Routine Business

Prayers and reflections: Hon. B. Ma.

[10:05 a.m.]

Introductions by Members

Hon. P. Alexis: I’m sure we can all agree that today is a special day here at the Legislature. Today a part of my duties includes celebrating B.C. Dairy Day and eating ice cream.

In British Columbia, about 470 dairy farms produce 890 million litres of milk annually. They support 12,500 industry jobs and contribute $1.25 billion to the provincial economy. Today, B.C. Dairy Day, is an opportunity to recognize the important contributions of the dairy industry and dairy farmers, producers and processors in British Columbia.

Joining us today are some of the people responsible for bringing dairy products to all of British Columbia, and delicious ice cream to Victoria for later today.

In the gallery, we have Sarah Sache, Gene Sache, Holger Schwichtenberg, John de Dood, June de Dood, Henry Bremer, Mark Van Klei, Christa Van Klei, Rebecca Senicar, Dave Taylor, Michelle Laszczyk, Sue Hall, Thomas Cuthbert, Daniella Reid, Jeremy Dunn and Luke James.

I would kindly ask the members to join me in welcoming them, and I hope you will join us at noon today on the back steps of the Legislature for a B.C. Dairy Day ice cream celebration.

K. Kirkpatrick: It’s my great pleasure today to welcome my constituents from West Vancouver–Capilano, Lesley and Mike Hobbs. I believe they’ve been hidden up from my view there, but I’m sure that they’re in the House.

Leslie and Mike are both very creative individuals. Lesley is a gifted artist. Her vibrant, colourful paintings reflect the passion she has for life and for her craft. Mike is a talented guitar and banjo player who is recently retired from a lifetime of gigging. Today also happens to be Lesley’s birthday.

Would the House please join me in making Lesley and Mike feel most welcome, and happy birthday to Lesley.

Hon. M. Dean: I have two introductions today. Joining us in the gallery is Byron Loucks, president of the Victoria Grizzlies Junior A hockey club. Their home arena is The Q Centre in Colwood. I want to thank him for working with me to bring together five West Shore organizations to sign the Period Promise pledge.

We have the Grizzlies, who were the first sporting association to sign, the Westshore Wolves, the Shamrocks, West Shore Parks and Recreation Society and the city of Colwood. At the signing event, we were joined by young women athletes of the Capital Region Female Minor Hockey Association and a local producer and supplier of menstrual products, joni.

People now coming to train and coming to spectate at The Q Centre will soon have access to free menstrual products.

Would the House please show their appreciation and welcome.

Also joining us today in the gallery is MCFD staff member Lindsay Storie. She’s a senior legislative analyst. Lindsay worked on the legislative amendments for youth transitioning from government care, and I want to raise my hands and say a really big and sincere thank-you to everybody in the team who has been working on this really important matter for years. I know that they are really pleased to see the next steps that we are taking.

Would everyone please welcome her and express appreciation for the work of the whole team.

D. Clovechok: There are people in your lives that continually fill your bucket, no matter how low that bucket is, and I’ve got some of them in the gallery here today.

My daughter Stephanie is up in the gallery. She’s at a CEO conference, a tourism conference here. My granddaughter Ava is here. She was doing her thing in New York City last week at this time. My granddaughter Shea is here. She’s got a personality as big as the Rockies. My grandson Luke is up there, who loves basketball; and their aunt, Emma Watson.

If you’d all welcome them to the House, that would be awesome.

[10:10 a.m.]

Hon. G. Lore: Joining us today are 12 students from Victoria High School’s politics 12 class with their teacher, Mr. Brian Bradley. The students are learning about how government works, political institutions and democracy.

Many of the students are joining us at the Legislature for the first time, but one of the students, Rory Fleming, has been here many a time with her dad, the Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure.

Will the House please help me make all these grade 12 students welcome.

I. Paton: Being national dairy day, I’m not sure how many people in the House today can say they’ve milked cows for a living, but I’ve done that. I consider them my colleagues. These are men and women that are here today from the Okanagan. Well, the people are here today; we left the cows at home.

I also want to thank the minister. I want to welcome my fellow colleagues, dairy farmers from the Okanagan, from Vancouver Island. A special thank-you to Jeremy Dunn, who’s the executive director of the B.C. Dairy Association. They’re a great bunch of folks.

They work hard every day, 365 days of the year. Think of any other profession where you get up at 4:30 in the morning. You milk cows in the morning; you milk cows again at 4:30 in the afternoon. It doesn’t matter whether it’s your birthday or whether it’s Christmas morning, New Year’s Day or you’ve got the worst flu or hangover. You’ve still got to go milk those cows.

So a big round of applause for all the dairy farmers that are here today.

A. Singh: It’s my great pleasure to introduce our very good friend Bill Sundhu and his amazing partner, Satwinder Paul, from Kamloops. They’re up there in the corner somewhere.

Aside from being described as the best mom in the world by Ellora and Sachin Sundhu — who, by the way, work in this big House — she’s a tenured professor and program coordinator of water and wastewater technology at Thompson Rivers University.

My friend Bill. For over 39 years, he has been a trial and appellate lawyer in the criminal justice system, human rights and civil liberties. He has extensive experience in all court levels of the Canadian legal system and international tribunals and courts. He’s on the duty roster, not only serving legal aid clients in Haida Gwaii but also a rostered counsel at the International Criminal Court at the Hague.

