Orders of the Day

Private Members’ Statements

STUDENT AND AFFORDABLE HOUSING

H. Sandhu: I would like to discuss the importance of investments in housing and student housing to address housing needs and also to share the progress that we have made so far.

[R. Leonard in the chair.]

Housing is a basic need and necessity of every human being. Everyone deserves to have a place they can call home — a safe and affordable home. Affordable housing helps people to get a good start in life. Accessible housing removes barriers for people with mobility issues. Stable and secure options give women and children fleeing vio­lence somewhere to go. Supportive housing gives people the hand that they need to start over, while reducing homelessness and crime. Student housing saves time and money and helps us build an even better, stronger community.

We need to continue to build on the efforts and progress being made by the government. We are seeing signs of progress since 2017. More than 52,000 new rental homes have been registered in B.C. That is more than the previous 15 years combined. We know people are still struggling to buy or rent here in B.C. The biggest challenge is housing supply and demand. We see thousands of new people moving to our province every month, because B.C. is the most desirable place to live. So many Canadians and newcomers choose to make B.C. their home for various great reasons.

For too long, speculators treated housing as a commodity, because there were no concrete measures put in place to tackle speculation. With the money laundering and speculation, housing prices and affordability became the biggest challenge in our province.

[10:05 a.m.]

To deal with the housing crisis, our government implemented an ambitious 30-point housing plan to tackle the housing crisis by making the largest investment in housing affordability in B.C.’s history by investing more than $7 billion over ten years to build 114,000 affordable homes, with more than 32,000 units being built or underway.

I am happy to share that a total of 665 affordable housing units are completed or are being built in Vernon-Monashee across a diverse range of housing needs. Hundreds of supportive housing units have already been opened in Vernon-Monashee.

In addition to previously opened housing units, some of the recently opened units include 52 new supportive housing units for people experiencing or at risk of homelessness. These are operated by the Turning Points Collaborative Society — 30 units of low-income housing for families, 36 of low-income housing for seniors and 12 units for people with disabilities. In addition to that, 13 new affordable homes for seniors, people with disabilities and families; 48 affordable rental income homes, altogether, are for seniors on low incomes.

Lumby was also the latest community to get 20 homes for low- to moderate-income residents, at 2211 Shield Avenue. Also, a total of 51 rental units for Indigenous peo­ples over two different projects — 16 affordable on-reserve rental homes for the Okanagan Indian Band.

B.C. is the first province in Canada to invest the provincial housing fund into on-reserve housing, which is a federal responsibility. B.C. has also opened its all-provincial housing programs to First Nations. The province provided $1.7 million. We also received $3 million from the province’s Building B.C. fund — invested into the construction of 29 affordable units for families and seniors in Vernon, operated by the Canadian Mental Health Association. These units just opened last week, on October 20, so it’s very exciting.

Our investments record, delivering on more on-campus student housing, also speaks for itself. Since 2018, our government has funded 8,000 student beds, compared to 130 beds from 2001 to 2017. Since 2018, there has been a 1,039 percent increase in student housing initiatives. We are well on our way to meeting the commitment to invest $450 million over six years to provide about 5,000 new beds at public post-secondary schools throughout B.C. and an additional 3,000 in collaboration with post-secondary institutions. Currently, we have already built 7,200 on-campus net new student housing and achieved 90 percent of our target goal.

In the Okanagan and in Vernon-Monashee, we are also benefiting from these great investments: 376 additional affordable student homes were funded at the Oka­nagan College campuses in Vernon, Salmon Arm and Kelowna. These are the first-ever student housing units that are being built in Vernon. I’m already getting such great feedback from our community and many students who face difficulty finding housing. This is in addition to the hundreds of units at the UBC Kelowna campus in collaboration.

Another great initiative, which might be the first one so far…. This Okanagan College Vernon campus housing unit also includes the 44 child care spaces that are approved on the Vernon campus site, which will remove the biggest barrier of child care that is being faced by many students.

It’s very important for us to continue to build on the progress we’re making in the housing sector by adding more tools and by finding more ways to address this crisis. Our government is constantly working to explore many ways so we can address this crisis and everybody can have a place they can call home.

I look forward to hearing from the member opposite on how we can continue to build on the progress we’ve made.

M. Bernier: I’m pleased to rise and respond to the member. I also appreciate the latitude that the Speaker showed for the last member. The morning period is supposed to be non-political, so I appreciate the fact that I’ll probably get the same latitude during this time.

[10:10 a.m.]

Obviously, it’s really important that we do make sure we’re making the investments to help people in this housing crisis, a housing crisis that we’ve seen get worse and worse over the last five, six years. And of course it’s vital, in the midst of a worsening housing crisis, that we make the investments.

I look back to the time when I was in government, in cabinet, when we invested and built 9,300 student housing beds across the province, actually doubling the amount of beds that we had for our student housing. I look at the impact that that had on our students and, I would even say, on families and communities.

I know that in Dawson Creek alone, we built two towers housing more than 400 students. And because of that, I got to see the impact that that made on our Northern Lights College facility: the amount of people that were able to come from other communities to my community because now they had a place that they could live, because they had a place that they could be close on campus. How important that was at that time.

We’ve seen now how this housing crisis has really, really created a catastrophic situation in our province. You look at the fact right now that the National Bank of Canada is saying it’ll take 39 years for somebody to save up enough money for a down payment for a home in Vancouver. It’s no wonder that people are…. I shouldn’t use the word stuck, because that would be unfair. Some people choose to…. People are in a rental situation because of the affordability crisis that we’ve created here in the province of British Columbia over the last five, six years of inaction.

I look at the fact that 114,000 houses were promised by this government over ten years. We’re now six years into it. Just over 7,000 homes are actually open with peo­ple living in them. That is a complete failure of a housing policy right there.

CMHC has actually put out a report that says 570,000 units need to be built by 2030 to deliver on any form of affordability to help people in this province. So we are a long ways away from doing anything that will actually help curb — or slow down, even — the housing and affordability crisis that we have here in our province.

We know supply is a huge issue. I commend the member before me for talking about some of the initiatives that have been taken specifically in her riding and around her riding. Those are important. I’m not wanting to take away from that at all. I’m just saying that that is a drop in the bucket for what has actually been promised and what’s actually needed to help the people here in British Columbia.

I think one of the things that’s been glaringly absent is the support for the private sector in order to help build some of this much-needed housing stock, whether it’s for rental stock, whether it’s for students. Government can’t do anything — everything. Well, anything, actually, is probably the right word at the time, but they can’t do every­thing. They need to reach out across the spectrum to ensure that this housing is being delivered.

We know…. I mean, I’ve got five children. I know how unaffordable it is for my children right now, some who are still going to college and university and struggling with trying to find affordable places where they can live. The fact that they have to have two or three or four students, sometimes, sharing a one- or two-bedroom apartment just to try to make it work…. That’s not fair. That’s not the B.C. that I want to see, and I know many parents out there that I hear from are saying how they are struggling right now.

I applaud the member for bringing this forward, be­cause it is an important issue. It’s an important issue that needs to be addressed. It hasn’t been, and that’s something that we really need to focus on. Because as we talk about the health care crisis and the shortage of teachers, we’re talking about people that need to go to school, need to go to college, need to go to university to get that training to fill the voids that we’re desperately seeing right now in our province. But they can’t do that if they can’t afford it.

Every piece that this government has been promising that they failed to deliver on…. We implore them to actually follow through with their promises, because that’s what’s going to help the families and our students in the province of British Columbia.

H. Sandhu: I want to thank the member for Peace River South for sharing his thoughts. It is great to work together and share creative ideas on how we can best address this issue and continue making the progress we’ve made so far.

[10:15 a.m.]

Besides building thousands of affordable units to meet the diverse needs of people, our government has also taken some other measures. By cracking down on money laundering, stopping tax fraud and closing loopholes, the government is working to make our real estate market fair for all British Columbians. To support new homebuyers, the province operates the first-time-homebuyer program, which reduces or eliminates the amount of property transfer tax that new homebuyers pay on their first home.

In 2018, the province introduced new measures to curb speculative demand of the housing market. Data collected on these measures shows that they are contributing to the ongoing moderation of the B.C. housing market and have led to an increase of housing starts and the vacancy rate by freeing up more than 20,000 housing units available for rent.

The speculation and vacancy tax targets speculators who own homes in B.C. but do not pay taxes here. Over 99 percent of British Columbians don’t pay this tax, and 92 percent of the revenue generated from the tax income is from people other than B.C. residents.

Government has also increased the additional property tax rate, also known as the foreign buyers tax, from 15 to 20 percent and broadened its geographic scope. Increasing this tax deters people from speculating in the province’s housing market and penalizes those who do.

B.C. Housing also offers innovative development programs aimed at creating new affordable home ownership options. Through HousingHub, B.C. Housing administers the affordable home ownership program, which supports the development of new owner-purchased homes eligible for middle-income households.

We are helping women and children leaving violence by making the first major investments in transition housing in more than two decades. We are making historic investments in housing for Indigenous peoples by funding homes both on and off reserve. We have ten times more housing underway right now, within five years, compared to the previous 16 years.

We can imagine where we would be if we didn’t have these measures in place to build the houses we have been building since 2017. There is no doubt that the housing situation would be far worse than it is now. Therefore, I will always support the housing goals that the people of this province and my constituency voted for. I am extremely passionate about housing solutions that meet the needs of people and everyone in community, because everyone deserves a place they can call home.

I thank all the colleagues in this House for their advo­cacy and commitment to address this challenge.

