Orders of the Day

Hon. M. Farnworth: I call continued debate on the budget.

[S. Chandra Herbert in the chair.]

Budget Debate

(continued)

D. Davies: I take pleasure, again, to continue my debate on Budget 2021. Of course, I made it roughly halfway through my remarks last time.

Just a little bit of a recap. I was just actually starting to get into the nuts and bolts of this budget. I briefly talked about the lack of support for farmers and businesses, lack of support in the resource sector, you know, which are really a direct attack on the livelihoods of the residents of Peace River North, the residents that I represent.

I touched base, as well, on the grant program. Just a little over a fraction of the $340 million that was put towards supporting businesses that were in dire needs has barely been put out the door — in fact, now is looking for another year to move that forward.

Just recently, of course, the government has put a ban in place on in-restaurant dining. No new money, no new supports for the restaurant industry that has already been brought to its knees across our province. This business grant program has so many barriers in place that make it nearly impossible. I can’t remember if I mentioned them last time. I’m actually dealing with two restaurants in my home community of Fort St. John that are struggling to get access to this grant.

I think I had also touched briefly on…. We hear the government often bragging about job creation. We know that there have been upwards of 60,000 public sector jobs created, but where has the protection been for the 45,000 private sector jobs? Where’s the protection for those?

[2:25 p.m.]

Where’s the program? Where’s the plan to build these jobs? We’re not complaining about public sector jobs. We realize that we need many of them, but British Columbians also want to know where these jobs are. Is it increasing the bureaucracy? Is it increasing red tape? We understand, and I think we all agree, that we need social workers. We need teachers. We need doctors. I think that is the big worry around this massive increase of public sector jobs.

Forestry is another issue, something that’s very important to my riding, at a time when we not only need to be promoting our forest sector, but we need to be looking at ways to do it better. I think that there is a direction toward that.

The government only lightly alluded to promoting and looking at doing forestry differently. But they’ve been cut $41 million this year, and nearly the same amount next year, which, again, does not make sense at a time when…. This is one of the founding resource sectors of our pro­vince and one of the major resources of our province. There’s a cut in the budget at a time when the government is talking about how we can do things better, how we can promote value-added, how we can, again, promote private sector jobs, which are extremely important.

Our communities need help — our communities across the province. Forestry impacts not only rural commun­ities. It has a massive impact on our urban communities as well.

In fact, another thing tied in, speaking briefly of rural communities, that’s not in here…. The rural dividend fund has not been brought back. Again, something that…. Ma­ny rural communities that have been devastated by the downturn in forestry need this support, and it is not in the budget.

Unfortunately, instead of these big ideas and this excitement and vision that British Columbians are looking forward, all we’ve got is enormous debt for the next decade. Enormous deficits for the next decade, with, overall, few supports. Enormous deficits that all of us are going to have to pay, as well as future generations.

When we see a budget ballooning…. Let’s be honest. This happened pre-COVID as well. We saw the budget ballooning. In fact, it started in 2017. Let’s see what happened in 2017. Oh, an election. A new government happened in 2017. We now look at these massive deficits with no end in sight. We cannot tax our way out of this, but this government is trying. It’s hurting British Columbians. In fact, by the time this government is finished, there will be an additional $10,000 per person of additional debt in British Columbia. That’s going to be owed by, again, not only us — not even my kids, probably not even my great-grandkids. That’s looking at just what it looks like today.

Affordability. I just don’t understand that buzzword that comes from government, because everything in this bud­get is quite the opposite. Vancouver is now the most un­affordable housing market in the world, and only increasing. We see this in other urban areas across our province.

[2:30 p.m.]

Affordability — 23 new taxes and fees that have been levied by this government. Affordability — the new Netflix and soda tax. Well played, government, at a time when everyone is promoting that you stay home, you watch Netflix, and you avoid your interactions with people. I, like most others, do watch streaming devices. I have my fa­vourite shows on Netflix and Crave. I drink my soda water, Bubly. I don’t know if that’s an endorsement or not. It’s not meant to be an endorsement, but I like Bubly. There’s tax on that soda water now. There’s tax on this Netflix at a time when government is telling people to stay home.

Affordability? Affordability. Air tax. Applying a speculation and vacancy tax to the air above businesses — talk about a gut punch to small businesses, a punch in the guts for our non-profit groups, our arts groups that are already struggling. Many of them have already collapsed, unfortunately. They’ve shut down. Yet this government continues to throw sandbags on people’s shoulders, pushing them down. Affordability. Hmm.

Another thing that was mentioned in this budget was the community benefits agreement. These community be­nefits agreements that we’ve seen over the past little while are creating project delays. They are increasing, and we’ve seen this. This isn’t just us saying this. We’ve seen costs skyrocket. We’ve seen the scope of projects being reduced because of these community benefits agreements.

The Illecillewaet four-laning project is just one example — a 143 percent increase in its overall budget. This is just one project. Someone has to pay for these overruns. Combine that with everything else. There is zero affordability in this budget. In fact, there is zero affordability for the foreseeable future.

This is just the start, I’m afraid. The worst part about this — if there is a worst part; I guess there is a worst part — is 85 percent of B.C. construction workers are being told that they can’t work on these projects because they are not part of one of B.C.’s handpicked unions — completely discriminated by this government.

Just a little piece out of the Journal of Commerce where they talk about…. And this is not new information. We know that we are going to need a significant increase of tradespeople across our province. Sixty thousand more are going to be needed by 2030.

I want to bring forward a little piece the member from Chilliwack had mentioned last week, if you recall that. The community benefits agreement is going to be the solve-all, the fix-all, the be-all and end-all to get people into trades. Well, that’s not true. That is not true. In fact, today more than 85 percent of the men and women working in construction, including 82 percent of trades apprentices, are learning their craft in open-shop construction companies. I’m not sure where the member from Chilliwack got his information — or other members, for that matter.

This is not helping families. This is not helping British Columbians. This is not helping businesses. This is not helping build British Columbia forward to a better future following this pandemic. We are all going to continue to pay the price of this NDP incompetence, unfortunately.

[2:35 p.m.]

Our party had put forward a plan calling for a private sector jobs plan, a plan for women, a plan for youth. These are missing in action on this budget.

Infrastructure, as I mentioned a little bit earlier, is also severely lacking again in my riding — the rural resource roads, a four-laning program for the Alaska Highway. I do want to recognize the former Minister of Transportation for the help that they did in getting an additional washroom and pullout between Fort St. John and Fort Nelson, but we need a lot more. There are ten hours of highway north of Fort Nelson without cell service, without, really, a formalized pullout. We need to make sure that we are looking at improving those and getting some cell service, or even some little hotspot areas, north of Fort Nelson on the highway.

Since I was first elected in 2017, I’ve been fiercely advocating for the replacement of the Taylor Bridge. In fact, I’ll read a little piece. This was one of the very first letters I ever wrote as an MLA in 2017, to the then minister, Claire Trevena. The letter is basically saying: “We are in critical need of a new bridge.” I’ll just read this. “On the inspection report, the Taylor Bridge was given an urgency rating of 4 out of 5. While the highest score could indicate that the bridge is a danger to life and limb, a 4, which is our bridge, alerts to the dire issues that would arise should a span be closed.” This was written four years ago. We need the Taylor Bridge in the budget.

In a pandemic budget, again, I was absolutely shocked to see cuts to education, cuts to school district budgets. As the former Education critic myself, I had the chance to talk to many school districts across the province, and I commend school districts, trustees and teachers for working within the tight confines of the moneys that they receive from this provincial government. But this was a blow, again, to them during the pandemic to see this cut.

In fact, interestingly enough…. This is just one news report from schools here in Victoria protesting this government’s cuts. School districts are having to make the choice: are they cutting band programs? Are they cutting sports? What are they cutting? Maybe the Minister of Education needs to reach out and tell these school districts what programs they need to cut because of this government’s cuts to education. Unbelievable from a government, a party, which has always talked about this. Yet, in the middle of a pandemic, they cut education.

Homeless numbers are up. We’ve seen that. In fact, this was actually…. Homeless numbers were up before the pandemic. This is the Ministry of Social Development and Poverty Reduction issue note from 2020, just before every­thing started: “Preliminary results from the 2020 homeless counts conducted just prior to COVID-19 public health measures showed a provincial increase of 10 percent from previous counts.” There is very little in here to really be supporting and getting people into housing and the supports that they need.

I see my time is quickly ticking away, so I guess a bit of a summary. On affordability, which is kind of funny…. There’s no renter’s rebate that was promised. And 23 new taxes and fees. No $10-a-day child care. The $300 clawback from persons with disabilities has still not been returned. Failed to address rental housing costs and supply.

Affordability. This budget is anything but affordable to British Columbians. Rather than take ownership of these failures inherent to British Columbians, this government has blamed everything on everyone but themselves.

To the government: people are worried about their health. People are worried about their economic well-being. This government continues to fail to put forward a plan. We need a plan. We need those supports. The future of British Columbia depends on it.

[2:40 p.m.]

Deputy Speaker: Recognizing the Minister of Advan­ced Education and Skills Training on her birthday.

Happy birthday, Minister.

Hon. A. Kang: Thank you so much, hon. Speaker.

I am grateful to be here on the traditional territory of the Musqueam, Squamish and Tsleil-Waututh people, and I thank them for the ability to gather and work on their land.

I am honoured to rise today to speak on and support Budget 2021. Last year was extraordinarily difficult as each of us learned how to cope with the new reality of COVID-19. I am proud to be part of a government that continues to work tirelessly to support British Columbians through the global pandemic. Budget 2021 is about making life better for all British Columbians. It includes funding for more health-related education programs, economic recovery initiatives and post-secondary capital projects, and it is my privilege to talk and speak in support of Budget 2021.

I’m going to begin by talking about housing. Burnaby–Deer Lake is a beautiful community that over 60,000 people call home. I know that times are tough right now and that many families, seniors, young adults and individuals are struggling to afford rent. As the MLA for Burnaby–Deer Lake, constituents often share with me sad stories that they are about to become evicted because they cannot bear the high rents in addition to their daily living expenses.

I am so glad to know that in Budget 2021, our government is working with B.C. Housing to provide $11 million of capital funding through the supportive housing program, adding 43 units to the property at 3986 Norland Avenue. This is a direct response to combatting the growing risks of homelessness in the area.

I know that many of my constituents are also members of B.C. Housing, and with this valuable and important investment, it will provide many families a safe and affordable place that they can call home.

Since 2017, we have made historic investments in education and towards the health and safety of elementary and high school students in Burnaby. At University Highlands Elementary, a school that is located in my colleague’s riding at Burnaby-Lougheed, our government invested $6 million in expanding eight classrooms to offer 195 more student spaces. This means that more students were enrolled in this school and benefited from these new infrastructures to enhance learning experiences.

We also implemented new seismic upgrades in Burnaby North Secondary School, which included their neighbourhood learning centre space for child care and language development program spaces. We also invested in seismic upgrades at Seaforth Elementary, at Parkcrest Elementary and École Armstrong Elementary.

Today our government continues to put education and the health and safety of our students as a top priority. With this new budget, Budget 2021, we will also be investing in a seismic replacement for Stride Avenue elementary school.

As a longtime resident of Burnaby, I am so proud of Burnaby Hospital and all its staff, the leadership team and especially their service of care during the many months of this unprecedented pandemic. I am also proud that my two kids were born in Burnaby Hospital. The level of service that I received in the maternity ward was excellent, and I am forever grateful for the team, the state-of-the-art patient care that helped deliver my babies.

Our government has made record investments in modernizing, upgrading and implementing safe infrastructures throughout B.C.’s hospitals, and Burnaby Hospital is one of them. Our government has successfully completed the emergency department and community health services renovation at Burnaby Hospital, which includes a new mental health and substance use department and community health service area. We continue to develop the phase 1 upgrade of the hospital so patients can receive the best and the most efficient care possible.

[2:45 p.m.]

I have been living in Burnaby since 1986. That was a time even before the SkyTrain was built here. I have seen this community develop from a quiet city to a vibrant and stimulating city. Burnaby now has four city centres, each with its own unique neighbourhoods, SkyTrain and transportation hub. The community around Brentwood city centre is the riding of my colleague in Burnaby North, and it is becoming an exciting new central location with new mixed-use towers, malls and new amenities. Burnaby residents can look forward to increased station capacity, escalator upgrades and improved elevator services to support accessibility and the increasing ridership.

I am so excited to see investments such as these made to Burnaby to modernize and improve the safety of our public infrastructures. This supports the concept of safe and walkable neighbourhoods with convenient access to public transit.

As MLA for Burnaby–Deer Lake, I am incredibly proud to serve my constituents. The livability and the strong sense of community in Burnaby are a result of many great investments that our government has put in place to build a stronger and better city.

In my role as Minister of Advanced Education and Skills Training, I am so excited for the work that is ahead of us during this mandate. For 16 years, the B.C. Liberals had the chance to make life easier for students, but they chose to do nothing while B.C. students struggled with the highest student loan interest rate in Canada. All the while, the cost of tuition tripled.

As a mother, as a former elementary school teacher and a lifelong learner, empowering people through education is a value I hold close and dear to my heart. That is why I will be doing things differently. I will be working diligently with my colleagues to make post-secondary education more affordable and accessible. The opposition would undo our progress and make life more expensive for students. Our government will be doing things differently.

In 2020, in the middle of the pandemic, our government responded quickly to the needs of post-secondary students — financial needs — and introduced the B.C. access grant. The B.C. access grant is the first new provincial post-secondary grant in 15 years. It provided up to $4,000 per year, upfront support, so that students can focus on their studies rather than worry about paying their bills. This doubled the number of students supported by previous grant programs to more than 40,000 students annually.

Now our government is working to expand eligibility so that even more students are able to access the high-quality education that our province has to offer. While some students pursue a degree or certificate, many students are choosing a career in trades. Moreover, many of the workers in our communities are tradespeople. These are our restaurant cooks, electricians, painters, carpenters, beauticians, hair stylists, builders, automobile mechanics and so many more. They are essential to our B.C. economy.

In fact — a little-known fact — my mom was a certified esthetician, and my aunt is a certified hair stylist. She is the only hair stylist that I will allow to cut my hair, style it, colour it. Ever since I can remember, and even until this day, my aunt is my only hair stylist.

Before my family immigrated to Canada, my parents knew life would be hard in a new country. My dad immigrated our whole family to B.C. because he was a theology student at the Vancouver School of Theology. So, before we left Taiwan, my mom studied to become a certified esthetician to ensure that her skills would be recognized and valued, that she would be able to find a job and support our family in a new country. With their certifications, both my aunt and my mom started a small business in Vancouver, which my aunt still has today.

[2:50 p.m.]

In 2003, the old government, the B.C. Liberals under Gordon Campbell, made a choice to eliminate the compulsory trade system, with no thought to the long-term impacts on our trade system in the province. Since then, B.C. was the only province without compulsory trade, and that is wrong. That devalues skilled trades.

Our government will be righting the wrong. We are going to be putting value back into the trades. Together with my good friend the Parliamentary Secretary for Skills Training and with my colleague the Minister of Labour we will be working to restore the compulsory trade system to add value back into our trades jobs.

