Orders of the Day

Private Members’ Statements

WILDFIRES

L. Doerkson: It’s certainly an honour to rise today and discuss the topic of wildfires in B.C. We’ve experienced absolutely the worst fire seasons on record in 2023, devas­tating communities across the province.

[J. Tegart in the chair.]

The Interior was especially hard hit, with massive fires in communities like Kelowna and, of course, on the North Shuswap. Cariboo-Chilcotin has also been devastated by fires over the last few years. It has affected communities like Williams Lake and 100 Mile House and, frankly, the entire region. We are beginning to see the same thing this year already. Last week we watched as an 1,800-hectare fire burned just northeast of Williams Lake in an area known as Burgess Creek.

These fires affect more than just property. They affect people. Imagine the stress going through one’s mind when being evacuated, simply not knowing if or when you’ll be able to return home. Residents have shared heartbreaking stories of loss. Particularly tragic is the story of the young nine-year-old boy named Carter Vigh, in 100 Mile House, who lost his life due to a severe asthma attack worsened by the smoke and poor air quality.

[10:05 a.m.]

My heart, of course, goes out to Carter’s family and all of the people across the province who have lost loved ones as a result of the fires. This story is an absolute worst-case scenario, but British Columbians in all parts of our province have been affected by the fires in so many other ways. Some have fallen ill. Others have lost property, livestock, beloved pets. Some people experience long-lasting mental and physical effects. Entire communities have been destroyed.

Tens of thousands of British Columbians fleeing fires have been forced to evacuate their homes. Many incredibly brave heroes have been injured, experienced severe health impacts or even lost their lives while fighting fires and protecting our communities. I’m sure that many of us here today could share similarly devastating stories. This crisis is, of course, widespread across this province and has touched us all.

While it’s only April, wildfire season is already upon us. In the past week, British Columbia has seen 44 new wildfires; 41 were suspected to be human-caused. Last week we saw the first evacuation order of the year issued, this time in Chetwynd. Residents were forced to leave their homes due to a nearby wildfire burning out of control.

It is clear to me and to so many British Columbians that we need to start doing things differently. It is time for bold action so that we don’t continue to see the same level of devastation year after year across this province. B.C. needs a complete overhaul of how we prepare for, respond to and recover from wildfires and how we think about the before, the during and the after in all aspects of our approach.

Three main pillars of wildfire response need to be re-evaluated: technological solutions and fire response; preventative measures and community protection; and recovery and financial assistance.

Prevention is incredibly important yet often neglected. We need increased spending on FireSmart and other forms of prevention. We need to streamline by implementing predictable and automatic distribution of grant funding to local governments instead of requiring annual grant applications. Getting rid of unnecessary bureaucracy and red tape like this enables local governments to respond more swiftly. With wildfires, time is obviously of the essence.

Other important and underutilized prevention measures include off-season prescribed burns, selective harvesting, expedited permits, regulatory changes and financial incentives. Further prevention also means looking at the bigger picture, including aggressively overhauling forestry management practices.

It also is time to modernize the way we fight fires and the tools that we use to do it. To do this, we must expand our provincial aircraft fleet. We need cutting-edge, made-in-B.C. technological fire solutions like suppression technology to protect our homes and infrastructure, specialized drones, mass water delivery systems and night-vision technology. All of this would allow firefighters to commence early fire attacks at the hours of the day best suited for fighting fire activity, such as during night and early morning hours, when the temperatures are the coolest.

We also need to establish a modern, full-time firefighting service with more front-line personnel, who are amazing already. But we need to expand on it.

A holistic and effective approach to firefighting must also include equipping and empowering local volunteer fire response teams, including First Nations and community members, with essential supplies and resources. Local expertise and resources, including the knowledge of local First Nations, are absolutely critical. Our locals know best about their communities, and we absolutely need to listen to them.

As part of this strategy, we also need to focus on deploying local contractors for rapid suppression — contractors that are in the area, available and equipped very well. We have to, absolutely, rely on those individuals.

Finally, we desperately need to provide more support to our local fire departments across this province, many of which are extremely underfunded and, sadly, many that are not funded at all.

[10:10 a.m.]

As wildfire season is upon us again, we need to be bold, a new direction that utilizes local knowledge and resources to ensure our communities are protected. I look forward to the response from across the aisle.

D. Routley: Thank you to the member for his thoughtful comments.

British Columbians have come to greet spring with a new sense of trepidation, a worry about their communities and about their homes, about our forests, about the air quality that we’ll experience. We watch news stories of evacuations and loss in communities all around us. And we worry. As a parent of a wildfire fighter, I worry, also, about the safety of young Matthew Baird, who is out there at this very moment, in the member’s region, fighting fires for the B.C. Wildfire Service.

Our climate is changing, and wildfire seasons are becoming longer and drier. We must work together to confront this danger. The province, First Nations, local governments, municipal fire departments and FireSmart B.C. are working together to help B.C. communities prepare for the upcoming wildfire season. Mitigating wildfire risk is a shared responsibility, and people can play a critical role in mitigating these risks.

Right now the government is taking steps to strengthen the B.C. Wildfire Service and enhancing wildfire fighter recruitment. We are securing more equipment, planes and helicopters, deploying new technologies and innovations, stepping up prevention work all around the province. Four new structure protection units have been acquired, and several drones have also been acquired. Two new mass water delivery systems have been acquired to assist with fire suppression or dewatering during flood operations.

This is a multiple service, as the Wildfire Service is becoming multiple in its tasks. Innovative, predictive services using technology — AI, remote cameras — are assisting in preparedness, detection and response to wildfires.

So $56 million has been invested to boost the aviation preparedness of the province. An increase of $60 million has been invested in the Forest Enhancement Society of B.C. to continue industry- and community-focused wildfire reduction and fuel management. And $38 million has been invested to support stable year-round resourcing, including fire crew leaders and front-line staff that provide structure protection, prevention and risk reduction. Madam Speaker, $21 million in capital funding has been invested for a new Prince George equipment depot, that being the strongest-hit region of the province in last year’s record-breaking season.

Local governments also have a vital role to play in implementing FireSmart-related bylaws for new developments in the wildland and urban interface. Since 2018, over $180 million has been invested in FireSmart programs. To answer the member’s plea, in fact, that funding has been moved this year to an allocation model, rather than the grant-writing model that the member was concerned about. In that time, 223 local governments and First Nations have been funded to undertake these activities to protect their communities. B.C. now boasts 90 local forest FireSmart coordinators and 205 FireSmart-recognized neighbourhoods.

The key to success in all of our endeavours is to take every bump and turn it into a boost, every challenge and turn it into opportunity. British Columbia is becoming a world leader in wildfire suppression, management, fighting and mitigation. We are establishing wildfire degree programs in institutions of higher learning. We are training people in the latest techniques in wildfire fighting.