Please welcome them.

G. Begg: Yesterday I had the distinct pleasure to welcome, as gallery guests, a group of constituency assistants that work for the NDP government caucus here to Victoria. Today those who weren’t here yesterday are here, and I’d like to welcome them as well. I’m challenged, of course, not to say as nice things as I did yesterday to this group.

We all know how valuable they are. I know that you will join me in welcoming the NDP constituency assistants association members here to the House today.

Hon. B. Ma: Joining us in the House today is Arianna Klus, my administrative coordinator, who actually also requested the reflection that I read earlier this morning. Arianna has been such a joy to work with. Unfortunately, she has given notice. I guess she’s had enough of me, and she’s going to go out to explore other adventures in her life.

Arianna, I just want to let you know how wonderful it has been to work with you. Thank you so much for your service to my office, to this House and to the province of British Columbia.

Would the House please join me in making her feel so welcome that maybe she changes her mind.

E. Ross: The tie is back for a very special reason. Late last night I got surprised with a visit from my daughter Miranda. She’s in the gallery today.

Before I became an MLA, I was a coach. I was one of her coaches. I coached junior girls, senior women. That’s why I can’t be a fan today. I scream at the TV. I scream at players. I really criticize.

Just an apology to the Haisla senior women that actually placed second in the Prince Rupert All Native Tournament just this past February. I didn’t think they were going to make it because I didn’t think they trained hard enough. They didn’t run hard enough. They didn’t do enough push-ups. But they came in second. They actually surpassed all my expectations.

My apologies to the Haisla senior women’s basketball team. You did us proud.

[10:15 a.m.]

My daughter is here alone. She did not bring my grandson. That’s a point of order, I believe. But this is her, and this is her son. I’m very proud of her and what she’s done.

Would the House please welcome Miranda Ross.

Introduction and
First Reading of Bills

BILL 24 — MISCELLANEOUS STATUTES
AMENDMENT ACT (No. 2), 2023

Hon. N. Sharma presented a message from Her Honour the Lieutenant-Governor: a bill intituled Miscellaneous Statutes Amendment Act (No. 2), 2023.

Hon. N. Sharma: I move that the bill be introduced and read a first time now.

I am pleased to introduce Bill 24, the Miscellaneous Statutes Act (No. 2), 2023. This bill amends the following statutes: Child, Family and Community Service Act; Societies Act; Human Tissue Gift Act; Strata Property Act; Employment Standards Act; Vancouver Charter; Motor Vehicle Act; and Community Living Authority Act.

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

Motion approved.

Hon. N. Sharma: 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 24, Miscellaneous Statutes Amendment Act (No. 2), 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 22 — STRATA PROPERTY
AMENDMENT ACT, 2023

Hon. R. Kahlon presented a message from Her Honour the Lieutenant-Governor: a bill intituled Strata Property Amendment Act, 2023.

Hon. R. Kahlon: I am pleased to introduce the Strata Property Amendment Act, 2023. This bill will improve access to electric vehicles charging in residential strata buildings by making it easier for strata corps and owners to move forward with the installation of electric vehicle charging.

B.C. is leading North America in electric vehicle uptake with one of the largest public charging networks in Canada. The number of EVs has grown from 5,000 in 2016 to more than 109,000 as of December 2022. This is all part of the continent-leading CleanBC plan to reduce our emissions. It’s one of the next steps we need to take to make EVs more accessible to every person who switches to electric vehicles and brings us closer to our climate goals.

This builds on the existing work to move away from gas vehicles, including our electric vehicle rebate program, provincial sales tax exemption on used EVs and the Zero Emissions Vehicle Act. The changes will also encourage strata corporation planning for future electric vehicle charging needs and will support early adopters of electric vehicles through a user-pay model.

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

Motion approved.

Hon. R. Kahlon: 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 22, Strata Property 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)

VAISAKHI

E. Sturko: I rise in the House today to celebrate Vaisakhi, a cultural festival this year on April 14.

Vaisakhi finds its roots amongst Sikhs and Hindus who mark it as the beginning of the New Year and the spring Harvest Festival. It promotes justice, equality and the creation of a more equal and just society.

During Vaisakhi, members wear five articles of faith, practise daily meditation and have access to their Sikh spiritual guide. Around the world, communities hold parades, sing hymns, prayers, but most don’t compare to the large celebration that we hold in Surrey, which is one of the largest outside of Punjab.

The last three parades were all unfortunately cancelled due to the pandemic. So I’m incredibly excited to say that this year’s parade will be occurring on Saturday, April 22, where up to half a million people are expected to attend.

This is a fantastic time to celebrate Sikh culture and to honour the outstanding generosity of the Sikh community and what they provide to British Columbia every day.

[10:20 a.m.]

In 2018, I had the opportunity to attend my very first Vaisakhi in Surrey, and I was struck by the music, the colours, the ceremony and particularly struck by the tremendous generosity of Sikhs performing seva, handing out tea, sweets and food. I felt incredibly welcome to participate and to enjoy that experience.

I’d like to take a moment to commend the outstanding contributions of Sikhs and Hindus from across British Columbia on their ongoing generosity.

I hope you can enjoy the festivities this year, and I wish you all very happy Vaisakhi.