The previous government imposed tuition for adult basic education and English-language-learning programs, preventing thousands of people from upgrading their skills. Our government made this free again. Furthermore, we expanded a tuition waiver program to all public post-secondary institutions for former kids in care under the age of 26.

Right now we are working to expand this to all former kids in care, regardless of age, because education is a life­long journey. Sometimes this journey for former kids in care takes a bit more time and has many more detours. Expanding this program is a step towards breaking down barriers and ensuring that education is accessible and affordable for all. I am so proud of the team I have in my ministry. My ministry is working hard to deliver the results that make a difference in people’s lives.

Our post-secondary education system serves over 500,000 students in every corner of the province. Students are our future scientists, trades workers, leaders, caregivers, creators and innovators, who will find the 21st-century solutions our province needs to rebuild and thrive. After years of neglect by the old government, our government, since 2017, has worked hard to increase access to education so businesses, industry sectors and service sectors throughout the province can meet the demands of the future for highly skilled workers.

Health care. Next, I want to talk about health care. All of us, at one time or another, need to call upon our health care, whether it is to welcome a new baby into the world; have a routine health checkup; or address emerging issues, chronic issues, aging issues and, of course, those unexpected issues. As a benefactor of B.C.’s high-quality health care system, I am graciously thankful.

Health care is one of B.C.’s fastest-growing fields of employment and is an important part of a strong and resilient economy. Our government is making meaningful and impactful investments in our health care system by training more front-line workers to provide people the care they need, when and where they need it. Since 2017, our government has provided steady, ongoing annual funding for health education programs to public post-secondary institutions across B.C. and also pro­vided one-time additional investments to respond directly to health workforce demands.

I would like to highlight some examples of recent funding for health care education, which includes: new sonography programs at College of New Caledonia and Camo­sun College; an expansion of the nurse practitioner program at UBC, the University of Victoria and the University of Northern British Columbia; 311 additional specialty nursing seats at the British Columbia Institute of Technology, BCIT; a new northwest nursing program in Fort St. John; physiotherapy program expansion and distribution to Prince George; and occupational therapy expansion. Budget 2021 builds on this health education program growth with major new investments in nursing, allied health and targeted physician training programs.

[2:55 p.m.]

My ministry will be working closely with post-secondary institutions, the Ministry of Health and other partners in the coming months to finalize the details of where these expansions and new programs can make the most difference. Budget 2021 commits more than $65 million over three years to fund these key training investments for the health sector. Programming, training, re-skilling and up-skilling are just some of the ways our government is investing in and enhancing B.C.’s health care.

We are also making significant and necessary capital investments, which means that there will be more seats in nursing programs, rehabilitative therapy programs, medical laboratory science programs, the midwifery program and the list goes on. As Mahatma Gandhi said: “It is health that is real wealth and not pieces of gold and silver.” B.C. puts the health and safety of all British Columbians first. We will benefit for decades to come from the investment that is being made now to open up more training spaces for people who will be our future health professionals.

Technology has been able to connect our communities when we have been physically apart during this pandemic. B.C. is a leader in technology. Investing in technology and tech seats each year, we are supporting the important developments in our province. In 2018, our government announced an additional 2,900 technology-related spaces that will produce 1,000 additional tech graduates by the year 2023. The B.C. NDP government plans to increase investments of up to a steady state of $42 million a year. We are looking forward to working with partners to develop a plan for an additional 2,000 tech-relevant student spaces.

To help graduate students focus on their studies, since 2018 we have allocated over $15 million to graduate scholarships at ten public post-secondary institutions, which will support more than 1,000 awards of $15,000 each by 2023. This fund represents the largest investment in the province’s history in scholarships for graduate students.

Our post-secondary institutions have been a critical beacon of stability throughout COVID-19, and they will continue to be an essential part of propelling B.C.’s economic recovery. It is important that we continue to invest in our facilities and institutions to educate and train the workforce of the future for the emerging economy and to bolster economic development.

Some of the projects underway will provide jobs and economic boosts to our communities, including student housing at SFU, BCIT and Okanagan College and the new national centre for Indigenous laws at UVic. For instance, in Burnaby, there will be new capital investments at BCIT on a 464-bed mass timber student housing project that will cost $114 million. This process will create job opportunities across sectors and increase affordability and environmentally friendly student housing for students to study and live on the Burnaby campus. Ensuring that this work continues is why we’re investing $1.7 billion over the next three years in new and expanded buildings on public post-secondary campuses, as an investment in recovery and our future.

Budgets are about choices. The previous government chose to refuse to expand affordable student housing during their time in office, completing only 130 beds in their 16 years in office. We are making different choices. Our government is building 8,000 student housing beds with nearly 6,000 completed or under way. When British Columbians can access affordable post-secondary education and housing, we all benefit.

[3:00 p.m.]

COVID-19 sent us down an irreversible path, one with formidable obstacles. B.C.’s economy is facing unprecedented challenges. Everyone in British Columbia deserves a seat at the table, so that they can fully participate in British Columbia’s economy.

We know education levels the playing field, especially for underrepresented and vulnerable people. Times are changing. Nowadays, most of the good-paying jobs re­quire some sort of post-secondary education. I am deep­ly passionate about education and about improving the accessibility of post-secondary education, so that all learners can have the opportunity to be equal participants of our economic recovery.

I want to share two of my favourite quotes. One is by Kofi Annan, who says: “Education is the great equalizer of our time. It gives hope to the hopeless and creates chances for those without.” Similarly, Jim Clyburn said: “Education is a great equalizer and shouldn’t be limited to the wealthiest few.”

To help the people most impacted by COVID-19, our government committed $47.5 million in 2020-21 as part of the immediate response through StrongerBC, B.C.’s economic recovery plan to help thousands of people upskill or re-skill and to find their place in the post-COVID economy. The old government chose to leave people behind. Now more than ever, we need to build an economy that includes everyone. These investments include short-term skills training for in-demand jobs, Indigenous community skills training and education, targeted training for health and human services jobs and micro-credentials. New short-term training programs are giving British Columbians the tools they need to get back to work quickly.

Budget 2021 will provide further funding of $29.5 million to continue the work of the economic recovery plan. These investments are in addition to the ministry’s ongoing investments into post-secondary education, which are vital to B.C.’s economic development, and last September’s commitment to include a $20 million investment to support short-term skills training for almost 2,500 unemployed or precariously employed British Columbians. The new short-term skills training projects will help people upskill, so that they can access in-demand jobs in the community and get back to work more quickly.

In addition, we invested $15 million to support the ex­pansion of community-based skills training, an education program for approximately 1,700 Indigenous people whose employment has been impacted by COVID-19. These new training projects align with in-demand jobs in the community and will empower Indigenous learners to upskill so that they can access jobs and get back to work more quickly or pursue further education. Programs have been designed to respond to communities’ needs and priorities and are delivered in accordance with the Truth and Reconciliation Commission calls to action and B.C.’s Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act.

Health care systems are critical to ensuring that vulnerable residents in long-term care and assisted-living facilities get the care they need. That is why we invested $8.4 million in 2020-2021, and Budget 2021 commits an additional $30 million, so that more people can access training for 3,000 positions as health care assistants across the province. We are working with the Ministry of Health to ensure that people who want to retrain or upskill as health care assistants will be able to receive a comprehensive health care education, as well as essential on-the-job paid training, for a high-demand career through the health career access program.

[3:05 p.m.]

New short-term-duration, easy-access micro-credential programs are helping learners re-skill or upskill so that they can prepare for high-demand jobs in their communities and get back to work more quickly. A total investment of $9 million over two years is helping to support micro-credential programs for more than 9,500 British Columbians who want to re-skill or upskill to take advantage of opportunities in high-demand sectors.

As a part of the immediate response last summer, we invested $1.26 million in 2020-2021 to continue to provide training opportunities for people to build a good career in the high-demand field of early childhood education. To continue supporting B.C.’s ten-year health care B.C. plan, we will be investing an additional $1.32 million in 2021-2022 to continue the expansion of early childhood education programs at public post-secondary institutions.

To help provide support to our most vulnerable citizens, we’ve invested $800,000 in 2020-2021 so that more people can access training to become community mental health workers. These members of our communities provide invaluable supports, such as mental and physical health promotion, shelter support and addiction counselling to individuals who struggle with mental health and addiction issues. Budget 2021 expands our COVID-19 investments to include $5.5 million for the new work-integrated learning opportunities that will ensure that valuable, practical experience is a part of post-secondary training.

While the fight against COVID-19 continues, there is a light at the end of the tunnel. The work of the largest mass vaccination in B.C.’s history continues. Our institutions did amazing work throughout the pandemic to ensure that British Columbia’s post-secondary students could continue their studies. As a result, we have seen very few cases of COVID-19 transmission at our universities and colleges in B.C. While most classes are being delivered remotely to limit the spread of COVID-19, hundreds of thousands of students continue to receive the high-quality post-secondary education that B.C. is known for and are working towards a valuable credential.

There are some wonderful examples of pandemic partnerships and collaboration that I would like to share. Camosun College loaned a portable X-ray unit from its medical radiology program to Island Health and began manufacturing face shields. BCIT’s health sciences department donated ventilators, gloves, masks, gowns, face shields and sanitizing wipes to local health authorities. SFU students 3D-printed hundreds of medical mask ear-savers for Vancouver General Hospital staff, and VCC opened their kitchens to provide food for people in the Downtown Eastside and other food-insecure areas in Vancouver.

These are just a very few of some of the amazing and heartwarming stories that came out of our post-secondary institutions and communities this past year. I am so proud of all of our universities and colleges for the contributions they have made to the communities and around the pro­vince during the pandemic. I am so proud of the faculty, staff, leadership team and all the students and learners for their steadfast perseverance and resilience. They have all risen to the challenge and supported our communities when times of need were there.

My role as Minister of Advanced Education, Skills and Training continues to humble me. I am genuinely touched by the stories of students, faculty and staff who have gone beyond extraordinary expectations to give back to their campus communities.

Ryleigh, a master of arts student specializing in Fre­nch at the University of Victoria, is a recipient of the B.C. graduate scholarship. Ryleigh had intended on completing their master’s in one year, instead of two, to avoid the financial burden. When informed about their nomination, they were intrigued and began reorienting their research goals. Instead of narrowing their research path, Ryleigh embraced their opportunities, participating in two additional composite and graduate workshops, to prepare for their future.

[3:10 p.m.]

I continue to hear from students and stakeholders about concerns for issues such as racism, sexual violence, student debt, housing and mental health.

Many thanks to everyone in my ministry, and thanks to all of our students, faculty and staff — our post-secondary institutions who are coming together every day to ensure that B.C.’s post-secondary sector continues to be one of the best in the world. As Helen Keller ex­pressed so beautifully and eloquently: “Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much.”

Thank you, hon. Speaker, for this opportunity to speak on and support Budget 2021.

S. Cadieux: I will, as we do oftentimes with these budget and throne responses, just say a few words about some people that mean a lot to me.

The small but mighty team that got me re-elected this fall in the middle of a pandemic. It was truly bizarre campaigning virtually. But the team pivoted so nicely, and I appreciate their assistance so much.

A thank-you, as well, of course, to my husband Daniel for putting up with me 24 hours a day for the last year, taking over the den, as my makeshift office, with piles of books and papers everywhere.

To my constituency assistants, who have remained flexible and pivoted to working remotely as needed. They are a terrific support to me. Both Kiran Dhaliwal and Ekamjit Ghuman do tremendous work for the residents and constituents of Surrey South.

I want to make a special mention, as well, to Ekamjit’s brother, Kamalveer, who has been working through the pandemic on the front lines and as a COVID contact tra­cer. So a thank-you to him, specifically, and to all of our health care heroes that are really putting it all out there for us.

Lastly, to my parents, who I miss terribly — not being able to get together for our regular visits — but who regularly drive out and drop off Mom’s homemade soup and lots and lots of baking.

It’s been a long year, and we’re not there yet. You know things have gotten really bad when trips to medical ap­pointments become welcome outings. We’re all wishing for brighter days ahead. So please, if I can do a little PSA here, when it’s your turn, get vaccinated. And remember to continue to wash your hands, to social-distance, to wear a mask and not touch your face. With all of the talk on vaccinations, it seems we’re not hearing that much about the basics, and the basics still matter. So it’s worth repeating those facts.

Now, as I start my critique of the budget, I must comment first on my astonishment at the content of most of the government members’ speeches. Not the comments about how great they think the budget is, which are completely not surprising. But it’s been four years since they’ve been government, and they still seem to be spending a significant amount of time referencing B.C.’s Liberal governments, including Premiers who haven’t governed for more than ten years. It seems they’re incapable of standing on their own merits but, instead, must find time to dredge up their complaints from ten years ago and more.

They still, after four years, sound more like an opposition than a government. The “B.C. Liberals don’t care” message is old. It’s tired, and it’s just plain offensive. Think that if you want, but don’t insinuate that I don’t care about people. It makes the otherwise pleasant and respect-worthy ministers sound like trolls on Twitter. I would think ministers of the Crown could rise to their level of office. But then again, they also sound ridiculous repeating “the former government” over and over. These members are not able to recognize that they are the former government. Really. Get better writers, folks.

But I digress, because we should move forward, and I will move on and address the contents of the budget. First, I will give credit where I believe credit is due. I’ve done this in every budget the NDP has presented, and I will continue today.

While I don’t support much of the budget, and I’ll get to why, there are a few things that are supportable at first blush. Reconciliation funds to continue our work with First Nations on a government-to-government basis. Absolutely necessary. Child care worker wage enhancements. These can really make a difference in communities, and I think they’re the right thing to do. The expansion of Foundry centres. Of course I support these. I was one of the ministers that helped establish them in the first place.

[3:15 p.m.]

Mental health supports in schools. We know these are needed. Continued investment in CLBC. We know these investments are also needed. An income assistance in­crease, absolutely. I do support it, as the former minister. Now, I recognize it isn’t what the people were hoping or expecting from this government, and for that they will have to answer to the people, but I do think investments in income assistance were due.

Improvements to access to justice for vulnerable groups, especially for women and women fleeing violence. We need these things in place, and it’s good to see that government is looking to make that happen.

That said, though, that leaves a lot undone, promises unmet and priorities to question. Largely, I would suggest this second-term NDP government has let down British Columbians. Instead of big ideas, we’re getting big deficits and bigger government.

Think about it for a minute. If the economy is recovering so well on its own, as government keeps saying, and we don’t need a plan for economic recovery, then why on earth does government plan to spend $9 billion more than they have this year? Why are they predicting so many more years of deficits if the economy is growing?

It’s because they’re planning excessive spending and doing it under the cover of the pandemic. It’s COVID camouflage at best, because that’s what it is. In a year where the pandemic has decimated jobs across the country, the B.C. government is boasting pre-pandemic employment levels. Of course, what they neglect to tell you is that that’s because they have grown the public sector by 60,000 jobs, while the private sector has lost 40,000 that haven’t re­turned.

Where’s the plan to grow back the jobs in the private sector? Where is the post-pandemic economic plan? This government has been completely ineffectual at getting help to businesses, and now the money we approved more than a year ago is being pushed over to this next year because it still isn’t out the door.

At a time when British Columbians are looking for opt­imism and light at the end of the tunnel, as the Premier has quoted, the NDP has abandoned all commitment to affordability. They’re balancing the budget on the proceeds of a hot and hotter housing market. I don’t have to tell you or the folks that may choose to listen how absolutely hypocritical that is.