There are no magical solutions to this desperate problem. It’s just hard and thoughtful work that’s required. When I think of young Matt, my son, who’s out there fighting fires, and all of those who are with him, I am really inspired.

[10:15 a.m.]

I was at the workers memorial day yesterday in Lake Cowichan, and the South Island wildfire coordinator, Dimitri Vaisius, was there. He was honouring the two firefighters who died on the job last year fighting wildfires and those four who died in a motor vehicle accident. They are brave people. They are protecting our communities.

It’s up to all of us to work together. I very much appreciate the tone and the delivery of this statement from the member opposite.

L. Doerkson: To the speaker previous, I am so grateful for people like Matt and others that work hard every single day. There’s no question about that.

With respect to the grants, I’ll make another plea. The plea is this. There are fire departments in this province that will be the absolute first called, heaven forbid, in the moment of a wildfire or a lightning strike or other. The fact is that many of those fire departments are not funded in any way. I can speak for departments like Greeny Lake, in my riding, that have really no funding at all. They are, yearly, trying to apply for grants.

It’s so important to note, as I said, that, heaven forbid, if there is a lightning strike on Mount Timothy, they are going to be the first department called. Today they are raising money, selling apple pies and 50/50 tickets. They are doing everything they can in their spare time. They sell memberships to their fire department. They run a campground. They do everything they can. So the fact is that we need to reconsider funding for that.

Recovery is a major pillar of wildfire preparedness. We absolutely must better support, financially and otherwise, evacuees as well, and also other victims of various harms caused by wildfire. To do this, we must streamline our emergency social services and modernize B.C.’s disaster financial assistance program, including simplifying the process and expanding coverage and eligibility. The last thing that British Columbians need is another exercise, like a task force or an advisory group mandated to come up with the same recommendations that we have been talking about for a very long time.

We also need to recognize that entire industries are often victims of these disasters, and we need to accommodate the unique needs of these industries by incorporating flexibility into our approach. One way to do this is by implementing a provincially standardized emergency operation evacuation pass system for agriculture and other service providers. In addition to that, we can mitigate unnecessary economic damages due to the impacts of regional states of emergency.

These are just some of the many ways that we can modernize the way we prevent, respond to and recover from wildfires in British Columbia. It is time for a bold new approach in this province that uses common sense to mitigate the effects of these natural disasters in communities and individuals right across this beautiful province.

I thank you for the time this morning to discuss wildfires, and thanks to the members opposite.

INVESTMENTS IN SURREY

J. Sims: It’s an absolute delight to be able to stand up in this House and speak on and about Surrey. It’s one of the most beautiful cities in this province, and I’m so lucky to be able to represent Surrey-Panorama.

When I got elected in 2017, what I heard over and over again was that Surrey residents felt neglected. They felt they needed a government that would invest in Surrey, and that’s the story I’m here to tell today.

MSP premiums were eliminated, and the people in Surrey benefited from that. We’ve broken ground on a new hospital in Surrey, one they had long been promised, but the land had been sold. This is the biggest investment in a single health care project in B.C. history: $2 billion.

This hospital is going to have state-of-the-art CT and MRI machines. It’s going to have a state-of-the-art cancer treatment and diagnostic centre, with chemotherapy and examination rooms, and we have opened a number of urgent and primary care centres in Surrey.

We’re building a new medical school at SFU Surrey. This is so exciting. This is the first medical school in western Canada in 50 years. The work has started on this. I’m looking forward to getting it to the business plan stage and then it becoming fully operational.

[10:20 a.m.]

Since 2023…. I just want to give you a snippet, Madam Speaker. At Surrey Memorial Hospital, we have expanded the internal medicine department from 30 to 90 beds, hired five additional internists and four new community respiratory therapists, increased funds to add more staff to Surrey emergency department, posted 281 positions, with more than half filled; hired 75 additional internationally educated nurses, 117 new nursing grads and 164 employed student nurses; and I’m just getting started.

Some 70 physicians have been recruited and are now working at Surrey Memorial, and 21 new resident clinical associates. The child and youth mental emergency response team has been implemented, and there are 15 relational security officer positions filled.

Plus, that is not enough. There is going to be a new acute care tower built, and it will include expansion to surgical and maternal care. And $2 million in annual funding for Axis Primary Care Clinic in Cloverdale, to provide services through a team of nurse practitioners, registered nurses, social workers and mental health clinicians. I had the pleasure to visit that facility when it opened, and it is a state-of-the-art, amazing facility that serves the residents of Surrey. There is a new state-of-the-art 3T MRI at Jim Pattison, delivering more than 5,000 exams per year.

When it comes to mental health, we know this is a crucial issue right across the province. So $75 million for 12 Foundry centres, including Surrey; $25 million funding for 39 units of complex care housing units at Foxglove, with $3.2 million in annual operating funds provided there; funding for ten new specialized addiction treatment beds for the Fraser Health region, part of the $132 million investment; $800,000 grant for Brella Community Services Society in Surrey, to support seniors living with mental health and addictions; 18 substance abuse beds for youth opened at Phoenix Society. This is all so exciting. As you know, in these areas, lots done; lots more to do. I’m looking forward to doing that work as well.

Now let me say: $1.25 million given to Dr. Ma’s Laboratories, which manufactures health products in Surrey, to establish a new processing facility; $7.5 million given to Punjab Milk Foods — most of us know them as Nanak Foods — to build a new dairy processing facility, using B.C. products; $44,000 for Cloverdale Community Kitchen, to support seniors with meals; $116,000 for Sources Community Resources for food security projects in Surrey; $140,000 to replace the elevator at the Surrey-Delta Indo-Canadian Seniors Society; $89 million given to the city of Surrey, almost double the amount that went to other major cities, from the growing communities fund to help the city build infrastructure that is so much needed.

I’m looking forward to the Newton Community Centre, to the ice fields that are being built and other projects as the city announces them. And $1 million for Cloverdale Agriplex from the destination development fund. You know, when I talk about these, this is just the beginning. There is so much more to do. I know I’m going to run out of time very soon for my first go at this, but I do want to start talking about transportation, and I will finish a little bit later.

We all know that there is going to be a massive investment in Surrey for public transportation — not enough, but massive still — and we need it. Some $2.4 billion to extend the SkyTrain to Langley; removal of tolls from Port Mann Bridge, by the way, which saved Surrey residents hundreds and hundreds of dollars per year; $300 million to TransLink to improve services, including the R1 and R6 rapid bus routes on King George and 72 Scott Road corridors.

[10:25 a.m.]

And $1.4 billion to build a new toll-free Patullo Bridge linking Surrey to New Westminster; $17 million to the construction of a north Surrey truck and parking facility, with parking for 106 commercial trucks, washrooms with showers, a 24-hour facility with cameras and fencing; $36 million to a series of upgrades on Nordel Way and a new toll-free, eight-lane tunnel to replace Massey Tunnel for $4.15 billion is on its way.