TSUNAMI PREPAREDNESS

M. Babchuk: Tsunami Preparedness Week is April 9 to 15 and is an annual reminder for those who live, work or visit coastal communities to plan and practise how they would get to high ground in the event of a tsunami.

In 2016, the high-ground hike event was launched to raise awareness about B.C.’s tsunami risk and give coastal residents and visitors an opportunity to practise reaching their tsunami safe zones. This year high-ground hike is returning to in-person events in more than 15 communities. If you live on the coast, check to see if your community is hosting a high-ground hike.

I’d like to give a shout-out to Shaun Koopman, the protective services coordinator at the Strathcona regional district for driving me into the community of Oclucje last summer to help deliver tsunami signage but also for his participation in bringing the documentary Tsunami 11th Relative to ten different Vancouver Island communities. Tsunami 11th Relative highlights First Nations history and stories about earthquakes and tsunamis, as well as Indigenous knowledge of tsunamis on the west coast of Vancouver Island.

If a tsunami warning advisory or watch is issued, people in the notification zone will receive a warning that will be broadcast across television, radio and mobile devices through B.C.’s emergency alert system. But in coastal communities, it’s important to be prepared.

Build a grab-and-go bag; create an emergency plan; know which tsunami zone you’re located in; know the difference between a tsunami warning, advisory and watch; and read the PreparedBC Earthquake and Tsunami Guide.

Lastly, comment on a know-your-tsunami-zone post on PreparedBC’s Facebook or Twitter during Tsunami Preparedness Week for a chance to win one of five four-person home emergency kits.

On the coast of B.C., it’s always good to be tsunami safe.

CANADIAN WAR MEMORIAL
AND THE BATTLE OF VIMY

M. de Jong: A few years ago someone asked me for a list of places that I thought every child in British Columbia or Canada should visit at some point. There are lots of candidates, obviously, but at or near the top of my list would be the Canadian war memorial in Vimy, France.

If you do get a chance to go, you will be struck by the serenity of those 100 acres of the original battlefield that have now been set aside and how that stands in such stark contrast to the horrific sounds of battle that permeated the place in April of 1917. There’s the majesty of the monument itself, which casts this forlorn look over the now peaceful fields where so many people lost their lives all those years ago.

Of course, the historic significance of the battle of Vimy for Canada and the role it played in forging a national identity, the four divisions of the Canadian Corps fighting together for the first time under Canadian leaders like Arthur Currie from here in Victoria. Most importantly, the magnitude of the personal sacrifice revealed in the individual names that are etched in stone in the foundation of the monument, over 10,000 casualties in that battle alone.

If you get a chance, you can go down into the tunnels and see where young men — 18, 19 — waiting for the call to go into battle etched what for many of them would be their last earthly message to be remembered.

Time has obviously robbed us of the last remaining survivors of the Battle of Vimy, but what it can’t do is diminish the magnitude of the sacrifices they made. They answered the call, did their duty, and they preserved the freedoms that too many of us take for granted today.

Today in this chamber and next week on Vimy Day, we will remember them.

[10:25 a.m.]

EASTER EGG HUNTS IN KOOTENAY AREA

B. Anderson: People across our province are observing and celebrating a range of religious and cultural events this week. I want to highlight events this week that will bring many members of our communities together for egg-citing activities.

Nelson’s Daybreak Rotary Club is hosting their tenth annual Easter egg hunt at Lakeside Park in Nelson on Saturday, April 8. With a parade kicking things off at 9:45, the park will be hopping with a range of family-friendly activities. Everyone is welcome to participate in the parade. Bonnets and costumes are encouraged.

Now, we know how exciting and popular the Easter egg hunt is. So after seeking advice from the Easter Bunny, who I am told will be in attendance, the wise folks at Rotary have scheduled the Easter egg hunt by age groups, starting with our littlest Easter egg hunters, those two years old and under, at 10:45 a.m.

There will also be the Rotary Nelson Daybreak hot dog fundraiser, and the food is always egg-cellent. There will also be crafts and face painting. Remember to bring your basket and a smile. I look forward to seeing you there. I also want to thank all of the event organizers, sponsors and volunteers for making the event possible.

Kaslo also has a unique Easter egg hunt on the Kaslo River trail this weekend. Download the Kootenay Lake road trip app, open the Kaslo River trail tour, and collect all four Easter egg badges while you learn fun facts and listen to reflective music. After you collect all the badges, head to one of the participating businesses in Kaslo where you can collect an Easter surprise.

People are able to participate in the Kaslo River trail tour Easter egg hunt from Friday, April 7, at 9 a.m. until Saturday the eighth at 5 p.m.

Have an egg-static weekend, everyone.

MLA’S FAMILY HISTORY
AND CANCER AWARENESS

S. Furstenau: Just over a month ago, I spent time with my Uncle Wolfgang, who I had only met once before. He’s my father’s older brother. They grew up together in northeast Germany during World War II.

Wolf told me the story of his own escape from East Germany as a teenage boy, leaving alone on a train with a lunch kit, exiting before the train got to the border, watching from a field the pattern of soldiers who were monitoring the border, and making a dash for it in the dusk, getting across into West Germany and starting his new life, which ultimately led him to being a U.S. citizen and having a career at IBM.