Every time they’re asked how added taxes on housing have helped make it more affordable, they talk about units and rentals, but they won’t tell you about how many of those units are rented and how many were affordable. They certainly are not there to discuss housing purchase prices because, despite all of the posturing of this NDP government over the years, they haven’t done a thing. Prices are up everywhere 20 percent over last year. Rents are up $2,500 a year. The time for “Trust me” has passed for this government and this Premier.

While British Columbians are facing rising counts of COVID and the spread of variants, people are worried about their health. They and businesses are worried about their economic well-being.

This government fails to put forward a real plan. The budget has no new supports to help people immediately. There is no new comprehensive funding for jobs and re­covery. In fact, the budget for that ministry has been lowered.

Now, admittedly, the NDP is sitting on 1.1 billion un­allocated dollars in recovery funding that they have no plan on how to deploy. I remember many a budget and many a year where they would call money put aside in contingencies a slush fund. We don’t hear them using that language today.

The $500 million InBC Investment fund is designed to exert government control over start-ups and ensure they meet NDP priorities like staying in B.C., which is, of course, great in theory but, if you’re a start-up, could be, potentially, very limiting. Time will tell.

[3:20 p.m.]

There is no new money for a struggling restaurant in­dustry under new restrictions, just the reworked and bot­ched business grant program. Maybe a little bit of money here or there to cover some lost money on the food costs at the beginning of this closure, but definitely not enough to support businesses from closing their doors. This government’s inability to get supports out to those who need them most and a failure to put forward any economic recovery plan is putting the future prosperity of British Columbians at risk.

In my riding, there’s a new restaurant that had the misfortune to open right at the beginning of the pandemic. It’s a beautiful restaurant. They serve wonderful food. They have great staff. They had a great staff. They haven’t been eligible for government programs because they weren’t in business the year before the pandemic. Meanwhile, they have overhead costs they can’t meet while they’re closed by government order.

Women and youth most affected by the pandemic. Ma­ny of them are from the restaurant and tourism sector. Well, there’s no plan to get them back to work or to support them in the meantime. When asked about how laid-off restaurant workers would be helped to pay their bills, the minister boasted about a minimum wage increase coming. Well, news flash to the minister. If you aren’t working, you don’t get a raise.

Let’s focus on women for a minute. In fact, the word “women” is mentioned 19 times in this budget document. It’s recognized or mentioned as beneficiaries of the lack­luster supports provided for the tourism sector. The budget document assumes, somehow, that 15 percent of investment is somehow going to save all of the women working in the sector their jobs. Investing what 15 percent of the sector needs to remain viable is somehow going to save all the jobs, and women are going to benefit. We’ll see.

It’s mentioned again as one in a group of beneficiaries of investment in access-to-justice programs, as I mentioned — much-needed programs. Not specific, though, to wo­men. They are just one of the beneficiaries of these potential new programs.

It’s mentioned once in the $3 million investment in trails infrastructure, which will provide exactly 72 jobs for women, Indigenous people and youth. Not a lot there for women.

Women are mentioned as a beneficiary of the $26 billion capital plan. They’re mentioned there because, on CBA capital projects, of course…. Let me just say, as an aside, it’s great if we can get more women into skilled trades. I’ve been a big supporter of that my whole time in government. But at this point, CBAs are only on seven projects, and at what cost? Is there a better way to ensure that we get more women into the trades without freezing out 85 percent of the construction workers in this province? This is in no way a big investment in women, nor an option for getting the majority of women displaced by COVID back to work.

Women are mentioned once as part of a group of groups that might benefit from a $5 million investment in micro-credentialling, if they need to go back to school or upgrade to get back to work. I was talking about micro-credentialling four years ago, when I was the critic for Advanced Education. The government hadn’t yet picked this up. So I’m glad to see this investment, but it certainly is not in­vesting in women.

Women are mentioned as a reason for the tax-free status of e-bikes, believe it or not, because fewer women ride bikes to work. Maybe if they had e-bikes, they would move to active transportation. Okay. So not the focus, just maybe a benefit.

Women are mentioned twice in the name of Women’s Hospital in an update of capital projects — nothing new there — and once in the note that women are more likely to be…. In fact, they’re 57 percent of the self-employed recipients of the B.C. recovery benefit that will not be asked to repay the grant if they accessed it in error — oh, whoopee. And three times as recipients of child care investments. This seems to really be the NDP go-to as support for women. I guess if you don’t have kids, you’re not important to government. I’ll come back to child care in a bit.

[3:25 p.m.]

Women are also mentioned once in a group of target groups for affordable housing investments. Of course, we know that four years into the NDP government, the NDP has only opened about 3,500 of the 114,000 units they promised. And they’re dealing with a homelessness crisis, not the low- and middle-income affordability that I believe the NDP was talking about when they talked about housing affordability. So no progress there.

Women are mentioned four times in the discussion of economic projections in the labour market, which all times notes women have been adversely and more affected by pandemic job losses. Yet no programs at all to target women in the workforce and get them back to work. What is this government thinking? Where is the plan?

There is no mention of the need to deal with wage in­equality for women in B.C. There’s no transparency about GBA+, gender-based analysis, measures in the budget this year, contrary to previous years. There’s no dollar promise to support the NDP’s promise in the election of free prescription contraception. That would be an investment in women. But it’s not there.

Government has a responsibility to be a leader and to guide our province through this pandemic and into economic recovery. But delaying vital relief, failing to implement policies necessary to protect and support families, communities and businesses and taking actions that serve their own self-interests before the well-being of British Columbians means they’ve failed our province and the people they’ve been elected to serve.

The Premier says he called a snap election in the middle of a pandemic so we could put politics behind us and B.C. could have a clear path forward. But it still seems he can’t find that path forward, even with a majority government. After failing to get the COVID relief to families and botching the small business supports and not providing a budget on time, by the end of this government’s second term, the NDP will have added the equivalent of $10,000 in additional debt for every British Columbian. That’s one heck of a plan to get ahead as a province.

This government is making a habit of breaking promises. There’s no renters rebate. Rents are up around the pro­vince, but no renters rebate. It’s absolutely vanished from the commitments.

Now, let’s come back to childcare. For years, the NDP has overpromised and underdelivered on its $10-a-day child care plan. This uncertainty is only adding to the stress that families are feeling. The current $10-a-day plan funds about 2,500 spaces in the pilot program. This budget adds 3,750 spaces. So my quick math, based on the data I saw as minister when looking at all the options for expanding child care in B.C. and on the plans put forward by the child care advocates who wanted the $10-a-day plan…. The promise for universal daycare is based on 63 percent of children zero to five, by the way — not every child, and nothing about before- and after-school care, but again, I digress — and would need to fund more than 150,000 spaces and cost more than $1½ billion a year.

[N. Letnick in the chair.]

So four years into the plan, even being generous and including the spots that are announced and not yet open, they will be at 6,250 $10-a-day spaces. That’s just over 4 percent of the way to their ten-year plan. At this rate, they must be taking lessons from the Housing Ministry, because they’ll take another 100 years to meet this promise too. Thank goodness for the federal government planning to sweep in and save them.

In this budget in the middle of a pandemic, where, on a relatively regular basis, the ministers of government tell us they can’t focus on that question or they can’t get you that answer because they’re focused on COVID, health authorities are going to see a cut of $1.1 billion. Families are struggling to find a doctor that’s taking patients. Others are scrambling as they learn theirs is retiring.

There’s a clinic in my constituency that has been desperate to recruit new doctors. They found a young couple from the U.K. willing to relocate to Surrey. But one of the doctors is pregnant, and this government won’t waive their MSP wait time to ensure she has medical coverage for her delivery.

[3:30 p.m.]

It’s these kinds of bizarre stories we hear about a government that’s unable to pivot and get creative to solve problems that British Columbians are facing today.

The Surrey hospital won’t be completed until 2028. Oh, wait, or is it 2027? The budget doesn’t even know. There is no plan. There is no money in the three-year fiscal plan to support it. An NDP member was out talking about it today and trying to explain away the differences and the challenges. “Oh, it’ll be open in 2027, and it’s just the landscaping that won’t be done until 2028.” Are you kidding me? I don’t think so.

The reason there’s no clarity in this budget and it’s just mentioned in notional funding is because they don’t have a plan yet. The budget says that the hospital will be net new beds as opposed to an entirely new hospital. So what is it they’re cutting? Is it beds at the cancer centre that currently exists at Surrey Memorial, and they’re moving those into this hospital? Why only 168 net new beds? Is that really investing in the largest and fastest-growing city in our province? Talking about hospitals…. Well, hospitals need doctors. The NDP promised a medical school in Surrey during the election. There’s no mention of that in this budget either.

Commuters are spending hundreds of dollars on gas and are waiting for the Premier to deliver on the gas price relief he promised almost two years ago, but the Premier hopes you’ve forgotten that one. Commuters are stuck south of the Fraser. They need a new safe replacement for the Massey Tunnel. They’re dreading ten more years being stuck in the travel bottleneck. Yet this government thinks it’s prudent to spend $50 million on new lights for the tunnel, insisting that the Massey replacement is a priority. But no. It’s seriously a new definition for the word “priority.” Better contact Merriam-Webster’s, because this budget has no funding for the replacement project of the tunnel.

The people crossing the Pattullo Bridge were shocked to find out, when this government announced it, that they were going to build a new Pattullo, exactly the same size as the current one, with at least an extra $100 million going into the pockets of union friends and insiders. But the project has already been delayed by another year. They announced this three and a half years ago. It’s already a year delayed, and it hasn’t even started yet.

The excuse is the fish windows in the river. The reality is that that’s a known issue. It should’ve been planned for. If they couldn’t get that right, this early in the project, why should we believe that next year or the year after will be any better? Add years, add costs. That’s how it works. So the yarn they’re spinning that this will be on budget is absolutely laughable.

There’s no money for the Surrey-Langley SkyTrain either. Well, sure, they talk about it in the budget. They’re planning to continue planning. We’ve heard that before: a plan to make a plan to get a plan. I think, again, this government is planning to wait until the federal government swoops in to save them once again.

Now, I’m happy that the NDP are continuing to invest in new schools in Surrey. But I was dismayed, the other day, when the Premier suggested that we did nothing and didn’t care. I’ve had to remind this government numerous times of the 14 new and expanded schools in my ridings alone during my time in government. Yet they have failed in their promise to the people to eliminate portables in four years. They were past that date, and we still have 360 plus — 30 percent more than when they took over.

Instead of just owning up and saying that they couldn’t do it, that they broke their promise, this government and the Premier continue to resort to statements that demean my efforts as an MLA, my real efforts, of getting government to address a very real and challenging rate of growth in the largest district in the province, the same problem that plagues them now. The thing is that it was their bravado. It was their promise. It’s their failure.

[3:35 p.m.]

As the Surrey school district adapts to the new COVID rules and the changing landscape of modern education, school districts are seeing a cut of $53 million. Surrey alone is looking at a $43 million deficit and no funding this year to continue safety protocols for COVID. Well, that’s interesting for a government that professes to care more about education than any government ever before.

There’s no mention of accessibility or inclusion in this budget. It’s concerning to me, because we know government is planning on accessibility legislation. Presumably there would be some money needed for implementation. But I guess that, too, will be a wait-and-see.

Ownership of their inherent failures to British Columbians is necessary. This government has blamed everyone and everything else — everyone and everything but themselves. They’ve blamed the third wave of COVID on millennials, warning them not to blow it for the rest of us. They’ve blamed the previous government countless times, and when they’re able, they blame the federal government. It’s always someone else’s fault.

We hope this government will move forward with openness, transparency and accountability for their own ac­tions, because people deserve that. When the Premier says that good ideas can come from anywhere, I agree. I ac­knowledge positive things in this budget. I acknowledge efforts of members of this government to do good.

But after failing to get COVID relief to families, botching small business supports — programs that we acknowledged were needed and provided financial support to government to put out there last year that have still…. After repeated calls from the opposition on how they could make the program work, the changes they could make and just being stonewalled by government, the promise and the sentiment that good ideas can come from anywhere rings really hollow from this Premier.

At a time when British Columbians are looking for opt­imism and light at the end of the tunnel — I know I am — British Columbians deserve so much better than this bungled budget. Let’s hope that this government can learn from its mistakes and move forward together.

Hon. B. Ralston: It’s an honour to rise in the House and speak to our government’s Budget 2021, a stronger B.C. for everyone. It’s an unprecedented budget for unprecedented times, a budget that recognizes that we’ve come a long way through the pandemic, and we can see light at the end of the tunnel. Perhaps the previous speaker can’t, but I definitely can, and I know many people can as more and more people get vaccinated.

Of course, we’re not there yet. People from all over our province continue to be challenged in ways we could never have imagined several years ago. Clearly people are worried. We are worried about our health, the health of our families and friends, as powerful and unpredictable variants of the virus move through our communities.

After over a year of relentless pressure, the physicians, nurses and other health care professionals and front-line workers continue to work long, demanding and stressful days. Our hospitals are under strain. Thousands of British Columbians have lost their jobs or had their businesses slowed or shuttered completely. Times continue to be tough. But we will get through this. British Columbians are resilient. People are working hard to fight the virus and get life back on track. People are looking out for one another, and our government is there working alongside people.

Budget 2021 is helping people now to address challen­ges, and it’s about building the foundation for a safe and prosperous future and a safe economic recovery. I want to make a few comments about the impact of the budget on my city of Surrey, the second-largest city and, one day in the future, the largest city in British Columbia.

[3:40 p.m.]

I’ll begin with talking a little bit about transportation. It has been said by some that the SkyTrain, the Surrey-Langley SkyTrain, does not appear in the budget. That is not accurate. In fact, on page 28, completing the planning for the Surrey-Langley SkyTrain project is included in the $7.6 billion transportation investments.

In the table on page 53…. I think it’s fair to acknowledge that the communications director for the Ministry of Transportation said that there’s $376 million allocated for the SkyTrain expansion, although — I’m quoting him — “it’s not an obvious line item.” It’s a line item in the budget, and $376 million is allocated to the Surrey-Langley SkyTrain. It’s for planning work and to get the whole business process started, the business plan for this immense project.

Previously thought to be built in two stages, it will now be built in one stage. It requires the final touches on the business plan. The work is beginning on it, and there is definitely money in the budget for it. I know those in Surrey, particularly the ridings and the areas of Surrey and of Langley that it will be established in, are very much looking forward to the completion of that project, and it will be completed.

Let me talk a little bit about health. Clearly, that’s uppermost on most people’s minds — protecting their health and the health of our communities through the pandemic. Since we formed government in 2017, we have made significant capital investments in health care. Let me highlight some of these investments in Surrey.

These investments include $4.7 million in provincial funding for MRI expansion and equipment procurement for the Jim Pattison Outpatient Care and Surgery Centre. I know the Minister of Health has made it a particular interest of his to expand the availability of MRI testing for ordinary people, operating the machines and providing the budget to operate the machines outside of what sometimes might be considered normal business hours. There’s been considerable expansion of the access to MRI testing, a vital part of medical diagnosis these days.

