Routine Business

Prayers and reflections: J. Sims.

[10:05 a.m.]

Introductions by Members

Hon. R. Kahlon: Thank you, hon. Speaker. I have two sets of introductions I’d like to make — one, some guests that are visiting you and are your guests. I’m going with them first to make you happy, hon. Speaker. We have some of your guests that are visiting from Toronto and the Lower Mainland. I know that you’ll be hosting them in your VIP room, having lunch, I’m sure.

We have Hardam Mangat, Yadwinder Sodhi, Sanjeev Grewal, Taj Toor and Kuljit Pandher. He and I worked together at the Royal Bank many, many years ago.

Will the House please make them all welcome.

We also have two visitors here from the Non-Profit Housing Association. I want to thank them for the work that they do to support and grow our amazing not-for-profit housing sector. We have Ian Cullis and Bryan Woo.

I’m hoping the House can join me in welcoming them today as well.

Hon. H. Bains: My most favourite hockey player, Brandon Bains, No. 2, and his Surrey Thunder team, after winning a gold medal in Nanaimo and a gold medal in Abbotsford, are now moving into the playoffs. I just want to say their success depends on the coaching staff they have, led by Brian MacGillivray; assistant coaches, Gerry MacGillivray, Avin Gill, Justin Gill, Justin Sayson; and on-and-off-ice helpers Matt Welsh, Gurj Randhawa and Donny Malhotra.

It’s not only that they develop the skills and what is needed to be a good hockey player. The head coach has the unique ability to identify the strengths and skills of each hockey player and then take it to the next level. Along with this, he teaches life skills to his athletes, like leadership qualities, discipline, honesty and integrity, all key aspects in helping each athlete achieve their hockey dreams.

Please join with me and send deep gratitude to this coaching team.

I say to Brandon and his team: play hard, have fun and be respectful to each other on the ice.

A. Olsen: It’s my honour to introduce two of my constituents from Saltspring Island in the House today. Jon Cooksey and Pam Tarr are here. They are important change-makers in the community, and I’ll be looking forward to having lunch with them later.

Will the House please make them feel very welcome here.

S. Furstenau: In the gallery today is Mike Nierychlo. He and his wife, Robin, own Emandare Winery in the Cowichan Valley.

Would the House please make him feel most welcome.

[10:10 a.m.]

Mr. Speaker: Member for Peace River…. North.

D. Davies: It’s funny, hon. Speaker. This is part of my bill today that I’m going to be talking about.

Introduction and
First Reading of Bills

BILL M209 — ELECTORAL DISTRICTS
(RENAMING) AMENDMENT ACT, 2023

D. Davies presented a bill intituled Electoral Districts (Renaming) Amendment Act, 2023.

D. Davies: I move that a bill intituled Electoral Districts (Renaming) Amendment Act, 2023, of which notice has given today in my name on the order paper, be introduced and read now for the first time.

Today I rise to introduce, for a second time, a bill that would change the name of my riding to better reflect its regional composition. The Northern Rockies regional district is a very important part of my riding that should be highlighted in its name. It is a place that I am incredibly proud to represent along with the entirety of my riding.

The federal electoral district to my provincial riding also reflects Northern Rockies specifically. In fact, it had its name changed in 2013, from Prince George-Peace River to Prince George–Peace River–Northern Rockies which…. Northern Rockies is not even located near the Peace River.

The regional municipality of Northern Rockies comprises roughly 10 percent of British Columbia’s land mass, which is a major part of the landscape of our province. It also includes Fort Nelson, which is the largest community in the regional municipality.

The Northern Rockies is home to some of the most important resources in our provincial economy, being home to one of the largest natural gas plays in the world, incredible potential for timber supply and opportunities for mining. More recently it has become known for its potential in geothermal and hydrogen, and we must not forget about the vast opportunities for tourism in this incredibly beautiful part of our province.

As the electoral boundary commission is in its final stages for their report, the timing to request this change is perfect. I believe that it is important for Northern Rockies to be recognized and represented in this Legislature, as well as to help people not mix up my fine colleague from Peace River South with Peace River North, which often happens.

Mr. Speaker: The question is first reading of the bill.

Motion approved.

D. Davies: I move that the bill be placed on the orders of the day for second reading at the next sitting of the House after today.

Bill M209, Electoral Districts (Renaming) Amendment Act, 2023, introduced, read a first time and ordered to be placed on orders of the day for second reading at the next sitting of the House after today.

BILL M210 — PRESERVING BRUNSWICK
POINT FOR AGRICULTURE AND MIGRATING
WATERFOWL HABITAT ACT, 2023

I. Paton presented a bill intituled Preserving Brunswick Point for Agriculture and Migrating Waterfowl Habitat Act, 2023.

I. Paton: I move that the bill intituled Preserving Brunswick Point for Agriculture and Migrating Waterfowl Habitat Act, 2023, of which notice has been given in my name on the order paper, be introduced and now read for the second time.

Today I rise to introduce this bill for the third time. The history of Brunswick Point has been lengthy and painful for several Delta families. Starting in 1968, a proposal for a coal terminal at Deltaport and a railway line through Delta farmland was brought forward. This project came with the expropriation of 4,000 acres of prime farmland in west Delta. However, more than 600 acres of Brunswick Point farmland that is being held by the Crown has not yet been sold back to the original owners. Instead, it has been offered back to the families through short-term leases.

Brunswick Point is a triangular-shaped piece of land that borders the ocean and the Fraser River at Canoe Pass and includes seven kilometres of dike walking trails. The land also boasts exceptional class 1 soil that grows B.C.’s very best potatoes. But most importantly, the area is world-renowned as a resting stop for migrating birds, including Canada geese, snow geese, swans and snowy owls. The resting birds are well nourished by the leftover morsels of potatoes, grain and corn. The section of land is also only two kilometres away from the Reifel Bird Sanctuary.

Being precariously close to the Deltaport coal and container terminal and a massive warehousing development next door at Tsawwassen First Nation, it is vitally important that this precious 600 acres of farmland continues to be held by the Crown, be kept in agriculture and wildlife habitat in perpetuity and be sold back to local farmers or offered back with long-term leases. It is essential that the farmland and the bird habitat be protected from any development in the future.