SEA TO SKY AFFORDABILITY

J. Sturdy: It should come as no particular surprise that I rise today to address the affordability crisis faced by British Columbians and, in particular, the impacts to constituents of West Vancouver–Sea to Sky, who I have the honour to represent in this House.

We know that record-high gas prices have been a problem in British Columbia for some time now and that people are impacted in a variety of ways. The Sea to Sky region is home to six First Nations communities, the district of Squamish, the village of Pemberton, the resort municipality of Whistler, Britannia Beach and Porteau Cove and is spread along one road over 13,000 square kilometres. That means that people who live, work and play in this region heavily depend on vehicles, whether for car-pooling or driving or just basically getting around.

The lack of public transit to connect these communities means that fuel and automobiles are essential for everyday life. Unlike the efficient and convenient transportation solutions that some of the more densely populated areas of British Columbia enjoy, going to work, taking children to school or visiting loved ones means you need to drive.

We know that these highly urban areas such as Metro, which is serviced by TransLink, are subject to some of North America’s highest fuel prices. These alarmingly high prices may have a variety of factors behind them. However, the Ministry of Finance tax bulletin shows that the consumption and sale of gas or diesel in Metro Vancouver or the south coast British Columbia transportation service region is subject to an 18½-cent transit levy or transit tax.

[10:20 a.m.]

This revenue supports the complex and robust transportation system which we call TransLink. In the capital regional district, it’s 5½ cents per litre and supports B.C. Transit in the capital. This brings the total tax on gas to 38.05 cents per litre in greater Vancouver and 31.05 cents in the capital regional district, compared to 25.55 cents in the rest of the province, including my constituency.

Now, I know I’m getting a bit into the weeds here. The reason I rise here is to highlight how, despite the lower legislative tax burden on fuel in the Sea to Sky and in other areas of British Columbia and the lack of regional public transportation, fuel prices in the Sea to Sky region are, in fact, on par with or higher than in Metro Vancouver.

For years now, this has been the case. In fact, when I looked at it on Friday, in putting these notes together, North Vancouver and Burnaby were at $1.84, while Pemberton was more than ten cents higher, at $1.95, Squamish was at $1.92, and Whistler was about two bucks a litre. Clearly, the Sea to Sky region is faced with unfair and distorted pricing and simply unacceptable gas prices as we all grapple with the affordability crisis. The math just really doesn’t add up. Or maybe it does.

In the Metro Vancouver area…. If Metro is paying $1.84, residents in the Sea to Sky should be paying $1.72, if we take out that tax burden. Even if you want to add a cent a litre for delivery costs, it would be $1.73 per litre, at the most. People in the Sea to Sky are overpaying by some 22 cents a litre and have been for many years now. Frankly, this is an outrage.

Believe you me, Madam Speaker, my constituents are aware. I know colleagues on both sides of this House are aware. Our colleagues from the Fraser Valley have a similar type of situation. Those who aren’t subject to the Trans­Link levy are subject to pricing that is in excess of the area that’s subject to the TransLink levy.

Provincial support for a regional transit system, unfortunately, has failed to materialize since B.C. Transit published the 25-year transit future plan for the Sea to Sky region in 2017. If no regional public transit, then what? The Sea to Sky requires some upgrades, significant transportation upgrades, shoulder work, three- or four-laning and that sort of thing. Rural resource roads are an important component in the Sea to Sky to service remote communities, and they need additional resources.

For sure, we need fair gas pricing. The Fuel Price Transparency Act of 2019 looked to direct the B.C. Utilities Commission to understand fuel pricing in British Columbia — not looking at the taxes, mind you, but looking at the wholesale and retail pricing, with a direction to pay special attention to places like Squamish, which, in fact, was done.

There was a mystery ten cents that nobody seems to be able to explain, including BCUC. There was no explanation there, but the bigger issue that was not explained and that has become even worse is the issue I mentioned earlier: the fact that we are paying the taxes, even though we’re not getting the services.

It also drives up housing prices. It drives up fuel costs. It drives up all the services that we consume — everything we do, really, in many respects. Driving is just the reality, and fuel prices are out of control. It puts people under huge pressure, because there’s no alternative, unlike in other regions. There’s a Sea to Sky premium on virtually everything. For example, concrete is $100 a metre more in the Sea to Sky than it is in Metro Vancouver — and lumber prices or any of these things, which are often a function of transportation costs.

This price manipulation must be addressed, and a regional transit system needs to be put into place. As a region that relies on travellers’ mobility and on being connected, the unfair gas prices and the irregularities of taxation and funding allocations must be addressed.

This House must do what it takes to ensure that those who live, work and play in the Sea to Sky region aren’t being taken advantage of. We put in place the Fuel Price Transparency Act to understand the issue. There’s evidence that there is unfair pricing. As a result of the information that has been generated through the Fuel Price Transparency Act…. That information needs to be acted on, and I think there are opportunities to do that.

[10:25 a.m.]

B. Bailey: There’s no question that the cost of living is an increasing challenge for B.C. families, and the Sea to Sky region is no exception. In fact, there are a number of additional factors that this region faces, adding to the upward pressure being experienced countrywide. Two of the biggest expenses for families on the Sea to Sky corridor are housing and child care. These are areas where our government has been making historic investments, and there’s much more to do.

From Lions Bay to Squamish, from Whistler to Pemberton, housing pressure has been on the increase. Whistler, of course, is a world-class resort community. Like all resort towns, if employers don’t offer accommodation, workers are often unable to find somewhere to live so move to the next town over. Also, as more and more folks were able to work from home, people moved to areas where housing was more affordable than in the big city. This, too, added to housing supply shortages.

Whistler has been innovating on housing solutions for a long while. I understand that the Whistler Housing Auth­ority, prior to the pandemic and recent migration patterns, has made headway but has not been able to keep up with the growing demand and changing circumstances.

As highlighted in a letter penned to the member opposite from Tania Chiasson of Pemberton, the challenges don’t stop there. Tania says that to understand the housing crisis in her town, try searching long-term rentals in Pemberton and comparing it to Airbnb listings. When I did this, I found zero long-term rentals and 84 Airbnbs. As Tania points out, this is a huge factor adding to the pressure on housing in Pemberton.

The province has been working with communities along the Sea to Sky corridor to build housing. In Pemberton, where Tania and her family live, B.C. Housing, the village of Pemberton and Sea to Sky Community Services are building affordable housing.

The village of Pemberton advanced the Harrow Road rezoning application on October 4, granting third reading of the bylaw. Harrow Road plans to break ground next summer and anticipates that the construction will take two years. When constructed, this 63-unit development will include a mix of rents and incomes within a single building, providing affordable non-market rental housing to families, seniors and people living with disabilities. This is the kind of housing we need. Working with municipalities, it’s what we’re delivering.

As the challenges creating housing problems change, so, too, must our approaches. The Premier-designate recently shared his housing strategy with Jack Crompton, the mayor of Whistler, and the mayor applauded it. He said: “I’m very much supportive of the ambitions in this plan. I think it’s important to say that the details need to be worked out, but it’s bold. These proposals demonstrate a seriousness and an urgency I think British Columbians and Whistlerites want government to bring to housing.”

The Premier-designate’s housing plan includes measures to curb flipping, something that will certainly have a positive impact on the housing markets in the Sea to Sky corridor.

In addition to the rising cost and lack of available housing, one of the largest expenses Sea to Sky families face is child care. Since launching in February 2018, the ChildCareBC plan has helped parents in the Sea to Sky region save more than $3.3 million through the affordable child care benefit and the child care fee reduction initiative.

The district of Squamish received over $850,000 to fund 36 new licensed child care spaces. Through the Childcare B.C. new spaces fund, the Whistler Waldorf school and Little Peak Child Care in Brackendale each received 16 new spaces for children aged three to five. This brings the total spaces funded in the Sea to Sky region to more than 150.

In addition to this direct funding, the province has made significant investments to improve supports for B.C.’s early child care learning professionals, including more than $140,000 for early childhood educators in the Sea to Sky region. Of course, starting this December, families in licensed care will experience a reduction in child care fees of up to $550 per child.

There are many affordability measures we’ve introduced provincewide that will help Sea to Sky families, including child support funding; eliminating the MSP; addressing the high costs at ICBC; $60 million provincewide to school boards to assist with supplies and food programs; adding to the climate tax credit; for low- and moderate-income families, $500 million to be distributed to families who need it most; $100 million added to the B.C. family benefit, which goes directly into the pockets of parents; free transit for children under 12; and limiting rent increases to 2 percent.

It is true that there is more to be done. Child care and housing are top priorities for this government, and we are delivering.

[10:30 a.m.]

J. Sturdy: Thank you to the member opposite for her remarks and for the shout-out to Whistler Housing Auth­ority because I think it’s an organization that has done tremendous work over the last 30 years by setting a policy objective of housing 70 percent of the Whistler workforce in the community and has been very successful there.

However, unfortunately, it hasn’t been as successful in accessing B.C. Housing funds over the course of the last number of years, for some reason. As I think the member mentioned, the mayor and the mayor’s comments…. I would tend to agree with him that, ultimately, statements and press releases are nice, but the devil, frankly, is in the details.

Unfortunately, the member wasn’t able to address some of the issues that I raised, which are around the issue of fuel pricing on regional transit. That’s why, as I mentioned earlier, that the Sea to Sky was focused on, as a target, looking at fuel prices in 2019, and since then, frankly, it’s just got worse.

It’s about time that residents get some results. Overpricing of fuel pricing is really just taking money that could be productive to the residents of the Sea to Sky and taking it out of their pockets — money that people could be investing in their homes, in their community and in their health. Really, it just gets sucked out of the region. Why? Because the fuel companies can.