A few months later my grandmother, father and aunt also made the brave journey out of East Germany to a refugee camp in West Berlin. For Dad, that journey brought him here to Sidney, B.C., where he joined his older brothers.

It was a joy to spend time with Wolf, to hear his stories. He is, in so many ways, just like my dad, his younger brother Peter — the same curiosity, joyfulness, kindness and easygoing nature. It was like having a chance to see what my dad would have been like had he lived into his 80s. But these last two decades I could have had with my dad were stolen by cancer 22 years ago.

Each year at this time, we wear a daffodil, and we reflect on the toll that cancer takes on all of us. Had Dad been diagnosed even a few months, years, later, he may have lived several more years with access to treatment for multiple myeloma.

Research is essential for the cures, treatments and, hopefully one day, the eradication of cancer.

I’m grateful to the Canadian Cancer Society for the work they do and for the support that they provide to cancer patients and their families.

IMPACTS OF FATPHOBIA

A. Singh: In the wake of an Oscar win for The Whale, a horrifically discriminatory movie that uses fat suits — and don’t be mistaken; a fat suit is just blackface in another context — and a storyline to paint the protagonist as grotesque, pitiful, it’s well beyond time we talk about fatphobia.

We talk about racism, homophobia, transphobia, ableism, sexism, but we don’t address the systemic oppression that affects people who live in large bodies.

[10:30 a.m.]

Fatphobia is the implicit and explicit bias that is rooted in a sense of blame and a presumed moral failing. Being fat is highly stigmatized in culture. Anti-fatness is intrinsically linked to anti-Blackness, racism, classism, misogyny and many other systems of oppression.

Often it is blaring and obnoxious, but more often than not, fat phobia is less overtly mean and, instead, cloaked in concern for the fat person — your mom clipping articles about how being at a higher weight causes worse COVID complications. It’s actually way more complicated than that. Sometimes it looks like unsolicited suggestions to exercise or subtle weight-loss advice. Or fat phobia can come out as classic microaggression. “You have such a pretty face.” The unspoken part: “The rest of you, not so much.”

There’s this mistaken belief that if you diet or you eat a certain way, you can control things. But there is more and more evidence that we are largely not in control of our body size. The harmful effects of fat phobia are a constant for people in larger bodies, and it is more intense for women. Higher-weight people of colour also face dual stigmatization that can compound things like the wage gap and medical discrimination.

Experiencing weight stigma has real-life effects. The stress and repeated trauma that aggressions create leads to more illness. It causes anxiety, depression, poor body image, poor self-esteem.

Women earn less as they gain weight. People, especially women, seen as fat get poorer medical care.

This is a life-and-death issue for many. It destroys people.

It’s up to us to make this world a better place for everybody. Let’s do that.

Hon. G. Lore: I seek leave to make an introduction.

Leave granted.

Introductions by Members

Hon. G. Lore: The students and the class I introduced before have now arrived. I just want to welcome Mr. Bradley and the Vic High politics 12 class to the House.

Oral Questions

GOVERNMENT ACTION ON HOMELESSNESS
IN DOWNTOWN EASTSIDE

K. Falcon: The Premier made headlines when he claimed that he would take over management of the Downtown Eastside last year. Late last year, we’ll all remember, he even made an announcement standing on an empty lot on Main Street, promising housing units by March to end the encampments.

But as usual, NDP announcements do not equal results. They never equal results. Both the promised housing and the Premier are nowhere to be seen and missing in action. In fact, it’s the mayor of Vancouver and the council that have showed the leadership in dismantling those tent cities and getting rid of the challenges that were being faced in the downtown core of Vancouver.

Because the Premier has failed to do his part, that means that yesterday, Vancouver “couldn’t commit” to housing evicted residents. The violence and the chaos in communities throughout this province has never been worse than it is today. And without housing available, those tent encampments will simply move to another park or neighbourhood.

My question to the Premier is: how can anyone trust any of the Premier’s empty announcements when the results are never there when people need them?

Hon. R. Kahlon: I thank the member across the way for the question. No doubt the situation, in particular around the Hastings encampment, is a challenging one, and yesterday was a challenging day. I can say to the member that yes, we did step up to say we are going to be taking an important role, not only in the Downtown Eastside but addressing housing issues across the province.

The challenges that we’re seeing around the encampment — this is not a one-year, two-year, three-year problem. This is a problem that’s been building for decades. This is a challenge that we have, as a province, I think, not seen enough leadership to address.

I can share with the member that yesterday, the city took some actions on the Downtown Eastside. Part of that was our staff on the ground worked around the clock to find enough housing for everyone that said they needed housing. In fact, I can share with the members today that we have now enough housing, enough shelter spaces available for those that are in the encampments.

[10:35 a.m.]

We have connected with the city of Vancouver staff. They will be talking to every individual, asking them if they need access to shelter, and we have shelter space available. That’s positive news.

I can also share with the member that we were slated to have about 100 units, 98 units, opening this month. We got an occupancy permit for that, and we’ll be moving people from shelters into the new 98 units over the coming days as well.

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

K. Falcon: I rarely agree with the Housing Minister, but I’ll certainly agree with him that there hasn’t been enough leadership on this over the last six years. I would remind the member that you’ve been in government. This is your second term and your sixth year, and we still have not seen….

Interjections.

Mr. Speaker: Through the Chair.

Interjections.

Mr. Speaker: Shhh. Members.