Therefore, I present this bill with the hope that the government can honour its own mandates and work together to protect our beautiful province and do what is best for the people of British Columbia.

Mr. Speaker: The question is first reading of the bill.

Motion approved.

I. Paton: I move that the bill be placed on the orders of the day for second reading at the next sitting of the House after today.

Bill M210, Preserving Brunswick Point for Agriculture and Migrating Waterfowl Habitat Act, 2023, introduced, read a first time and ordered to be placed on orders of the day for second reading at the next sitting of the House after today.

[10:15 a.m.]

BILL M211 — EMERGENCY PROGRAM
AMENDMENT ACT, 2023

T. Stone presented a bill intituled Emergency Program Amendment Act, 2023.

T. Stone: I move that the bill intituled the Emergency Program Amendment, 2023, of which notice has been given in my name on the order paper, be introduced and read a first time now.

Although the extreme climate events of 2021 are behind us, the impacts continue to be felt, and we must acknowledge the reality that these occurrences are becoming more frequent, with increasingly devastating consequences. This is leading to increased costs for disaster victims and the inability to access insurance in high-risk areas.

The purpose of disaster financial assistance is to help individuals who are unable to purchase insurance coverage. Unfortunately, the program has remained largely unchanged over the last 50 years, and it’s failing to fulfil its intended purposes in a world experiencing climate change. There is a desperate need to update the DFA program to proactively address these new challenges, fill gaps and ensure that it does not incentivize the continued downward spiral of increasing insurance costs and shrinking coverage.

This bill calls on government to take measures that will address emerging issues and better protect homeowners and business people, including streamlining and simplifying the DFA claim process; setting and defining an affordability metric for the DFA’s reasonably and readily available insurance criteria; expanding the scope of DFA to address issues pertaining to micropockets of the province, where no insurance coverage is available for a given disaster event; extending the application deadline, which is now set at 90 days from the date DFA was authorized; extending the appeal process to address applications rejected due to missing information; removing an exclusion that will not grant DFA support for costs related to any contents located in basements, crawl spaces or similar low-lying storage areas, unless these areas are being used as essential living areas for homeowners; and developing a government grant program for homeowners in high-risk areas to help offset the high cost of insurance and incentivize individuals to purchase it.

As I reintroduce this bill, I urge the government to consider changing the regulations and close existing gaps in DFA eligibility in high-risk areas. With another wildfire season upon us in a matter of months, it’s imperative that the government act quickly.

Mr. Speaker: Members, the question is first reading of the bill.

Motion approved.

T. Stone: I move that the bill be placed on orders of the day for second reading at the next sitting of the House after today.

Bill M211, Emergency Program Amendment Act, 2023, introduced, read a first time and ordered to be placed on orders of the day for second reading at the next sitting of the House after today.

Statements
(Standing Order 25B)

HARPER’S TRAIL WINERY

T. Stone: Members, I want to take you on a trip down memory lane — 16 years, in fact. No, I’m not talking about those 16 years. We’ll save that for another day. I’m talking about the 16 successful years that Ed and Vicki Collett of Harper’s Trail Winery have spent in the wine business up in Kamloops.

Ed recalls that through his travels to wine regions around the world, particularly Australia and Chile, he was struck by how their climates were similar to that of the Thompson River valley. The observation sparked a dream that led to the couple opening Kamloops’s first winery in 2012. They have enjoyed a very successful business, growing Harper’s Trail to a 5,000-case brand, producing 100 percent estate wines grown on the property’s 25½-acre vineyard.

Over the span of ten vintages, their wines have garnered many top honours in prominent national and international wine competitions. But importantly, they helped put Kamloops on the map as a legitimate wine territory in B.C.’s landscape, and I will suggest that they’ve added one more element to Kamloops’s longstanding rivalry with that wine powerhouse in Kelowna.

Last week Ed and Vicki announced their impending retirement. They will open their tasting room for a final month this May, and they’re inviting the community to come and help them celebrate and savour their final vintage. They also plan to release an exclusive collection of library wines.

Ed and Vicki have listed their winery for sale and hope to find a reputable successor to take Harper’s Trail to that next level — a very tempting next career choice, perhaps, for some. But in all seriousness, they will leave behind a tremendous legacy, and the people of Kamloops and the surrounding area wish them the very best as they pursue the next chapter in their lives.

[10:20 a.m.]

WINE INDUSTRY

R. Russell: Building nicely upon that, it’s my honour today to be able to rise in this House to share some of the challenges and opportunities for B.C. wine with members here. From the conversations that I’ve had across my riding, as well as some in the member for Penticton’s riding — I suspect the member for Kelowna West might have some opinions on this as well — there is an enormous amount of momentum within the industry, but that potential needs some help from those of us here in this House.

For the context of that, wine is one of the highest-value-added agricultural products in B.C. The sector nearly doubled in less than ten years prior to the pandemic, contributing $3.75 billion to B.C.’s economy in 2019.

But visits to vineyards like Kismet and CheckMate make apparent the reality of climate change impacts on varietal selection and yield. Heat domes, extreme cold snaps and smoky summers have thrown an unpredictable storm of challenges at these producers. A nod to our efforts to reduce emissions via our CleanBC commitments in the operational value of regenerative ag, but that’s another conversation.

Exciting ventures such as the District Wine Village in Oliver serve as a wine hub of sorts, enabling new entrants into the business. Visitors get to explore the diversity of great operations like Canter Cellars, nice wines and many more, but our permitting regime constrains their opportunities, and they need our help. Similarly, TIME Winery and Kitchen highlighted for me how creative entrepreneur models of small vineyards are being unreasonably constrained by policies that were written for a different reality than we’re in today around both real estate and packing restrictions.

The pandemic also highlighted challenges around many distribution networks, including wine, and there are opportunities for small producers with centralized distribution centres, but we need to work towards creating that change. Visiting Noble Ridge and Covert farms made clear the value of farm-gate wine tourism and the need to grow our wine tourism marketing, as well as needs to streamline and right-size permitting on our end here in this place.

I don’t even have time to get to the Similkameen wines or excise tax issues today, but I just want to say that B.C. wine is full of opportunity, and the industry is ripe with creative energy. We here can help unlock more of that potential.

