud I am of the work they’ve done and what it means for our community in Langley.

Hon. J. Whiteside: I call Motion 2 on the order paper.

Deputy Speaker: Hon. Members, unanimous consent of the House is required to proceed with Motion 2 without disturbing the priorities of the motions preceding it on the order paper.

Leave granted.

Private Members’ Motions

MOTION 2 — GOVERNMENT
RESPONSE TO COVID-19

T. Wat: I rise today in the House to speak on the motion:

[Be it resolved that this House support providing all British Columbians with the supports they need to cope with the COVID-19 pandemic.]

It’s been almost a year since we first gathered to debate COVID support for B.C. communities, businesses and families. Over the last ten months, British Columbians have had to endure the many challenges that have come with this pandemic.

[11:05 a.m.]

Government’s responsibility has been to not only lay out the programs and supports to help our many businesses and communities but to use the variable months since last March to review and revise our policy and programs — recognize what is working and what isn’t working.

Unfortunately, many of the grants and supports this government has put in place to help our businesses have been encumbered by numerous obstacles and have created significant challenges for businesses trying to access the promised supports. Rather than revise or overhaul failed programs such as the small and medium-sized business grants, this government has stubbornly steamed ahead, ignoring the many concerns expressed by thousands of businesses across the province.

Now, as we are fast approaching the deadline, this government has distributed a mere $21 million of the $300 million in grant funds, money that was approved by all parties nearly a year ago back at the beginning of the pandemic. Because of this, countless businesses have been forced to meet the incredible economic challenges of COVID without any of the supports promised to them by this government.

As the opposition critic responsible for Tourism, it has been heartbreaking to see the impact this has had on one of our province’s most important sectors. Tourism has been one of the hardest-hit sectors of the pandemic. Because of the travel restrictions, tourism operators are currently enduring another season without any of the provincial or international tourism they rely on to earn revenue, to pay staff and to promote our beautiful province. Tragically, because of their unique business models and classifications, they have also faced some of the biggest roadblocks when trying to access government supports.

As noted in the December COVID-19 Tourism Impact Report, only 2 percent of tourism businesses reported being able to access the small and medium-sized business recovery grant. The same report said that only 10 percent of businesses reported business as usual and that 62 percent reported they were operating with reduced hours, staff and service. The average loss of revenue for all firms in B.C. compared to the prior year was 40 percent.

The same can be seen in the hotel industry. Provincewide, hotels have a vacancy rate of 30 percent, which is a drop of roughly 60 percent from pre-pandemic times. Yet hotels are still on the hook for rising property taxes, despite having little to no revenue last year. The effects on the hotel sector alone mean that many of the 60,000 jobs in that industry may never come back.

More widely, tourism is a $20 billion industry, but it lost an estimated $16.8 billion last year. If business and tourism operators don’t receive the help they were promised soon, many will be forced to close their doors for good.

I hope this government will listen to the concerns of our tourism operators and small business owners and overhaul our business grant program to get this money out of the door and into the hands of those who need it before it’s too late.

B. D’Eith: I would like to thank the member for Richmond North Centre for the motion in regard to COVID supports. Today I’m going to talk about two areas. One is how important the public health measures were to really ensure that we have a vital economic recovery in this province. Also, how responding quickly with targeted programs for relief and recovery has been very successful so far. My focus today will be on arts, culture and the creative industries.

[11:10 a.m.]

Early on in the pandemic, I was appointed by the Premier to work with the minister assessing the needs of arts, culture and the creative industries. When re-elected, I was appointed as the first parliamentary secretary for arts and film with a mandate to help with the recovery of these sectors.

Now, as far as public health measures, they’re very important to the recovery. We never actually closed construction or infrastructure, and because of strong public health measures, we were able to reopen our schools. The film industry is a great example of how industries rebound with strong public health management and policy.

Of course, filming in B.C. is one of the most desirable locations in North America. Thanks to the collaborative efforts between the B.C. motion picture industry, Creative B.C. and WorkSafeBC, B.C. was able to develop safety guidelines to help the film industry return to production safely. In fact, we had record-breaking production levels this fall, and it looks like the winter will look just as promising. I was very fortunate to do a virtual tour of Martini studios in Langley, where they have the Snowpiercer set, and it’s incredible to see how crews have adapted to the COVID protocols. In fact, some of the protocols, like a new 10-hour workday, will probably stay.