Remember, we don’t pay the TransLink tax. We don’t pay the 18½ cents, yet it consistently costs more to buy fuel in the Sea to Sky than it does in Metro Vancouver. It just doesn’t make any sense. This is just, as I say, taking money out of residents’ pockets and providing no benefit to the region at all.

What was the point of the fuel transparency act if not to document and make the case to the Canadian Competition Bureau? What’s the point if not to act?

The region’s overall affordability issue — coupled with unjust gas prices, congestion, the absence of regional public transportation — means that these British Columbians in the Sea to Sky — and in the Fraser Valley, I’d argue as well — just need some support. I’m here to express the frustration of the residents, of business owners, of people trying to get to work.

In the Sea to Sky, many people who would work in Whistler live in Pemberton. Many people who live in Squamish work in Whistler or work in Vancouver. It means driving. And at this point, this is becoming more and more onerous and a bigger, bigger burden. The fuel transparency act and other initiatives expose this issue, and now it’s time to act.

ADVANCING RECONCILIATION

G. Lore: This morning I rise to talk about reconciliation, to talk about our obligations as representatives in this province with a colonial past and present that has impacted generations of Indigenous people on whose land we live.

Three years ago this House unanimously adopted the declaration on the rights of Indigenous people, and in March of this year, government released the Declaration Act action plan. The action plan lays out four collectively identified goals: self determination and the inherent right to self-government; title and rights of Indigenous people; ending Indigenous-specific racism and discrimination; social, cultural and economic well-being.

I want to take the opportunity this morning to talk about what this tangibly looks like, what it looks like across government, what it means to make meaningful progress towards these goals together with Indigenous people, rights and title holders in our province.

First of all, all students in B.C. must now complete Indigenous-focused coursework before graduation, a course that will help build further awareness and understanding of First Peoples’ perspectives, cultures and histories. This course requirement answers calls by the First Nations Leadership Council, the First Nations Education Steering Committee and the First Nations anti-racism strategy to address systemic racism towards Indigenous students in the public education system.

I did not learn about so-called residential schools until I was an adult. It’s clear to me that my children will never not know.

B.C. is the first Canadian province or jurisdiction to implement Indigenous-focused graduation requirements for all K-to-12 students, and I sincerely hope that others will soon follow.

[10:35 a.m.]

Reconciliation, from the classroom to the forests, working together with nations, government has deferred 1.7 million hectares of old-growth forests. Legislative changes last year mean we can address long-standing and colonial inequities in existing forest tenure systems, reducing timber harvesting rights for major players and doubling the tenure held by First Nations.

Earlier this year, through a First Nation woodland license, the Lheidli T’enneh First Nation will now have exclusive timber harvest rights to more than 217,000 hectares within their territory — the largest First Nations woodland license to date.

In late 2020, anti-Indigenous racism in the health care system was made visible by accounts from Saanich Peninsula Hospital. The In Plain Sight report, commissioned to investigate, laid out how widespread and, indeed, how dangerous racism in our health care system can be. The new health legislation, the Health Professions and Occupations Act, addresses discrimination in health care and requires cultural safety and humility to be embedded in the ways that professionals provide care.

It will create more clarity to ensure health care is pro­vided in an anti-discrimination way and with improved cultural safety for patients. Regulatory colleges and others will be required to work with Indigenous governing bodies and other entities representing Indigenous peoples on issues like Indigenous cultural safety practices.

The Ministry of Environment is also taking concrete action. Working with two nations, along with B.C. Parks, an agreement has been signed to move towards shared compliance and enforcement responsibilities within provincially protected areas in both nations’ territories. The guardian shared compliance and enforcement pilot project will designate Indigenous guardians with the same legal authorities as B.C. Park rangers, recognizing the importance of local expertise in protecting central coastal lands and waters, and of collaborative approaches to the challenges that we face together.

We also know that disaggregated data is key to rising to the social challenges before us. Indigenous peoples and racialized communities have been asking for race-based data collection. Through the leadership of the Parliamentary Secretary for Anti-Racism, the Anti-Racism Data Act sets a new path with Indigenous people and racialized communities to use and share data safely — data that will help us address systemic racism, and dismantle barriers and inequities in services like health care and child care and housing programs.

The legislation is the first of its kind to be co-developed with Indigenous partners, including the First Nations Leadership Council and Métis Nation B.C. It was also the first piece of legislation to be co-developed under the Declaration Act. Fundamentally, it includes a requirement for Indigenous people and racialized communities to be involved in conversations around the implementation of the legislation and how their data is used. Given how identity has been weaponized and used as a source of exclusion and violence in the past, this is essential. This is a new path forward. This is reconciliation in action.

From the Ministry of Attorney General, the First Na­tions justice strategy and the First Nations Justice Council is also leading fundamental transformation and making meaningful progress. Under the leadership of Chair Doug White, the Justice Council has a mandate to rebuild First Nations justice systems, and to improve the experience of Indigenous people in our province who are interacting with provincial and federal justice systems.

Since 2020-2021, Indigenous justice centres have been fully operational in Merritt, in Prince George and Prince Rupert, reducing incarceration, diverting Indigenous people from the justice system to healthy paths and making it easier for people to navigate the justice system.

The council and this strategy are also making the jus­tice system experience and the justice system itself more Indigenous. These are tangible actions, concrete steps and meaningful progress towards the goals in the Dec­laration Act; a commitment to moving towards reconciliation in every ministry every single day and with our partners. I look forward to hearing from my colleagues across the aisle.

M. Lee: I rise to speak in support of this motion. A few days ago, we had, in this Legislature, an opportunity to again advance reconciliation, to remember the children who never came back home, the girls and women whose lives were lost, the loved ones who are still searching for them and the survivors.

[10:40 a.m.]

These days, of course, of remembrance were on Orange Shirt Day and the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation and on the National Day of Action for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls.

We reflected on the legacy of the long, brutal history and systemic trend of injustices that have disproportionately hurt First Nations and Indigenous peoples. We can never fully understand the intergenerational trauma of Indigenous peoples and communities who have experienced the impacts of colonization.

For many of us, British Columbia and Canada have been our salvation, a safe haven, a land of opportunity, yet for Indigenous peoples, a revival has come at a heavy price. Advancing reconciliation is a continuous movement throughout our time, much beyond days of remembrance, and we are still learning.

As members of this Legislative Assembly, it falls upon us to build a better future for our children and our grandchildren. We must work to forge stronger relationships with Indigenous peoples, built on the foundation of truth and reconciliation. As the MLA for Vancouver-Langara, I have the responsibility of standing with all members in this House to create real change.

We have the opportunity to work with Indigenous peoples in British Columbia to build a better future for all of us. We must recognize the inequities faced by Indigenous people, who continue to fall through the cracks due to systemic issues that are deeply entrenched in our institutions.

Support and resources for Indigenous peoples and na­tions are urgently needed to address each of their unique circumstances and challenges to make meaningful progress. This must be done in collaboration and partnership with First Nations, including progress on actions in the Declaration of the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act action plan.

In our nation-to-nation relationship, we can help in building strong and resilient Indigenous communities with connectivity and access to safe housing, health care, clean drinking water and education. These are just some of the tangible steps in advancing reconciliation.

Advancing reconciliation is supported by the relationships that we have with First Nation leaders, Elders and knowledge-keepers. I am grateful for the opportunities I’ve had to sit with and learn from many around the prov­ince in my critic role. These discussions truly humble me.

When I hear the kinds of questions being asked by First Nation leaders, including to ministers of this government at the B.C. Assembly of First Nations annual general meeting last month and the First Nations Summit just last week, it is clear that we need to do more to provide a more streamlined approach to building those nation-to-nation partnerships.

This government needs to recognize that their collaboration approach needs to change. Priorities need to be addressed to create the kinds of resources that First Na­tions need to address the change expected under UNDRIP and the DRIPA action plan.

This is going to take time, and we need to work thoughtfully with our nation partners. There is so much in front of us that needs to be addressed, and how we handle those challenges from a place of respect and open dialogue in a good and humble way.

We face immense challenges in our time. Now, more than ever, it is crucial that this government takes immediate, substantive action with meaningful and measurable results and in a way that builds collaboration with Indigenous peoples. We must work with our First Nations Indigenous partners to move forward by creating opportunities for prosperity and intergenerational wealth with Indigenous communities and to address the barriers that Indigenous peoples face in our province. It is critical that we work together to generate the resources needed to put First Nations and Indigenous communities in a better position to address their challenges and build better futures for their peoples.

This journey of reconciliation is a path we must walk every day and walk together in a good and humble way.

[10:45 a.m.]

G. Lore: Thank you to the member for the comments. This urgency, this need for progress, this need for reconciliation, this need for meaningful action is why this work is woven throughout every part of government, why my examples so far have touched on health and the environment and forestry and the classroom, why it’s in every mandate letter for every minister and every parliamentary secretary in our government. It is not housed in one place. It is the direction and the momentum of government.

I want to share a few more examples. In my work as Parliamentary Secretary for Gender Equity, I have the incredible honour to work with the Minister’s Advisory Council on Indigenous Women. I’m grateful for their advice and take seriously my obligation to their wisdom. I’ve also had the chance to work with Indigenous organizations and meet with nations about their response to gender-based violence.

Half of government’s 2020 and 2021 investments in emergency sexual assault response went to services by and for Indigenous communities. I met with the outreach team at Seabird Island Nation and the victim service worker with the First Nations courtworkers association. I learned about the training created by Stó:lō Nation for front-line workers, which teaches not only best practices in care and trauma-informed response but also the roots and intractability of colonialism and sexualized violence.