JACK BROWN
AND CONTRIBUTIONS TO AGRICULTURE

I. Paton: I rise today to speak to the life of an outstanding Surrey farmer, community member and agrologist, Mr. Jack Brown.

When speaking of the Brown family, one must dial back, way back to 1877, when the Browns became one of the first families to settle as farmers in the east Delta and Colebrook areas of Surrey. The Brown family also purchased farmland on 168 Street in Surrey — where Jack grew up and, like many of us, joined 4-H and, after high school, worked the family farm full-time.

Besides being an avid supporter of agriculture, Jack also had a long tenure with the Cloverdale Volunteer Fire Department, where he was a firefighter and the chief for over 30 years. Jack’s involvement with the Cloverdale jaycees helped him in the early years for him to develop the skills that helped him achieve multiple leadership roles in various organizations. As time went on, Jack began to take on the role of a leader in the farming community, serving on various committees, panels, associations and boards.

To name just a few, Jack sat on boards and committees such as the Canadian Federation of Agriculture, the Canadian Horticultural Council, the B.C. Coast Vegetable Marketing co-op, the Minister’s Council on the Food Industry, the B.C. Cattlemen’s Association, the B.C. Angus Association, the Surrey Dyking Commission, the B.C. Cranberry Marketing Commission and the Cloverdale Senior Citizens Society. Known as a good listener and one who could see past his own direct interests for the good of all, Jack was a consensus-builder and an approachable leader.

My earliest connection to Jack Brown was a complete dispersal auction of his farm equipment that my dad and I conducted in 1991, when Jack sold his farm, which became the now-famous Northview golf course. After selling the Cloverdale farm, Jack and Lorrie bought the north Langley farm and began to raise purebred red Angus cattle. Jack also worked for the Surrey Dyking Commission as manager for five years.

His growing involvement with the cattle side of things also fed his lifelong love of the Cariboo. There were few things Jack liked better than a trip to the Interior for a bull sale or just to visit. Many never realized how many hats Jack actually wore.

He may be gone now, but he will always be remembered by farmers and ranchers for his legacy of connections, education, experience and mentorship to all who knew Jack Brown.

[10:25 a.m.]

COMMUNITY PRESERVATION OF
FISHERIES AND FOREST RESOURCES

A. Olsen: Last night MLAs had the privilege to taste the incredible bounty of our oceans, food that has sustained coastal communities and people since time immemorial. The event was hosted by Fisheries for Communities. They continue to ask the same question we asked in our wild salmon report a few years back: how can we ensure that the people who fish the waters benefit from the wealth of the ocean, like they once did?

The privatization of our fisheries has had devastating consequences. Decisions made in foreign boardrooms and decisions made in boardrooms here in Vancouver net huge wealth for few, while leaving the fishers in the communities with little.

Last night former B.C. NDP Fisheries Minister Corky Evans gave a rousing sermon. He reminded us that our report on wild salmon is a repeat of reports from 30 years ago, yet today we are even less protective of the commons and more protective of individual wealth and pursuits.

He highlighted how the prevailing philosophy is that fisheries and forests cannot be left to local people because they will overharvest, and only privatizing them will protect them. But it is only local people who look after resources, the resources they count on for survival. “Don’t leave here with regrets,” he said, “because you will stew over it for decades.”

The ocean still produces a bounty, and we have a responsibility to ensure that the fishers and their communities benefit from their work. The same goes for the forests, and the people and communities they support. For too long, we have allowed massive corporations to extract billions each quarter and send their lobbyists into these halls, cap in hand, claiming they’re poor — the same cycle for decades. Enough is enough.

COMMUNITY BOARD GAME FUNDRAISER
IN PORT MOODY

R. Glumac: Many families come together to play board games. In my own family, my 16-year-old holds the title for Ticket to Ride champion — and will never be unseated, I don’t think. But today I’d like to talk about another family in my community, the family of Evan and Alexandra Chan, whose love for board games is only matched by their love for their community of Port Moody.

Evan says: “Family game nights are a way a lot of fami­lies bond, and a community game day is a good way for our community to bond.” The Chans are organizing a game day at the Venosta train car at the Port Moody Station Museum on March 25, and the money they raise at the event will be donated back to the museum. This is an idea that was sparked only a couple of months ago and has already grown to a sold-out event. Even after spilling out of the train car and adding tables onto the train platform itself, it’s still sold out.

In the true spirit of community, several local businesses have also stepped up to support the event. Participants will be organized in tables of four to meet others living in the area that share an interest in board games and tea. They’ll be asked to refrain from using cell phones and to use cash only, to reflect the era of the 1920s, when the train was operational.

Their philosophy is simple. They say: “We liked the idea of having an environment where people can come together, meet others and learn from people in the community who they may not normally interact with. It helps everyone grow.”

To find out more, check out Board Games and Tea on Facebook.

[10:30 a.m.]

Oral Questions

GOVERNMENT ACTION ON ISSUES

K. Falcon: The Premier promised results that people can see and feel, but the NDP’s last 100 days have yielded the same terrible results as the last six years — by every measure.

People are literally dying because they cannot get basic health care. Crime is getting worse. Just today, we saw the news of a pair of vicious random assaults in Richmond by a violent prolific offender as the latest example.

Life has never been more unaffordable — we are paying the highest taxes, the highest fuel prices in North America, and we’ve got the highest housing prices in North America — after six years of NDP government. But wait, there’s more. According to a new report, with the exception of Mexico City, Metro Vancouver now has the worst traffic gridlock in all of North America, another low. We find that drivers are now spending an average of 200 hours a year stuck in rush-hour traffic.

After six years of worsening results, we’ve now witnessed 100 days of hot air. The question to the Premier is this: when will his rhetoric and empty promises start matching the results so that people can actually see some improved results somewhere, anywhere, in British Columbia?

Hon. R. Kahlon: I thank the member for the question. Of course he leaves out many important facts. Strongest economy in the country. He forgot to mention that in his comments.