K. Falcon: Apparently I touched a nerve over here.

Mr. Speaker: The member will ask through the Chair, their question.

K. Falcon: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

They’ve had six years to deal with this, and the Premier says it’s “a sad day.”

The current Housing minister admitted yesterday in question period that he only learned about the leadership by the mayor and council at the same time that the media was being notified. That’s not leadership. In fact, that’s called leading from behind. Right now we need a province and a Premier that know how to lead in front and help deal with it, not just in Vancouver, but in every community in the province of British Columbia.

The reality is that they talk about these housing units. They never appear and never materialize. The reality is that those tent cities just move from one location to another. In fact, that’s actually now official NDP government policy. The NDP’s…. Well, wait for it. The NDP’s Downtown Eastside provincial partnership plan working document actually says it right there, “Some people may not transition to indoor options…. As such, there is a need to ensure that parks or other outdoor shelter options” are made known.

Three years ago the Premier was the Housing minister who was tasked in his mandate letter to address homeless encampments, and he failed to do his job. He’s now the Premier, and he’s personally responsible for the current failures and the never-ending tent cities that are plaguing communities right throughout this province.

My question is to the Minister of Housing, who apparently is going to take these questions. Since they failed to ensure that the housing is there when it’s needed for those in the Downtown Eastside, where is the next neighbourhood or park going to be that the tent cities are going to be moving to?

Hon. R. Kahlon: We have been working with the city of Vancouver for months now. The mayor has said several times that he appreciates the support, the work we’re doing to build the housing. We worked with them to identify additional sites.

We’ve got 98 units coming because of the collaboration. We were able to work with them to increase density on some of the projects that we’ve already got when it comes to supportive housing. That’s the type of collaboration we wanted to see with them, and we’ve got that.

I think it’s important to note, first, that the challenge around encampments is not a challenge only in B.C. This is a challenge being felt across the country. Ministers from across the country are talking about the shift they’ve seen coming out of the pandemic, the additional pressures they’ve seen and what that means for their communities. It’s an issue that’s being dealt with, that’s being challenged. Communities across the U.S., every single community is dealing with similar issues.

Our view is that we need to get people in the shelters. We need to get people in the housing, and we’re doing that. I shared an update with the member. We have enough shelter spaces. It’s our belief that the shelter spaces are safer than the encampments. We’ve always said, from the beginning, that encampments are not safe. We’ve always said that from the beginning. We need to get people into the shelters and then do the assessments and then give people other opportunities.

For the member to suggest that this is a problem that just arrived and that we haven’t taken enough action, they were in government for 16 years.

Interjection.

Hon. R. Kahlon: No. Well he said there was nobody that was homeless. He says there was no one that was homeless. The Leader of the Opposition says nobody was homeless at the time when he was in government. That is absolutely false. He can stand up and correct himself.

Interjections.

Mr. Speaker: Members. Members.

Hon. R. Kahlon: There’s a reason why they didn’t take action when they were in government. There’s a reason why they didn’t take action, and the answer….

Interjections.

Hon. R. Kahlon: Oh, they’re saying thank-you.

Interjections.

Mr. Speaker: Members.

Hon. R. Kahlon: You can thank me after I tell you what the president of the B.C. Liberal Party — okay, or whatever they’re going to call themselves — said. He said: “We should focus on the 60 percent and essentially not bother with some demographics that will not likely or absolutely never will support us, like ‘homeless people’ or ‘people dependent on social supports.’”

[10:40 a.m.]

That’s why for decades there was no investments in housing to support the most vulnerable people in this province.

SUPPORTIVE HOUSING
AND ACTION ON HOMELESSNESS

E. Sturko: This government loves to try to share the blame by saying that things are bad everywhere. The reality is that the unhoused crisis, the mental health and addictions crisis, is nowhere worse than it is today in British Columbia.

Today the Premier admits, “We have, in the past, moved people directly from encampments into housing…and it didn’t end well,” but the only apparent plan is to go right back to warehousing people with severe mental health and severe addictions issues, and it’s not going to end well again.

This Premier is warehousing people with severe mental health and putting them in hotels that aren’t safe, without proper supports. The 24-hour supports that he claims exist are just someone staffing the front lobby — no nurses, no medical professionals and no help.

In 2020, the Premier paid half a million dollars per room to warehouse people in the old Howard Johnson Hotel on Granville Street. Since then, police have been called to the site 2,494 times, including 751 calls last year, according to the Vancouver police department.

When will the Premier stop warehousing vulnerable people in unsafe conditions that only create more violence and make our streets less safe?

Hon. R. Kahlon: As I’ve stated in this House before, during the pandemic, there were a lot of people that had needs, a lot of challenges that came out. We took action to ensure that every single unit we could get access to we made available to provide housing for people and provide the supports that those people needed. We will never apologize for that.

In fact, I think that the opposition…. Tell us what they would have done differently. Would they not have bought housing units that are available? Would they not have found everything that they could to get people housing?

It’s vitally important that we get people the housing and get them the supports they need. I’ve had the opportunity to meet with many people that have found success in the supports we provided. I was just recently in Vernon, where I met a woman who was in an encampment, and who, thanks to the supports that we provided, was able to get into a shelter…

Interjections.

Mr. Speaker: Shhh, shhh. Members.