I’ve said a little bit. I have lots more to say, and I can’t wait for my next turn.

T. Halford: I want to thank the member that just spoke before me. She rattled off a list of important things.

I will highlight that a lot of those things were announcements that we haven’t seen in Surrey. We’ve seen a podium. We’ve seen a press release, but we actually…. For the majority of what she spoke about, we haven’t seen it.

Let’s talk about the reality in Surrey, and I’m going to tell a story. She mentioned Surrey Memorial Hospital a number of times. I’m going to tell a story about that that I heard from a doctor two weeks ago.

A Surrey man was diagnosed with cancer early 2024. The doctor told him at that time: “We think that with surgery, we can remove that cancer.” His appointment with the oncologist was delayed, delayed, delayed. In April, he goes into Surrey Memorial Hospital into a hallway bed. Two weeks he’s there in pain, by the ambulance loading bay. They couldn’t get him a pillow. His family brought him in pillows and blankets.

This information I’m hearing directly from a doctor at Surrey Memorial. He finally meets with the oncologist; he gets his scan. The cancer had spread all through his body, and the doctor tells him in the hallway by the loading bay in the cold with his family there that there’s nothing that they can do for him anymore. That’s a true story.

That is the reality of health care in Surrey right now. Those are the stories that I am hearing, and I know those are the stories that other people in this House are hearing. So we can talk about announcements, but the on-the-ground reality is something much more different than what people are failing to acknowledge in this House.

We can talk about education, talk about the fact that this is a government that has campaigned not once but twice on eliminating portables. They didn’t eliminate portables; they doubled the portables. In fact, we’re now talking about double-decker portables. We have double-decker buses. We’re going to get double-decker portables in Surrey. That’s the reality.

We can talk about the announcements. We can talk about a press release. We can get a minister out there with MLAs, standing at something, but that doesn’t make it reality. That’s not a vision.

We can talk about transportation. In one of the areas where you look at, a young man came up to me and met with me in my office. I know the member knows this area well. It’s around 176 and 8th. He goes to Semiahmoo Secondary, and he wants to get a job this summer.

For him, in order to access public transit, if he lives in that Douglas area, where you’ve got new growth in there…. You’ve got, now, 3,000 people, a lot of them new Canadians, a lot of them young families, a lot of them seniors. So in order for you to access public transit from that area, you have to walk all the way up from 2nd to 176, walk all the way down 8 Avenue, which…. You shouldn’t be walking down 8 Avenue. You have to cross the median at Highway 99, then you have to cross another median at King George Highway, and then you have to walk up King George Highway to what we all call the Pink Palace, but it’s white now.

That is your only method of public transportation in that area. Is that acceptable? Is it acceptable that we should be driving across a bridge right now, the Massey crossing, that’s been delayed over a decade? It’s not acceptable.

[10:30 a.m.]

I don’t think the residents of Surrey are finding anything that this government has done acceptable, whether it’s education, whether it’s transportation, whether it’s housing, whether it’s health care, whether it’s public safety. If I can have a half an hour, I can talk about what we’ve seen.

Interjection.

T. Halford: Are you going to get up and speak, or are you just going to speak to yourself? Either way, it’s not that entertaining.

But for us, we in Surrey, and maybe that MLA will eventually get to Surrey one day, are feeling massively shortchanged. I think the people in this House know that.

Interjection.

T. Halford: Do you sit there, and you talk? You know what? Nobody cares.

J. Sims: As I said earlier, I am so proud to be part of a government that has made investments across B.C. and in Surrey a priority. For 16 long years, as we all know, the residents of Surrey felt neglected and felt the lack of investment. We’ve done lots; there’s lots more to go.

Deputy Speaker: I’ll just remind the member that this is the non-political part of the morning.

J. Sims: Thank you. Let me get on to what I always love to talk about, which is education.

As all of you know, that’s my background, so I’m so happy to announce, and the member would probably like to hear this, that our government has invested over $700 million in building new schools in B.C. We have created 12,245 seats, out of which 8,190 are completed.

A reminder to the people across the way that our….

Interjection.

J. Sims: I want to carry on and say we are building schools in Surrey. It’s a very fast-growing city that is growing and bringing in over 2,000 students a year. And because of that, yes, we have a lot…. We’ve done lots, and we have lots more to do.

For Surrey-Panorama, let me talk about that for a bit. We have invested $108 million: 1,295 seats created just in four projects, a new elementary school being built and two high schools that have had massive, I would say, additions.

I also want to talk about child care, and I’m hoping my colleagues are listening. In Surrey as a whole, this government has spent $424,663,651. That is over $424 million in child care, out of which, over $42 million is in Surrey-Panorama. Child care seats funded in Surrey: 4,104. The amount of money that has been returned to families is $232,114,065. For Surrey-Panorama, the number of seats funded is 313, and how much money has gone back into the pockets of parents in Surrey? It’s $27,829,987.

Early childhood educators have received a wage enhancement of $6 per hour. I can tell you in Surrey-Panorama alone, that means close to $1 million has gone out in salaries. I am so proud of the work done by our government today. As I said, we have done lots, and we have lots more to do. I’m looking forward to doing this.

RICHMOND HOSPITAL
DRUG CONSUMPTION SITE

T. Wat: I rise to address the pressing concerns that deeply affect the Richmond community I am so privileged to represent.

Our city of Richmond has witnessed the severe impacts of the current drug crisis, with deaths and overdoses escalating at an alarming rate. Unease is growing among residents, parents, businesses and community organizations. Richmond has seen the same significant increase in drug-related fatalities as the rest of B.C., an alarming hallmark of the current administration’s approach.

[10:35 a.m.]

Drug toxicity deaths in Richmond doubled from 12 in 2016 to 26 in 2023. This is more than a statistic. These are lost lives, shattered families and a community in mourning. Adding to that, our emergency services are increasingly strained, with overdose calls rising nearly 50 percent from 227 calls per day in 2016 to 335 calls per day in 2024. People everywhere are fed up with this government’s approach and instead want to see a treatment-based approach like the B.C. United caucus Better is Possible plan…

Deputy Speaker: I would remind the member that this is the non-partisan part of the morning.

T. Wat: Thank you, Madam Speaker.

…one rooted in comprehensive treatment and recovery options, over merely keeping people in the cycle of addiction with government-supplied drugs.

Interjections.

Deputy Speaker: Members, if you don’t have a podium in front of you, I would ask that you respect the speaker, please.

T. Wat: Thank you, Madam Speaker.

Despite dire circumstances, Richmond’s citizens continue to be overlooked. More than 22,000 residents have signed petitions demanding that the government listen and consult before making decisions that directly impact their lives. Their calls fall on deaf ears.