On the flip side, within these sectors, some sectors haven’t been able to open. Music was one of the first to get shut down and is going to be one of the last to come back, until we have herd immunity. But right out of the gate, we’ve been working closely with people in the music industry because they were so impacted.

Early on, I met with stakeholders of the music industry. As early as April 11, our government launched Showcase B.C., which is an online hub for creative content and streaming, and Creative B.C. provided 740 musicians with micro grants through Amplify B.C. to support live streaming for free events through Showcase B.C. The government is investing to help creative industries get back on their feet, maintain jobs for people and set them up for recovery. We were able to pivot the $7.5 million Amplify B.C. program to stabilize and sustain the music industry.

In fact, we also reached out to the arts community generally. Arts, as we all know, have been incredibly hard hit by the pandemic. In fact, there’s a 32 percent decrease in performing arts. There has been relief right out of the gate. After consultations, there was $3 million of arts and culture resilience supplementary for B.C. Arts Council and $15 million to help with cash flow. This was very important. In fact, B.C. Arts Council also extended grant deadlines and allowed for flexibility.

In the recovery, the StrongerBC program will have $21 million targeted for these programs. That’s $16 million in supplemental funding to organizations who receive annual funding or project grants and $5 million to help arts and cultural organizations adapt to the challenges through the Pivot Program. These are having results. We’re helping to pay operating costs, like rent and utilities; buying specialized equipment; helping people improve and pivot their art spaces; and helping people with their day-to-day expenses.

We’re heard from people like Bard on the Beach. Claire Sakaki, who’s the executive director, says: “These programs, together with the government’s broader supports, will help us sustain vital arts programs.” The arts infrastructure program…. David Eddy from Vancouver Native Housing Society says that they received $28,000 to pivot and build a mobile live-stream studio to support Vancouver’s urban and Indigenous communities.

So the point is that we acted quickly. We responded. We put relief measures in right away. We’re working extremely hard with the industries in arts, culture and the creative industries to ensure that when we come back out of this pandemic, we will recover stronger and better than before.

T. Halford: I’m pleased to respond to the motion to support providing all British Columbians with the help they need to cope with the COVID-19 pandemic. For many, the past year has been the most challenging and unsettling in living memory. Our world has changed in so many ways since the beginning of the COVID-19 global pandemic. We will be forever changed ourselves.

[11:15 a.m.]

Physical distancing can have a significant impact on our mental health. Not only are we facing isolation from friends and family; we’re also anxious about our kids’ schooling, impacts on elderly relatives, our jobs and, for those who own small businesses, the possibility of closures and losing our livelihood without proper supports to keep people healthy and our economy moving forward.

I recently wrote to the Minister of Mental Health and Addictions, asking for immediate investment in youth mental health resources. Mental supports for young people were already inadequate prior to the pandemic, which has only amplified the feelings of stress and isolation, making it even more urgent to provide the necessary prevention and treatment services.

According to B.C.’s Representative for Children and Youth, the average wait time for youth to get mental health services can be two months. In some cases, it can be much longer. As a parent of three young kids, when you are a young person in crisis, a two-month wait-list is essentially saying there is no service at all. Failing to properly address youth mental health will only lead to further tragedies which could have been prevented in the first place.

Critically, those who already face mental health and addiction issues have struggled more than most, as support systems or services have disappeared in the months of isolation. Not only are we facing a global pandemic; we are also in a second health crisis, one that, despite being called a state of emergency five years ago, has just experienced the deadliest year on record.

Since March we have tragically seen a steady rise in illicit drug overdose deaths. The latest illicit drug overdose report demonstrates that no region in B.C. is unaffected, as deaths in each of the six B.C. health authorities are either at or near their highest monthly level recorded. No community, no neighbourhood in British Columbia is immune to this.

The current mental health and addictions strategy in British Columbia is clearly not working. There is no pathway to get people well in B.C., leaving those with addictions without the necessary support. There has never been a time more pressing and urgent than now to dedicate resources to ending the cycle of addiction. That involves not only reducing the stigma for those using at home and alone but ensuring there are meaningful investments made into a pathway to recovery.