So $6.3 million for the renovation of the ambulatory care and chemotherapy unit at the Fraser Valley Cancer Centre. And $4.4 million for the Surrey Memorial in-patient psychiatric and seclusion room. These are important investments here in Surrey that have changed lives and saved lives.

Budget 2021 continues to underscore this government’s commitment to the health and well-being of British Columbians. It includes $900 million in new funding for COVID testing, contact tracing, personal protective equipment for front-line health care workers and the largest vaccine rollout in B.C. history. And $258 million in this year’s budget will help to keep long-term-care centres safe by providing additional supports for health care workers.

The government continues to make significant health care investments in the second most populous city in British Columbia and a growing municipality. Budget 2021 commits provincial funding to the new Surrey hospital. In the budget document…. Let me just turn to page 9. It appears in a number of places, but let me just, here, turn to page 9. “Budget 2021 funds significant capital investments for major hospital projects, including the new Surrey hospital and the cancer centre project. These are detailed in the capital section on page 50.”

On page 50 in the budget document…. I take this level of detail because there have been a number of suggestions, I think particularly in the last year, that this project was not proceeding and that it wasn’t in the budget. So again on page 50: “A net-new integrated hospital and cancer cen­tre in Surrey to help meet the needs of a growing and aging population.” It goes on to list the many services and the new cancer centre that will be constructed. Construction is planned to begin in summer 2023.

[3:45 p.m.]

That money is in the budget. It also appears in the capital expenditure projects, table 1.8 on page 59, the new Surrey hospital and cancer centre. It is in the budget, and construction will begin in 2023.

As one can imagine, building a modern hospital and cancer centre is a huge endeavour. It requires planning, a business plan and many other preparations for construction. But that project is underway. It will be designed to achieve net-zero on-site carbon emissions. It will be one of the first hospitals to achieve this status in Canada. So I’m very proud of the health care investments that prepare Surrey for the future.

As we all do our part to stop the virus from spreading and get vaccinated, we will soon emerge on the other side of COVID-19. With Budget 2021, we’re laying the groundwork to make sure that when that time arrives, we can move to a safe, exciting and prosperous future. That means making health care better and more resilient to prepare us for future challenges.

Our budget will reduce wait times for surgeries and give patients faster access to diagnostic imaging. We’re building new hospitals and new urgent primary care centres in communities around B.C. to give people better care closer to home. I’m particularly proud — I feel I have to mention it, as the MLA for Surrey-Whalley — that there’s a new urgent primary care centre in my riding, just across 96th Avenue from the Surrey Memorial Hospital.

As we look to the now, we’re also focused on protecting people’s livelihoods. B.C. is providing more supports per capita for people and businesses than any other province. Budget 2021 includes over $1 billion in further supports for people and businesses. We’re helping the most vulnerable in our society by delivering the largest-ever permanent increase in income assistance and disability assistance rates.

Budget 2021 invests $500 million to continue to expand mental health and substance use services to better connect people to the culturally safe and effective care they need. An additional $265 million in 2021 will maintain 3,000 emergency shelter and hotel spaces that have supported people facing homelessness with a safe place to go during the pandemic.

Budget 2021 builds on our strengths in our StrongerBC economic recovery plan to help businesses get through these most difficult days. Ongoing business supports include a tax credit for private sector employers who increased their payroll to new employees for compensation increases in the last quarter of 2020 and $195 million for the small and medium-sized business recovery grant program. That has responded to the public and is now easier to access and makes more businesses eligible.

With these and other investments, Budget 2021 is helping people and businesses get through the immediate challenges of the pandemic. Budget 2021 will help put people back to work and get businesses back on their feet.

The first step in helping people back on track is alleviating the stress of securing shelter. Since 2017, this government has made substantive efforts in helping British Columbians who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless. That includes $29 million in capital funding from B.C.’s supportive housing fund for 100 transitional beds and 30 shelter beds as well as $7.3 million for a 20-unit housing project and $9.4 million for a 103-unit housing project in Surrey.

Budget 2021 continues to provide capital investments for housing projects in Surrey. Through B.C. Housing’s community housing fund, we are providing $12 million to the Vancouver Resource Society for the purchase of a 91-unit project at 10626 City Parkway in Surrey. This project aims to provide affordable housing rentals to veteran seniors with disabilities. Through B.C.’s homelessness action plan, we are providing $16 million for a 61-unit project at 14706 104th Avenue. This modular apartment building will help the most vulnerable in our society get off the streets.

[3:50 p.m.]

We’re making record investments to create over 85,000 jobs in three years, building roads, schools, hospitals and more, right across the province.

Through Budget 2021, schools in Surrey are receiving much-needed provincial funding to ensure our children have a safe place to learn. The South Newton area elemen­tary is receiving $38.9 million from the province to pro­vide 655 student spaces with a neighbourhood learning centre. Sunnyside Elementary is receiving $11.4 million for an additional 215 new student spaces. Ta’talu Elementary is receiving $39.1 million from the province to provide 650 student spaces, with a neighbourhood learning centre. Morgan Elementary is receiving $10.4 million for 190 more student spaces.

K.B. Woodward Elementary. That, I’m obliged to mention, is in my riding of Surrey-Whalley. It’s an older school, but it’s a very successful school. It’s a growing one. It’s receiving $14.2 million for an extension, which will ac­commodate 240 more students. Prince Charles Elementary and Queen Elizabeth Secondary are receiving $11.8 million and $13.8 million, respectively, for seismic up­grades. We are supporting our families and communities by investing in the future generations.

While the pandemic has brought out the very best in most people, it has brought out the very worst in a few. The increase in racial attacks targeting minorities over the past year has been extremely saddening and alarming. Our government remains committed to fighting against racism and making B.C. more inclusive for everyone. We will continue to combat racism through the reinstatement of the B.C. human rights commission, stronger anti-racism supports for schools and the development of a new anti-racism act and legislation on race-based data collection.

Let me talk a little bit about our green recovery. Budget 2021 provides a clear road map for our post-pandemic economic recovery. It will help grow high-potential businesses in B.C. A new $500 million strategic investment fund will help to attract and anchor high-growth talent, businesses and good jobs in British Columbia. That will be coming forward very shortly.

As you would expect from the Minister of Energy, Mines and Low Carbon Innovation, I am particularly excited about the investments we’re making for a green recovery. Let me say a few words about that today. When we look around Canada and to other countries, there can be no doubt that a cleaner, low-carbon economy is the way forward as we build beyond the pandemic to the future. Through our continent-leading CleanBC program, we are already a leader in climate action, advancing programs across our transportation, building, and industrial sectors to reduce carbon emissions.

You can see that we’re blessed with abundant hydroelectricity in B.C. that is 98 percent clean, and we are seizing that advantage. You can see it on our streets, where you’re more and more likely to see an electric vehicle. Our zero-emission vehicle incentives have led British Columbia to the highest rate of uptake on new electric light-duty ve­hicles in North America, with more than 54,000 EVs on the road in December 2020. Not only is this good for the environment; the zero-emission vehicle sector contributes about $600 million to our provincial economy.

But going green has to be affordable for people. Beyond electric vehicles, a range of rebates and incentives are also helping to reduce emissions from homes and buildings and across industry. As we chart a course for recovery, we are building on the progress we’ve made to create a cleaner, stronger economy for everyone. Budget 2021 invests an additional $506 million in our CleanBC climate action plan. It takes our total CleanBC investments to nearly $2.2 billion. It includes a further $130 million for zero-emission vehicle incentives, EV charging stations and the electrification of school buses, ferries and government fleets and $10 million to develop policy on reducing the carbon intensity of fuel and developing the hydrogen economy in British Columbia.

[3:55 p.m.]

British Columbia is already known as a leader in the hydrogen economy, but there is therefore a strong economic base of world-leading companies to build upon and to develop that economy much more fully. We are investing $69 million to support energy efficiency in buildings, schools and communities and to reduce diesel consumption for electric generation in remote communities. We remain committed to developing a property-assessed clean energy framework to help home­owners and building owners finance energy-efficient improvements that can reduce costs in emissions. It’s sometimes a challenge to finance those kinds of improvements, particularly in older buildings. The so-called PACE program, property-assessed clean energy framework, will provide the means to do that.

With that continued funding of $519 million through CleanBC’s program for industry, we’re helping industries, including forestry and mining operations, reduce GHG emissions and stay competitive, with cleaner fuels, im­proved energy efficiency and innovative technology. Our mining sector has the potential and the capacity to supply many of the raw materials that will be needed to advance clean energy technology.

This sector is one where there is huge potential, given where we are in the resource pricing cycle. There’s a lot of real interest in investment in British Columbia and in many significant examples of new investments in British Columbia. I think particularly of the Artemis project, south of Vanderhoof, west of Quesnel. That copper-gold project is on track with the $200 million investment and working its way through the approval process. It has its EA, environmental assessment, already. I’m looking forward to seeing that mine opened as soon as possible.

Indigenous Peoples are key partners for our government as we advance reconciliation and strive to realize the full potential of our rich natural resources sector to stoke economic recovery. B.C.’s mining and mineral exploration sector is a leader in economic reconciliation with Indigenous people. This industry remains the largest private sector employer of Indigenous people in British Columbia, providing economic opportunities for rural and remote communities.

B.C. is the first province to sign mineral tax revenue-share with First Nations, having signed 48 benefit agreements. Revenue-sharing has provided $100 million to date to advance Indigenous community priorities and self-de­termination.

I’m pleased to see that Budget 2021 adds $60 million in annual funding to the Ministry of Indigenous Relations and Reconciliation to support Indigenous participation in land and resource activities, as well as $17 million from the StrongerBC plan to partner with Indigenous communities and organizations to expand access to skills training.

In British Columbia, with our highly trained workforce, our world-class advanced education and training institutions — you heard from the Minister of Advanced Education earlier in this debate — our clean electricity, our mining resources and expertise and our proximity to global markets, there is incredible potential to advance the development of clean technology, creating skilled jobs for people and economic opportunities for businesses and communities.

Budget 2021 invests $35 million in a new centre for innovation and clean energy to support the rapid scale-up and commercialization of energy technologies that can reduce carbon emissions. A further $25 million from Bud­get 2021 will help to expand partnership opportunities with the federal government to advance the development of clean technology, including continued support for the B.C. innovative clean energy fund.

To date, the ICE fund has committed over $100 million to support pre-commercial, clean energy technology projects, clean energy vehicles, research and development and energy efficiency programs. With these and other investments, Budget 2021 will drive our economic recovery forward, to a tomorrow rich in opportunity.

Let me begin to conclude. Our government recognizes that people are hurting now as we continue to battle with the global pandemic. But once everyone is vaccinated and we can start to put COVID behind us, we can look forward to a future that holds tremendous promise.

[4:00 p.m.]

Budget 2021 is about better health care, supporting people, helping businesses and building communities today and tomorrow.

In closing, I would like to thank the many, many people and organizations around the province who provided in­put and helped us build Budget 2021. Particularly, I’d like to thank the hard-working and dedicated staff and executives of ministries across government who helped to design the budget measures. I look forward to working with members on both sides of the House to advance and implement Budget 2021 for the benefit of the people of British Columbia.

Thank you very much for the opportunity to speak today.

B. Banman: It is, indeed, an honour to speak with re­gard to the budget on behalf of the constituents of Abbotsford South. I want to say what a privilege it is to be able to do so. Before I begin my comments, as I look out my window here, on the beautiful day that it is and acknowledge that it’s spring…. It’s a time of life being reborn. It’s a time of hope. It’s a time of being thankful and looking forward to whatever harvest or crops may lie ahead.

I think we’re all tired. We’re tired. This pandemic has taken a toll on us all. This pandemic, as the previous speaker mentioned, has brought out the best in people, and it has brought out the worst in people. I’m an optimist, so I think, now with spring around the corner, that there is hope. The grass is rising, the birds are returning, the flowers are…. I think that we just need to hang on a little bit longer.

I would urge anyone who is listening, including members of this House…. I know we go at one another during question period, but I was heartened by the conversations I’ve had with members of this side of the House, be it briefly in hallways or as we’re passing. I would encourage those throughout the province to just hang on there. There is hope. With regard to the budget, I think a lot of people had a lot of hope that this budget would bring an awful lot. You know, I don’t want to start off negative, but I think that it failed, in some regards, with regard to that.

I had high hopes, as did a lot of people, and I’d like to point out what I find good about the budget. The first thing I find good about the budget is the fact that it is spending more money on mental health. As we look at the toll that the pandemic has had on people’s mental health, I think, moving forward, that that’s a very important part. I commend the government on spending more money on mental health. It’s going to be needed.

We have people living on the streets suffering from mental health…. We have people living at home that are just clinging together, trying to make it through this, because they feel isolated and abandoned. They’re missing either their grandchildren, friends or family members, or just the ability to take a much-needed vacation somewhere else in the world.

I fear that it doesn’t go near enough. Of the one area in the budget that I was hoping for more, it would have been with that. I would say that partly what’s missing, I’ve been told, are the tools and mechanisms that people put in place to effectively utilize this money — especially for those that are suffering from mental illness and our homeless — to be able to get those people into the care that they need. I look forward to seeing what mechanisms will come in the future to be able to help those people, because this suffering needs to end.

[4:05 p.m.]

This human suffering that’s going on — I think we can all agree — is getting worse, not better, and it needs to end. In a time of pointing fingers and saying, “It’s because of this government or that government,” when it comes to this one issue, I think we need to get together and find some solutions. British Columbians demand it.

The other area that I’d like to commend is on Indigenous reconciliation. This is long overdue. I look forward to that. I think it’s a positive step, and I commend the government on it. I hope that it will lead a better path to reconciliation.

I want to commend and bring to point…. The previous speaker mentioned that, during this pandemic, there has been an increase in racism; there has been an increase in hate. I sadly concur with that. I would say a couple of things — one of which is, if this House were to get together and support one of my colleagues’ initiatives about educating and having an anti-racism education day, I think it would go a long way to help with some of this. We need to educate. This needs to end.

If you’ll allow me…. My best friend, growing up in high school, was a person of colour. He was African-American, and he was my best friend. I say “was” because, sadly, he passed away, literally during the election, for this particular session of government. I’m not one to cry very much, but I cried that day.

I remember that I was about 13. That was the disco craze. I remember saying to him, as we were watching one of the latest shows on TV — I believe it was Soul Train, as a matter of fact — I turned to him and I said: “It must be so cool to be Black.” Then my very dear friend looked at me like I had three heads and proceeded to tell me what it was like being Black, growing up in L.A. I honestly can’t remember the words that he said, but I do remember the pain and the hurt and the look on his face.

It’s time for this to end. Hating someone for who or what they are, what colour they are — it’s time for it to end. Anything this House can do to help with that, I think it’s high time.

I would say that governments themselves need to be cautious, because I believe that while we were all too busy pointing fingers at people as to why houses were unaffordable, hidden within that message was who it was that was buying these houses: foreigners, and we know from where. I believe that this has added fuel to that fire. It turns out that it wasn’t really that accurate after all, because now that there have not been any further purchases to speak of, we’ve seen some of the highest price increases that I’ve ever personally witnessed.

We inadvertently, while trying to point one way…. You know, there’s that old saying: “When you point your finger, you have three pointing straight back at you.” So let’s be careful who it is and what it is that we choose to be villains of the day. I don’t believe it was helpful, especially when it comes to Asian hate crime.