Instead, conflicting messages from government members who represent Richmond have only added to the confusion and frustration. On one hand, the member for Richmond-Queensborough has explicitly read into the record within this hall that “decriminalization works,” while the member for Richmond South Centre stands by decriminalization and its supposed benefits.

Deputy Speaker: Member, I would ask that you keep in mind that this is non-partisan.

T. Wat: Thank you, Madam Speaker, for your reminder.

On the other hand, our community struggles with the reality of increased drug use and associated safety concerns. My colleagues from Richmond, in government, will know that the proposal they vehemently backed to integrate a drug consumption site within Richmond Hospital has not been met with community consensus. Their plan was met with overwhelming public opposition, leading to a reconsideration of this approach. It is clear that the community’s stance is firmly against the imposition of such a facility without adequate support and recovery services. Their voices are loud and clear.

It is imperative to question why this decision is disconnected from the concerns of the people impacted. Where is the promised consultation? Where is the evidence that this model will not exacerbate our community’s challenges?

The health care situation in Richmond, especially Richmond Hospital, exemplifies the broader systemic failings. Promised expansions and renovations have been consistently delayed, with the hospital’s expansion project announced over a decade ago, yet still mired in bureaucratic delays. The initial promise of shovels in the ground by 2021 has been repeatedly pushed back, and now the projected completion date has been pushed to 2031. Nurses and doctors are calling for help amid increased violence, open illicit drug use and a shortage of resources across the province within their workplaces.

It is time for accountability and re-evaluation of the strategies that fail to protect and support our community. We need an approach that prioritizes recovery, respects community input and ensures safety for all citizens. Richmond deserves better. And better is possible.

[10:40 a.m.]

H. Yao: I am honoured to respond to the member opposite’s statement. I would express my gratitude to the member opposite for her comments, as we all have similar concerns for the lives and safety of Richmond residents.

British Columbia, like other jurisdictions in North America, is facing numerous significant difficulties, in­cluding housing affordability, homelessness, global inflation, health care challenges and, unfortunately, the toxic drug crisis. Our government is committed to reducing costs, ensuring community safety and saving the lives of British Columbians.

As the MLA for Richmond South Centre, I witnessed firsthand the challenges that people in my constituency are facing. However, British Columbians are resilient and dedicated to securing a healthier future for all. Our government has implemented various measures to address global inflation. We enacted housing legislation and regulations to increase housing supply while combatting speculation. We significantly reduced ICBC rates for drivers. Additionally, we have eliminated bridge tolls, MSP premiums, provided B.C. Hydro rebates and reduced child care costs for families in British Columbia.

Nevertheless, the strong pressures of global inflation persist. Many are still struggling. Unprecedented environmental extreme weather events further exacerbate the challenges. Therefore, our government remains steadfast in fulfilling our promises to British Columbians by achieving our CleanBC targets.

The COVID-19 pandemic has devastated the world as well. The lives of British Columbians are forever altered by it. The past few years were tough. Yet British Columbians remain strong and resilient.

Unfortunately, not all British Columbians are experiencing these global challenges equally. According to the B.C. coroner’s services in 2023, another 2,511 British Columbians lost their lives due to the toxic drug crisis. These individuals are our brothers, sisters, fathers, mothers, sons, daughters and loved ones. Addiction is a health care issue, and it’s important that we work together to save lives.

I want to take this opportunity to express my gratitude to our health care workers — nurses, doctors — for their unwavering commitment to maintaining the functionality and strength of the health care system. They deserve to work in a safe environment where they can focus on delivering professional services without concern for their safety and health. British Columbians who are required to access our health care system deserve to do so safely and comfortably.

As a resident of Richmond South Centre, I raise my family in the very riding that I represent. My family and I often rely on essential services provided by Richmond: two UPCCs, urgent primary care centres, and Richmond Hospital. I’m also glad our government introduced Foundry in Richmond to support the mental health of young people between ages 12 and 24. My loved ones, as well as everyone in Richmond, deserve safe access to health care. Our government has never lost sight of the importance of public safety in public spaces.

Last fall we introduced legislation to address issues with public substance use, but it has been held up in court. It has become evident that the court case will not be resolved quickly, and British Columbians do not want to wait any longer. Therefore, under the leadership of the Premier and Minister of Health, our government is collaborating with Health Canada to change the rules, making it illegal to use drugs in public spaces. This will empower police to move people along and seize drugs where necessary, including in parks, streets in front of businesses and, most of all, our hospitals.

British Columbians want our community to be safe and secure, and we’re taking action to support that. We are taking measures to ensure that hospitals are safe for staff, patients and visitors. Illegal drug use is not permitted in hospitals, and this new action is intended to ensure that everyone is aware of and adheres to the rules. Enforcement measures will be implemented for those who break rules, with support provided by both staff and patients.

We are continuing to collaborate with individual hospitals, such as Richmond Hospital, to meet their specific needs. Our government is dedicated to working with health care workers, researchers, experts and the community to ensure that our strategy to save the lives of British Columbians is effective and suitable to the needs of the community. Ultimately, British Columbians share the desire for people and community to be safe and secure, with treatment available for those who need it. I am proud of the steps we are taking in Richmond to ensure the safety of all members of our community.

[10:45 a.m.]

Let me be clear. Smoking and drug use are not permitted in hospitals. We are not designating hospital space for overdose prevention sites in Richmond or anywhere else. We recently hired 320 new security officers at 26 sites.

Our government is committed to keeping hospital staff, patients and visitors safe. We’ll continue to do so as well.

T. Wat: In Richmond, the impact of the current government’s drug policy on our community safety and well-being has been profound and deeply troubling. Worse, it is deeply troubling how this government continues to gaslight Richmondites. Their legacy is now characterized by a lack of effective leadership and misaligned priorities.

Deputy Speaker: Member, it is non-partisan. I would like you to keep that in mind, please.

T. Wat: Yes, thank you, Madam Speaker. Thank you.

The introduction of decriminalization has not been accompanied by a necessary increase in support services or treatment facilities. As a result, drug toxicity deaths continue to rise across B.C. Last year alone, B.C. witnessed over 2,500 suspected drug toxicity deaths: the most ever, indicating a clear failure of the current strategy.

It is crucial to remember that at the heart of this issue is the well-being of our community. The overwhelming response from Richmond residents has clearly articulated a need for change, a call for action that prioritizes their safety and health over unchecked policies. Even though members opposite may disagree…

Deputy Speaker: Member.

T. Wat: …this is the truth.

Interjection.

Deputy Speaker: Excuse me, Members.

You may continue, but I would ask you to be non-partisan.

T. Wat: Yes.

Deputy Speaker: Thank you.

Interjection.

Deputy Speaker: Please respect who is the speaker.

Please continue, and please make it non-partisan.

T. Wat: Okay, thank you, Madam Speaker, for the reminder again.

Proposed strategies, such as a drug consumption site within Richmond Hospital, lack community support and fail to address the broader crisis at hand. The situation at Richmond Hospital and the broader health care crisis reflect a troubling pattern.