This government is ignoring the needs for a full spectrum of care, while the crisis continues to claim lives every day. Until British Columbians get to the point of having programs available that are easily accessible, affordable and provincewide and that offer a complete continuum of care, from detox to treatment, and until we actually address the roots of addiction, such as trauma or mental illness, we are never going to be able to turn the tide on this addiction crisis.

We simply cannot continue to wait for next month’s numbers to come in telling us that more families had to say goodbye to their loved ones who lost their battle with addictions. British Columbians need more than numbers. What we need is a plan that takes into consideration the complexities of mental health and addictions. That includes ensuring that supports are there in whatever community people are living in, whether that is a home or it’s temporary or permanent.

Addictions do not discriminate. They can grab hold of anyone from any background — our mothers, our fathers, our sons, our daughters, our brothers and our sisters, our co-workers and our neighbours. It’s up to us to ensure that when this happens, we’re there to help in any way we can, because everyone in B.C. has a right to a brighter future, no matter what path they take to get there.

J. Sims: It is a pleasure to rise today and speak in the House. I can say that after the last year…. Let’s see. I’m not that apt at getting my mask off, obviously; I need more practise.

It is a pleasure to be back in the House, in the people’s House, to be doing the people’s business. I can say that when I read this motion, “Be it resolved that this House support providing all British Columbians with the supports they need to cope with the COVID-19 pandemic,” I thought: who in this House could disagree with that? Who in B.C. would disagree with that?

[11:20 a.m.]

Over the last year, every one of us in every corner of this province, across this beautiful country and around the world has had our lives turned inside out, upside down, outside in, whichever analogy we want to use. We are facing a pandemic that has not been experienced by anybody in this room, no matter the year they were born. These have been very, very challenging times, not just for us but across the country and, I would say, around the world.

As we look at this, what is the number one job of any government, no matter where they are? That is to make sure that they support the people in the province, in the country and around the world. And you know what? In this province, for too long, we had the haves and have-nots and also those who didn’t feel part of being included. I’m so proud of the fact that the actions taken by government and, I would say, in agreement by all of us in this House working together…. What we have achieved is quite something. What we have achieved is providing support where it’s needed.

Have we filled all the gaps? Absolutely not. I think you would have to be far more than an idealist to think that anyone, whether they’re in health care, in government, in education — I always have to bring that up — or in any of the other fields, has the answers for this. We don’t have the answers, and we’re learning new things all the time.

This COVID-19 and the variant have also taught us about the interconnectedness and that, as we support our individual citizens — the youth, the elderly, those who are struggling with addictions, those who suffer from mental illness — at the same time, we have to keep our economy moving. This is not about choosing one or the other. You cannot have one without the other. We need to be doing both.

That is why I have been proud of the investments that have been done in supporting individuals financially as they’ve been struggling through the recovery. And others — giving tax breaks to businesses, giving non-refundable moneys to businesses, small, medium and large, unlike in times gone by when the biggest tax breaks, the biggest handouts, went to the big international corporations. I have been so happy to see the moneys leading out to small and medium-sized businesses that are the backbone of our economy. They are the ones who employ people, and we have these jobs that keep our communities vibrant.

When I bumped into my friend Surjit the other day out at a building site — we all are trying to do our work in different ways — he was telling me: “You know what? When I sit down and talk with my friends, and I think the government….” He was talking about federal and provincial, and he mentioned us specifically. He said: “You guys are doing an amazing job. You know, this is how much I have received in support.” He said: “I cannot believe it, that in the middle of a health pandemic, the government is supporting us.”

Before I knew it, two or three others gathered around, and they were sharing similar stories. A father told me how the availability of daycare has made it possible for them to survive during these very difficult times, because they could get their child into daycare.

I absolutely agree with my colleague who spoke previously: there is no simple answer. There is no magic bullet or magic pill. This requires all of us working together, interconnected, and making sure that we are there to lift each other up during these challenging times.

D. Davies: As we’ve heard over and over again, COVID has brought unprecedented challenges to all of British Columbia’s communities. But it has hit some of B.C.’s most vulnerable members the hardest. COVID has isolated many from the support networks that they rely on, has kept many from working and has driven up the cost of living considerably for all of us.