Given the historic and ongoing separation of children from their communities and their land, from residential schools to the Sixties Scoop to the millennial scoop, the efforts in the Ministry of Children and Family are particularly important. Many changes have been made, and more are coming.

A new MCFD rent supplement program supports eligible young adults who previously lived in government care with $600 per month for two years. We know Indigenous youth are overrepresented, and we also know that aging out of government care has long been a superhighway to poverty and homelessness. Over 50 percent of those rental supplements will be awarded to Indigenous youth. This will provide stability and prevent homelessness. This will change the lives of youth transitioning to independence.

Most importantly and most transformatively, the ministry is working directly with nations so that they can exercise their inherent right to jurisdiction over their children and family services and so that Indigenous children in need of protection remain connected to family, community and culture.

From Education to Environment, from Attorney General to Health, the United Nations declaration on the rights of Indigenous people requires an all-of-government re­port. The Declaration Act secretariat is leading this work, coordinating and assisting cross-government efforts to work together with Indigenous people to bring provincial legislation in line with the Declaration Act. Under the leadership of Si Sityaawks, the declaration secretariat will help government meet our legal obligations to take all measures necessary to ensure the laws of B.C. are consistent with the declaration.

The examples I share today are what this looks like in practice. There’s so much more to do, work that we will do together with nations across government every day.

ADVANCED EDUCATION

C. Oakes: Today I rise about issues affecting young peo­ple and their future in our incredible province.

Young British Columbians are the future of our prov­ince. We are incredibly fortunate to have such a highly engaged and educated population of young people who are committed to making this province a better place.

We are also privileged to attract thousands of students every year to this province, who come to British Columbia from across Canada and around the world to better themselves through post-secondary education. Together they drive innovation and research and contribute $22 billion to Canada’s economy.

In every community across this province, in every sector, we’re facing a labour shortage. Over the next ten years, this will only grow more challenging, with over one million job openings expected. But behind every number, that is a doctor required, that is a health care professional, that is a child care early childhood educator, which are people that we require every single day in our communities.

The best way to address this shortage is through the many world-class post-secondary education institutions located around our province. They will help prepare the workforce to thrive in an environment of rapid change, demand for skills and more frequent disruptions.

[10:50 a.m.]

Students are the key to B.C.’s economic stability and will fuel our employment. In this age of disruption and transformational change, students are our best asset to moving forward. Skills are the backbone of a prosperous economy and a yardstick for a nation’s ability to survive in a dynamic workplace. But in order to do this, the conditions have to be right.

We are increasingly hearing from international students that they’re concerned about being able to afford education in British Columbia. International students’ tuition has increased by 39 percent over the past four years. In 2017, the average international student tuition fee rate of a bachelor of arts degree at UBC was $28,000. By 2021, it had risen to more than $38,000. That’s a $10,000 increase over four years.

The unpredictability of international tuition is only one example of post-secondary education becoming increasingly unaffordable. Students, both domestic and international, are struggling to keep up with the rising costs of inflation and general affordability across this province. Full-time students often cannot make enough money through part-time and summer jobs to cover tuition and living expenses, and as rent and grocery prices increase, the number of students who experience food insecurity is increasing.

Students are three times more likely to experience food insecurity than the general population, and this can have a long-term effect on students’ lives and their ability to succeed. One study at UBC Okanagan found that 25 percent of food-insecure students had to reduce their course load to afford tuition and living expenses. We have to do something about this.

Just a few days ago, I spoke with representatives from the Alma Mater Society and the Graduate Student Society of the University of British Columbia. Their concerns mirrored the thousands of students across British Columbia as they brought to the table many important initiatives that they hope to see the government take on.

They outlined their recommendations to expand the B.C. student loan forgiveness program, creating a third category for those working in health care to mitigate the labour shortage we face and incentivize more students to pursue those career paths.

Further, like many in British Columbia, housing is a major concern for both domestic and international students, and the two societies are asking for consistent investments in the B.C. student housing loan program to ensure more on-campus housing. Housing costs are a major restriction for students, with many hoping to study in British Columbia having to rescind acceptances because of affordability issues. This is a major step backwards in our efforts to address the labour shortage, as students, when finished their programs, want to stay in British Columbia, but the barriers that exist cannot sometimes be overcome.

The affordability challenges don’t stop there. I recently sat down with the Alliance of B.C. Students, where they highlighted some of the major struggles that students continue to face that limit their ability to study in British Columbia. One of the major concerns highlighted was the levy known as the international students health fee.

International students in British Columbia are currently paying $75 a month for MSP, and it is negatively impacting them, especially for international student families who have to pay extra fees for their children in addition to their own. This means that children as young as five years old have medical debt in their name. The Alliance of B.C. Students’ asks this government to include eliminating international student contributions to the Medical Services Plan.

Additionally, many international students work part-time jobs and are being double-charged for their health care fees through their employer health tax and the international student health fee. This is unfair and unjust for international students, who also contribute billions to B.C.’s economy every year and are subsidizing post-secondary education in B.C. by paying more than four times the domestic tuition fees. To international students, this feels very exclusionary and unjust, imposing even further costs on students who pay significantly more than domestic students.

[10:55 a.m.]

During a time in which B.C. is facing an immense labour shortage, it is concerning that many international students do not feel welcome. It should concern this government that often students do not have the choice to stay and build a life in British Columbia due to unaffordability and disproportionate costs. We can and we must — and I hope we will — do better for the students of British Columbia.

H. Yao: Thank you, hon. Speaker, for the opportunity to respond to the MLA for Cariboo North’s statement on the importance of advanced education and skills training. I want to thank her and ABCS representatives for sharing their thoughts, perspectives and concerns.

As British Columbia recovers from the pandemic, advanced education and skills training are as important as ever to our government and British Columbians. We understand the necessary role that advanced education and skills training play in preparing British Columbia to embrace the new and innovative economy of tomorrow. We deeply appreciate the role advanced education and skills training play in building a B.C. where all can thrive.

That’s why our government is improving affordability by eliminating interest on B.C. student loans. Additionally, we launched the B.C. access grant, the first new grant in 15 years, that supports over 47,000 students as well as expands access to zero-cost textbooks. We also introduced the B.C. graduate scholarship in 2018 to support students’ success and decrease barriers for graduate students across the province. So far, we have invested nearly $20 million in graduate scholarships to support the province’s next generation of researchers, innovators and leaders.

Our government is also building 8,000 on-campus housing beds so far so more students can find an affordable place to live. For example, we provided $87 million to the university of Vancouver Island to add 266 beds in a nine-storey hybrid mass-timber student housing building and dining hall. This investment will increase on-campus accommodations from 536 beds to 802 beds, almost a 50 percent increase.

We’re also providing $202 million for new student housing to academic space at Douglas College, New Westminster campus. The project will create 368 beds in 13 storeys along with 11 storeys of academic space. At Capilano University, North Vancouver campus, we’re funding new student housing and a dining hall worth $58.2 million, with 362 beds in a six-storey building and a 250-seat mass-timber dining hall with a green roof.

We understand that there’s much more work to do, and our government will continue our ten-year housing plan to ensure that a total of 8,000 new student beds on campus will be built through the province by 2028.

To better prepare British Columbia for the economy of tomorrow, our government is investing in the expansion of advanced education and skills training in a variety of ways. For example, we invested $66.6 million into a new health and science centre at BCIT. The funding will support students in 32 different programs to simulate health care scenarios in a flexible space that will contribute to better-quality education.

We also provided the funding to double the number of provincially subsidized veterinarian seats available at the Western College of Veterinary Medicine. Additionally, we’re supporting students with their tuition by providing funding to support students previously admitted to non-provincially subsidized seats.

We introduced a made-in-B.C. skilled trades certification program system to support good jobs and more career opportunities for apprentices and trades workers. Skilled trades certificates will encourage more people to choose careers in the trades so that we will have the workforce we need in our economy recovery now and well into the future. We also provided the funding through the Industry Training Authority to increase apprenticeship training supports and program seats for trades and add five new apprenticeship advisers in B.C.

The Advanced Education and Skills Training budget bridges opportunities for British Columbia to ensure a career of their choice. British Columbians face different kinds of challenges and barriers. We must strive to remove those barriers that erode opportunities and compromise British Columbians’ potential.

Our government is committed to ensure that British Columbia prospers with all British Columbians prospering together. We have eliminated tuition fees for former youth in care who are 26 and under. We are working to expand the program to all former youth in care, regardless of their age.

[11:00 a.m.]

We also reversed a decision and made adult basic education and English language learning tuition-free. For British Columbians who wish to complete adult basic education or newcomers to British Columbia who decide to advance their English language skills, they will now be able to pursue their education without fees.

We also increased provincial funding to support literacy programs throughout B.C. To support post-secondary students’ mental health, we started Here2Talk, our free mental health support provided to students across British Columbia, and we also relaunched a sexualized violence prevention campaign to help raise awareness and prevent sexualized violence on campus.

[J. Tegart in the chair.]

C. Oakes: Highly skilled young people in British Columbia are feeling hopeless about their prospects. Even if they manage to make it through their post-secondary degrees, their entry-level salaries are often not enough to meet the costs of living. I’ve heard from students. While we certainly go back and forth as governments on what each of us have accomplished for the students, they want a government right now to take action because they’re feeling the pinch right now.