We need policies that manage the crisis and actively work towards sustainable solutions that prioritize recovery, treatment and community safety. This requires genuine consultation with communities, transparency in decision-making and a commitment to following through on promises.

As we move forward, let’s not forget the voices of over 20,000 Richmond residents who have spoken. May it serve as a reminder that before we all engage with our community, the first thing we need do is to listen. Together, we can strive for solutions that reflect the values and needs of our community, ensuring that Richmond — and, indeed, all communities affected — are not only heard but are active participants in the decision-making process that shapes our lives.

Deputy Speaker: Recognizing the member for Richmond-​Queensborough.

A. Singh: Thank you, Madam Speaker. This is going to be, surprisingly, really non-partisan.

Deputy Speaker: Thank you.

ORGAN AND TISSUE DONATION

A. Singh: I am honoured to stand before you today to discuss a topic that is not just important but life-changing: organ donation and transplantation.

As we conclude organ transplant month, April, here in British Columbia, it’s so important to reflect on the significance of this cause and the remarkable impact it has had on so many lives.

Last week for National Organ and Tissue Donation Aware­ness Week, we saw several people come and visit our Legislature. Amongst them were transplant recipients, living organ donors, donor families and staff from B.C. Transplant. I know many of my colleagues, on all sides, spoke with them and were informed of the importance of registering for organ donation and the possibility of saving not one but several lives.

Organ transplantation stands as a beacon of hope, a beacon that has saved countless lives worldwide and those of some of our friends who have served in this Legislature. It symbolizes the extraordinary advances in medical science and the profound impact of human kindness.

[10:50 a.m.]

Last week our good friend Chuck Puchmayr, who was a former MLA, came here with B.C. Transplant, He’s one of those recipients who’s alive today because of a transplant, a liver transplant, because someone was kind enough to offer their liver to him. It symbolizes the extraordinary advances in medical science and the profound impact of human kindness.

Each year, thousands of individuals are given a second chance at life, all thanks to the generosity of organ donors and the unwavering dedication of health care professionals.

In British Columbia, we’re fortunate to have a robust organ donation and transplantation program. Our prov­ince boasts one of the highest rates of organ donation in the country, a testament to the generosity and compassion of our citizens. However, despite our progress, there’s still so much more to be done. We have progressed immensely with science, and the list of the most common organs eligible for transplant has increased substantially over the last few decades.

These include kidneys. Kidney transplants are the most common type of organ transplant. They’re often needed due to chronic kidney disease, diabetes, high blood pressure or other conditions that affect kidney function.

Liver transplants are typically needed for people with end-stage liver disease, liver cancer or acute liver failure. Heart transplants are performed for people with severe heart failure or other heart conditions that cannot be effectively treated with other methods.

Lung transplants, even, are needed for people with severe lung diseases, such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, COPD; cystic fibrosis; or pulmonary hypertension. With wildfires and climate emergency, we will probably see more of that. Pancreas transplants are usually done in conjunction with kidney transplants for people with type 1 diabetes and severe kidney disease.

Intestines. Intestinal transplants are rare, but they are typically performed for people with intestinal failure who are unable to absorb nutrients from food, hence giving them life-saving ability.

Corneas. Corneal transplants are the most common type of tissue transplant. They’re done to restore vision in people with corneal damage or disease.

These are the most common organs and tissues eligible for transplant. But there are other organs and tissues, such as the skin, bone and heart valves, that can also be transplanted to improve or save lives.

As of last year, there were over 700 people in British Columbia still waiting for a life-saving or -enhancing organ transplant. This number has remained relatively stable over the last few years, highlighting the ongoing need for more organ donors.

In 2023, there were 563 organ transplants performed in B.C., a slight increase from the previous year. This was thanks to the kindness of 160 deceased donors and 77 living kidney donors. There were 22 heart transplants, 353 kidney, 77 lung, 12 pancreas and 112 liver transplants.

If any of you had the chance, you would have met a sister and brother last week, the brother a living donor of his kidney, which saved his sister’s life.

G. Kyllo: April is designated as Organ and Tissue Donation Awareness Month, a time to share stories and raise awareness about the benefits of organ donation and the life-saving effects of transplantation. This annual observance reminds us of the critical importance of organ donation, as countless lives depend on these generous acts.

The significance of this month is further underscored by Green Shirt Day on April 7, established in 2019 to commemorate the victims and their families that were affected by the 2018 tragic Humboldt Broncos bus crash.

Green Shirt Day is inspired by Logan Boulet, a Humboldt Broncos defenceman who, motivated by his coach Ric Suggitt, whose organ donation saved six lives, chose to become an organ donor himself.

Tragically, Logan was one of the Broncos who lost his life in the horrific 2018 crash. His parents, Bernadine and Toby Boulet, made the courageous decision to donate Logan’s organs, directly impacting the lives of six others. This act triggered the Logan Boulet effect, leading to an unprecedented surge in approximately 150,000 Canadians registering as organ donors shortly after the incident.

While we celebrate these milestones, we must acknowledge that more work must be done, as there remains a substantial gap between those in need and the available donors.

[10:55 a.m.]

It’s important to note, as we approach national Organ and Tissue Donation Awareness Week, in the last full week of April, that nearly 4,400 Canadians are currently waiting for a life-saving organ or tissue transplant. Unfortunately, many individuals who need a vital organ transplant will not receive them in time.

Despite the high approval rate of organ donation among Canadians, with over 90 percent in support of organ donation, sadly, only 32 percent have actually registered their decision to donate. This discrepancy should serve as a call for action, especially when considering that each donor can save up to eight lives and enhance up to 75 others through tissue and eye donations.

Furthermore, it is possible to donate organs while still alive. Healthy adults can donate a kidney, part of their liver or a lobe of their lung.

I was fortunate enough to be taught by a wonderful man by the name of Tony Beeftink. Tony, when he was only in his mid-30s, contracted a virus that attacked his heart. He was, at the time, Canada’s second heart transplant recipient. Tony, sadly, passed away last year, but he lived near 30 years with a donated heart. Tony was also recognized as the first heart transplant recipient on the planet to actually run a full marathon after receiving that very important heart transplant over 30 years ago.

We were privileged to be approached by a number of folks from B.C. Transplant last week in the Legislature. There was a wonderful mother by the name of Simone who had a badge of her son, Elliott, on her lapel. Sadly, Elliott passed at the age of 17, but Simone was so proud that, even in the tragic case of Elliott’s passing, he was able to donate some of his organs which helped many others.

As we see with B.C. Transplant and some of the work that their volunteers do in the most tragic of situations…. In the case of the loss of a loved one, volunteers through B.C. Transplant will attend and meet with the families. It is so very important that individuals make the choice and go to B.C. Transplant, so it’s transplant.bc.ca, and register your decision, whatever that decision may be.