[11:25 a.m.]

Rather than offer additional supports to help those who need it the most, government has stripped away vital assistance and created significant barriers that have prevented many from receiving the help that they need. The most vulnerable British Columbians saw their COVID-19 emergency supplement cut in half. They were told to apply for the $500 B.C. recovery benefit, but even those on income assistance and disability assistance have had issues accessing the grant that was promised to them before Christmas. More than two months since their cheques were promised, hundreds of thousands of British Columbians are still waiting for their one-time recovery benefit.

One thing that we’ve heard over and over again is that nothing is easy to access, from waiting for hours on hold to not hearing back from emails to the copious amounts of follow-up, paperwork and documents. Almost purposeful barriers put in place to block the flow of help.

There are 215,000 people on income and disability assistance and the seniors supplement in this province. Now we find out that 107,000 of these British Columbians are going to be automatically receiving the benefit. This means that half of the people who had their income and disability assistance clawed back could not access the B.C. recovery benefit.

Thousands of persons with disabilities have gone more than two months since their COVID income and disability assistance were cut in half by this government, and they’re still anxiously waiting for their one-time payments to pay for food, rent and other necessities.

COVID has been extremely impactful on persons living with disabilities. Many have been isolated from support networks that they rely on. Many are often immune compromised and are incurring additional costs, from grocery deliveries to additional care needed, because of COVID. Many have either lost their jobs or been unable to work due to risks to their own well-being. Because of the incredible strain COVID has put on our health care system, many persons with disabilities have seen delays in care and treatment that they rely on. Every necessary trip for medical care now brings with it incredible risks.

Government has faced strong criticism for introducing a lengthy application process that created considerable barriers for British Columbians wishing to apply for the benefit, despite already having much of this information requested already on file. It’s incredibly troubling that government waited more than two months to automate the B.C. recovery benefit for persons with disabilities, especially now that they have admitted that they’ve had the capacity to do so all along.

Additionally, Community Living B.C. paid out over $1 billion last year to service providers. CLBC is among the many service providers whose budget will run out in March. Yet government has chosen to delay the next fiscal budget until April.

What will budget delays mean for these groups? Will people in need of assistance see further cuts or delays to the supports that they so dearly need? How are B.C.’s most vulnerable supposed to meet the growing cost of living under these conditions?

Average rent continues to skyrocket. Average house prices in our province increased by 16 percent just last year. Government has struggled to get anything built. At their current pace, it will take more than 100 years to meet their promised housing target. It’s time for the government to reinstate the income and disability assistance that they clawed back and re-evaluate how they plan to deliver the necessary supports to the British Columbians that need them most.

People are looking for help. People need help. Businesses need our support. Industry needs an ally. People are looking to government for this. But when all they get is failure after failure and backs turned on them, this hurts everyone.

Government needs to be providing meaningful support that is easily accessed, not rattled with barriers. People and businesses alike need supports, and they need to have ready access to them.

J. Rice: Thank you to the member for Richmond North Centre for her motion. Providing British Columbians with the supports they need is exactly what we said we’d do as a New Democrat caucus and is exactly what we are doing.

[11:30 a.m.]

This past year has been such a tough year for everyone — individuals, families, small businesses and whole communities throughout all of B.C. People are legitimately concerned about their health and their livelihoods, so we will continue to take advice from health officials like Dr. Bonnie Henry. We will continue to bolster the front lines, and we will continue to support families and businesses through this next wave of the pandemic while we await more vaccines to arrive.

Recall that the previous government focused on helping their wealthy donors and well-connected friends and cut services for regular British Columbians. The B.C. recovery benefit will give people some financial help during this difficult time, and the money in peoples’ pockets also benefits the local economies. As of last week, over two million people have received the benefit. Individuals can apply to receive up to $500, and families can apply to receive up to $1,000.

Our provincial vaccination plan is now underway and is being distributed to all British Columbians who want it as quickly and safely as possible, beginning with those most at risk. We’ve made key investments in health care so that more patients receive treatment at home, and that reduces hospital wait times. We’ve made investments in mental health care to help people through the mental and emotional tolls of this pandemic.