Graduate students are struggling to find a job after completing a highly advanced degree, which should never be the case in British Columbia. Further, we need to do a much better job on the graduate student programs in British Columbia. When we look at other provinces and the competitive environment around the globe, we need to be investing far more in our graduate student programs to ensure that we are providing for those innovators, those researchers, those future leaders that are going to support us in our futures ahead.

We have an economic plan the government announced that is based on a skills for jobs plan of tomorrow, which, to be clear, is five years into a ten-year plan, which is still not complete. You laid out a foundation of an economic plan that’s based on the skills for tomorrow plan. We haven’t seen what actually is the skills for tomorrow plan, which ties to funding that the institutions need to provide the necessary training to support the future of British Columbia, to drive our innovation, to support our economy.

All signs of this roadmap are deeply troubling. How do we attract people into the province? How do we compete against other provinces? How do we compete in a global competitive market? How do we ensure that we’re supporting the students? How do we make sure that all of those pieces are aligned?

We have a government that says we have an economic plan tied to a job plan that they actually haven’t delivered or announced yet. We’re waiting for that Future Ready plan. Further, we need a funding review formula to make sure that institutions actually have the funding to provide that training.

All of these disconnects are putting students in a very challenging position. When our future, our young people feel challenged, it’s going to have huge consequences on all of us in the province of British Columbia. We must listen to our students, who are the future of this province, and provide them with everything that they need to excel at their studies.

While cost of living skyrockets, our government must do everything in its power to encourage students to stay in British Columbia — to build their lives here, to make sure that they’re supported — because students are the future of British Columbia.

Hon. K. Chen: I ask the House to consider proceeding with Motion 22, standing in the name of the member for Vancouver–West End.

Deputy Speaker: Members, unanimous consent of the House is required to proceed to Motion 22 without disturbing the priorities of the motions preceding it on the order paper.

Leave granted.

Private Members’ Motions

MOTION 22 — ANNUAL ALLOWABLE
RENT INCREASE

S. Chandra Herbert: I move:

[Be it resolved that this House support holding the annual allowable rent increase for 2023 at two percent.]

That sounds very technical, and it is, but it gets to the heart of our communities and the ability for people to live good lives. I move this motion because I hope that this House unites around the needs of renters, that they demonstrate through this debate that they’ve heard the voice of renters, that they will act for them.

[11:05 a.m.]

I learned about the voice of renters and what we need to do from an elderly woman in my constituency who we lost a few years ago, a woman named Anne Gregory. I can still hear her Austrian-accented voice in the back of my mind telling me to: “Remember the renters. Don’t listen only to the speculators. There will always be someone looking out for the speculators. You don’t need to be that person.” She would say: “Remember the renters. Their voices have been forgotten.”

Anne Gregory was a remarkable woman. She survived life under the Nazis and then under the Russians after World War II. She moved to B.C. She stood up strong for women’s rights in her union when she was working at B.C. Tel. She faced down sexual harassment, and then she decided to make a difference for seniors, and her difference for seniors was to stand up for renters.

She said: “There’s a party that’s all about the speculators. You need to be a party that listens to renters and acts for them. You need to be a person that stands up for homes, not just profits. There are people who want to profit off the vulnerable. We need governments to look after the people.” And she knew well what she spoke of, because, of course, where she was from in Vienna, they make looking after the people through public housing, through other forms of housing, a priority.

If we were listening to the government of the speculators today that used to be in this province, British Columbians would be facing a nearly 10 percent rent increase. But because we changed governments, because we chose to elect governments that will listen to renters, this next year we’ll be seeing an annual allowable rent increase of only 2 percent. That’s a massive difference for people.

As Anne would remind us, for 16 long years, what we faced in this province were rents that went up above pensions, rents that increased faster than wages, rents that outstripped people’s ability to pay them, sending them onto the street, rents that made families have to choose between feeding good food to their kids or paying the rent.

Think about this. If we underwent the same kind of rent policy that some of my friends on the opposite side used to champion, for a $3,000-a-month accommodation, we’d be facing a nearly $300-a-month rent increase. Now think about that when you’re on a fixed income. Think about that when your wages haven’t gone up, when you’re already dealing with massive inflation.

We’ve decided to put people first, not speculators. That’s the right action, because that money is going to go back into the local community. That money is going to help provide a good meal for the kids so that they can grow up big and strong. That’s going to make sure that that senior is able to get the medication that they need.

I talk to renters a lot in my community, and this is the right action for them. But I know some will say: “Oh, but this is going to constrain supply.” Well, I can tell you that we’re building more affordable rental housing now in this province, in the last five years, than we did under the previous government’s speculators-first policy for 16 years. Putting people first, instead of speculators and the profiteers, is the right action. It works. It makes people healthy. It builds good, strong communities, and it’s actually building more housing too.

Instead of condos marketed offshore to the super rich, we’re getting rental housing marketed to middle-class families. We’re getting social housing built for those people that ended up on the street because of the speculators-first policy. We’re getting housing built so that people can live in their communities. Student housing — more student housing than ever before.

I just want to leave us with this. We can choose to make life better for people, or we can choose to prioritize the speculators and those that are already very wealthy. I know where I stand, and I hope that this House unites to stand with renters instead of the speculators.

M. Bernier: Wow. Where do I start on this? I thank the member for Vancouver–West End for bringing this issue forward. I mean, I guess what we’re going to expect for the next hour are catchphrases and slogans trying to cover up on the fact that they’ve absolutely failed when it comes to the housing issue in the province of British Columbia.

Look, we’re in the middle of a housing crisis. Nobody seems to want to argue that fact. What we can argue, though, is how people are dealing with that to help the people of British Columbia. Look, I don’t take issue or step with trying to help renters who are struggling, because they are struggling.

[11:10 a.m.]

Under this government and, actually, under the former Minister of Housing and soon-to-be Premier, the average cost for a one-bedroom apartment in the province of British Columbia has gone from just over $500 — $511, to be exact — per month to $2,412 a month, according to rentals.ca. That’s under this government.

They want to talk about listening to renters; they really actually aren’t. In fact, in the last six years, it has almost quadrupled — what it costs the people in the province of British Columbia to rent. Of course, the member opposite, before me, talks to a lot of renters in his riding, because most of them can’t afford to buy a house in British Columbia, under this government, anymore. It’s because of the costs that have increased so much.

Look, if this government were actually listening to the voice of renters — as the member before me and, I’m sure, others after him in the NDP are going to sloganeer around — I guess my main comment is: where’s the renters rebate?

There’s a slogan. There’s a catchphrase that this government has no problem saying every single election: “We’re going to make life more affordable. Elect us, and you’ll get a $400 renters rebate.” In fact, the soon-to-be Premier, when he was Housing Minister, stood in this House, and said — guess what: “We’re working on it. More to come, more to do.” Well, when you’re not doing anything, of course you can use the catchphrase “more to do,” which seems to be something that this government tries to end almost every comment, answer or commentary with.

Look, if you want to help renters, start with fulfilling some of your promises. The $400 renters rebate — time and time again. The Minister of Finance stands up and talks about how much money they have in the budget. Well, obviously they’re not communicating with each other because the Minister of Housing, the soon-to-be Premier, talked about it: “We have to find out if there’s enough money in the budget. We’re going to work on it. More to do.” The Minister of Finance says that it’s there.

I assume some of the members are going to get up after me and maybe finally talk about fulfilling that promise if they’re truly wanting to help people in the province of British Columbia, specifically the renters who are struggling under this government. We’re not arguing that renters are struggling. We’re not arguing that renters need help and that renters need support. What we’re challenging is the fact is that this government continues to say they acknowledge that but do nothing for them.

Now, if you really want to start talking about helping people in the province of British Columbia on affordabil­ity, here’s another slogan: “114,000 houses in the first ten years of government.” Well, guess what. We’re in year 6, and we have just over 7,000 homes that are actually open, with people living in them. Those aren’t my numbers. Those are the numbers from the former Minister of Housing, the soon-to-be Premier, who acknowledged in this House, basically, that they have utterly failed under his watch, for the last six years, in fulfilling the goals of trying to help people get into affordable housing in the province of British Columbia.

Look, in the last Ipsos-Reid poll that came out, 74 percent of people in the province of British Columbia have actually said that they’ve given up even looking at trying to get into a home in B.C., the way the prices are skyrocketing. So of course we’re going to need more support for renters, but we also have to remember that we need support to make sure we have that rental stock.

That’s not just government supplying it. The soon-to-be Premier — it only took him six years, mind you; I’ll give him credit for this — finally admitted that we need to be working with the private sector because government can’t do everything. For the last six years, that wasn’t the answer. Now that he wants to be Premier, he has said: “Look, I acknowledge that I can’t do it all. We need the private sector to build all these homes, because we need people in them.” Again, not my words; those were his words.

So this is an important motion that came forward this morning. Of course we need to be making sure that we have supports for renters. My challenge to this government is, “If you really want to actually have people believe what you’re saying, then follow through with all the promises that you’ve made for the last six years — where you said, ‘Elect us; we’ll make life more affordable,’” because they’ve utterly failed on all those promises.

J. Rice: I’m happy today to rise to my colleague’s motion that this House support holding the annual allowable rent increase for 2023 at 2 percent. We all know that global inflation is making life more expensive around the world. In fact, British Columbians have seen costs go up from the grocery store to the gas pump, and household budgets are being stretched.

[11:15 a.m.]

British Columbians need a break, and we’re focused on helping families make ends meet by capping rent increases below inflation, at 2 percent. Capping rent increases below inflation, to 2 percent, will provide significant savings for renters — more than $800 for a renter paying $2,000 a month in rent. We’re focused on helping the 1½ million renters in B.C. through this challenging period of global inflation.