[S. Chandra Herbert in the chair.]

Simone and others were sharing with me that in those moments, it is just so heartfelt when the family is aware that their loved one has actually made that decision. It provides a lot of comfort, and it makes it so much easier for them.

I just want to really encourage those that might be listening to go to transplant.bc.ca. There are a couple buttons you can click. One button is just to check on your registration status. All you require is your personal health number, and by completing that, it will actually let you know in real time, immediately. Literally, I did it this morning, just to double-check, to make sure that I was still registered — less than 30 seconds to actually register. And if you haven’t registered, it’s less than a two-minute process.

Thank you, hon. Speaker, for allowing us this opportunity to share such an important month and week for all of us here in B.C.

A. Singh: Thank you to the last speaker for that information. Please go out and register.

The pandemic had such a significant impact on so many things in our society, from further fuelling deaths from the toxic drug crisis to forcing thousands who were near homeless, sleeping on a friend’s couch, to homelessness, to the very economic fabric of our society. Almost nothing was untouched.

Unfortunately, registrations for organ donation were also a victim of the pandemic. From a high of 160,627 registrations in 2019, it dropped dramatically to 44,528 in 2020, to 10,790 in 2021 and only 10,069 in 2022, to rise, only a small amount, to 15,748 in 2023. There is so much to do.

In British Columbia, approximately only 24 percent of the eligible residents have registered as organ donors. However, this number can vary over time.

In Canada, as a whole, the percentage of registered organ donors is around 23 percent, so still a lot more work to do.

It’s very easy to register. You can just go online, or you can walk into a Service B.C. counter and register right there.

[11:00 a.m.]

It’s important to note that these numbers are subject to change, as more people register or update their donor status. While this is encouraging, there are still many more individuals who could benefit from a transplant.

Events like organ transplant month play a crucial role in raising awareness about the importance of organ donation. They serve as a reminder of the impact that each of us can have on the lives of others.

By registering as an organ donor…. You have the potential to save up to eight lives through organ donation and enhance the lives of many more through tissue donation. It’s a simple yet powerful gesture that can have a lasting impact on a whole family.

I urge each and every one of you to consider registering as an organ donor, if you haven’t already done so. Talk to your friends and family about your decision, and encourage them to do so as well.

Together, we can make a difference and give hope to those who are waiting for a second chance at life.

Hon. M. Farnworth: I ask leave that the House consider proceeding with Motion 24, standing in the name of the member for Surrey South.

Deputy Speaker: Members, unanimous consent of the House is required to proceed to Motion 24 without disturbing the priorities of the motions proceeding it on the order paper.

If any member is opposed to the request for leave, please indicate now.

Leave not granted.

Deputy Speaker: Okay. Leave has not been granted. So we are now proceeding to Motion 5, the motion that had been moved by the member for Maple Ridge–Mission: “Be it resolved that this House agrees to put the interests of regular people who are looking to afford a home ahead of real estate speculators and investors.”

I believe the member from Coquitlam, had adjourned the debate. I see the member for Peace River North taking his place in debate.

Private Members’ Motions

MOTION 5 — HOUSING AFFORDABILITY
AND REAL ESTATE INDUSTRY

(continued)

D. Davies: Wow. It’s actually amazing to see what just happened in this House. Extremely disappointing.

We have been talking for so long in this House about decriminalization, the problems that it has caused, the problems that it has caused within our housing issues, the problems that we’ve seen on our streets. We have been talking over and over again, whether it’s a bill or question period. For the government today to not allow further debate and a vote on this important issue is absolutely disgusting, quite frankly.

The housing issues that we are seeing within decriminalization and how they intertwine are absolutely important pieces that I’m going to be speaking about today as well as some of my colleagues.

In British Columbia, the housing crisis has never been as bad as it is now under this government’s watch. Since 2017, in fact, British Columbia has become the most unaffordable jurisdiction for housing on the continent.

Guess what happened in 2017, hon. Speaker. The NDP government came to power. We can see the intertwine with a failed drug policy by this government. It has increased and made housing worse in every single corner of this province.

Even in my own riding or in my own community, I should say…. We have seen a 67 percent increase in homelessness on the streets of Fort St. John, a community that I’m very proud of, a community that has had so many benefits of the resource sector and people working and hard-working young families. We have seen a slow whittling away of people’s ability to work. A lot of that we have seen as, again, a result of this government’s failed drug policy.

I was at a funeral this weekend of a very good friend of mine, Rod. He was well known in our community. I was sitting across from some folks that I know very well, a husband and wife, both born and raised in Fort St. John. We were just talking about how things have changed in Fort St. John.

[11:05 a.m.]

In talking to this woman here…. She was probably late 50s, early 60s. She has never felt as unsafe now, in her entire life, to walk the streets of Fort St. John. There are a number of reasons why she feels unsafe to be walking the streets of Fort St. John. A lot of that is because of the homelessness issue, which has been exacerbated by a failed drug policy by this NDP government.

We have seen, over and over again, failed policies that, in many cases…. This failed drug policy of this NDP government and the decriminalization have pushed people out of their employment opportunities, out of housing and onto the streets.

Interjections.

D. Davies: This is speaking to the motion, hon. Speaker. We’re talking homelessness and housing. They are very closely connected. I’m looking forward to hearing the hon. members on the other side actually talk to housing, since they don’t want to talk about decriminalization.

I know there’s confusion on the other side. They don’t know what to make of their policies, as we can see.

Interjections.

Deputy Speaker: Members. Members. We have one speaker to the motion.

D. Davies: I’m looking forward to hearing the other side come forward on this debate. Oh, I am.

We have seen, again, over and over, the…. I had the opportunity, actually, in Vancouver and here in Victoria, to tour a number of our supportive housing units, SROs. I can say, without a doubt, that my own experience, my own eyes, walking through these housing developments that this government has bought and somehow caged up people….

Again, the government has done this. It’s through their failed policies on decriminalization, their failed housing policies.

I’ll tell you what. On this side, we will not back down until we see decriminalization tossed out.

Deputy Speaker: Again, we’re speaking to Motion 5.

R. Russell: This morning I rise to speak in favour of this motion and talk about, I think, one of the most pressing issues facing our province. That’s the need for accessible and affordable housing.

In communities across B.C., whether we’re talking downtown Victoria, the suburbs of Penticton or the neighbourhoods of Princeton, people are certainly yearning for the same basic necessity, which is a decent, affordable home in a community that they love. However, with the global pressures that are surrounding us…. We’re feeling the weight of, I would say, across our communities, across the nation, things like rising inflation, increased cost of living and speculation in our housing markets really making this dream increasingly out of reach.