We’re committed to training and hiring more doctors and nurses, and we’ve also taken significant steps to assist small and medium-sized businesses in weathering the economic storm caused by COVID-19. New tax measures reward businesses for hiring and help them grow and become more productive by making it easier for them to invest in equipment and machinery.

The community economic recovery infrastructure program, otherwise known as CERIP, provides fully funded provincial grants to support economic resilience, tourism, heritage and urban and rural economic development. This past week I was able to make numerous CERIP funding announcements for my constituency in North Coast. In the Central Coast, Bella Bella is receiving a $400,000 grant for the Kunsoot Wellness Society to help with construction costs of new infrastructure at their health centre. We’re helping to restore the House of Numst’ heritage building in Bella Coola with a $995,000 grant. Hagensborg Centennial Pool is receiving a $990,000 grant to build a new pool and family-friendly change rooms.

On Haida Gwaii, in Skidegate, the Haida Gwaii Museum Society is receiving a $399,000 grant through the First Peoples Cultural Council. The heritage society is receiving a $472,000 grant for heritage centre upgrades. The Saving Things House is receiving a grant for museum upgrades and repairs. Misty Isles Economic Development Society is receiving a grant for an e-commerce project, $313,000 to promote online sales of artisanal products from Haida Gwaii.

For the Hartley Bay First Nation, the Gitga’at Development Corp. is receiving a grant for building energy efficiency and accessibility upgrades into their Prince Rupert storefront. In Prince Rupert, the Prince Rupert waterfront airport ferry landing is receiving $1 million grant to develop a new multifaceted waterfront development, including a new marine terminal. Tourism Prince Rupert is receiving a $239,000 grant for a welcome and way-finding signage improvement project and the Port Edward Historical Society, a $273,000 grant to preserve the national historic site of North Pacific Cannery.

These CERIP fund grants are just those announced in the North Coast. We’re providing grants in every corner of B.C. We will continue to be responsive to the needs of people, businesses and communities to see them through the pandemic and into a strong economic recovery that supports all British Columbians.

C. Oakes: On behalf of my constituents of Cariboo North, who are enduring considerable hardship during the current pandemic, I would like to offer the following perspective on this morning’s motion.

As the official opposition critic for Advanced Education and Skills Training, I’ve been engaging with students and their advocacy organizations, who have their own set of challenges as they attempt to get a fully rounded education.

[11:35 a.m.]

Post-secondary students have been deeply impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. It is, therefore, essential that our provincial government support students throughout these unprecedented times.

In May, it was revealed that 76 percent of students cited financial concerns as their biggest challenge. As the pandemic progressed, the reality is that we’ve seen that internships, work programs, part-time and summer job opportunities have simply dried up.

If you peel back another layer of just how badly students are feeling the crunch, approximately 50 percent of students cited financial hardship in direct relationship to paying rent or accommodation. Housing expenses serve as one of the largest expenses for students. They continue to take a large portion of student savings, student loan payments, part-time employment income and, in many cases, grocery allowance.

At UBC for example, over 65 percent of graduate students experience severe financial hardship as a direct result of the high cost of housing. The reason? It is because all of the provincial housing support programs, such as the temporary rental support program, exclude student housing and have done so since the start of COVID-19.

While the Residential Tenancy Act is responsible for establishing the rights and responsibility of tenants and landlords, the statute is also used as an eligibility criteria item for support programs like the TRS. Effectively, the current standards of eligibility leave students out of these programs, including policies such as the 2020 rent freeze.

As I indicated earlier, and I will be doing so later, financial hardships are becoming even more troubling as more and more students are losing their earning capacity and also highly valuable work skills that they can use throughout their active careers.

Other programs, such as the Canada emergency student benefit, amount to about…. It amounts to $750 a month. This benefit is significantly less than the more substantial Canada emergency response benefit, or CERB for short, that can amount to $2,000 over a four-week period.

To make matters worse, only 41 percent of students are actually eligible for the Canada emergency student benefit. That is why 61 percent reported government financial aid is not enough to support them through their next academic year. This is not a promising outlook for the next generation who are eager to pursue their dreams.

Along with all of the financial hardship comes the stress. I will be speaking throughout this session in greater detail on the effects the pandemic is having on the mental health of the student population. For those who are finishing their degree this spring, the condition of the current economy is rather grim.