Strongest population growth. People are coming from all across the country, from different parts of the world to make British Columbia home, because they know this is a place of opportunity. They’re seeing the investments we’re making in people here. They see the investments we’re making in things like child care, which has ensured that we are now leading the country in having the most amount of women being employed into the labour market.

Years of underinvestment have created many challenges in our province. We are making investments to support people now and into the future.

Mr. Speaker: Leader of the Official Opposition, supplemental.

GOVERNMENT ACTION ON
AFFORDABLE HOUSING

K. Falcon: Actually what they’re seeing are the worst results in North America — not just in the country, in North America. No amount of empty rhetoric or announcements is going to change the fact that results really matter, and we’re getting terrible results.

You know, this Premier and this minister have failed to deliver better results, especially when it comes to housing. Instead of results, we’ve seen what we call the housing flub, and families like Steven and Tara are paying the price.

Steven and Tara and their children are barely surviving in a toxic, leaky and poorly insulated two-bedroom mobile home. Their daughter must use the dining room as a bedroom, and they’ve surrounded it by curtains to create a makeshift third room. Sixty-seven percent of their income goes towards their rent, and they’re constantly battling black mould caused by the leaky mobile home.

Yet when this Merritt family turned to the B.C. housing flub for help, instead of help, the Premier’s affordable housing project prioritized subsidizing Airbnb rentals in Merritt over the basic needs of struggling families like Tara and Steven.

One can imagine how those announcements they keep hearing ring hollow for couples like Steven and Tara. What does this Housing Minister have to say to them?

Hon. R. Kahlon: We know there’s a challenge with affordable housing across the province. The member should know that we are seeing record numbers of rental starts in British Columbia right now. We know that we need more investments into housing. That’s why we’ve been urging the federal government to get into the game to join us, join our record amount of investments.

But for the member to stand up now and to suggest that this problem has just arrived, when, for 16 years, they were in government. He was the Minister of Finance. Very little action was taken to address housing.

[10:35 a.m.]

In fact, when he was the Minister of Finance, we only saw 2,000 rental units built in this province. Their solution was: why don’t we have rent increases happen as CPI plus 2 percent? Because somehow that will help the people he’s talking about.

We have taken action to ensure that rent increases are decreased so that people can get into the housing market and continue to afford their places.

Interjections.

Mr. Speaker: Members. Members.

Please continue.

Hon. R. Kahlon: The truth hurts. I’m sure the member has lots of other questions, and I’m happy to answer them.

The problem we have now…. If you talk to housing experts, they will tell you that it is decades of underinvestment in housing in British Columbia. We’re making the investments that are needed. We’re going to continue to do that.

AFFORDABLE HOUSING FOR FAMILIES
AND PROTECTIONS FOR RENTERS

K. Kirkpatrick: Thank you to the minister for that overview. I would like to remind, perhaps, MLA members that 70 percent of these new rental units built under this NDP government have actually come from the demolition of existing rental units and not new construction.

Now the Premier’s housing flub is harming families. When Victoria Walsh was expecting a child, the last thing she expected was a crippling 20 percent hike in rent, but that is exactly what’s happened under this NDP government. Victoria is outraged. My baby “shouldn’t be treated like a roommate, and I feel it’s very unfair. Twenty percent is just not a reasonable increase. It’s way too much.”

Despite her plea for help, the only response from the Housing Minister is to merely shrug his shoulders and say that that rent increase is permitted. There’s nothing he can do. And the Premier responded: “It seems strange to me.” Talk about a lack of empathy.

Will the Premier tell Victoria why he is allowing her to be punished by a 20 percent rent increase for having a baby?

Hon. R. Kahlon: Certainly I can imagine how stressful it is for that family to have a child and then have their landlord increase their rent by 20 percent. I think we all in this House can agree that that is unacceptable, and I certainly hope that that landlord considers their actions.

That’s not what the tenancy act was designed to do. It’s certainly the same as when the opposition was on this side of the House. Nothing has changed there. This is the case where, I think, the landlord should do the right thing and ensure that the contract that’s in place is targeted to the people it’s supposed to be targeted to and not to young families.

Mr. Speaker: Member for West Vancouver–Capilano, supplemental.

K. Kirkpatrick: Appreciating that it’s difficult for this family is not enough. The Premier should not have actually found this strange because it was when he was Housing Minister that the exact same thing happened to another young family, where their rent was hiked when their daughter was born a year ago. Back then the response from the then Housing Minister was: “It seems bizarre.” How clueless and ineffectual…. This is just as lost today.

Patrick Marston has called the now Premier to take action, back in March of 2022, and today he says: “I basically got a form letter back from the then minister, now the Premier, and saw no action.”

When a major housing flub, just like with newborn children causing families to be evicted from stratas…. The Premier is making life even worse for struggling families with rentals. Will the Premier finally take responsibility for the ongoing housing crisis and explain to young families, like Patrick and Victoria, why he has failed to deliver results for them?

[10:40 a.m.]

Hon. R. Kahlon: Again, I know that this is a challenging situation for this family. That is not what the rental tenancy laws in this place are supposed to be about. They’re the same laws that were in place when the previous government was in place.

Interjections.

Mr. Speaker: Shhh. Members.

Hon. R. Kahlon: Again, my call to this landlord is to ensure that they do the right thing and support the people that are living in that unit and not use that 20 percent private agreement that they had in place for the wrong purpose.

We have been supporting renters in historic ways on this side of the House. When we put in the caps to ensure that rents can be not increased dramatically, we did that…

Interjections.

Mr. Speaker: Members, Members.

The minister will continue.

Hon. R. Kahlon: …because we knew the challenges we’re facing right now are high. I just find it a little rich hearing from the opposite side. When they let rents go as high as they wanted, they thought it was a great thing. In fact, the Leader of the Official Opposition was just talking about that very thing on radio — talking about how putting the caps…

Interjections.

Mr. Speaker: Shhh. Shhh.

Hon. R. Kahlon: …for rent increases is wrong because it’s going to hurt the private sector. He was talking about that.

I just don’t understand the line of questioning today when we’ve taken historic steps. We’ve got 14,000 rental units being built this year. Two thousand units a year were being built when they were in government. We have 14,000.

The member also made an assertion that somehow units are being displaced when we’re building new units. Just for student housing alone….

Interjections.