Youth I’ve talked to certainly are feeling disillusioned with what previous generations have left for us in the world, what’s left for them in the world, in many ways, one of which is reducing the likelihood of them owning a home. I’ve talked to community leaders that are struggling to retain the labour force they’ve attracted to their towns — whether that is a new nurse, a new teacher, a new electrician — because they don’t have anywhere for them to rent.

The member opposite spoke about us being confused. I think he was implying that I might be confused, for example. I would say, most certainly, I’m not confused in this case. I would say, after decades of underfunding and lack of action by governments, the housing crisis clearly requires bold and decisive action.

I’m proud of the work that our government has taken to lead the country with innovative solutions aimed at making this dream a little closer to reality for so many people, given the primacy of this challenge and the complexity of the situation. The government created a new stand-alone ministry specifically to take good action immediately for the people of B.C. on housing.

The Homes for People plan is a bit of a blueprint to meet these challenges of today and deliver more homes for people faster, through unlocking more homes faster by creating the conditions to encourage faster housing construction; by supporting those who need it most, with more housing and services to support people experiencing homelessness and helping resolve encampment challenges; by building a housing market that puts people ahead of profit, with measures to crack down on speculators and profiteers and to get the proceeds of crime out of the real estate market.

[11:10 a.m.]

Whether you look at our budget, whether you look at the legislative action that has taken place, we have brought forward a slew of actions in the last few years to demonstrate results that people are seeing.

A concrete example of that would be the recent visit that the Minister of Housing made to my riding. The South Okanagan–Similkameen specifically was visited. He got to see there the amazing work of some of our community partners, working with government and supported financially by the province, which has already completed and delivered dozens of homes in some of these smaller rural communities.

On the same visit, the minister was able to announce hundreds of new homes across the Interior and the North up to the member opposite’s riding, as part of the community housing fund, which represents billions of dollars of investment from the government for the people of B.C.

We’ve seen other actions result in reining in some of the out-of-control short-term rental markets, expanding the speculation and vacancy tax, fixing restrictive and outdated zoning rules. We’re taking action to transform available land, especially near transit hubs, into communities where people can thrive.

Every community in B.C. will now be able to offer secondary suites. We’re cutting down long wait times at the residential tenancy branch for both landlords and tenants and implementing measures to protect renters from exorbitant increases in their homes. We’re capping rent increases well below inflation, providing $400 annual renter tax credits and ensuring affordable rentals stay on the market through the rental protection fund.

These actions, I would say, are a testament to our commitment to not just managing the housing crisis, but actively working to make things easier for everyday British Columbians.

I don’t have time to get into the home flipping tax and the opportunities there. I will flag that exemptions do exist there for life circumstance changes such as divorce, death, illness, or for things such as major renovations.

I would love to talk about BC Builds — I know it’s certainly getting an enormous amount of positive reception in my community — partnerships between local non-profits, between local governments to be able to deliver projects faster from concept to construction in terms of 12 to 18 months instead of three to five years.

We’re committed to this cause. Over the past year, we’ve prioritized initiatives delivering thousands of good homes, supporting these actions.

Deputy Speaker: Thank you, Member.

R. Russell: Thank you, hon. Speaker.

I look forward to working together with our many partners…

Deputy Speaker: Thank you, Member.

R. Russell: …to build not just homes but hope and community.

L. Doerkson: I appreciate the comments from across the aisle, but the frustration is this. For everything that I just heard the member refer to as a positive, we’re not seeing that in Cariboo-Chilcotin.

We have some of the highest rents that we’ve ever seen. Our vacancy rates are horrendous. I have personally watched as two potential developments have collapsed under bureaucracy — absolutely collapsed. And these were affordable homes. These were a mobile home park and a ten-lot subdivision in the area of Lone Butte in my riding. So it’s not happening.

What’s more offensive this morning is that we have not been in a position to debate decriminalization, which is absolutely tied into our housing crisis in this province and, certainly, in Cariboo-Chilcotin. The accountability by this government is shocking, frankly. Housing is absolutely tied to decriminalization.

Metro Vancouver — homelessness is 34 percent higher, increased. Surrey is 76 percent. It’s happening in Cariboo-Chilcotin too. In Williams Lake we now have 51 percent more homeless folks in our community. It is sad and shocking to watch.

Renters in Vancouver are suffering under $6,000 a year in additional costs, but so too is rural British Columbia. It is getting increasingly difficult to find a place to live. In my community, B.C. Housing has rented properties like the Hamilton inn, which, by the way, has sat 50 percent vacant under the management.

We rent day rate at the Slumber Lodge, where, by the way, I have been told that the RCMP could consider having a satellite office at that location because of what’s happening.

[11:15 a.m.]

We have rented facilities in 100 Mile House. When I say “we,” I refer to B.C. Housing. We have rented facilities that are now condemned. Now condemned. They didn’t have running water in them while we rented them as a province.

The shocking reality is that we have a housing crunch that is absolutely tied to what’s happening. People do not feel safe in these facilities. And because they can’t find a home to rent, because they can’t afford that home when they do find one to rent, they find themselves in these B.C. Housing facilities.

It’s not for a lack of trying. Our communities have tried to work with government to remove land, to improve things like Jubilee in Williams Lake, which has also had capacity issues. So we have multiple rooms available for folks, but we’re not running them properly.

To add insult to injury, we have seniors living amongst people that are dealing with very serious issues, and they’re afraid daily. Decriminalization has worsened British Columbia’s housing crisis. It’s turned supportive housing into hotbeds of criminal activity, and people are afraid to live there. I’ve dealt with seniors repeatedly that have made that complaint. Just last year, 300 people died of overdoses in B.C. Housing sites alone in this province.

The fact that we have been unable to debate in a fulsome way decriminalization in this province and the effect that it’s having on housing throughout British Columbia, and certainly in Cariboo-Chilcotin, is offensive. We want to fix housing in this province. We need initia­tives that will tackle affordability head-on. We need to be using public land.

We will remove the PST on new residential construction, which will help, but there is so much more that we could be doing. I appreciate the time to talk about housing, but this government needs to know that these three items are all intertwined and connected in one way or the other.

K. Paddon: I’m very pleased to rise to not only support the motion but to also discuss some of the actions that we’ve taken — and specifically the way it’s impacting people in Chilliwack-Kent and Chilliwack and what I’m hearing back from people already about the initiatives that are underway and that are coming up.

Everybody in British Columbia…. Everybody I think understands and knows the difficulties right now with affordability, with cost of living and generally. We know that every action we take works with other actions that we take and that the issues are intersectional and impact in a lot of different areas of our lives and of our communities. So that’s how I’m going to talk about it.

I was just, on Friday, with the Chilliwack Chamber of Commerce. They were asking questions, and we were connecting directly with business owners and employers. Housing, and what this government is doing for housing, was one of the topics that came up very strongly.

Hon. Speaker, I’m sure that yourself and many people here, when we speak to business owners, they tell us that their businesses are their people. They need places for their people to live. They need places for themselves to live as well.