It is my understanding that while the provincial government’s Here2Talk has been set up since April, one of the significant issues is that you get somebody different every time you call. What is needed is access to multi-sessional counselling that can be both affordable and that you can access without having to wait at least eight weeks or longer.

Our students are key drivers of the research and innovation sector in our province. They are our future. Our success as a province emerging successfully post-pandemic will be evaluated on just how well we invest in our students and our future generation.

In conclusion, if students today cannot afford to continue with their education, consider: where will our future entrepreneurs, our researchers, our scientists, our teachers, our nurses — I could go on and on, but my time is running out — come from? We need to be supporting our post-secondary students.

D. Routley: I thank the Malahat First Nation, from whose traditional territories I’m joining this meeting today.

[11:40 a.m.]

I also would like to take this opportunity to thank the people of B.C., thank my constituents, for their many gestures of kindness and the investments they’ve made in themselves and each other during this challenging time. I think it has been extraordinary. It’s something that we’ve come to expect as human beings, but it’s extraordinary every time you see the good that comes out of the people as such a great challenge confronts us.

We’re all worried. All of us — all the people that we know, our families, constituents who come into our offices — are terribly worried about the impacts of COVID-19, not only on how they will be remediated immediately but the long-term effects as well. It’s made so clear to us, all of us, that our economy was already unequal in its benefit before this great challenge, and this pandemic has only served to amplify those vulnerabilities.

These are the areas of investment and attention that this government has focused on during the pandemic. I think the results speak for themselves. These are results that were built on a foundation that was laid in the beginning of this government’s first term, when they began investing with people. We invested in child care spaces, housing and education, so that people were prepared, as well as they could be, for what has happened and also that the economy and our institutions were prepared to weather this storm and to come out stronger on the other side.

I can say that because we are investing in people. We are taking the immediate steps to support and protect people’s health and their livelihoods, but we’re also making the kinds of investments that will help our province going forward, long into the future. The member for Peace River North…. I’m not sure about his math, but over two million people have already been paid through the $1 billion recovery plan, and 3.7 million people qualify overall. These are extraordinary accomplishments.

I’d also like to thank the public servants in this province who have kept government going through this pandemic, that have kept not only the current programs of government going but have been asked to implement a variety of new programs. They were extraordinary individually, but taken all together, I think every British Columbian owes our public servants a huge debt of gratitude for what they’ve been able to do.

For our government, we’ve made key investments in health care that have allowed treatment at home, that have reduced wait times and that are going to train and hire more doctors and nurses. In fact, from December 2019, before the pandemic, to December 2020, there was a 40 percent increase in hip and knee surgeries. That’s an extraordinary accomplishment by everyone in the system pulling together and patients being cautious about how they use the system. I think that’s been shown. We’ve kept the hospitals available to the people who have needed them, and people have done their best to stay healthy. I thank them all for that as well.

We’re also investing in programs and tax credits that increase and incent hiring and the purchase of new equipment and machinery that will make our businesses more competitive. We’ve already put out a $10 billion COVID-19 response plan that’s made up of $5 billion in the COVID-19 action plan and the Stronger B.C. plan, $810 million in partnerships between the province and the federal government in transit and with municipalities, $2.25 billion in response and temporary relief, and $2 billion to the B.C. recovery supplement and these increased incentives in the form of tax credits to more hiring.

I know we’re all worried. My own daughter is a chef. She was impacted immediately, with the restaurant closing down. She is recovering, and she is back at it. So are the people of B.C. We’re working together. Every one of us owes a debt of gratitude to the people that we represent and to whom we owe that honour.

[11:45 a.m.]

L. Doerkson: Good morning. As this is the first day back in session for 2021, I’m pleased to speak, on behalf of my constituents of Cariboo-Chilcotin, in relation to the following motion: “Be it resolved that this House support providing all British Columbians with the supports they need to cope with the COVID-19 pandemic.”

Coming from a part of the province that has been hit especially hard by the pandemic, I can assure you that many in the Cariboo-Chilcotin are in desperate need of support and assistance.