Hon. R. Kahlon: …was able to get into housing, then get trained up and now is supporting people that are struggling.

We have seen success…

Interjection.

Mr. Speaker: Shhh.

Hon. R. Kahlon: …and we’re going to continue to help people to get the supports they need.

Interjection.

Mr. Speaker: Please continue.

Hon. R. Kahlon: As I’ve highlighted, these are challenges being dealt with in communities around North America. We are taking action here to provide housing for people. I again highlighted some of the successes.

We were able to find housing for 90 people on the Hastings encampment. We were able to provide, yesterday, shelters for everybody that needed it. We have 98 units now that have an occupancy permit. We’re going to be able to get additional people into those units. We have up to 330 units coming by the end of June. We have even more units coming this fall. We’re making the investments to ensure that people have the housing that they need.

Mr. Speaker: Member for Surrey South, supplemental.

E. Sturko: Yes, you know what? I find it outrageous to hear the minister stand up and defend warehousing people in hotels. Just to make this point, I’m going to read the Premier’s quote, which he gave today, again and actually expand it with the detail it really included. “We have, in the past, moved people directly from encampments into housing without knowing who they were, what their backgrounds were, and it didn’t end well,” he said. “We had to actually close a hotel in Victoria that we had leased, because of that approach.”

Yet what he said is continuing to happen, and this minister is standing up and defending warehousing people. The Premier’s plan to warehouse people with severe mental health and addictions issues leaves them vulnerable to crime and violence. The chief of the Victoria police, Del Manak, said that drug dealers and criminals are now setting up operations right under B.C. Housing’s nose: “Most of these locations have criminals that are embedded within these locations that are exploiting people…. Many of these supportive housing locations are not safe.”

[10:45 a.m.]

Under this Premier, it’s now routine for firearms and drugs to be seized at B.C. Housing locations. When will the Premier get serious about public safety and stop warehousing vulnerable people without support in unsafe conditions?

Hon. R. Kahlon: The alternative to providing housing and mental health supports is having people living in encampments. That’s why we’re providing the housing for people. That’s why we’re providing the mental health supports.

Yes, I would agree with the member on one thing. There are people who prey on the most vulnerable. Yes, that exists. That happens in every community across the province, across the country, across North America and parts of the world. We’re all in agreement that that kind of behaviour is awful. That’s why it’s important for us to ensure that these people have the supports they need. Often there are cases where….

Interjections.

Mr. Speaker: Members, Members.

Hon. R. Kahlon: These are complex situations, hon. Speaker. These are very, very complex situations. Everyone has different needs. That’s why we’re building out the supports that people need.

Again, I know that right now the encampment on Hastings Street is top of mind for everyone here. Again, I can share with the members that we are able to get people shelter. We are able to get people into new, renovated sites that we are bringing on. We have more units coming on board.

Yes, we have stepped up and said that we’re going to take leadership, because for decades, nobody did. Nobody took leadership. Nobody said: “You know what? These people deserve to have the supports that everybody else does.” We believe that, and that’s why we’re doing this work.

TRANSITIONAL HOUSING AND
ACTION ON HOMELESSNESS

S. Furstenau: I’m listening to the dialogue between the government and the official opposition. I’m hearing “encampments.” I’m hearing “warehousing.” I’m hearing “shelters.” I’m hearing “units.” I have not yet heard the word “homes.”

Yesterday the Vancouver police swept through the Downtown Eastside and cleared people off the street. This province has had an issue of homelessness for years. Over and over again, the response has been to clear the streets, and it has got us nowhere. There are already reports today that the police are back, removing tents that went up overnight.

This government seems to have no real plan for homes, for housing people in a way that is sustainable, rehabilitative and forward-looking, but others do. The Village project in Duncan provides short-term housing with wraparound support for the most vulnerable people. People get their own space to call home, a door that locks. They get mental, physical and spiritual support. They get food, they get other assistance, and they get a supportive community of peers. It has been successful.

Where this government has failed to address homelessness, communities have found their own solutions. They’ve brought ideas to the table and are asking this Premier and this minister for their support.

My question is to the Premier. Will he commit, on the record, to come to the table and fund the communities that are creating solutions by building tiny home projects like the Village in Duncan?

Hon. R. Kahlon: Thank you to the member for the question. So $4.3 billion. We have part of our next three years to build housing for people. That’s $4.3 billion. This is a serious commitment to build the housing that people need. We’ve been having this discussion all week. We need housing — everything from for people that want to buy, to people that are in encampments and that need that stability in their lives.

The member will know that we funded projects in Port Alberni around tiny homes. We are looking for all innovative solutions that work for communities. We continue to do that work. I have meetings with mayors in communities around the province. All of them have different ideas of how they think they can address the challenges in their communities. Of course, I commit to working with all mayors to find solutions that work in every community.

Mr. Speaker: Leader of the Third Party, supplemental.

S. Furstenau: For the last two days at the UBCM housing summit, I heard from a lot of local elected representatives who said that they were coming forward to the provincial government, to B.C. Housing, to the Ministry of Housing, to the minister, to the Premier.

They had solutions that were working for their communities on the ground, but they were encountering barriers, they were encountering lack of support, and they were encountering a situation where they weren’t getting the funding for the solutions that they brought forward.

[10:50 a.m.]