This, along with other new supports, is our government’s next step in helping people with the current cost-of-living challenges we’re facing due to global inflation. These measures are significant and targeted. They allow us to provide the most help to those that need it most. We’ve been reducing costs for people since 2017, when we formed government. We’re going to continue to find even more ways to help people with costs so that British Columbians have the help they need today while building for a more secure future.

In 2018, the province capped annual rent increases to inflation, saving renters hundreds of dollars a year. Prior to that, rent increased at inflation plus an additional 2 percent under the B.C. Liberal government. For example, an average rent for a one-bedroom apartment per month in October of 2022, let’s say — the increase per month under the B.C. Liberal formula, which was inflation plus 2 percent, would look at a total increase of 9.7 percent per month. The increase under our government is 2 percent. This is a stark contrast in how our various parties treat renters in British Columbia.

For 16 years, the B.C. Liberals refused to act while housing prices soared out of reach, vacancy rates hit historic lows and rental rates became unaffordable. They would double down on the bad choices that created these problems if given the chance. We’ve had more housing complete or underway in three years than that side of the House built in 16 years. They refused to build affordable housing, allowed massive rent increases and let dirty money and speculation drive up real estate costs. Homelessness tripled. They have opposed nearly every major action we’ve taken to support renters and would have cost renters hundreds of dollars more per year.

We’ve taken action to support renters, such as capping rent increases to inflation and freezing rents during the pandemic. We put protections in place around fixed-term leases and renovictions. The speculation tax and tax on homes are proving to work, and we’re actually taking that funding and putting it into more affordable housing. We put in an eviction ban during the COVID-19 pandemic.

We have to keep moving forward because that side of the House would take us backwards. Our government is working to make housing more affordable for everyone, implementing an ambitious 30-point housing plan to tackle the housing crisis and make the largest investment in housing affordability in B.C. history — more than $7 billion over ten years to build 114,000 affordable homes so that all British Columbians can find an affordable place to live.

I also just wanted to mention that since we’ve been government, we have completed or have underway numerous housing projects within my riding of North Coast. We have the Crow’s Nest supportive housing completed — 36 beds. Lax Kw’alaams has eight beds built for seniors and ten beds for low-income individuals and families. The Cedar Village — we saw it to completion. It’s independent seniors’ housing for 32 people. The Crane’s Crossing — 35-bed shelter, and 45 new supportive housing units coming into effect. The Harbour View — 30 for low-income individuals and families.

I can’t even finish my list. I appreciate the time that you have allowed me today. Thank you.

[11:20 a.m.]

T. Halford: I rise today to speak to this motion. I do have to say that it’s a bit surprising that the members on the other side want to discuss rental costs given their new boss’s utter failure on this file. He had the file for a number of years, and it is quite funny. I will try to get through this without cracking too much laughter.

The fact of it is we have now got a default Premier coming in that actually oversaw housing for five years. I think every corner of British Columbia — every community, every riding — would agree that housing has been a failure, whether it’s supply, whether it’s rental. Even the member from Chilliwack has said in this House that ownership is not a likely aspiration for the next generations to come. That is fundamentally what this government believes.

The rent cap didn’t improve housing affordability. In fact, average rents continue to go up and up. Under the former minister’s tenure, soon to be Premier, the average cost of a one-bedroom apartment rose $511 per month. That’s over $2,400, according to rentals.ca. I was curious to see if there was anything better in my communities of Surrey and White Rock, but of course, I was disappointed to see things are about the same. In Surrey, the average monthly rent is over $1,200 — almost $1,300. It’s gone up $269 per month since 2017. In White Rock, it’s over $1,200. That’s up $187 per month under this government.

Instead of promised relief, renters are seeing costs continue to rise to new heights. Before me, the colleague spoke about the renters rebate. I will say this. This is something that this government has campaigned on not only once but twice. To have it now sitting here before this House, in this debate, and the fact that this is a campaign promise, not once but twice, shows that this government’s priorities aren’t for renters. A National Bank report found the former Housing Minister was responsible for the worst decline in housing affordability since 1981.

What about the annual $400 renters rebate? We just spoke about that again. Again, there is absolutely crickets. I will challenge any government member of this House that is going to stand up and speak on this motion to defend the fact that they campaigned, some of them not only once but twice, on a $400 renters rebate. That will not appear in their speaking notes, because it’s embarrassing.

It’s clear things have not only gotten worse for people, despite a great number of promises made by this government to make life more affordable, but in addition to housing unaffordability, people are also trying to cope with inflation, which has skyrocketed over 7 percent in B.C. Mortgage rates are rising, creating even more pressure for people. Food costs are more. Fuel costs are more. Goods and services cost more. The price of nearly everything continues to rise, and this government fails to do anything significant to tackle it. And $110 from ICBC isn’t going to cut it. Families need more.

At a time when people are having trouble paying their bills, what does this government do, instead of providing relief to people? They provide relief to themselves. They vote themselves a retroactive pay raise of $20,000 per minister, and that’s $40,000 to the next Premier. It’s appalling, it’s wrong, it’s poorly timed, and it shows British Columbians just where this government’s priorities are.

In the meantime, my colleague, the member for Kamloops–South Thompson, has put forward legislation to freeze MLA salaries in ’23-24 and forgo the nearly $10,000 MLA pay raise. Its common sense, and it’s the right thing to do. Again, crickets from this government.

Just like we have seen, there is little to no movement on many of their key promises. We’ll just go over a few more. In 2017, they promised 114,000 new units over ten years. Well, more than halfway into that ten-year goal, they’ve got less than 10 percent of those homes built — just over 7,000 units. CMHC says B.C. will need to build 570,000 additional homes by 2030 to deliver any sort of affordability to the housing market, which far exceeds this government’s promise of 114,000 units.

It is very, very clear that these members can get up and speak anything they want in terms of their support for renters, but when it comes to actionable items, this government has failed on every single task it set out to deliver.

[11:25 a.m.]

D. Routley: I’d like to steer this away from this tiresome ideological back and forth and actually talk about a few numbers here. In fact, over the 16 years of the previous government’s time in office, they built less than 100 student housing units, for example. Already open in this province are 465; under construction, 396; and in the planning stage, 286. That’s 1,141 student units which take the pressure off neighbouring communities, off their other rental stock for other families.

I would like us to actually consider this…. Rather than a consideration of a social value, which of course it is, let’s consider the economic value. Let’s consider the economic value of child care. We’ve seen how child care frees up the labour force. We’ve seen how child care in Quebec has resulted in their having the highest proportion of women working in the skilled trades. These are economic and social paybacks from these kinds of investments, and housing is no different. A labour force that can afford to live where they work — that’s important to our economy.

Inflation not being embedded is very important to our economy right now. If we had not acted to cap rents at 2 percent, if we had continued to allow 2 percent on top of inflation to be added to rental increases, as the previous government encouraged us to do and still promises to do, then families would be paying a lot more money per month.

I’ll give you just one example. In Vancouver, the average rent for a one-bedroom apartment in October of 2022 was $2,590. Now, if that increase that the previous government was going to allow, an extra 2 percent…. That family would be paying $2,841. With our rent cap, they’ll be paying $2,641. That’s $251 a month on top of the $980 a year they got from MSP premiums being wiped out, on top of the almost $500 per child that they are subsidized to have child care services.

This is life-changing for families, and it’s changing for our economy. It’s empowering people to participate, be­cause those families don’t take that $251 and generally go spend it in Acapulco. They spend it at the corner store. They spend it on clothes for their kids. That is good for our economy and has social paybacks as well.

It’s obvious that had we allowed those increases, they would be permanent. If I was paying $1,000 a month for rent and the cap is 2 percent with inflation, I’d pay $1,020. The problem with the rent increase the previous government was intending to sustain is that it would be embedded, entrenched in our economy, that inflation en­trenched. It would take advantage of what this entire globe considers to be a temporary spike in inflation and make it a permanent inflationary force in our economy.

What we have done is an economic measure that is protecting families, protecting rental stock and protecting our economy from inflation. In fact, we’ve built or are building or are in planning — and that means with local governments — over 36,000 housing units in this province. We have helped families meet their monthly needs in so many different ways, including, as the previous speaker noted, the ICBC rebates, the 20 percent lower ICBC basic insurance fees.

All of these add up to life-changing elements for families in British Columbia. People who couldn’t before can now consider buying a home and saving that down payment that the previous speaker was concerned about.

Our government takes a holistic approach to these matters. Not only is this a question of having the highest number of rental units in construction ever in this province, which there are, not only is it a social advantage for families, but it is an economic investment, and it is a protection of our economy from embedded and entrenched inflation. I hope the others will support it.

[11:30 a.m.]

J. Sturdy: I do rise today to speak to this motion.

In reference to the speaker previous, what government is not doing is treating itself as a landlord in the same way that it treats all other landlords in the province. In British Columbia, Crown land residential rent increases can be inordinate, can be outrageous, and that’s exactly what’s happening.

It’s clear that members across the House understand the need to give renters relief in these challenging times because of the affordability costs and many different issues, not the least of which are the unjustified fuel prices that I spoke to a little bit earlier today.

Rental rates have skyrocketed across British Columbia, with the average rent rising by almost $250 a month since the new leader of the NDP began his term as the Housing Minister, or the Minister Responsible for Housing. According to a report from the National Bank, over the course of the former Housing Minister’s tenure…. He presided over the worst decline in housing affordability since 1991. I believe there are some members in the House here who weren’t even born then. That is quite the accolade.