Before I begin, I’d like to acknowledge all of the health care workers, especially those at the Cariboo Memorial complex hospital and the 100 Mile District General Hospital, who, of course, deserve our special thanks because they have been working almost non-stop since the outbreak came to this province over a year ago.

The same applies to lots of our other front-line workers who have headed into work every day regardless of the risk of COVID-19. I’m talking about, of course, our first responders, such as police, volunteer firefighters, search and rescue, and especially our grocery store workers, who still head in to work every day armed with just a mask and a friendly approach to customers.

So many businesses have struggled to continue to fight through the challenges of COVID-19 and continue to fight to survive these challenging times, businesses like C+ Rodeos, a company that provides stock for purposes of bronc- and bull-riding at rodeo events throughout British Columbia. C+ Rodeos is owned by Earl and Roy Call of 150 Mile House, British Columbia. As with so many in the business, C+ is one that has not operated now for an entire year. Right now, of course, they face the agony of not supplying this type of entertainment to tens of thousands of people from all over the world for a second year due to the pandemic. Sadly, they are, of course, at risk of possible or potential closure.

Businesses like this one have costs that are too much to bear during this trying time. In the case of C+ Rodeos, the cost is more than $100,000 a year for feed alone. This cost does not include any other costs with respect to their overhead. Businesses like zoos, stock contractors, the aquarium, guiding companies, ranches — they all have these fixed costs for feeding these magnificent animals, and they’re doing it at a time when they’re unable to draw paying tourism customers that would normally come from all over the province, country and, of course, the world.

When you think of rodeo, you must recall the larger rodeos in our province, such as Falkland, Cloverdale, Armstrong and, of course, Williams Lake. These rodeos are worth millions and millions of dollars to the provincial economy and, of course, help to support many of our local communities.

My fear is that agrifairs and the dozens of rodeos around our province, like Quesnel, Bella Coola, Barriere, Clinton, Penticton, and of course many, many more throughout B.C., could genuinely be at risk of loss if we allow companies like C+ Rodeos to fail because of lack of appropriate funding. We must reintroduce funding opportunities that we have had in the past to support these companies to allow them to make it through the coming months, which will undoubtedly be the toughest months to get through, particularly after surviving for the past year.

As the official opposition, we’re therefore calling for loosening of the eligibility criteria, especially the rules requiring a 70 percent revenue drop in March of 2020; streamlining the application process, recognizing that government already has most of the information it’s requesting from these businesses; approving applications faster — the goal should be to approve the application in days, not weeks; and, of course, extending the expiry date out far beyond the current deadline of March 31 as needed.

As the rural development critic, I ask you all to join me in supporting these unique businesses, like this one, that contribute to our economy but also contribute to the western heritage, sport tourism and, of course, the good times of hundreds of thousands of us annually throughout the entire province.

Deputy Speaker: The Chair recognizes the member for Abbotsford-Mission.

P. Alexis: Thank you, hon. Speaker, for this opportunity, albeit virtually, to speak to this motion.

I would first like to acknowledge that I come to you from the unceded and ancestral territory of the Stó:lō people, including Kwantlen, Leq’á:mel, Matsqui, Sema:th, and Sq’èwlets territories.

[11:50 a.m.]

As we gather here today, there are over 4,000 active cases of COVID-19 in the province, with almost 8,000 people under active public health monitoring, and over 1,300 have died. Those are some stark numbers, but when we read them, that’s all they really are: numbers, figures, statistics. We’ve been living in the new normal of this pandemic for so long and seen and heard so many updates from our hard-working elected officials and medical leaders that we forget that every one of those numbers represents a human being whose life has been turned upside down, or worse, lost to this terrible pandemic.

Our government knows this, and that’s why we’ve done so much to stem the tide. We have an aggressive immunization plan designed to help the most at-risk amongst us first. We’ve offered a recovery benefit to offer real financial help to British Columbians. We’re working tirelessly to keep our students safe, from kindergarten to grade 12. We are connecting those who need mental health support to virtual help and programs.

Through StrongerBC, B.C.’s $1.5 billion economic recovery plan, we continue to provide supports for businesses affected by the COVID-19 pandemic so that they can reopen, adapt and grow. Even with these efforts, it’s the people of British Columbia who have been asked to do even more. It’s the people of this province that have sacrificed countless family gatherings, birthdays, weddings, funerals, nights out, school concerts, anniversaries, and so much more. Even a handshake at work or a hug at New Year’s has been lost for so many through this lonely pandemic.