[4:10 p.m.]

Anyway, the other thing I think is the fact…. Going to something that’s positive, it was mentioned by one of my colleagues that there is a tax-free haven on electric bikes. I think that’s a great thing. Maybe it will encourage people to get electric bikes, but currently, electric bike sales are going through the roof. I kind of toss whether that’s a great idea or whether it’s just a lost opportunity for some badly needed sales tax and revenue.

The fiscal picture of this particular budget is bleak, to say the least. I believe that this budget is a budget of failed opportunities, broken promises and, in some cases, crush­ed dreams because a lifeline that people thought was going to be handed out to them is not there.

Let me start with the deficits. The deficit is expected to rise from $9.7 billion for 2021, $5.5 billion in 2022, $4.3 billion for 2023. The 2020 deficit has now reached $8.1 billion from $13 billion. Primarily, it’s down because of federal tax transfers. What bothers me, having gone through this in my lifetime, is that there’s no plan to reach a balanced budget in the near future — or the future, period — that I can see. I know that government has said that it’s too early to be specific and have a forecast for balanced budgets. Nobody, right now, expects this budget to be balanced. Nowhere across the row. Let’s be honest. But we need to have a plan to pay it back.

What bothers me the most is that, basically, every single British Columbian has been handed a credit card by this government, that they control, and currently, that credit card balance is $10,000 per person. My eight-year-old grandson now owes this government $10,000. Future grandchildren, future children, will be paying for the decisions that we’re making now. I think sometimes that gets lost. Worse than that, the rate on that credit card is going to increase. The amount of interest that is going to be asked to be paid is expected to rise because that’s what’s going to happen when Moody’s changes our credit rating.

Governments in the past, governments in other countries, have gone through this. When you get to a certain tipping point, the interest on your debt goes up. It seems like no big deal. We’ll just throw it aside. I’ll just keep making my minimum payments while the debt continues to accumulate. The problem with that thinking is that that debt, the interest on the debt, ends up going towards things that you would rather be paying for. I can’t go out to the movies that I would like to, because I’ve got to go pay that money out of my budget now on the interest on my credit card.

We need to be cautious that we are not setting up future generations for failure. Sooner or later, that money will have to be paid. I believe in paying my own debts and my own obligations. I believe in paying money that I have incurred during my lifetime. I don’t believe I should be saddling my kids with my debt.

[4:15 p.m.]

That aside, I talked about broken promises. If you’re a renter, twice now this government has said: “Hey, here’s 400 bucks.” It’s bad enough that this government called an election in the middle of a pandemic and made a bunch of promises to get people to vote for them, but twice now, the 400 bucks that was supposed to go to renters that badly need it is nowhere to be seen. That’s shameful. If you are going to make a promise, my granddaddy taught me, you keep it, best you can. If you can’t keep it, you apologize for it. I have yet to hear an apology. “Sorry. We promised you 400 bucks, but now you don’t get it.”

You also promised people $10-a-day daycare. Well, it’s a good thing that the feds are going to pick that up for you. Grandma and grandpa, the feds, are going to pick up your promises, because you couldn’t fulfil your own promises of $10-a-day daycare. If you’re going to use it as part of your platform, it’s pretty simple. Try and keep what you say you’re going to do. It’s a broken promise. This budget is full of broken promises.

In addition to that, there is no answer for the housing crisis that we currently see. Of the 100,000-plus places that have been promised, my understanding is that there are less than 4,000 that have actually been built. At that current rate, it will take over 100 years to fulfil the promise that was made. We have people living in the streets now. We need to roll up our sleeves and get to work and find a solution to that.

Making the promise is the easy part. Doesn’t take a heck of a lot to make promises. I can make them all day long. That’s, it appears to me, what this government did. Fulfilling those promises and obligations is a little bit more tricky, as this government is finding out. I believe they need to work harder to fulfil the promises they kept. I said it was about crushed dreams. We have a hospitality industry that is literally dying. We are watching the largest transfer of wealth from one group to another that I’ve ever witnessed in my lifetime. I’m watching big-box stores rake in profits like they’ve never done before.

I’m not anti–big box. I believe in balance. The small guys? The little ones where, actually, competition will keep the prices down, that favourite place that we all want to go eat…. It’s unlikely if they’re going to make it, and this government seems unable to get the money they need to them. I don’t really care what the reason is, whether it’s red tape or this is too tight or that…. Those businesses cannot afford to wait as we bungle our way through this. They need help now. I would encourage this government to reach out to the hospitality sector, to the tourism sector, and help.

But what amazes me, also, is that when I started going through this budget, here we’re going to have one of the greatest deficits we’ve ever seen, yet there are cuts in the most bizarre and unusual places. I’m trying to get my head around that — that there have been all of these different projects and government agencies that go. Well, with the exception of the Premier’s office, but I’ll let that go. I think that’s been nailed on enough — that he got 30 percent while other ministries are actually showing cuts in their budgets.

Let’s talk about the capital projects in my neck of the woods, in the Lower Mainland as well. The first thing is that we’re going to replace the Pattullo Bridge, four lanes, with — here’s some long-term vision — four lanes. Like that makes any sense whatsoever.

[4:20 p.m.]

The No. 1 freeway. It was supposed to have been widen­ed, all the way to Whatcom Road, to six lanes. That’s now being forecast to stop 500 metres short of the 264th exit — 500 feet on the Vancouver side. If anything, it should be 500 feet on the east of the 264 — which is, by the way, the fifth most likely place in British Columbia to have an accident — just for the pain and suffering of those that have to drive through that.

Goods and services. We need to understand that Vancouver is the largest port in Canada. The amount of cost just to get goods through that corridor rises all the time. The frustration rises all the time. We need to do better than that.

Then, of course, there’s the Massey Tunnel. I was a mayor, and I inherited some projects that I wasn’t particularly too wild about, but we fulfilled that because it was the right thing to do. In this particular case, money was washed away. You might as well have taken buckets of money and dumped it in the Fraser, because it went out to sea, never to be seen again. All of the money that was spent on all the pre-engineering just went downstream, never to be seen, never a benefit to be had by that. We could have actually been building on that solution now. Yet there’s a promise of fixing it, but I don’t see it. It’s large enough that it should be there. I hear lots of promises again, but I don’t see it.

Health care. I don’t see a heck of a lot going into health care. I don’t see…. There’s supposed to be 7,000 new front-line health care workers. Well, here’s the deal. If you’re going to do that, you’ve got to think a little ahead of time, because you’ve got to have somewhere to educate them. If you’re going to educate them, you have to have the people in place to be able to do that. You have to have the facilities in place to be able to do that, yet I see cuts to education.

Other than the Premier’s riding getting a few new schools, for the rest of us, it seems to be all on hold. There’s nothing there for Burke Mountain or the Olympic Village schools. There’s no money to eliminate the portables in Surrey. I listen to RedFM. Nobody was too happy when they found out the portables are still there to stay for the indefinite future. Then there’s the Surrey hospital, but it doesn’t appear as if it’s got any immediate funding. We’ll see whether or not that becomes yet one more broken promise.

I would love to find lots of positive things to say about this particular budget, but I can’t. I’ve mentioned a few. But overall, this budget, to me and to those I talk to, is just a recycling of old ideas, and it doesn’t really have anything visionary or new. It was the time to be bold. If any time was the time to be bold, it was now. You’re going to be in deficit spending, anyway. Now is the chance to really do something. Yet this thing misses the mark.

It’s not just the opposition that is talking about it. If you go to the Canadian Federation of Business, they think the restrictions that are in place and other concerns around COVID additional funding would have been appreciated in this budget. They didn’t get it. The budget “provides little for small businesses hoping to see additional supports to bridge the economic recovery,” from the CFIB. “The budget was a missed opportunity to help businesses through the immediate and current crisis to provide a plan to help them recover in the long term,” from the CFIB.

The Greater Vancouver Board of Trade said the budget doesn’t include a lot around economic recovery. What’s go­ing on to set us up for recovery in the long term to ensure that we’re competitive? What is going on during this global post-pandemic? They say they didn’t see that vision at all and that they were hoping that the government would be bolder in its vision, particularly around finance, tax and regulatory reform.

[4:25 p.m.]

Then there is the case of…. If it’s a project that is within the province, you’ve got to be, as has been mentioned, a member of one of the special groups in order to participate in that. Small, independent contractors will be cut out of those. Many of those smaller contractors, I would say — and I would remind them — are also independent contractors that happen, generally, many, many times, at least in my area, to be immigrants. Those are the business entrepreneurs. They’ve had the door slammed in their face because they’re not part of a union, and they’ve been told they can’t participate. It’s not fair. These so-called community benefits really don’t benefit the community. They only benefit a very select few. That just is so unfair.

I could go on and on with regards to what other people have said, but I think at the bottom end of the day, this budget comes up short. It’s recycled old promises. It doesn’t really have a vision. I don’t know why it took so long to put this together. If all you were going to do is recycle an old budget, why did we make everybody wait?

We’re in the middle of a pandemic. What people need is help, not delays. What they needed was leadership, where everybody was playing nice in the same sandbox, and they’ve got a pause in the middle of a pandemic when they could least afford it. We’ve now dragged out this budget much, much longer than it should have.

I believe that the citizens of British Columbia deserv­ed a little better. I think that they deserved to have their needs met, especially during the pandemic. I think there was a willingness from all three parties to see that that would happen. You can’t blame everything on old regimes. This is no longer a new government. This government has been in power for quite a while now. It’s time they started taking responsibility for their own broken promises, for their own failed, blundered missteps, and roll up their sleeves, get to work and fix this mess. This budget, in my opinion, does little about that, but we’ll see what the people have to say.

In spite of that, I’m still hopeful, but I don’t think that I have a lot of hope coming from this government. My hope is now shifting to the small entrepreneurs that will find a way to get through this and will find a way to overcome the obstacles and the shortcomings of this budget, regardless of the circumstances they have, not because they want to, but because in order to survive, they’re going to have to. I believe in that internal spirit that exists — that no matter what, tomorrow is going to be a better day than today, and I will find a way to get through this because my family is depending on me.

I just didn’t see a lot of hope for those families in this budget. I saw a lack of vision, broken promises and not a lot of hope.

With that, I think I will pass my time on to someone else and conclude my remarks. Thank you for the opportunity to speak to this, Mr. Speaker. I look forward to seeing what can be improved in the days and weeks and months ahead. Be safe out there.

S. Chant: Thank you so much for the opportunity to speak today.

I’m rising in the virtual House today and speaking from the unceded territory of the Musqueam, Squamish and Tsleil-Waututh Nations, where I’m always learning and fortunate enough to live.

[4:30 p.m.]

I am speaking in support of Budget 2021. Unlike other people, I have very positive feelings about it. I feel that we are providing a budget of hope, providing a budget that allows for moving forward, providing a budget that allows us to get beyond COVID and get back to the British Columbia — or get to the British Columbia — that we know we have and can create.

[S. Chandra Herbert in the chair.]

I speak not only as an MLA, but as a constituent of British Columbia today, as a parent, as a wife, as a working nurse, as a longtime advocate and representative of adults and seniors in our health care system and as a friend of many people who trust me enough to come to me with their worries and their concerns.

“Budget” has a different connotation to all of us. The one we are discussing today is often mysterious to people outside the chamber. As I have been listening, it’s kind of mysterious to some of us inside the chamber too, because what is good for one person doesn’t appear to be able to be positive for somebody else.

A while ago, prior to 2017, many of us could not understand why there were layoffs in vital sectors of health care when there seemed to be lots of funds for other provincial priorities. Clinicians and care providers in long-term-care facilities were laid off, and some were rehired at lower wages — if they were lucky. Various services in hospitals — cleaning, food provision and laundry — were outsourced, again resulting in job losses, quality and quantity control issues and increased administration costs.

Where was the ultimate impact of those things? On the patients who rely on the front-line providers for caring support. Support that allows those patients to either recuperate sufficiently to return to their former lifestyle, help them to mitigate cognitive or physical losses or if absolutely necessary, transition these patients to a higher level of care in a supportive care environment. Those patients are the ones that wore those cuts. They are the most vulnerable of B.C.’s folks.

The burden of this was also shared by the front-line providers that tried to keep up basic standards of care for all those they were working with.

I have seen firsthand the moral distress of patients, their families, their caregivers and the health care staff trying to manage the unmanageable: families who wanted to keep their loved ones at home but could not manage 24 hours a day, seven days a week complex care; their dismay when they found out the staffing ratios in long-term-care facilities, particularly at night; their arrangements to have someone from family or hired to come into the facility to ensure that their loved one would have the opportunity to walk regularly or even to have an unhurried, fully consumed meal; families and clients who waited months to access limited respite care beds; or clients who needed a specialized care environment to manage complex physical, cognitive and behavioural needs. Waiting at home with low numbers of resources may be better if the family could afford to augment them, either in time or in money.

Don’t even get me started on mental health services. The availability, the variety or the capability and capacity of programs to deal with the needs of a broad spectrum of patients — culturally sensitive, age-appropriate, in-patient options, out-patient options. Maybe, if a person was in the right time and the right place, they might get the right help. However, most of the time before 2017, that help was inadequate.

Fast-forward to today. The gaps in the seniors care program, particularly long-term-care environments, have been made painfully clear — gaps resulting from the accumulated impact of cuts made earlier. The budget seeks to remediate these gaps through increasing staffing and increasing the availability of staff and other resources to support our elderly. This support aims to do this in a dignified and caring environment that can manage a broad range of physical and cognitive care needs effectively. Ad­ditionally, we have a Parliamentary Secretary for Seniors, a confident and effective advocate who we can count on to keep the momentum going towards many improved outcomes for our seniors.

Our mental health systems were also in a deplorable state. When we started to assess the priorities in 2017, it was immediately recognized that mental health needed a minister and a ministry that could focus attention, planning and resources on this challenge.

[4:35 p.m.]

The opioid crisis, with its addiction components. The emerging pictures of PTSD, the increasing awareness and destigmatization of mental illness on an international basis and many other factors have cemented the ongoing need for a strong, stable, available and effective suite of mental health services that are available when and where needed. Again, Budget 2021 speaks to this goal with increased numbers of treatment beds for youth and adults, requiring ongoing funding to ensure efficacy; the opening of more Foundries across the province, again, speaking to the needs of our young people; and a solid, ongoing plan that tackles the components of the opioid crisis, including the previously unheard-of step of training nurses able to prescribe addiction management medications.

The cost of the vaccination program alone is enormous. The effort that is made to deliver this logistically complex program of supply and distribution — the cost of that is mammoth. However, it’s in the budget. It’s needed. It’s there. Of course, this budget continues to address the ongoing needs of British Columbians towards the management of COVID-19. I can’t even imagine what other jurisdictions are going through to try and determine immediate steps and those to be taken going forward. However, I am truly proud to be part of a government which has taken strong, firm and effective leadership in managing the impact of this pandemic and continues to do so while still maintaining the business of a diverse and vibrant province.

We will get beyond this pandemic through working collaboratively and maintaining our momentum towards a bright and prosperous future. Our government has been consistently working with the people and businesses of B.C. to provide ongoing support throughout the pandemic, using mechanisms to reduce costs to households, such as increased availability of $10-a-day daycare. In my riding, Capilano University has provided 70 new child care positions. These not only provide a safe, stimulating and fun care environment for the children but security for their parents, allowing those parents to get on with their work or education.