These tiny home projects have demonstrated that what’s needed is not just units or shelter or spaces or encampments. People need homes. They need community. They need supports. The communities that are doing this are demonstrating that this does not have to be a forever emergency. We can solve homelessness. That has to be the goal.

My question again to the Premier. The Minister of Housing mentions $4.3 billion, but the tiny village project in Duncan had to go right to the wire to find out whether or not the funding would be renewed again. They need consistent and sustainable support, as do the projects around the province that are providing these solutions.

Will the Premier give a clear signal that he is serious about working with the communities, that he will fund these transitional housing projects?

Hon. R. Kahlon: Thank you again to the member for the question. I’m absolutely serious about working with local governments to find housing solutions. The member mentions Duncan. Of 281 units — not units, 281 homes — for people, 66 have opened up, and 215 are under construction. These are homes for people in the member’s community, and that’s what we’re doing in every community.

I have local mayors coming to me all the time saying: “I’ve got an innovative solution. I think this would work in our community.” Of course, we’re going to work with everyone to find something that works within those communities.

We’re funding housing not only in municipalities. We’re also funding housing on and off reserve for Indigenous populations, the only province in this country that has stepped up and said: “You know what? We can’t wait for the federal government anymore. We must build this housing.”

We’re investing in housing on reserve. Housing that meets everyone’s needs is our goal, and we’re going to continue to work with all our partners to help address that challenge.

CRIME IN COMMUNITIES
AND IMPACT ON BUSINESSES

C. Oakes: Small businesses in Quesnel are hanging on by a thread as a direct result of this Premier’s soft-on-crime policies and total failure to provide the proper supports for people with mental health and addiction issues in our community. Willis Harper, Mama C’s, Circle S, and the list goes on and on, are all reporting increased violence, shoplifting and attacks on staff.

This week I received a letter from the Quesnel Downtown Association: “Criminals are no longer hiding in the shadows. They operate in plain sight as there is little or no consequences for their actions.” The letter goes on: “The added cost of theft, vandalism, security and loss of production is both crippling our ability and will to survive.”

To the Premier, when is the Premier going to give these businesses financial support to offset their losses from his soft-on-crime policies?

Hon. M. Farnworth: I thank the member for the question. I just want to, first off, reject the premise of soft on crime. The initiatives that I’ve outlined in this House over the last number of weeks have demonstrated beyond a doubt that this government is committed to keeping our communities safe wherever they are in British Columbia.

We’ve done a range of initiatives based on what police and policing agencies have asked for us to put in place, whether it is changing the Criminal Code, whether it is putting in place peer-assisted care teams to deal with those mental health calls, whether it is the expansion of the Car program, for example. All of those things are designed to help the police keep our communities safe. We will continue to do that work because we know that that is what is going to succeed.

Couple that with the programs on mental health and addictions and housing. It is a multi-pronged approach to deal with the situation that communities such as yours are facing. We’ve been doing a lot of work. There’s a lot more to do, but we’re committed to doing it.

B. Stewart: The consequences of the Premier’s catch-and-release system and his decision to warehouse people with severe mental health and addiction issues without supports are painfully evident.

[10:55 a.m.]

In Kelowna, B.C. Housing literally warehoused people with severe mental health and addictions at a former fruit-packing warehouse. The results of the Premier’s decisions are that business break-ins in Kelowna have skyrocketed 26 percent and shoplifting incidents are up 17 percent just in 2022 alone.

This is the experience of one retail worker, not just threatened yesterday again. It’s “not safe for anyone,” not to mention “all the customers we’ve lost…I have never been so scared. This is just not right.” Staff and business owners say the total disorder, crime and violence have grown exponentially and continue to get worse.

When will the Premier give small business owners some desperately needed financial support and relief to mitigate the damages caused by the soft-on-crime policies?

Hon. M. Farnworth: Again, I thank the member for the question. Again, I will point out the work that’s been underway, working with communities such as Kelowna where I recently met with the mayor of the member’s community to deal with some of the challenges that they’re facing. We’ve got a good working relationship.

That’s why, when these issues were being identified by local governments, the Premier, myself and other ministers met with the mayors of the large communities dealing with these challenges and came up with a strategy that involved, first off, the LePard-Butler report and then moving on from there to implement those recommendations.

At the same time, working with police, as I’ve outlined on a number of occasions in this House, recognizing that there are changes that needed to be put in place around the Criminal Code. Going to Ottawa — B.C. taking that leadership role to do just that — and a commitment from the federal government to put in place changes that make it easier to keep repeat offenders off the streets, where they belong.

At the same time, provincial initiatives are seeing teams and hubs in more than 12 different communities around this province to deal with many of the challenging offenders the member is talking about — Kelowna being one of those communities, along with Prince George, along with Nanaimo, along with Vancouver, along with Terrace. As well, working with police to ensure that they’ve got the human resources that they need. The largest single investment in policing in the history of this country announced by the Premier — money in the budget to do just that.

We are working as hard as we can and as diligently as we can, and we will continue to do that to ensure that our communities are kept safe.

B. Banman: Small businesses in Abbotsford, as well, are struggling to survive amidst the total chaos caused by this Premier’s decision to warehouse people without supports and his catch-and-release system. These businesses are desperately seeking some financial relief. Staff at a local dollar store are scared to come to work as they deal with theft, threats and fear of attacks with weapons.