Hon. R. Kahlon: He says, “Here we go,” because he knows the facts already. But I’m going to tell him again. So 130 beds of student housing…

Interjections.

Mr. Speaker: Members.

Hon. R. Kahlon: …they built in the 16 years that they were here. We built 7,700 units. What that does is….

Interjections.

Mr. Speaker: Members. Members.

Hon. R. Kahlon: What that means is that students are going to be able to live closer to campus, which means that they’ll be able to save some money from transportation and other costs. It means that it will create more capacity in communities. That’s just one step. But I am happy to talk the entire question period on this topic, because it’s such an important topic.

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT FUNDING FOR
ISLAND AND COASTAL COMMUNITIES

A. Olsen: On Tuesday, I asked the minister responsible for economic development whether it should be recapitalizing the Island Coastal Economic Trust. In response, the minister pointed to a $33 million REDIP, or the rural economic diversification and infrastructure program, as a replacement for the trust. However, I think the minister knows that this is a false equivalent. The REDIP is not an appropriate replacement for the ICE-T, and I think the minister knows it.

In 2006, the provincial government created investment tools for regions across the province. The southern Interior region received $692 million. The central northern region received $287.5 million. These funds were designed so that the principal was never touched. However, for the Island and coastal communities, they put $50 million into a trust that was designed to be a sinking fund. The REDIP is available to all rural communities to apply, across the province. The Island and coastal communities are competing against those rural communities that also have access to money from their regional trusts.

It’s inexplicable that the minister thinks that she has provided a viable, long-term, sustainable alternative. That’s not even mentioning the fact that the REDIP funds provincial priorities and the ICE-T funds local priorities. To the Minister of Jobs: does she still think that the REDIP is a fair and equitable replacement for the ICE-T?

Hon. B. Bailey: Thank you to the member opposite.

Unfortunately, you’ve taken my words out of context. I certainly wasn’t implying a replacement.

Economic development is very, very important to this government and very important to my ministry. There are many different ways to do economic development. I pointed to REDIP as one of those great ways, one of those opportunities and one of a number of supports that we’re putting in place as we continue to ensure that there are good jobs available everywhere in our province. That’s the point of REDIP.

[10:45 a.m.]

Mr. Speaker: House Leader, Third Party, supplemental.

A. Olsen: The effect of mentioning a $33 million fund is to deflect away from the fact that this government has dragged its heels for months on recapitalizing the Island Coastal Economic Trust.

It was to put a big number out there to suggest that the government is doing something to support these communities when in fact the thing that they could be doing is following through on the comprehensive environmen­tal, social and governance investment strategy — a 25-year, fully costed business plan with detailed financial statements that was provided to this government back in September of 2022. This plan proposed to this government to transform it into a first-of-its-kind model across the country, founded on co-governance with Indigenous communities and built on well-being as its core principle.

They want to turn this into a permanent trust, so it’s not a sinking fund, that will generate between $7 million and $12 million for the rural communities that members in this place represent. The impact will be profoundly posi­tive: $1 billion of economic impact for the rural communities on the Island and for coastal communities over the next 25 years. This economic trust serves 500,000 British Columbians, 32 percent…

Mr. Speaker: Question, Member.

A. Olsen: …of the rural population of the province.

Will the minister commit today to recapitalizing the trust with at least $150 million, turning it into a permanent fund and supporting our community leaders that need these resources?

Hon. B. Bailey: Thank you to the member for the question. Positioning me as somehow anti this fund is just incorrect, Mr. Speaker. These folks have done great work, and we know that. I’ve heard from many of my colleagues about the important work of this fund.

The reality is that they brought a proposal forward. We’re doing due diligence on that proposal, and we’re working with them right now.

AFFORDABLE HOUSING FOR FAMILIES
AND PROTECTIONS FOR RENTERS

E. Sturko: The Premier’s repeated housing flubs are hurting families. The families feel hopeless. They feel trapped in abysmal rental situations because they can’t afford to move someplace else.

I’ve heard from Kristen, a mother with her two young children, who lives in an RV park without any protection and faces constant housing insecurity; and from Charlene and her family, who are at constant risk of homelessness if they’re evicted. As Charlene puts it: “It’s hard to constantly feel like we’re nobodies and we have no help.”

The seniors and single mothers reaching out to my office every day deserve better than the Premier’s housing flubs. With his abysmal record, can the Premier tell Kristin, Charlene and their families why he has failed to deliver the results that they desperately need and what they deserve?

Hon. R. Kahlon: Certainly, I’m aware that those that are living in RV parks, in particular, and that are living on leasehold land have particular challenges. I can share with the member that I’ve met with folks who have highlighted those challenges for us. My colleagues on this side and across the aisle have also raised this issue.

Where it is right now: the contracts are between a private party and the folks that are staying on the land. What we’ve heard from them is that they want more transparency on how costs go up and how they can plan, and we’re going to continue to work with them. We know that there’s a real challenge. I’ve already highlighted the fact that we have major challenges that we’re dealing with.

We have, right now, global inflation. We have high interest rates going up, which is putting a real challenge on. The record population is what we need. We need people coming at the numbers that are coming, but we also need to be able to house them. That’s what I’ve said to the federal government as well.

We’re making historic-level investments — $1 billion to build the housing we need, because we know that housing is needed. We also need the federal government to come in, and I’ve said to them: “We don’t need you to go more than us. We’re just saying to match us.” The population increase needs the supports to be able to be successful when they get here, and that’s what we’re going to continue to do.

[10:50 a.m.]

AFFORDABLE RENTAL HOUSING
AND B.C. HOUSING UNITS

M. Bernier: Doreen is another person, from Tumbler Ridge, tired of the Premier’s housing flub.

She is desperate for affordable housing, a place to live, but Doreen can’t find an affordable place to rent in Tumbler Ridge, despite the fact that there are six empty B.C. Housing units in that town. This government is now an absentee landlord with empty homes, rather than renting the properties to help people like Doreen, who are in dire need of housing.

Unfortunately, it gets even worse. B.C. Housing has now said that due to the lack of funding, rather than renting these places out, they have applied for a demolition permit for all of the B.C. Housing units in Tumbler Ridge, saying they can’t afford to keep them open.