Additionally, these child care seats provide an active practicum environment for a further group of early childhood education students. These people will later staff greater numbers of daycares. Not only that, but they will be able to look forward to a higher income and a broader opportunity in the jobs sector.

The other part of this is that kids can now travel on buses for free. This allows households to have a little bit more incidental money to put towards other things. As well, there will be funds going towards culturally sensitive child care in our Indigenous communities, something which has been overlooked for a very, very long time. The COVID benefit increases in income, disability and seniors assistance are also all there to put more money in the pockets of our B.C. people. In my riding of North Vancouver–Seymour, I have so many who will benefit from these increased supports.

I met a mom, who currently lives in a subsidized housing environment, who works from home to create puppets which are usually used to tell children stories when she’s able to go out and go to different schools. She is constantly worried about food security, child care and income and now has found that when she looks at her budget for the coming year, she’s actually going to have more to put towards these critical parts of her life and the lives of her children. Now what that allows her to do is spend more time thinking about things she can do rather than what she cannot do.

[4:40 p.m.]

On the topic of businesses, a full suite of benefits is in place and continuing to support our small and medium businesses in order to help bridge beyond the pandemic. In the fullness of time, these businesses will be there to once again thrive as active participants in our vibrant communities. The 2021-22 budget has made room for that to happen.

This budget will also continue to support the people and economy of B.C. to recover from the pandemic through job creation, infrastructure investments, stren­gthening provision of health and mental health care, promoting opportunities for our youth to participate and train in a broad spectrum of vocations. Once again, tourism will be able to rebuild and host world citizens to enjoy our nature, beauty, creativity and diversity, and to facilitate B.C. folks to resume exploring other parts of B.C., Canada and the world.

Part of the work ahead is making sure that everybody has options for a safe place to live, thrive, and learn — initiatives to resolve homelessness, provide low-income and below-market accommodation and build new homes for middle-income families. Working towards resolving the opioid crisis through reducing the shame and stigma, stopping the toxic drug supply, providing alternative treatment options and no longer looking at it as a legal and a criminal issue — these will all lead to­wards a variety of solutions needed to reduce the death toll and enhance prevention.

We also have focus on husbanding our environment, remediating in some places, protecting and enhancing in others, using diverse methodologies in our urban, suburban and rural expanses to work to ensure our province remains alive, sustained, productive and preserved for future generations.

This budget provides a solid platform for B.C. to ride out the pandemic and start a rebuild towards our strong, safe and healthy British Columbia.

Noting the hour, I reserve the right to continue speaking at the next sitting and move adjournment of the debate.

S. Chant moved adjournment of debate.

Motion approved.

Deputy Speaker: Maybe I will suggest we take a short recess. We will take a five-minute recess, Members. Thank you.

The House recessed from 4:43 p.m. to 4:44 p.m.

[S. Chandra Herbert in the chair.]

Hon. M. Rankin: I call committee on Bill 3.

Committee of the Whole House

BILL 3 — EMPLOYMENT STANDARDS
AMENDMENT ACT, 2021

(continued)

The House in Committee of the Whole on Bill 3; S. Chandra Herbert in the chair.

The committee met at 4:45 p.m.

On clause 1 (continued).

G. Kyllo: If the minister could just advise this House: why are employers not allowed to ask for a medical note as proof of their request to obtain a vaccination?

Hon. H. Bains: If you look at subsection 52.13(5), it gives an employer authority to ask for reasonable and sufficient proof of an employee’s entitlement to the paid leave. A medical note should not be required for a vaccine that is available to all and which the public is being actively encouraged to obtain.

I don’t think that there is any requirement, in order to go get vaccinated, that you must have a doctor’s advice or a doctor’s direction to go and get vaccinated. Everyone is entitled to go and get the vaccination, so therefore, there is no need for a doctor’s note. That’s number one.

Also, if the employer needs to, they can ask for sufficient or reasonable proof that the employee is going to go for a vaccination. I think we canvassed this issue at great length previously.

G. Kyllo: Actually, this is the first time that I’ve canvassed any questions with respect to this particular section of the bill.

As he’s indicated that there is no need for the request of a medical note, I’m just wondering if the minister could further explain why it is specifically set out as an exclusion to prohibit the opportunity for an employer to ask for the medical leave, if, as the minister has indicated, it is not necessary?

[4:50 p.m.]

Hon. H. Bains: It’s consistent with the previous changes that we made not to strain the already strained medical system, when we brought in changes where job-protected leave was granted to workers if they have a COVID-related illness and also there’s sufficient reasonable requirement of the proof of vaccination.

Just to clarify that there’s no need for a doctor’s note in order for people to go and get a vaccination. Just to clarify that part.

G. Kyllo: If I’m hearing the minister correctly, this particular subsection is put in place to provide additional clarity.

Can the minister advise this House if he feels that this specific subsection contradicts the previous subsection, which actually provides the opportunity for an employer to request proof confirming both: (1) that an employee has actually booked an appointment for their vaccination and (2) that they’ve actually received their vaccination. If the minister could just clarify and confirm for this House that he does not believe that this particular subsection does not contradict the previous subsection with respect to verification.

Hon. H. Bains: I think, when you’re looking at those two different clauses, the first one is proof that your appointment for vaccination is there, and that the employer can ask for reasonable and sufficient proof for that. We canvassed that quite a bit the other day. This one here is…. This is not part of that “reasonably sufficient” requirement of proof of vaccination.

Again, it is also not to strain the health care system, and also, there’s no need for a doctor’s note in order to get a vaccination, but it’s just to further clarify that sufficient and reasonable proof is what we canvassed the other day. The requirement of a doctor’s note is not part of that.

G. Kyllo: It’s a bit of a follow-up. This is one of the concerns I know we canvassed at great length the other day that has to do with the ability of the employer to specifically request proof and verification of two pieces: (1) specifically the actual scheduling of an appointment for vaccination, and (2), the second part, was the actual vaccination or the receipt of vaccination of the employee. I asked some very specific questions of the minister just to provide a bit of clarity.

[4:55 p.m.]

Unfortunately, the minister was unwilling to provide that clarity. So I think it’s really important at this particular juncture where we have one clause that specifically sets out the ability of employers to specifically request proof or validation or verification both of the scheduled vaccination appointment and then also proof that the vaccination has actually been completed. There were those two pieces that we specifically referenced at great length the last time we met.

Yet this specific clause that I’m canvassing a question on today does not allow or does not permit an employer to actually request a medical note. If the minister could provide a bit more clarity — because I think that’s what we’re looking for today — just to satisfy this House and those that might be listening or those that may be reviewing the Hansard record in years ahead — because I know there will be a significant number of challenges on this particular piece…. If the minister could just clarify and assure British Columbians that these two clauses in no way contradict one another and will not provide any ambiguity to those that are seeking to look specifically at this legislation in order to make rulings in the future.

Hon. H. Bains: The answer to the question is that they do not.

G. Kyllo: Great, thank you very much.

Moving on, this is in respect to subsection 7. This particular section allows the Lieutenant-Governor to repeal the entire bill by order-in-council. The minister, through his own admission in his opening comments and subsequent conversations, has indicated that it is the intention for this piece of legislation to be repealed when the COVID-19 health emergency orders are lifted. But it does not specifically set that out within this legislation.

I’m wondering if the minister could clarify and confirm for this House one further time: when does he foresee Bill 3 being repealed under this particular section?

Hon. H. Bains: A good question, and I would say this to the question. Subsection 52.13(6) recognizes that the need for this leave is time-limited while COVID-19 remains a threat. So I think we will be following the emergency and the threat of COVID, and the decisions will be made at that particular time.

[5:00 p.m.]

G. Kyllo: Thank you, Minister, for that clarity.

As a bit of a follow-up, the COVID-19 emergency orders that are currently in place…. I think we can all appreciate there will be a time when those orders are lifted and we’re no longer under a health emergency. Now, the language that’s set out in this particular legislation references a threat, the threat of COVID. I think that even anyone that’s listening to the news media or listening to commentary from health professionals, not just here in British Columbia or Canada but around the globe…. They have indicated that the threat of COVID will be with us for many, many years into the future.

Just wondering if the minister can provide clarity on if the intention is for this bill to be repealed upon such time as the emergency orders are lifted. Or is the specific language, just referencing the threat, put in place to allow the government to continue to keep this bill in force and effect for as long as COVID may be still prevalent around the globe?

Hon. H. Bains: Let me try a different way of explaining the same thing, the same answer.

This section provides that section 52.13 can be repealed by order-in-council when the COVID-19 crisis has ended and the legislation is no longer required. I think we would be following the guidelines and the instructions from the provincial health office to advise us that the COVID-19 threat no longer exists. That’s the time when we could make that decision.

It’s very difficult, at this stage of the game, to put in a firm deadline when we can and may repeal this particular…. The intention is to repeal it once the COVID-​19-related threat is no longer there.

G. Kyllo: I don’t want to belabour this particular point, but there is a distinct differentiation between when government and our chief medical officer feel that the imminent threat that’s upon us right now, of COVID, will come to a close; the current health orders will actually be rescinded; and we’ll go back to what, I guess, we’d more perceive as, hopefully, a new normal. However, having said that, COVID will be with us for a long time. There will always be a threat of COVID, no different than there’s a threat of many different viruses and flu seasons — influenza or whatever it may be.

I think that this particular bill that puts a significant cost burden on the backs of employers…. Businesses around the province, I think, are looking for some clarity and some certainty. I would — as well as, I think, many other business owners — certainly feel a bit more relief if the minister were able, or the government were able, to pro­vide some assurance to businesses that when the health orders are lifted, with respect to the current pandemic, this bill would be rescinded.

But the current language is a little bit ambiguous in that the threat of COVID could be with us for hundreds of years into the future. The current way this bill is actually drafted, it certainly, from the explanation the minister has just provided, seems to indicate that even if the health orders were removed, with respect to COVID, as long as COVID is still prevalent around the globe, this order could stay in place.

[5:05 p.m.]

I’m just wondering if the minister would be willing to give consideration of tying the rescinding of this piece of legislation to the lifting of the current pandemic health order.

Hon. H. Bains: I think the member and I, and if there are concerns from the employer…. I think we’re pretty well on the same wavelength — that when the threat of COVID-19 is over, we will be following the guidelines from the provincial health officer.

Again, remember that this is about paid leave for vaccination. So if two doses are done, every employee has the opportunity to go get both doses. They would be covered under this legislation. Then if the provincial health officer decides, at a certain time after, that the COVID-19 threat no longer exists and no more vaccination doses are needed, I think that’s the time we would make that decision, and that’s the intention.

G. Kyllo: I do appreciate the fact that the legislation has within it the ability for the legislation to be repealed through order-in-council. I do appreciate that. However, the minister speaks of the need for British Columbians and for businesses to have certainty. Unfortunately, I think that the vagueness of the end date for this legislation…. It actually does the exact opposite.

We know that influenza and flu shots have been around for a number of years, and they will continue into the future. From what I have read, in the newspaper and otherwise, COVID-19 likely will be with us for many years to come. There will be opportunities…. Whether it’s for mandatory vaccine shots or otherwise, I think that we can all anticipate that a requirement for vaccinations, going into the future, will be around for many, many years. So just the fact that there will be, likely, a requirement for further vaccine shots certainly seems to lead to the conclusion that the threat will be around for many years.

The potential for this added cost burden could carry on in perpetuity, and I think it’s a very valid concern for business owners — the imminent impact of COVID-19, with respect to the pandemic that we’re currently fighting, that is front and centre and right before us. But what may happen in the future…. Businesses certainly don’t have that certainty.

[5:10 p.m.]

I’m wondering why there is not an opportunity to end the uncertainty, potentially, by putting a finite sunset clause for Bill 3, in which case it would be repealed in conjunction with the lifting of the COVID-19 emergency health orders. I’m just wondering if that would be something that the minister and government would consider, to provide that certainty and clarity to business owners.

Hon. H. Bains: I share the concern that the member has. I wish I knew when the COVID-19 emergency will end. Right now no one can predict that. This virus is changing every day and has been changing every day. Right now we contemplate that two doses are needed. A member, the other day, asserted that there could be a third dose. He may know more than the medical professions. I don’t know.

I think the issue is…. We will be following the guide­lines of our provincial health officer — a very capable one, by the way. I think that’s how we will make decisions. Again, I can only tell you that the language is very clear. “This section may be repealed by order of the Lieutenant Governor in Council,” as I explained, once the COVID-19 threat is over.

I wish I had a better, definitive timeline. Our advice, every day, from the doctor, is that once 70 to 80 percent of the population is vaccinated, I think most of the threat will be over. Then they’ll need to make a decision at that particular time: are we at that level? We will be following the guidelines and the instructions from the provincial health officer. that will be the right time to make that decision. I think the thing is that once the COVID-19 threat is over, this bill will be repealed.

G. Kyllo: Thank you, Minister, for the response. None of us can predict when the pandemic will be over. I’m certainly not expecting the minister to somehow try and predetermine when that may be. But we do know that at some point in time, our chief medical officer, Dr. Bonnie Henry, will lift the emergency orders.

The minister, I believe in his opening comments last week, had indicated that Bill 3 is largely here because of the COVID-19 pandemic that is before us. Through the minister’s own comments, it’s apparent that at some point in time our chief medical officer will lift the emergency health orders. That, I think we would all estimate, would be coincidental with the ending of the pandemic. It doesn’t mean that the threat of COVID will not linger on for many years ahead, but the pandemic that is before us and the extraordinary measures that this bill is intended to assist with, I believe, will come to an end when the health orders are lifted.

I’m not asking for the government or for the minister to try and guess into the future on what date it may be, but I do think it’s a very valid argument to be raised in this chamber to provide the clarity and certainty for businesses. Tying the rescinding of this bill to when the current emergency health orders are lifted does make sense.

I think a lot of business owners and British Columbians would understand that there is a time and a place in the future when the emergency health orders will be lifted. At that point in time, the extraordinary provisions of this bill would also be rescinded, rather than tying it to some hypothetical date or condition. As the minister has indicated, if that is the current condition which would allow for the rescinding of this bill, I don’t know that the threat of COVID will ever disappear. It is important, I believe, Mr. Chair, with all due respect to the minister, to provide that clarity.

[5:15 p.m.]

The current language…. The threat of COVID will be here, I’m quite certain, for tens if not 50s of years into the future. This bill, although it’s predicated — and the minister has indicated it is here — for an extraordinary measure during the pandemic, from the way that the bill is worded, it certainly appears that this will be with us forevermore.

Just one last time to the minister, if he could just provide some clarity and certainty to British Columbians that either…. Will the rescinding of this legislation be commensurate with the lifting of the emergency health orders with respect to COVID. If not, might he be willing to give consideration to tying it to that specific date that we know will happen some time in the future?

Hon. H. Bains: I have tried to be as precise as I could be. Let’s look at the purpose of this bill. The purpose of this bill is to encourage every worker to go get vaccinated, because that is good for the workers, good for the businesses and also good for the community where the workers go and live, and their families. Once they are all vaccinated, the workplaces are safe and the workers’ health and safety is protected. Now, that’s the purpose of this bill — to encourage every worker to go and get vaccinated, and the vaccination is to deal with COVID-19 and this pandemic.