Interjection.

J. Sturdy: Oh, ’81.

In the Sea to Sky, renters may not always be covered by these blanket government interventions, as was imposed on the residential tenancy branch. Over a year ago, I advo­cated for government to take immediate action to address skyrocketing residential rents on Crown land, and unfortunately, nothing has been done. Rent for tenants who live on Crown land is based on the property’s assessed value, and in the last year, tenants have seen rent increases of 100 percent, 200 percent and even 300 percent due to increasing property values.

How is that acceptable in any circumstance? Well, it needs to be addressed. This is significant for renters not just in the Sea to Sky, not just in the Paradise Valley but also on the Sunshine Coast and in the Okanagan.

In the Sea to Sky, communities have been subject to outrageous rent increases and property value increases. Rent increase limits that were put in place during COVID-19…. When most landlords elsewhere were bound by a mandated rent freeze under the Residential Tenancy Act, Crown land rent increases, for some reason, were exempted.

It does beg the question: why are residential Crown land leaseholders not protected? Why does this NDP government, as a landlord, treat itself differently and not impose the same limitations on itself as it does on every other landlord in the province?

We, in our constituency offices, need to answer calls from constituents who are desperate to try to make ends meet but are having difficulties. There’s no regulation to stop government from increasing the rents by absurd amounts, amounts that would be prohibited by any other landlord in the province. Some of these constituents are single, living on Crown land for generations, or they just moved. Yet they all face the same insecurity of not knowing whether their subsequent rent increase will determine whether there’s food on the table or not.

We know Crown land residential rent is tied to a land value assessment, which in itself has issues where legislation limits how B.C. Assessment is allowed to assess land values in the case of leases. These are policy and legislative issues that can be amended and can be changed. Knowing how land values in British Columbia are increasingly unaffordable to the average person, it doesn’t take much to realize that these need to be acted on sooner rather than later. Government told us two years ago they were looking into it. Well, now these Crown land tenants are looking for answers.

I proposed a solution, by way of a private member’s bill, a couple of times over the last couple of years, which was to impose the same maximum allowable rent increase for residential Crown land tenants — the same limit — as all other renters across the province enjoy. Living on Crown land should not mean that you’re subject to unfair, disproportionate and volatile rent pricing.

We have cases where people are subject to an 86 percent rent increase where their neighbours are subject to 2 percent. This hypocrisy should not be okay. Private landlords have limits to increases, and the Crown has none.

British Columbians deserve a government that’s not just talking about making life more affordable for all British Columbians but acting on it. I’m waiting for this government to let me know when they’re done just looking into it.

[11:35 a.m.]

To add insult to injury, they’re obligated to pay the taxes as well. They have to pay the property taxes as well as these outrageous rent increases. It’s time something was done.

B. Anderson: Today is a very exciting day for many of my friends and constituents. In Nelson, we have had a zero percent vacancy rate for well over a decade. We have a Premier-elect that is dedicated to solving the housing crisis.

This is something that I talk with my friends about all the time. We are the demographic that knows and feels this most acutely. Most of my friends are renters or are people that are struggling to enter the housing market for the very first time. So when they saw the Premier-elect’s platform on how it’s all hands on deck to fix housing, they were ecstatic. I have been getting messages all weekend from people about how this is going to change their lives.

When the Premier-elect was campaigning and came to Nelson, he spoke with Jason. Jason is a part of the renters association. It’s called the Nelson Tenants Union. Jason was saying how…. Jason is around my age. He was concerned that he would never be able to afford a home. The Premier-elect was talking with Jason and said: “I want to change that for you. I want you to be able to have a home, to become a homeowner. We have many solutions on the table. We’re going to get there for you, and we’re going to get there for all British Columbians.”

This is an extremely exciting day for my community. We have done so much. We can see this in Nelson, we can see this in Kaslo, and we can see this in Creston. We have built now three affordable housing units in Nelson. The working people in my community are being housed in those units today because of the work our government has done and the dedication that we’ve held.

We have units that are being started in Kaslo. When I got to go up there and we did the groundbreaking, it was a truly magical moment. Those folks up in Kaslo have been working for 20 years to try to get more affordable housing in that community. Some people have been on that board for 20 years. When we got to break ground, it was all women that got to stand up there for one of the photos. It was the board chair of the regional district, the mayor, the head of the housing association — people that have been working extremely hard to be able to get affordable housing in communities like Kaslo.

I know how important this is. When I was campaigning, I met a woman from Kaslo working in a coffee shop in Hana’s Sunnyside Naturals, which I absolutely love. We started talking about housing. She said she had moved — I believe it was — ten times in the last 12 months, she and her partner with their animal. That was extremely stressful for her. She’s a hard-working member of the community. She has been there for a long time. The investments that we’re making in community will allow people like her to stay in her hometown and contribute to our community.

I find it really interesting when I hear the members from across talk about this. It sounds like they’re insincere because they are. I don’t think that they really even know renters. I don’t think that they’re actually friends with renters. They did absolutely nothing. They did absolutely nothing for the housing stock for 16 years. It was absolutely pathetic.

Interjection.

B. Anderson: Oh, you can hear that I’ve struck a bit of a nerve right now.

Yeah, I bet. When you do absolutely nothing for working people….

Interjection.

B. Anderson: Yeah. Look at the record.

I am so proud of our record. We have built housing in Creston for people with disabilities. We’re creating long-term care at Mount St. Francis.

This is something our community has been working on for decades. Everyone is so ecstatic, everyone that I talked to. I talked with Jenny at Nelson CARES, who has been working on this. She could not be more supportive and grateful for the work that our community has been doing.

My CAs Sarah and Anna hear about this every single day. They have been working hard to get people like my friend Linda housed. We found out on Friday that Linda has been offered two different places. We’re working with my CAs right now to figure out what is the best fit for peo­ple like my friend Linda.

[11:40 a.m.]

People like my friend Keith, on city council…. He is ecstatic about this. He has been working to try to get more affordable renting units in Nelson.

It’s our demographic, our friends, our seniors, our grandparents that absolutely need this. We’re doing that work, and I could not be more proud.

Deputy Speaker: Before we proceed with the next member, I would just ask that people remember that it’s respectful language in the House.

D. Davies: I appreciate the time to get to speak to this motion. I do thank the member for bringing this motion forward.

Just reflecting on the previous member for Nelson-Creston’s enthusiasm and excitement for British Columbians, it’s like we’re living in a utopia right now, and if you talk to almost half of the British Columbians in this province, they’re living cheque to cheque. So I really think there’s a disconnect between the reality and what the members on that side of the House are talking about today.

We shouldn’t even be in this place talking about this. Had the government done any work on this file over the past almost six years…. Building on that, let’s talk about the growing affordability crisis in British Columbia, the minimum action that has been taken by this government to combat the rising costs in houses and rent and a multitude of other things right now that are crippling British Columbians.

The latest real estate numbers are showing that the housing crisis is continuing to worsen under this government, and now the former Minister Responsible for Housing — and, yes, our next Premier; how fitting is that? Or, how really concerning is that? — is now going to be taking the seat shortly.

With the cost of purchasing a house out of reach for so many British Columbians, many are looking to rentals for a more financially accessible option. But we’re not seeing it. Rent has also skyrocketed under this former Housing Minister. The average cost of a one-bedroom apartment has risen by more than $500 a month. Looking at the numbers, it’s not hard to see why many areas are struggling to afford rent in British Columbia.

We’ve heard over and over again, as I mentioned, that almost half of British Columbians are one paycheque away from complete insolvency. Not a good picture. To make matters worse, these health and economic impacts have disproportionately affected those most vulnerable members of our communities, people that are living with disabilities or that are unable to work due to the pandemic.

Many of these British Columbians rely on a steady and reliable income — both federal and provincial assistance — to help pay for things that they need, such as rent. This can be the difference between paying rent or missing a rent cheque, buying groceries or going hungry, medications or no medications. This impacts every piece of their budget. The increase in rent is seriously affecting all British Columbians, but also those who are already facing skyrocketing living when it comes to gas, food and all our other essentials.

Let’s look at Langley. Rents are up more than $3,300 a year, hardly more affordable by anyone’s standards. Maple Ridge — the hike has been almost $3,600. The government knows that young people can’t afford to buy in the Lower Mainland anymore, and now, this government, they’re also being priced out of the rental market, even in places like the Tri-Cities — once fairly affordable, now up almost $4,500. Have we heard anything from the representing MLAs from that area? Nary a word. Nothing.

Life is not affordable for so many young people, and the members are silent on the other side. But they won’t feel the pinch as much as most other people because instead of debating the opposition’s motion that was brought forward to freeze legislation, or that the members opposite, ministers, are receiving nearly $10,000 in pay increases, including the newly elected or the newly crowned Premier, who is also going to be receiving double that…. No, we don’t want to talk about that.

As mentioned, among many of the other failed promises, British Columbians were told to expect more than 114,000 new housing units by this government. That number, as has been heard multiple times, is just a little over 7,000.

[11:45 a.m.]

This is a government that can’t get things done. This government not once but twice, also — I thought it was even more than twice — promised a renters rebate of $400. Well, that’s now not enough to even make an impact to cover the massive increase in rents that people are experiencing across this province.

This government and the soon-to-be Premier want to continue to pat themselves on the back. It just shows you how out of touch they are on British Columbians. As inflation skyrockets to over 7½ percent, nearly 8 percent, and mortgages rise, there’s only one thing that’s going to happen. That’s going to be more pressure on renters, because there’s going to be fewer people to have a home.