They’re going to tear them down, taking away rental possibilities for people in that community. So instead of building the affordable housing that’s needed, they’re actually going backwards now in this province and tearing housing down that’s going to help people in my region. Why is the Premier leaving people like Doreen hopeless and actually homeless under this housing flub?

Hon. R. Kahlon: Again, $1 billion a year investment being made to build the housing we need.

Interjections.

Mr. Speaker: Shhh.

Hon. R. Kahlon: Decades of underinvestment, not enough investment in our existing housing stock to make sure that the existing housing stock….

Interjections.

Mr. Speaker: Members, let’s hear the answer.

Please continue.

Hon. R. Kahlon: Thank you, hon. Speaker.

Decades of underinvestment in housing has led us to this problem. Not only underinvestment in new housing but underinvestment in making sure we maintain the existing stock. I can’t speak to….

Interjection.

Mr. Speaker: It’s okay. Shhh. Calm down.

It’s okay. Let him continue.

Hon. R. Kahlon: The member raises a specific issue in his community. I’m happy to talk to him about that specific issue after question period.

R. Merrifield: It’s time for these excuses to stop and the blame game to end. It’s this government’s failed plan to quell demand. It’s the NDP that wanted to stop demand. It’s the 19 new taxes that were to end demand that have resulted in rental rates being the highest in North America.

Kelowna is another victim…

Interjections.

Mr. Speaker: Shhh. Members, please.

R. Merrifield: …of this Premier’s housing flub, with one of the most unaffordable rental markets in the country. Last week an 81-year-old senior reached out to my office in utter despair, forced to live in their car, with no options left. Despite a lifetime of hard work, paying taxes, doing the right thing, this senior has been abandoned by a government that’s promised better results.

This senior has been registered for the B.C. Housing plan for two years and exhausted every source to find housing. Do you know what they have to show for it? Nothing but homelessness and no hope.

I wish this was an isolated case. But nearly 10,000 seniors are on waiting lists for subsidized housing under this NDP government. That’s a 50 percent increase in the last five years. How much longer will seniors suffer before the Premier finally delivers the results he promised?

Hon. R. Kahlon: I think it shouldn’t be news to any member of this House that coming out of the pandemic, we’ve seen global inflation; we’ve seen higher interest rates. It has put pressure on not only Kelowna, not only Victoria, not only Delta — communities not only across the country but across North America. This is an issue that’s being felt everywhere.

That’s why we’re making the historic investments we’re making. That’s why we put in place things….

Interjections.

Mr. Speaker: Members.

Hon. R. Kahlon: Hon. Speaker, the member, the Leader of the Official Opposition, chooses to continue to heckle. He fails to acknowledge that actions such as bringing the speculation tax have actually helped bring 20,000 units back onto the market.

I know he opposes that because he thinks it’s unfair that people have multiple homes, and they’re not renting them, leaving them empty…

[10:55 a.m.]

Interjections.

Mr. Speaker: Shhh.

Hon. R. Kahlon: …when people, like the member who raised the issue in Kelowna, don’t have a place to stay. I know that he finds that unfair, but it shows who he is fighting for.

Now my friend across the way who asked this question should know that we’ve got 1,300 units that we’re funding in Kelowna — 1,300 units. Out of that, 916 are complete, and we have almost 400 of them that are just under construction.

So we’re making those investments. We’re building that housing that’s been needed for more than two decades. And yes, we are behind. Two decades of underinvestment. We are behind, but all these investments are going to make a difference to support people, and we’re going to continue to do that work.

GOVERNMENT ACTION ON
HOUSING AFFORDABILITY
AND STUDENT HOUSING

P. Milobar: Well it’s not just the opposition’s evaluation of this government’s 30-point housing plan over the last six years that views it as a failure. This government’s throne speech viewed it as a failure and pointed out it has to be blown up and reworked over the next six months.

Despite our Premier being the former minister for the last 2½ years of housing and this new Housing Minister, the Premier had to bring in a new consultant to write the report over the next six months because these two ministers apparently don’t know what to do with housing over this period.

The plain, simple fact is housing programs have been a disaster under this government. The 30-point plan is nothing but taxation. It has failed. People with kids being met with a shrug because they’re going to be evicted by this government not taking action. The housing flub program — it has been pretty good for Airbnb and their investors, not so good if you’re a family with young kids trying to have an affordable place to live that’s safe.

Over 1,200 units in Burnaby not being funded by B.C. Housing while this Premier smacks municipalities over the head for not doing their part on housing. And now we hear that in Tumbler Ridge, B.C. Housing can’t even figure out how to fund six or seven housing units, so instead they’re going to demolish them all and take them out of the rental pool.

We have problems in Kelowna. We have problems all over this province. What did this all culminate in? We need a forensic audit of B.C. Housing, and this minister dares to stand in this House and say everything’s great with housing in British Columbia under their watch. Not only that, they refused to allow that audit to come forward to the Public Accounts Committee so it can be properly vetted in a public venue and have B.C. Housing answer actual pointed questions about it.

Since they won’t allow that to happen, will the Premier actually confirm if the audit is actually complete or not? Because it wasn’t that long ago he said it would be in the spring. And if so, when is the date it’s going to be released? If it’s not done, when is it done?

Hon. R. Kahlon: I find this line of questioning interesting. We have an opposition now that was in government for 16 years.

Interjections.

Mr. Speaker: Shhh.

Hon. R. Kahlon: Imagine spilling milk and then asking the new folks that come in: “Why hasn’t been cleaned up enough already?” Decades of underinvestment in housing.

Interjections.

Mr. Speaker: Members.

Hon. R. Kahlon: Just in that member’s riding, 986….

Interjections.

Mr. Speaker: Order, Members. Members, let’s have order.

The minister will continue.

Hon. R. Kahlon: Their heckling means that they have no more questions to ask, and they’re trying to run the clock.

Interjections.

Mr. Speaker: Members. Members. Shhh.

Member for Abbotsford West and other members. Members, that’s enough. That’s enough.

The minister will continue.

Hon. R. Kahlon: As I’ve said, we have got a housing crisis. We know that. We’re dealing with a crisis.