Once we’re advised that that threat is no longer there and that the purpose of this bill is already served, we need to somehow make the next decision. A number of considerations come into play. The member mentioned one of them. So I think that that will be a time for us to make that decision — once the pandemic is over and people are vaccinated. You know what? That’ll be the time to make those types of decisions, having all kinds of different considerations at that time.

G. Kyllo: Okay. Well, I believe that what Bill 3 is actually doing is putting a cost burden onto the backs of employers that will remain long after the emergency health orders are lifted. I think it would be quite easy for government to tie the repealing of this particular piece of legislation to when the emergency health orders are lifted. Government is choosing not to do that. I believe that that is specifically done with the anticipation that…. We can all appreciate that COVID-19 will be with us for many years into the future.

Although the minister had indicated in his opening remarks that this bill would, largely, only be in place while the pandemic is upon us, that’s not necessarily the case, because the provisions of this bill do allow this bill to stay intact and not be repealed while the threat of COVID still exists around the globe. I don’t think any of us have to go much further than just listening to the briefings of Dr. Bonnie Henry and the Minister of Health to come to the realization that COVID will be around for many, many years into the future.

[5:20 p.m.]

I think it’s important to put on the record, for any businesses that may be watching from home, that this is not a one-shot deal to get us through the pandemic and then the costs associated with Bill 3 will be repealed. It appears that the language is purposeful by allowing the opportunity for this legislation to stay in place in perpetuity, going forward, which is a very different conversation than I believe was undertaken as part of the outreach that was rammed through in three short weeks with business groups around the province.

I’ve spoken to a number of businesses, even those that participated in the round table. The way that the potential opportunity for paid leave for workers in order to get vaccinated…. The way that conversation was prefaced was very different from the actual application of this bill, going forward. But thank you, Minister, for providing that clarity — or maybe lack thereof.

With respect to section 2, this is a specific section that indicates that Bill 3 will be retroactive to first reading, which, for viewers that may be listening from home, was last Monday. I’m just wondering if the minister is able to just provide this House with what the thoughts were….

The Chair: Sorry, hon. Member. If I might suggest, if we finish clause 1, then we can move to clause 2. We’re still on clause 1. We haven’t voted on clause 2 yet. So if you have no further questions on clause 1….

G. Kyllo: I think we’re finished with clause 1.

Clause 1 approved.

On clause 2.

G. Kyllo: Thank you very much, Mr. Chair.

As I was saying, and as a further question to the minister, with respect to Bill 3 being retroactive to first reading, I just wonder if the minister can just share with this House what the thought process was of government in arriving at that specific date. Again, as I mentioned, that would mean that should this bill pass, this legislation would be retroactive to last Monday.

[5:25 p.m.]

Hon. H. Bains: In having the act effective retroactive to the date that it was introduced into the Legislature, April 19, we believe it will maximize the paid COVID-19 vaccination leave coverage for working-age British Columbians, as we are moving very quickly to working-age populations who need to be vaccinated. That’s the purpose behind it, and it also provides certainty that that’s the date that it would be effective. We said that publicly. That is exactly what’s listed here in the bill. Workers know and the employers know when it’s effective, and anyone who needs time off to go get vaccinated while starting that day knows fully well what their rights and obligations are.

G. Kyllo: Is the minister able to advise this House if first reading is the earliest date that this particular piece of legislation could have been retroactive to? Or were there other dates potentially considered?

Hon. H. Bains: What we tried to do was give as early an indication to employers and workers that that is the date — that effective that date, they could go and get vaccinated. If workers need time off during their working hours, they will be paid up to three hours. The employer will also know, effective that date, their obligation. Again, it is to create a balance to the employer, as well, that they know that that’s the date. The employees also know that that’s the date that they will get the coverage and that they’ll get paid if they go and get vaccinated anytime after that.

I think that it’s just creating that balance. We believe that that is the right balance, and that’s why we picked that date.

G. Kyllo: It’s certainly not meant to be a trick question. I’m just wondering if the minister could answer if there were other dates that were considered and if the date of first reading is the earliest date that the provisions of Bill 3 could have taken force and effect in British Columbia. Maybe if the minister could clarify: could a date have been selected that would predate the introduction of this legislation, or is the date of the introduction of Bill 3 the earliest date that this legislation could come under force and effect?

[5:30 p.m.]

Hon. H. Bains: We believe that that was the right date because you don’t want to put a whole lot of people in uncertainty. The date we knew that we would be introducing — we believed that was the right date. It created the right balance so that the employers are not burdened any more than they need to be, and the workers also needed…. They would be covered starting that day, and the employer also knew that their obligation would be starting that particular day.

G. Kyllo: I’m not sure that I heard an answer there. I guess I could re-canvass the question this way. Is there any consideration for workers who have already taken time off to obtain their vaccination but have yet to be paid for leave, as this bill only takes in force and effect on Monday, April 19?

[N. Letnick in the chair.]

I guess if the minister can just clarify if workers that were vaccinated and took time off of work prior to Monday, April 19…. If government has given any consideration and provided financial remuneration for those workers. Or, I guess, back to my previous question, is that even an ability? Could this bill have been drafted to have a retroactive date that predates April 19?

Hon. H. Bains: I just want to be clear that those who took time off during working hours as of April 19 are covered with the provisions of this bill. Employers’ obligation is also effective that particular date.

G. Kyllo: Can the minister share with this House how many workers across the province were vaccinated prior to April 19? If you could just share if that was part of the consideration for establishing and determining April 19 as the date by which Bill 3 will come into effect.

Hon. H. Bains: Hon. Chair, as you know, for obvious reason, we don’t have that data in this ministry. Also, my understanding is that…. I’m not sure if when you go to get vaccinated, you have to tell that you’re a worker or not a worker. I’m not sure. I’m just assuming.

[5:35 p.m.]

When I went for vaccination, I wasn’t asked whether I fit the category of worker or not, or other people. I’m not sure. So we don’t have that data anyway. That’s my answer.

G. Kyllo: I hear that the minister made some assumptions, but there was really no detailed analysis of how many workers were actually vaccinated or took time away from their employment to receive their vaccination shot prior to April 19, which I guess raises the question…. I know that I made these comments last week in the conversation. When COVID-19 arrived at our doorstep last year, in March, almost 14 months ago now, there must have been some conversation within government. I know there was lots of talk in the media and across Canada about the needs for vaccinations.

I certainly appreciate that the intention of Bill 3 is such that workers should not be unduly financially impacted by going out and getting their vaccination shots. Yet Bill 3 specifically wasn’t brought forward over the course of our summer sitting. We didn’t see Bill 3 tabled last fall. Of course, I’ll remind British Columbians that that’s when government, or the NDP, decided to put their political interests ahead of the health and well-being of British Columbians. We lost about nine weeks of the legislative calendar last fall, where this bill could have easily been tabled and brought forward. There was no consultation in December when we sat. Bill 3 did not arrive.

It’s a very simple bill. The minister, by his own admission, has indicated that it took less than three weeks of consultation with businesses not just to do the consultation but to draft this piece of legislation that’s before us. It appears that it’s been rushed. It’s been rammed through. But that didn’t happen in December, which would have provided a significant amount of relief for workers that would have got their vaccination shot either in the months of January or February or March, or even up till April 19.

Just think about that for a second. This is a government that appears to not be proactive but to be running knee-jerk, running through legislation at the last minute. This legislative session started on March 1, but we didn’t see this bill during the month of March. We certainly didn’t see it in the first three weeks of April. It wasn’t until last Monday, April 19, that the bill came forward.

I have to kind of wonder…. I’m sure that anybody that might be paying attention to the committee stage on Bill 3 must be thinking: “Why didn’t the government do this before? They’ve known for 13 months that we had a pandemic. For 13 months they’ve known that there was going to be a need for vaccinations.” The minister has indicated to me that for the large majority of public sector workers that are under collective agreements, they all get coverage for time, for leave to get their vaccination shots. Yet, specifically, there’s a significant number of British Columbians that aren’t able to take advantage of the provisions of this bill because of this government’s dithering and delay in putting this legislation forward.

Again, is the minister able to provide any clarity for British Columbians on why this specific bill was delayed until April 19?

Hon. H. Bains: I think the member’s next question will be: being a proactive government, how come we could not predict that we would be hit by a pandemic at the beginning of last year? And as a progressive government, how come we could not predict when the vaccination would be available? Why could we not predict how many vaccines would be available through the federal government? I mean, he could have all kinds of questions.

[5:40 p.m.]

The fact remains that this pandemic hit us out of no­where. Not only just British Columbia; the whole world is suffering as a result of this. Everyone was trying to react to deal with this, as they see it, in a timely fashion. That’s exactly what this government did. If you want to look around the world, where we sit compared to other jurisdictions…. He talked about how people would be asking these questions. I think they are satisfied that this government’s actions to deal with the pandemic are commendable.

I think he could go on and on and on. We canvassed this same question last week as well. Obviously, if he doesn’t have any more questions, that’s fine. I am prepared to answer if you have any question about this particular bill. We canvassed this. Now the member is coming back again, and I think he’s asking the government to predict all those things that this pandemic never allowed anyone to predict. That’s where we could go with this questioning.

G. Kyllo: It certainly wasn’t my intention to upset the minister, so my apologies if I’ve upset him. However, he is the Minister of Labour and, as the Minister of Labour, has a responsibility. There was no prediction required to determine, over a year ago, that there would be vaccination requirements for British Columbians. Everybody knew that. We’ve all been waiting for the vaccinations.

I think that the minister, and the average British Columbian, would also have thought that, well, there would be consideration for the potential for paid leave for workers. I’m certainly hopeful that on March 29, that was not the first day that the minister had the eureka moment to determine: “Ooh, we should consult with businesses on the potential for paid leave for workers.” I’m hoping that that didn’t happen just on March 29. But through the minister’s own admission, that is when he indicated they started consultation on Bill 3.

The fact remains that nobody could have predicted when COVID was coming. However, we have known for 13 months. There’s no prediction required. So the question, with all due respect, is that there was ample opportunity to bring this legislation forward, before this House, to capture all workers in British Columbia that would be looking towards their employers for the potential for paid leave to assist them with getting their vaccination shot.

However, this minister and this government — for some reason, unbeknownst to me, that they’re not sharing — chose to keep their powder dry and to hang on and not in­troduce this piece of legislation until last Monday. I think British Columbians that may have already been vaccinated are going to be asking the question: “Well, why not me?” What was the reason for holding off and delaying the introduction of this particular bill before the Legislature? The minister has not provided that clarity.

I have given some suggestions on some potential dates, whether it was the fall legislative calendar, which went by without the introduction of Bill 3. I pointed to the two-week sitting that we had in December of last year, where this bill could have easily been brought forward, but it was not. Then yet further, on March 1, the first day of this session of parliament, there was ample opportunity for bringing this bill forward.

My questioning is not specific to thinking that government should have been able to predict exactly what was going to happen, but there’s no reason why this bill didn’t come forward.

[5:45 p.m.]

I think that it is a very fair and valid question to be asking of this minister and his government: why they chose to delay the introduction of this bill, which specifically will now not enable a significant number of workers that have had their vaccine shots prior to April 19 to be enabled to take advantage of the funding mechanism that’s made available through Bill 3.

I appreciate that that was likely more of a statement than a question, but I will continue. Is the minister able to provide any legislative or mechanical reasons on why Bill 3 could not have been introduced prior to Monday, April 19?

Hon. H. Bains: I just want to assure the member that he hasn’t been able to upset me so far. I think he’s got questions. He made a lot of political statements, and he is going to get a reply when the member wants to get into politics rather than the content of this bill.

Again I want to go back to: what is the purpose of this bill? The purpose of this bill is to allow workers who wish to go and get vaccinated time off with pay, up to three hours, so that we could achieve the goal of having all workers vaccinated as soon as possible, to fast-track the economic recovery, have the population safe and healthy, so the workers can go and believe that their workplace is safe — and the customers of the businesses are also confident that they can go and do business with that particular business. So I think it’s a win-win-win situation.

The member can go on. I think we canvassed this issue: “Why not summer last year? Why not fall last year? Why not earlier this year?” I just want to remind the member that only one other jurisdiction went ahead of us with this kind of approach. Alberta came right after us and basically copied our piece of legislation. And I might add, for the member’s information, I’m advised that they passed it in one day unanimously in that House.

I think people across the country have these issues before them. Saskatchewan decided to move in this direction. Then we were working to move in that direction ourselves. When we were ready for the legislation and the consultation, we moved. In the meantime, when we needed to cover some more workers as far as the unpaid leave, we brought that piece as well, through OIC. The paid leave required legislative changes, so that’s why it’s before the House right now, and that’s why we’re debating.

I think those are my reasons. We canvassed this extensively last week — why not before; why not earlier this year; why now? I think he’s got all those answers. Maybe he needs to go back into the Hansard to read all those answers that we gave him last week.

G. Kyllo: With all due respect, I don’t believe that the question has been answered. What I’m hearing, or not hearing, from the minister is any legislative or mechanical reasons on why Bill 3 was not brought before this House many months ago.

[5:50 p.m.]

Unfortunately, there are many workers who have been discriminated against, that are not able to actually take advantage of the provisions of Bill 3 because of the late introduction of this piece of legislation.

Last week I was able to canvass the minister a little bit about the consideration of government for providing financial remuneration for employers who will be saddled with the financial burden set out in the provisions of Bill 3. I think I referenced south of the border — that there is a significant business tax credit that is being made available to United States businesses to provide some cost relief for those businesses that are providing financial relief to workers who need to take time off of work in order to obtain their vaccination.

I’m just wondering if government is willing to give consideration in the future…. I appreciate that this bill is before us and that there is certainly no interest or desire from the minister, it doesn’t appear, to make any amendments. But I’m just wondering if government has given consideration of providing some form of tax credit or tax relief to businesses to offset the costs associated with the provisions of Bill 3.

Hon. H. Bains: I think I would refer the member to all kinds of different government support programs to the businesses, starting last year and continuing on most recently as circuit breaker benefits for businesses.

We understand many businesses are still suffering, and there are all kinds of supports for businesses — financial support, economic support. Businesses know that our support package in British Columbia for businesses is larger than any other jurisdiction in the country. I think that those supports are there, but right now we are debating the content of Bill 3. I’m prepared to ask: any more questions on Bill 3?

G. Kyllo: It’s been made apparent, and the minister has shared with this House that for the large majority of public sector workers in our province, they have paid leave provisions in order to obtain their vaccination under their existing collective agreements. Of course, as we all know, public servants will receive that leave at the cost to taxpayers.

The minister and I both share in common the need and necessity to ensure British Columbians get vaccinated, and it should not come at the financial cost of workers in the province. I think we would all agree that the sooner our vast majority of British Columbians are vaccinated, the quicker we will be to a full economic recovery.

Vaccinating British Columbians is both in our provincial best interests and our federal best interests. Because it is therefore deemed to be for the public good, I think it also would be worthwhile to give consideration for that cost to be at the expense of the public treasury.

[5:55 p.m.]