A. Mercier: It is an honour to stand in this House and speak to this motion: “Be it resolved that this House support…the annual allowable rent increase for 2023 at two percent.”

I want to thank the member for Peace River North for inviting me to stand up and to speak about Langley and all of the good work we’re doing in Langley, because I’m one of these renters in Langley. My wife and I rent a townhouse in Langley city, and the townhouse we rent is being rented out as a consequence of the speculation and vacancy tax. It was put on the market because the owners of it preferred to rent it out and to pay that tax, which is an example of gov­ernment policy working.

Langley is a growing community that is 38 percent renters right now, and it is growing. When you look at Langley city’s OCP, the official community plan, and the development that’s going to happen around SkyTrain as we densify, when you look at the densification up through Willoughby in the township, you see how much it’s growing, and it’s young families moving into rentals and seniors moving into rentals.

Folks in Langley had over 16 years of representation from those on the other side. I can tell you how that impacted renters. It did nothing for renters. I know that, because I’ve lived it. What we’re doing now in Langley is helping renters, and this is a part of it. Capping rent increases at 2 percent is a part of it.

We have done so much work since being elected. We froze rents during the pandemic. We froze rents, and it might seem strange now to look back and think about what a weird time the last three years have been with the pandemic, but people were unsure if they would have a job at the end of the day. A lot of employers were in a holding pattern, or some of them had closed down as a consequence of this. It was a tough time, and that gave people certainty.

At the same time we did that, we fixed the fixed-term and renoviction protection loopholes in the Residential Tenancy Act. When we did that, members from this House, on the other side, stood up and said: “How dare you. How dare you freeze rents. How dare you fix these loopholes.” That’s all on the record, in Hansard, because they were more concerned about protecting investors than they were about protecting renters.

Homes are for people, and that has been the driving thrust of this government. I couldn’t tell you how proud I am of the Premier-elect, the new Premier-designate, who has taken this file on and is going to continue to take this file on as Premier, delivering for renters in the Lower Mainland, in Langley and throughout this province.

I just want to say a word about my friend, the member for Vancouver–West End, who has been a phenomenal housing advocate throughout his life and not just as an elected official. I first met him when my wife was living in the West End. There were renoviction fears in her neighbourhood. It was the member for Vancouver–West End who helped organize folks and push for those changes.

Let’s not make any bones about it here. If we weren’t in government right now, there would be an over 10 percent inflationary increase building on top of previous increases, because the old government would have capped rents at inflation plus a percentage. So right now they would be looking the other way while rents soared, at a time when — the member for Peace River North is correct — people are living paycheque to paycheque. They need a government that understands them and understands about what their family is going through — in their pocketbook.

It’s the same reason why, as we build out child care — to help people get to work and to help families so that both members of the family can work. It’s the same reason we’re giving, on average, a $550-a-month cut to child care fees. That is huge for parents. I know that because like a renter, I’m also a parent with two kids under five. This is an extraordinarily important thing to be doing.

[11:50 a.m.]

We’ve seen what the other side’s approach is. I mean, the Leader of the Opposition has gone on record, since becoming the Leader of the Opposition, against the speculation and vacancy tax. But before he ran — before the caucus opposite dealt with his predecessor, when he was angling to run — he wrote two op-eds calling for the end of the speculation and vacancy tax, calling for, effectively, housing to be treated like an investment.

I can tell you, living in a unit that’s rented out because of that tax, it is working. These measures are working, and we can’t take our eyes off the ball because of some loud voices in this chamber. We need to focus on helping and protecting renters, and that’s what we’re going to do.

E. Sturko: I thank the member for bringing forward this motion.

As a member of this House who’s most recently been on the campaign trail, I was able to hear firsthand from my constituents on how difficult it is right now to find an affordable rental home, never mind just finding a rental home at all. From young people leaving their homes for the first time to young families to seniors, people from all walks of life in Surrey are struggling with the skyrocketing rents that we’ve seen over the last half decade under this government.

Furthermore, not only are people struggling under sky­rocketing rental costs, but they are beyond disappointed with the many failed promises from this government. For starters, where is the long-promised renters rebate, first promised by this government in 2017? The soon-to-be Premier himself has long talked about the importance of supporting renters, but of course, his actions speak differently.

Under the member from Point Grey’s tenure as Housing Minister, the cost of rent in my community has risen by, on average, over $3,228 a year. How could anyone trust that the new leader of the NDP is going to come through when he so clearly failed to address rental affordability in any meaningful way during two terms in government? In addition to that, in a recent survey by Ipsos, 74 percent of non-owners have given up on ever owning a home — this under the watch of the former Housing Minister.

In an even further damning indictment of the record of the former Housing Minister, according to a report by the National Bank, he was responsible for the worst decline in housing affordability since 1981. How did we get to this point?

Remarkably, after five years, two terms, this government is only now acknowledging what we have been saying for years — that the main factor driving these astronomically high prices is, of course, a lack of supply. In responding to this challenge, however, the government is too slow to act and failing to put their money where their mouth is. It’s clear that they’re failing to understand the urgency required to address the affordability crisis.

At the end of the day, facts speak for themselves. This two-term government has only sat and watched the cost of goods and housing dramatically increase while they’ve been constantly scapegoating foreigners, developers and homebuilders. And it’s taken them five years to figure out that there’s a massive supply challenge.

There are real steps that could be taken immediately if this government was serious about prioritizing affordability for renters. The government themselves have even promised to take such action.

Let’s just remind ourselves of their track record. On their promise to reduce construction costs, taxes, fees and red tape have only skyrocketed and now add up to over $600,000 to the cost of a home in Vancouver. On their promise to control the rising costs of strata insurance, the costs of insurance have not gone down since spiking in 2020. And on this government’s most-talked-about promise to build 114,000 new rentals, social and co-op and owner-purchased housing units, today less than 10 percent of those promised homes are open.

I think the list of failed promises speaks for itself. British Columbians are tired of hearing empty promises. Seeing no real action to help solve this housing crisis, voters during my by-election, and in recent municipal elections, spoke loud and clear that housing was a priority. Let’s hope we can start to see some results instead of the same old, tired rhetoric.

[11:55 a.m.]

M. Dykeman: Thank you to the member for Vancouver–West End for bringing forward this motion today: “Be it resolved that this House support holding the annual allowable rent increase for 2023 at two percent.” I am thrilled to rise in the House today to speak in support of this motion.

[Mr. Speaker in the chair.]

I note that the opposition actually at no point acknowledged what the motion was about. So I believe that it’s fair to draw an inference that, likely, the holding pattern is the same over there — that at any opportunity to support renters, we won’t receive that support from opposition.

It doesn’t surprise me, as it’s fairly in line with the 16 years that we’ve seen, including the previous Leader of the Opposition Andrew Wilkinson. He quite famously talked about renting being a wacky time of life — fun, enjoyable and a rite of passage — and a time where, when talking about the challenges of renters, he simply flippantly put it off and said: “Would I phrase it differently this time? Sure, why not? To correct the record, renting can be very difficult and stressful….”

You see, there is a long history of 16 years of not providing supports. Our government recognizes these are challenging times. We’ve had conflicting, difficult events happen in society over the last several years — a pandemic; incredible inflation rising, including right now. In the last 12-month period, we’ve seen a 7.6 percent rise in inflation, and the previous CPI report showed an 8.1 percent inflation, the largest yearly change since January 1983, driven by high gasoline prices and myriad other events. We’ve seen a situation where consumers right now are paying 35.6 percent more for gasoline.

We have had incredible pressures of people moving to our wonderful country, with international immigration adding a record 41,355 people to British Columbia’s population in the second quarter of 2022. That was an increase of 193.7 percent from the same period in 2021. We have seen, though, lots of gaps in positions needing to be filled, and this movement will help with that.

But many people who are moving to a new country or moving from another province or even moving from the west to the east, as we have seen a lot in Langley, are typically renters. So providing security for renters is good for our economy. It’s good for society in addition to being a basic right. People should feel safe and secure in their home. These have positive impacts.

That’s something I haven’t heard from opposition. Not only was it not supported through the 16 years…. As a renter myself, living in one of the fastest-growing communities, I’ve seen the consequences of those policies where you aren’t supporting renters. Our government recognizes the incredible benefit that comes from that and is now putting in supports to benefit renters.

For example, Langley township, which I represent, has had the highest number of housing starts. More than 4,300 homes began construction in the last five years. Our government has supported an incredible amount of housing projects, including Shepherd of the Valley Church, which moved ahead with affordable housing with 70 rental apartments and 12 family homes for single mothers with children who are able to now access affordable housing.

We have new buildings going up for Solaro in Murray­ville, partnering with a company. There was a comment that the private sector didn’t support it. Well, that’s just not true. We have seen 100 new rental homes in partnership built in my community. We have 62 rental homes designed for affordable families, seniors and people with middle incomes. Park Vista will provide that affordable housing.

We’ve seen 100 new affordable homes and construction being built with the Langley Lions Housing Society, often supporting people who are starting off or in vulnerable positions. To have access to affordable housing is good for the economy. It’s the right thing to do, and our government is committed to that. The reason why we have a backlog is because for 16 years, those were the groups that were ignored.

I’m proud to stand today and support it, because it’s the right thing to do, and it’s the right thing for British Columbia.

Mr. Speaker: Member for Langley East to move the adjournment of the debate.

M. Dykeman: Yes, I guess it’s around that time, hon. Speaker.

M. Dykeman moved adjournment of debate.

Motion approved.

Hon. K. Chen moved adjournment of the House.

Motion approved.

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

The House adjourned at 12 noon.