Local business owner Paul Esposito says the level of violence is getting worse and worse, and businesses in the area are having to deal with the costs of constant theft, smashed windows, fires, daily cleaning of human feces, urine and needles. He said just this past weekend alone, the police were called five times, and fire and paramedics arrive on almost a daily basis.

When is this Premier going to deliver relief for local businesses that are plagued by increasing crime and violence as a direct result of his soft-on-crime policies?

Hon. M. Farnworth: Once again, I am just going to take issue with that statement of “soft-on-crime policies,” because nothing could be further from the truth. Our justice system….

Interjection.

Mr. Speaker: Member.

Please continue.

Hon. M. Farnworth: Our justice system is not a policy. The Criminal Code of Canada is just that. It is laws put in place. They are not policies decided on the whim of a Premier. This government has taken action since the day it was first sworn in, in 2017.

[11:00 a.m.]

As I have outlined to this House on a number of occasions, we started in terms of dealing with the guns and gangs challenge that we faced in this province, putting in place a witness protection program that has resulted in a significant increase in the conviction of those who have committed murder. They are now behind bars where they belong.

We put in place a firearms lab for forensic analysis of firearms, weapons that were used to commit crimes in this province — the first of its kind — so that we weren’t having to send them back east to Ottawa, and all the time that that took. We’ve ensured that we’ve got Crown prosecutors that are working with police to build as strong a case as possible when dealing with violent offenders.

As I’ve said again and again, it is this province that showed leadership in getting Ottawa to make commitments to change the Criminal Code so that we are able to deal with the consequences of the changes of Bill C-75. That was a federal law that impacted the issue of bail, hon. Speaker.

Putting that reverse onus on those who would use knives, on those who use weapons, on those who have had a history of violence in the past — that is action. This government is proud of it. Every step of the way, we’ve done it, and we will continue to do a lot more.

S. Bond: Well, the Solicitor General might want to attempt to reject the concept of “soft on crime,” but maybe he should look a victim in the eye and say that. Every single day in this province, we hear stories of violent attacks, random violence, theft — an explosion.

The Minister of Housing should feel ashamed of himself. He stands up in this House…

Interjections.

Mr. Speaker: Shhh.

S. Bond: …failing to look at the fear, the anxiety, the chaos and the violence that exists every single day in this province. What does he talk about? Success, and how proud he is. Shame on that minister for not paying attention.

Interjections.

Mr. Speaker: Members.

S. Bond: This government and Premier can continue to stand up and make comments like that all day, but they need to understand the reality that small business owners are facing, that victims are facing, in British Columbia.

We should be perfectly clear. It is absolutely this Premier’s soft-on-crime policies and his decision to warehouse some of the most vulnerable British Columbians without the supports they need that has led to an explosion of social disorder, theft and violence. That is squarely on the shoulders of this government.

Maybe the Solicitor General would like to speak to this person. Last week we learned of a man who walked into downtown Vancouver, to a clothing store. He threatened to kill the staff with a knife, and then he robbed the store. The prolific offender was arrested four times during a three-week period, charged with theft, assault with a weapon, and two counts of failure to comply. Guess what. He was released every single time, and he is back on the street today. That describes “soft on crime” in just about everybody’s books.

When is the Premier going to at least acknowledge that they have failed abysmally? It is time for them to step up, help small businesses, and support victims in British Columbia.

Hon. M. Farnworth: I appreciate the question from the member. To suggest that we don’t take those things seriously is simply wrong, and that member knows this. We have concern for victims, hon. Speaker.

That is why we increased funding for victims-of-crime programs. Where were they when they cut it, when that member sat on this side of the House? Let’s also be clear….

Interjections.

Mr. Speaker: Shhh.

Members, Members.

Hold it.

Members, the question was asked. Let’s hear the answer now, please. Okay?

Hon. M. Farnworth: Thank you, hon. Speaker.

That is exactly why, for those kinds of situations that we have seen in this province and right across this country, this province led the way to get changes done at the Criminal Code, to keep those kinds of people off the street. That is why….

Interjections.

Mr. Speaker: Shhh.

Members, Members.

Members. Calm down.

[11:05 a.m.]

Hon. M. Farnworth: That is why we sought the commitment from the federal government…

Interjections.

Mr. Speaker: Shhh. Calm down.

Hon. M. Farnworth: …to make the changes — so that those kinds of individuals are not released and they’re kept off the street — which was to see an expansion on the reverse onus, so that it doesn’t just cover firearms, but it covers knives, it covers weapons, and it covers those with a history who have engaged in that kind of behaviour before.

That’s commitment from this side of the House — to get those kinds of changes. Whether it’s keeping criminals off the streets or supporting victims, this government has a record that we will not back down from in terms of trying to keep our communities safe.

[End of question period.]

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

Leave granted.

Introductions by Members

K. Falcon: Today in the gallery, we are joined by the grade 10 and 11 class of the Prince of Wales Mini School with their teacher, Tony Lee, and some parents that have joined with them. I would ask the House to please make them all feel welcome today.

S. Chandra Herbert: I seek leave to make an introduction.

Leave granted.

S. Chandra Herbert: As an alumnus of Prince of Wales Mini School, I want to thank the PW Mini for being here.

I just want to say: “Roll on, Mini. Welcome to your House.”