Unlike many of the other circuit breaker grants and other funding initiatives that government has provided, I think Bill 3 and the conversation of paid leave for workers to obtain their vaccination…. If approximately 25 percent, 30 percent of the population are already public servants, that cost is already being borne by taxpayers, in large part. Bill 3 provides a provision where it’s now a cost burden that will be on the backs, specifically, of employers.

I think it begs the conversation around: should the ne­cessity and the assistance to help vaccinate British Columbians…? If it is deemed to be for the public good, should it then, therefore, potentially be funded from the public purse? I think that it’s a valid conversation for us to have.

I certainly appreciate that Bill 3 does not provide the provision for that. But I certainly think that for business owners who may be watching from home and for businesses that may be challenged with disputes between employees in the future, it’s worthwhile to give consideration and to have the conversation around the need for supporting businesses that are really struggling financially right now.

So I think that it’s worthwhile to just remind British Columbians that this particular piece of legislation was put forward in record time. March 29 was the very first date that any consultation commenced. By April 19, just three short weeks later, we have a piece of legislation before the House — as I’ve referenced previously — that potentially could put $200 million to $300 million in cost burden on the backs of businesses.

Government can move lightning-quick when it is to apply cost pressure onto the backs of businesses, yet when government is sitting on billions of dollars in funding that has been approved by all members of this Legislature to help and assist those businesses, well, that’s a whole different story. Just the B.C. COVID economic recovery restart program was over five months of consultation.

All members of this Legislature approved a $5 billion COVID recovery plan. Yet government chose to take five months to consult with British Columbians, largely on how to best spend those dollars and then chose to go into a risky and unnecessary snap election, which just further delayed those funds.

It’s interesting to contrast when government chooses to take tax dollars. Again, government can’t give anything that it doesn’t first take from somebody else, large­ly individuals and businesses across this province. It took them five months to consult before they even gave consideration to putting a program together and then further stalled that program for two months on account of a risky and snap election.

Yet when it comes time to put the cost burden on the backs of B.C. businesses, we can hammer that through, or the NDP government can hammer that through, in three short weeks. I think the contrast between the way government spends tax dollars — and you compare that to the way government is quick at the will to move forward to put additional cost burden on the backs of B.C. businesses — is very telling. It’s concerning to me, and I think it’s going to be concerning to British Columbians as we move forward.

With that, I think that I will conclude my remarks on Bill 3.

Hon. H. Bains: I want to thank the member for his questioning. I might add that more time was spent on politics than the content of this bill. The bill is very straight­forward. It is to allow the workers of this province to go get vaccinated — give them all the opportunities, remove all the barriers so that they can afford to go and get vaccinated. Employers understand that this is an investment — when it costs them. Workers know it. I think all health officials know this is something that is necessary.

[6:00 p.m.]

Once we have all workers vaccinated at workplaces, it is going to speed up our economic recovery. Employers fully understand that, and I think everyone understands that. That’s why, in Alberta, they passed this bill unanimously in one day.

I appreciate the member’s wish to make some political statements as we go along. Fair enough. I think that happens from time to time.

I think, at the end of the day, I’m so pleased to be a part of the government that is bringing in a balanced approach to ensure that the workers are protected, their rights are protected, that they are not burdened and they’re encouraged to go and get vaccinated and remove all of the barriers that may exist there, but at the same time, supports the employers so that we could help them in the move towards economic recovery on the road to normal operations, as you call it, whatever normal is going to be.

I want to say thank you very much. I appreciate the questioning. Those are my remarks.

Clause 2 approved.

Title approved.

Hon. H. Bains: I move that the committee rise and report the bill complete without amendment.

Motion approved.

The committee rose at 6:02 p.m.

The House resumed; Mr. Speaker in the chair.

Report and
Third Reading of Bills

BILL 3 — EMPLOYMENT STANDARDS
AMENDMENT ACT, 2021

Bill 3, Employment Standards Amendment Act, 2021, reported complete without amendment, read a third and time and passed.

Hon. M. Farnworth: I call continued debate, budget.

Budget Debate

(continued)

S. Chant: I appreciate the opportunity to come back to my discussion about today’s budget and my absolute and complete support of it.

This budget speaks to everybody in the province. It speaks to our health. It speaks to our education. It speaks to our mental health. It speaks to our infrastructure. It speaks to all of the people that are working their way through the unspeakable.

COVID has done so many things that we have talked about in this environment. We’ve talked about the many impacts of COVID. We’ve talked about the work. We’ve talked about the losses. We’ve talked about many, many different things.

[6:05 p.m.]

However, what we haven’t said is that, really, we are going to get through COVID, we are going to recover, and we need to be sure that we have the funds in place and the plans in place.

I stress plans because there are plans, in spite of what is being said across the aisle. The plans are there. The people have been involved. The people have been asked. There are many, many pieces of input coming from all across the province. We need to allow that money to be put into play, and we need to allow those plans to be carried through so that we can return to a point where we have our province in a way that we understand, in a way that our lives become, perhaps, just a little bit more predictable.

You know, this last year, our lives have not been predictable. Nobody’s life has been predictable. Everything has changed. Everything you thought you could count on — perhaps not so much. Are you feeling distressed, and you need to get to the gym? Not today. Yes, you can go out for a run, but you better make sure you stay very clear of people.

This budget will go through and is important to all of us. It’s important to our province. It’s important to the people of our province. We are working together towards making the province as strong as it can be in its recovery, supporting individuals, supporting families, supporting businesses, supporting communities, supporting the province. All doing our bit to work together. All doing our bit to show that everything that we have done so far, all the resilience that we have developed, all the things that we have learned are going to be put to good use after COVID, once we’ve got the vaccines into everybody’s arms.

That’s a big, big undertaking — getting those vaccinations in. We’re about 25 percent of the way there, through the first vaccinations. We’ve got a ways to go, but we are getting there more rapidly than we originally expected. We are putting forward things. We are nimble in making plans to look at what’s going on, currently, and this budget allows us to address those things.

We’ve got some money set aside for contingency because this last year has been nothing but contingency. We have found that there is a third wave. There are variants of concern. We must have the opportunity to work on those things and pivot according to what is in our current state. We can what-if ourselves all over the place. What if this? What if that? How do we do this? What do we do then? Right now what we need to do is focus on, day-to-day, moving forward — moving the province forward, moving everyone in the province forward. The best way we can do that is to do it together.

This budget is particularly important in terms of our youth, whose…. You know, for anybody that’s been in school this last year, whether it’s elementary school or high school, their lives have changed. What they expected from school has changed.

[N. Letnick in the chair.]

They didn’t expect to stay home and learn last year. They didn’t expect to be doing it in front of a screen. They didn’t expect to not be able to see their friends and not be able to socialize. Their parents didn’t expect to have to have somebody home to support their kids’ learning and make sure that they were safe. How many people were impacted by that? How many people had to move away from jobs because they needed to take care of their kids? So many things got put into place.

At that time, I was active in nursing. All of a sudden, the nursing students were out providing child care so that essential workers could go to work. I don’t know how many people know, but getting overnight child care if you’re due on shift at seven o’clock at night and don’t get out until seven o’clock the next morning…. How many available choices are there for child care for that? Not many. If you happen to be a two-parent family, and you’ve got one person working overnight and the next one working the next day, try doing that for a little while. See how that does for your family.

[6:10 p.m.]

So many things have been affected by COVID. However, we will get beyond it. We are working towards it. We are making sure that we’ve gained traction and that the mo­mentum will be maintained through this next year so that not only do we manage what COVID is to us right now, not only do we get through to the next stage, but then we start on making sure that our recovery is consistent and persistent across the board, for all of British Columbia.

I thank you very much for the opportunity to speak. I think I will finish my remarks now.

K. Kirkpatrick: I’m grateful to have the opportunity to stand in this House today and speak to this budget. I’d also like to acknowledge the hard work of the minister and the ministry staff. Preparing a budget is a complex and difficult task, and that time is much appreciated. However, while British Columbians are facing case counts and the spread of variants, British Columbians are worried about their health and their social and economic well-being.

This budget has failed to put forward a real plan. Government has a responsibility to be a leader and to guide our province through this pandemic and into our economic recovery. Promises need to be kept, and people need hope — which they will have if they see a clear path forward. But this government has delayed vital relief, failed to implement policies necessary to protect B.C. families, communities and businesses and taken actions that serve their own self-interest before the well-being of British Columbians.

A clear example of serving their own self-interest, which cannot be stressed enough, is the government’s decision to trigger a very unnecessary election when the House was working well together to cooperate in the best interests of British Columbians. This threw our province into caretaker mode. It delayed vital supports and stalled crucial ac­tions during our time of most need. It delayed this budget by two months and kept important supports from getting to people and to businesses.

As official opposition critic for Children and Families and child care, as a parent, as a mother, a woman and a British Columbian, how this budget is addressing issues around young people is of paramount concern. I was listening for supports for child care and young people. However, I was underwhelmed with what was presented. The Ministry of Children and Family Development budget increased by 7.62 percent. If you peel that back, you can see that 4.8 percent is related to salary and benefit in­creases, so that doesn’t leave very much for service en­hancements.

We know this budget has added 60,000 additional government employees. Now if that increase is attributed to additional social workers, this is positive. If it’s attributable to the additional staff to review the increased numbers and reports and paperwork, that’s not okay.

Rather than the $250 million per year that was promised, this budget provides $233 million over three years to support the Childcare B.C. strategy. Now, this is a strategy that is so important to our community and to women in our community. It’s intended to make child care more affordable and accessible and to increase its quality, helping women to participate in the workforce. There are not a lot of resources being put towards this. Once again, this government is also referencing how many daycare spaces it has created and how it’s done a much better job than the previous B.C. Liberal government has done. I’d like to point out again that these aren’t new spaces.

This government has a very poor track record on actually creating child care spaces. When I’ve asked government in this House about child care, they answer by not answering. Rather, I hear they have done so much better than the B.C. Liberal government ever did, but that is not the reality of what has happened. The B.C. Liberals left this province with 116,000 child care spaces. I don’t understand the narrative being spun by government other than a way to not answer direct questions about their own track record.

[6:15 p.m.]

From the government’s own records, at the end of last year, there were just under 120,200 child care spaces in British Columbia. Now, this is an addition of approximately 4,000 spaces. Last year’s budget and service plan committed again to this government’s three-year target of 22,000 new child care spaces by 2021. It is currently 2021. By my math, the province is approximately 16,000 spaces short of the commitment that it made. It is noticeable that the MCFD service plan for 2021-2022 has removed that number, and there is no mention of it.

Now, funding announcements are not the same as actually creating child care spaces. The government is very good at announcing things, but they’re all future-focused: “There will be child care spaces in two years, in three years, in four years from now.” We need those spaces today, and the commitment was to have those spaces today.

[Mr. Speaker in the chair.]

I am still speaking to child care providers daily about the issues they’re having with the current system. I am not hearing anything in this budget that will help them. In fact, I know of thousands — not hundreds, but thousands — of spaces that have now been put on hold because of a new funding requirement for new spaces to be charged at 30 percent below the market rate. These child care providers are only able to charge, to their parents, 30 percent of what the market rate is for these spaces.

Now, we’re not really sure how these market rates have been determined. They certainly don’t seem accurate to reflect the actual cost to deliver child care services. In fact, the child care operators I’m speaking to, who were in the process of creating new spaces, are telling me that it’s going to cost them more to open one new child care space than they are allowed to charge the parent for that space.

There is a child care provider that I was recently speaking to in Surrey, who says that if he goes ahead with opening new child care spaces — in a brand-new, beautiful facility that he has committed to a long-term lease on and has been working with government for 18 months on getting licensing — because of this new fee cap, he will lose $19,000 a month. That is an exceptional amount of money and a very difficult decision for this small business owner to have to deal with. Does he walk away from a long-term lease? What does he do, at this point?

That’s an example of one person — out of dozens whom I have spoken to — where this new fee cap has impacted their ability to do business. When the average daycare earns about 2 percent margin on their spaces, this is nonsensical. You set up a system to discourage the creation of new spaces, not to actually increase new spaces — which is the commitment that this government has made. Your policies, in fact, put many child care providers in financial peril. This risks losing spaces that currently exist today.

What of $10-a-day daycare? The Premier says that they are doubling the spaces for $10-a-day daycare. I want to be clear: this government is not adding $10-a-day spaces. They’re taking existing spaces which already exist, which are already filled, which already have young people in them, and they’re reclassifying them and putting them into this $10-a-day pilot program.

[6:20 p.m.]

It’s not based on need, and the provision of this program has and will continue to add demand for spaces, because it’s making it more affordable, which it should. We need affordable daycare, but they’re not creating new spaces with $10-a-day daycare, and the program itself is actually creating higher demand for spaces. This makes the need to add more spaces even more important.

This pilot project moved from providing 2,000 spaces out of 120,000 to 4,000 spaces. This pilot is in its fourth year. How long is something a pilot or a prototype until it just becomes the way that things are done, and that is then the program? At this point, this pilot has been funded by our federal government. I believe this government may be dragging its feet, waiting for the federal government to step in.

We did get an exciting announcement from the federal government in terms of child care. They’re making a commitment for co-funding in the future. But this province still must come up with the money, and it must come up with the model. I’ll quote from a press release issued this past Tuesday by the $10-a-day daycare coalition: “Today’s B.C. budget has thrown cold water on the good child care news we heard yesterday from the federal government.”

This was a concern I raised in my response to the throne speech. I also mentioned my concern that the current $10-a-day child care prototype or pilot sites have serious issues with utilization. Government has yet to share a report it promised to us months ago. It’s done research on and sets out: what is the success of these $10-a-day daycare spaces? Who has it impacted most? Are they utilized? Is it doing what it is intended to do? My understanding, in speaking with families and daycare providers, is that there are actually many spaces sitting vacant each month that other families could be using.

Now, $10-a-day daycare is the underpinning of the NDP’s ten-year Childcare B.C. plan. It’s easy to say that something is doubling, but you need to be more transparent in what it’s doubling from and what it’s becoming.

This government states something in a budget which I absolutely believe to be true, and that is that early childhood educators are not only the heart of the child care system; they’re the workforce behind the workforce. Government recognizes the importance of continuing to invest in ECEs throughout the province, both to recruit and retain them in the child care sector and to support them.

I’d like to refer back to something I mentioned earlier. The average daycare earns about 2 percent. We live in a very expensive place. Rents are high. Salaries are high. The cost of equipment is high. This is not the kind of business…. Those that are not profits are primarily run by women. They’re small businesses. They don’t make big margins on these spaces.

Now government is saying if you want to add spaces, you have to charge 30 percent less than what the market is. The two biggest cost drivers are going to be your rent and your ECE worker salaries. So this is yet one more thing that is actually going to hurt the ability for child care providers to pay their ECE workers more.

It is worth noting that the majority of these privately owned daycares are owned and operated by women. They employ a majority of women. They built these small businesses on a desire to provide loving and caring support to young people and to provide for their own families. The child care they provide supports women in the workforce and a move towards wage parity and equitable career progression. Poor daycare policy hurts women.

Noting the time, I reserve the right to continue my response to the budget at a later date, and move adjournment of the debate.

K. Kirkpatrick moved adjournment of debate.

Motion approved.

Hon. M. Rankin moved adjournment of the House.

Motion approved.

Mr. Speaker: This House stands adjourned until 10 a.m. tomorrow.

The House adjourned at 6:25 p.m.