In my own work as an MLA, it has been the mental health toll of COVID-19 that I’ve seen impact my constituents that has hit me the hardest, especially amongst young people. As a former teacher and school trustee, my heart has ached hearing their stories of isolation, loneliness and, in some cases, outright despair. But I have hope that the efforts of this government can alleviate this terrible aspect of our new normal in some way and offer some light against this never-before-seen darkness.

[Mr. Speaker in the chair.]

We’ve all heard the stories from people struggling in our communities — loved ones lost, families separated, jobs disappeared. This is a once-in-a-generation crisis and one that demands more than stiff upper lips and digging deep from our citizens. COVID-19 demands the power of this government. Otherwise, why are we even here?

As a government, we have a responsibility to remember all those small and not-so-small sacrifices I mentioned before. We have a duty of care to the people of this province, not just the statistics. Acknowledging the unprecedented nature of these times, I offer my wholehearted support to this motion and urge all members to rally behind our efforts to help as many British Columbians as possible.

T. Stone: It is a great pleasure to stand and speak to this motion today. Certainly, we’ve heard from members on both sides of the House that there have been a range of programs and supports that have been rolled out over the course of this pandemic over the past year. Colleagues of mine in official opposition, certainly members of the Green caucus, were very proud to support the expenditure for those supports to be there for British Columbians and to be there for those in need.

But we’ve also heard this morning that there are many gaps in these programs. There have been a number of examples cited here this morning across a range of supports for individuals where there are gaps, where we are calling on the government to step up and fill those gaps, to again make sure that everyone who needs the support is able to get the support.

[11:55 a.m.]

Specifically, I want to address small business supports here today. Businesses have been hit hard. They’ve been hit really hard in communities all across our province, particularly small businesses, particularly independent operations.

The Canadian Federation of Independent Business just last week put out their latest survey of the state of play of the small business community in British Columbia. The numbers are very startling. They confirm what we are all hearing and seeing in our respective communities when it comes to the viability of small businesses.

So 66 percent of small businesses are open. That means a third are not. Only 43 percent of small businesses right now are fully staffed. That’s a heck of a lot that aren’t fully staffed. It’s a lot of people not working. Only 34 percent of small businesses, at this moment, are enjoying what they would consider to be normal sales at this point in their calendar. And 48 percent are worried about the survival of their business.

We learned last week that the average debt that a small business is carrying in British Columbia has increased to $138,000. One in seven B.C. businesses is at risk of closing. One in seven. That is 25,000 businesses that, more importantly, employ about 300,000 British Columbians across this great province of ours. I would also like to shine a bright light on this stat: 63 percent of these small businesses say that support from government is absolutely critical to their survival, moving forward.

On March 23 of 2020, this Legislature unanimously endorsed a package of supports, including $2.2 billion for business. Unfortunately, regrettably, the government did not act quickly to support small businesses. It took five, almost six months for the government to come out with their signature grant program, the small and medium-sized recovery grant. They launched it one week before an election campaign. We then were in an election campaign. Very few businesses knew that this grant even existed.

We fast-forward to and through the election. We find ourselves here in a session in December, pointing out to the minister, pointing out to the Premier, pointing out to the government…. Urging them to make changes to this recovery grant program, the only grant program that the government has come out with for business. We said: “You’ve got to loosen up the eligibility criteria. You’ve got to streamline the application process. You’ve got to speed up how quickly you can actually process the applications because small businesses are dying in communities around this province at the moment.”

The minister made some modifications at the time. We said they were not good enough. Fast-forward to today. We’re two months since that point, and countless businesses are shutting their lights off and closing their doors.

More needs to be done. More needs to be done for individuals, and a heck of a lot more needs to be done for small businesses to make sure that they survive this pandemic and come out the other side stronger than ever before.

T. Stone moved adjournment of debate.

Motion approved.

Hon. J. Whiteside moved adjournment of the House.

Motion approved.

Mr. Speaker: This House stands adjourned until 1:30 p.m. this afternoon.

The House adjourned at 11:59 a.m.