[11:00 a.m.]

Our efforts are not only on the demand side. It’s also on the supply side. We are supporting the construction of thousands of homes across British Columbia in every community across this province. We’re also taking steps to address demand. I know when the hon. member across the way mentions taxes….

Interjections.

Mr. Speaker: Continue.

Hon. R. Kahlon: When they say they don’t like taxes, don’t like the increased taxes, they’re talking about the speculation tax. It’s important for the viewers at home to know that what they oppose is a tax that ensures that people who have multiple homes, that choose not to rent them and leave them empty, have to pay additional fees. That’s increased the amount of units by 20,000 units in British Columbia.

So we’re going to continue to invest in new housing. We’re going to continue to take action to address the speculative practices that are driving up prices. It’s important work that we’re going to continue to do.

Mr. Speaker: The Chair will recognize Kamloops–​North Thompson for a supplemental.

P. Milobar: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Well, the finish to the minister’s answer there sounds exactly like the scenario his leader, the Premier, was doing with his two houses for his family for work purposes, and then he decided to sell one off that was sitting empty right before the speculation tax came in. It seems to be okay for the Premier to do that, but no one else apparently can do that.

I would point out to this caucus of the government…

Interjections.

Mr. Speaker: Keep it short, Member.

P. Milobar: …they’re the ones that have all the landlords, if you check the disclosure statements, not this side of the House.

The reality is no one believes the government when it comes to their housing numbers.

Mr. Speaker: Member, ask the question, please.

P. Milobar: They’ve already acknowledged in their throne speech that their 30-point plan for housing has been a failure after six years. It has delivered less than 10 percent of the housing it was supposed to deliver. This is the government’s own acknowledgment…

Mr. Speaker: Ask the question.

P. Milobar: …and the minister continues to cite student housing numbers that are factually incorrect.

So the question to the minister. Given that in Kamloops alone, on Thompson Rivers University, there was a dormitory built with over 500 housing units in it during our time in government, and the minister continues to insist…

Mr. Speaker: Member, what’s the question?

P. Milobar: …there has only been 130. Can the minister table for this House how they arrived at the 130-housing-unit number so that we can actually start providing accurate numbers to the public instead of misleading numbers to the public about what’s really happening on our campuses in this province?

Mr. Speaker: The Chair heard that member is accusing the minister of misleading.

P. Milobar: Thank you, Mr. Chair. No, I was not accusing the minister of misleading. I was saying the numbers themselves are painting a misleading picture.

Mr. Speaker: Minister.

Hon. R. Kahlon: Thank you, hon. Speaker. I don’t know where to start with this member, but I will say…

Interjections.

Mr. Speaker: Shhh. Shhh.

Hon. R. Kahlon: …they want numbers, so I’ll share some numbers with them.

We have ten times the housing underway by this province than when they were in government. We have 21,000 units that are under construction right now. He mentioned the student housing. They claim they built more than 130 student housing…. I would love to see…. Maybe he’s claiming 138.

Interjections.

Mr. Speaker: Members.

Hon. R. Kahlon: I can tell….

Interjections.

Mr. Speaker: Member, you asked for an extra question, and the Chair provided it to you. Let’s finish it off now, please.

Minister.

Hon. R. Kahlon: Again, the opposition leader continues to heckle, which is disappointing. But I will say that we know that there’s a housing crisis.

Interjections.

Mr. Speaker: Conclude, please.

Hon. R. Kahlon: We know that there’s a housing crisis. We know that people are facing challenges. That’s why we’re making the investments we’re making right now. That’s why we’re seeing a historic amount of rental units being built across this province. We are putting supports in to support people through this challenging time. We’re going to continue to do that.

[End of question period.]

Ministerial Statements

WAR IN UKRAINE AND
ONE-YEAR ANNIVERSARY OF INVASION

Hon. A. Kang: I rise today to make a ministerial statement.

I rise today on the one-year anniversary of Russia’s unprovoked and ongoing attack on Ukraine. I know all members of this place stand with the people of Ukraine against Russia’s illegal invasion. In the face of this aggression, Ukrainians have suffered unimaginable losses while demonstrating incredible strength and courage.

[11:05 a.m.]

My heart goes out to all those who have left everything they loved to find safety here and abroad.

In November in Vancouver, a few of my colleagues and I were able to attend a Holodomor commemoration event. Together with the Ukrainian community, we embraced each other, we listened to each other, we shared stories, we hugged, and we cried. Amidst so much suffering and uncertainty, Ukrainians stand strong and resilient.

It is important that we stay with them, unwavering in our efforts to provide safety and support. International catastrophes remind us that a nation’s value is reflected by how quick its people are to offer support. Over the last year, more than 11,000 Ukrainians have arrived in B.C. British Columbians were among the first to offer a hand when Ukrainians fleeing violence needed it the most.

Since British Columbians opened their hearts and their homes, it was only fair that the government did the same. That is why, from the very beginning, we have coordinated across government work and have worked closely with a wide range of immigrant support services and Ukrainian cultural organizations to coordinate services and support.

We provided $15 million to bolster the B.C. settlement sector and support for Ukrainians. We provided Medical Service Plan coverage and 100 percent coverage of eligible prescription costs. We provide short-term housing supports for those first arriving. We cover the payment for the federally mandated medical examination. We expanded services through bc211 and through a dedicated Welcoming Ukraine website. We also supported access to free employment services.

I’ve been inspired to see faith and cultural organizations pooling their resources to make a difference. I’ve been inspired to see our settlement services working long hours to make sure that calls for help do not go unanswered. I’ve been inspired to see ordinary people and their families open their hearts and their homes to do whatever they can to support Ukrainians fleeing violence.

I want to thank organizations like SUCCESS, like Mennonite Central Committee in Prince George and Kamloops Immigrant Services, who have opened their hearts and their homes to those fleeing this war. I want to thank everyone who has provided support for their community and for the incredible compassion, empathy, tenderness and humanity. For fellow British Columbians looking for help, the best place to start is to contact the United Way of B.C., our partner in coordinating offers of help for Ukrainians.

I will end with one final note. Only hours after Vladimir Putin launched his full-scale invasion, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy remarked: “When you attack us, you will see our faces — not our backs, but our faces.” One year later his statement is a reminder of our province’s role in this international humanitarian crisis. For Ukrainians that are fleeing violence, we must have their backs. We continue to support and stand in solidarity of support.

T. Stone: A year ago I stood in this House to deliver a ministerial statement in response as Europe was once again plunged into conflict — an illegal and unprovoked invasion of Ukraine by Russian dictator Vladimir Putin. Like people all around the world, British Columbians were horrified.

We feared for the people of Ukraine as war crimes were committed on their sovereign soil against their sovereign people. We watched intentional bombing of civilian targets like apartments and hospitals — torture, rape and mass graves, countless Ukrainian children literally ripped from their families and forcibly taken to Russia. We watched in horror as images of tanks and artillery rounds destroyed village after village.

[11:10 a.m.]

As of January 30, there have been a recorded 18,817 civilian casualties, including 7,155 civilian deaths. Those are stats according to the United Nations. Of course, reports indicate that there are probably far more that have perished in this terrible war.

While pundits played clips of air raid sirens in Kyiv and ruminated on the inevitable demise of the democratically elected government of Volodymyr Zelenskyy, British Columbians and folks around the world also watched people rise up. These pundits said it was only a matter of time before the powerful Russian military captured the capital, annexed territory and installed a new Putin-friendly regime. One year later I think we’re all immensely proud and grateful that those pundits were wrong.

The strength and the resilience of the Ukrainian people, combined with an outpouring of support from countries all around the world, not only stemmed the tide of Russian invasion but, in many places, pushed it back. One year since that invasion, Ukraine still stands free and proud, a sovereign nation against the military aggression of Putin and the Russian Federation.

We’re all proud of how the citizens of British Columbia have played their part, our part in this, stepping up to provide assistance day after day, month after month since that dark day in February of 2022 — individuals and organizations throughout our province stepping up to volunteer and help in countless communities like Prince George, Kelowna, Victoria and Vancouver, opening their doors and welcoming Ukrainian refugees fleeing the violence and the atrocities in their home country.

Those fleeing the war crimes of Putin have been arriving in our province, many having spent their last dollars on airfare just to get here. Karmen McNamara, the spokesperson for Help Ukraine Vancouver Island, says that in the past six weeks, the number of people arriving every week has nearly quadrupled. Volunteers are indeed scrambling to find hosts and emergency hotel rooms for people arriving and, for the first time ever, they are actually being forced to, regrettably, turn people away.

Two hundred Ukrainians have made Kamloops their new home since the war began. Asked how many people and for how long Ukrainian refugees can be accommodated in Kamloops as the war carries on, Min-Hsien Chang, settlement team lead at Kamloops Immigrant Services, said it is difficult to determine. But she also said this: “Our heart is with them, so we will continue to support them. Doesn’t matter how many; we will do it.”

On this solemn anniversary, we must pledge to continue to do all we can to help those looking to make a new home here in British Columbia. When we stood in this House one year ago, we committed to doing whatever it took. Well, there is still more to do, and I know that all members of this House stand willing to do whatever we can, as elected officials, to uphold that promise and continue to help Ukrainian refugees coming to British Columbia.

To those who remained in Ukraine: you are on our minds. We continue to stand with you.

We condemn, in no uncertain terms, this unprovoked Russian invasion and the horrific crimes against the Ukrainian people that have occurred in this past year of brutality. This is indeed a time when we must stand in solidarity against unchecked militarism and violations of the peaceful international order that so many have fought and died to secure.

One year later, while much has changed on the ground, one key thing remains the same here in this House: we stand for democracy. We stand for freedom. We stand for Ukraine.

Slava Ukrayini. Glory to Ukraine.

A. Olsen: I rise today to offer just a few words to the ministerial statement eloquently provided by the Minister of Municipal Affairs and responded to from the Opposition House Leader.

[11:15 a.m.]

A year ago we stood in this House to speak of the illegal and unprovoked invasion of Ukraine by Vladimir Putin’s Russian regime. We recognized the uncertainty that was in front of Ukrainians and, indeed, all of Europe, and the uncertainty that was going to be in terms of what was going to be needed from us in order to support people who were being terrorized by this terrible atrocity.

Last year the length of the war was unknown, and we watched on TV screens and heard the stories while living in the peaceful jurisdiction that we have here. Any time a dictator invades a democratic country, it feels dystopian. We saw the videos of cars fleeing, families hunkered in bomb shelters and in subways, videos emerging. Then we also saw the videos of the spirit of Ukrainian people.

The whole world continues to watch. The recent speech that was done by Putin and the response from the western world continues to have us concerned about what may yet be to come for that region, and as well for us, and the level of support that we’ll need to continue to provide.

I want to just say that I think it’s important to acknowledge, as the minister highlighted, the many programs and services and ways that the provincial government supported. The B.C. government here moved quickly. When we in our constituencies were hearing about challenges in accessing services, there was no delay in ensuring that the people that were coming, the refugees that were fleeing that war, received the support they needed.

I raise my hands to the ministers and to the public servants here who made sure that any challenges they faced were going to be a very short in time and the least challenges that they could face.

We now have thousands of Ukrainians living here in British Columbia, and we continue to provide that support, just as the allies of Ukraine continue to provide diplomatic and military assistance to Volodymyr Zelenskyy, ensuring that, in the words that the House Leader from the opposition so eloquently said: they can stand and protect their right to a free country and a democratic country.

With that, I would just want to raise my hands to the government. I just want to echo the sentiments that we stand with Ukraine and that we’ll do everything we can here, in our provincial government, to support the people who are fleeing that war to the best of our ability.

Tabling Documents

Mr. Speaker: Members, I have the honour to table the registrar of lobbyists investigation for determination decision 23-01 and Representative for Children and Youth report Key Components of Effective Service Delivery for Children and Youth with Support Needs and Their Families: A Research Review and Analysis.

K. Falcon: I would seek leave to make an introduction.

Leave granted.

Introductions by Members

K. Falcon: Today in the gallery, I’m really thrilled that we’re joined by Jina Sodhi and her daughter Ricky, who are visiting here from Surrey.

I would ask the House to please make them welcome.