We can’t build healthy, robust economies and communities without a place for our doctors, our teachers, our employees, the customers, everybody to live. And it’s why I’m so proud of the actions that this government has taken to really pull every lever available so that we can take care of the entire community.

I know that there are some actions that the opposition have been very, very clear they would cancel, because the community they’re looking to take care of is incredibly narrow. When business owners come and talk to me about the impact that has been made in our community, for example, on April 15….

Interjections.

K. Paddon: My apologies to the other side. I can’t hear what they’re saying right now, but I’m happy to have a discussion about it later if they would just allow this time for us to focus on our communities and the motion in front of us.

On April 15….

Interjection.

K. Paddon: That would be speculators, Member. Sorry, in case I was not clear, the narrow people would be speculators.

Interjections.

[11:20 a.m.]

Deputy Speaker: Members. Members, I need to be able to hear the speech, so if we can have one person speaking, that would be appropriate. Thank you.

K. Paddon: We have taken several actions. The most recent in my community — well, actually, the second most recent, because there are two…. April 15, we announced and we implemented work through the HEARTH program. Lookout Housing and Health Society has 30 new beds at the wellness centre.

This will help some of the most vulnerable people who are experiencing homelessness in our downtown core. There are also 43 units operated by Ruth and Naomi’s Mission that will be open this fall. It is going to be temporary housing. It’s going to help people come inside and access services that are wraparound.

The most recent action is that Chilliwack is actually on the list of 20 priority communities to be working with B.C. Housing. Now, for those of you who don’t know, Chilliwack and the staff team at the city of Chilliwack have been incredible at moving forward housing objectives, at getting people housed and homed and working on building more units to help with affordability, to help with access, to help put a roof over people’s heads. And now, the province has announced that they’re also on the priority list, so they’ll have those provincial resources and attention as well.

I honestly think that it’s going to be very exciting, because the city of Chilliwack will be able to supercharge even more the amazing efforts they were already making. Huge shout-out to the city of Chilliwack staff, because it really has been fantastic to watch a housing-first approach in action.

When I speak with businesses, when I speak with people who are more vulnerable in our community, when I speak with the non-profits, it is without a doubt clear that it is all hands on deck to address access and affordability of housing. We’re not just doing it in one way; we’re pulling every lever we can. We’re addressing things like minimum wage. We’re supporting non-profits as well as businesses in our communities to be able to take care of people and neighbours around them. We are implementing better access to the supports and services that we know are critical.

Housing in itself is not just like any issue that we work on, an isolated one, which is why I’m so proud of this government, the cross-ministry approaches and the intersectional approaches to addressing well-being overall, understanding that housing is a centrepiece of that solution.

E. Ross: I take it we’re talking about housing afford­ability and the real estate industry. I was all ready to address decriminalization of drugs. That’s too bad.

There are so many people suffering from drugs and decriminalization policy. It’s a shame that the NDP government actually blocked this debate, not once but twice. Especially First Nations are suffering for lack of housing in our urban centres, as well as suffering under the decriminalization policy. I just look at the headlines. First Nations are disproportionately affected by the toxic drug crisis.

Yet here we are debating a failed NDP promise: 114,000 houses were supposed to be built. After seven years, B.C. has become the most unaffordable province in North America, with the highest rents across Canada. So to hear the government praising themselves, patting themselves on the back, when people can’t really make their rents anymore, and homelessness has surged by 34 percent and 76 percent, respectively….

Why is there cheerleading happening when things have gotten worse in housing? Renters are shelling out $6,000 more, annually, than before. The average rent for a new one-bedroom apartment in Vancouver can now soar up to $3,000 a month. For a young person, that is a lot of money. That breaks the bank. I understand how this has touched every single community across B.C. When is this promise going to take place?

[11:25 a.m.]

In fact, when you’re looking at how this intertwines with decriminalization, Terrace is no exception. A couple of years ago I was touring B.C. I stopped off on Hastings, Strathcona Park, and I was shown the supportive housing that was built, a brand-new building. But the sad thing about it was that right outside the building, across the street, were RVs, where families needed housing. They were living in RVs with their children because they did not want to move into supportive housing. The reason? They did not want to expose their kids to criminal activity and drug use. That’s what it’s become.

There’s brand-new supportive housing in Terrace, up behind the Sportsplex. I was told to go up there and check out what was happening behind it, in the bushes along these trails. Sure enough, the criminal activity and the drug activity did not stop. It just moved into the forest in behind supportive housing.

Decriminalization is affecting every single facet of our society, including housing, supportive housing. Even in our neighbourhoods, we see how people are worried about some type of initiative moving into their region, their neighbourhood, because they’re afraid for their kids. They’re afraid for safety.

Instead, what we have are announcements that are basically nothing more than political damage control, like the last announcement — another desperate attempt by the Premier to obscure the failure of its policies, which have only spread chaos in our communities. In fact, Ottawa right now is proposing to debate decriminalization, in the House of Commons, here in B.C.

So to stand here, to sit here and listen to the government praising themselves about their housing promises and their housing commitments when things are just getting worse….

What’s going to come up next in terms of housing are the skyrocketing hotel rates, because now, with the legislation that shut down bed-and-breakfasts, there are a lot of youth across B.C. that travel in different regions around the province for tournaments and games. They’re not going to be able to afford $900 a night to go play hockey or soccer in a neighbouring community for their provincials or their zone playoffs.

Across the board, this housing policy is a failure. Parksville, for example, is one of the many communities asking for an exemption from one of these failed policies.

Not only do I support the B.C. United policy in terms of housing, but I also support their decriminalization strategy and tax.

Deputy Speaker: Member for Burnaby-Lougheed.

Oh, I see…. Okay. I see the member for Powell River–​Sunshine Coast.

N. Simons: Thank you, hon. Speaker. I’ve been to Burnaby-Lougheed, but I will be speaking as the representative for Powell River–Sunshine Coast in favour of the motion put forward by my colleague: “Be it resolved that this House agrees to put the interests of regular people who are looking to afford a home ahead of real estate speculators and investors.”

I know I read that motion correctly, although I’m not sure, with the content of the speeches being provided by my colleagues on the opposite side. I would point out that they seem to take umbrage with the fact that this is the motion that we’re discussing.

There has been a long-standing tradition in this House that we don’t vote on motions, and we know that the plan was to….

Interjection.

N. Simons: For 19½ years we’ve had this, since I’ve been here, and they want to change the rules.

I’m sorry, Mr. Speaker. I’m pleased to speak in favour of a motion that I believe is at the core of the interests of the British Columbian people. I think that they are uncomfortable talking about this because….

Interjections.

Deputy Speaker: Members, we have one person who has the floor, and that is the member for Powell River–​Sunshine Coast. You will get your chance in a moment.

[11:30 a.m.]

N. Simons: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I just think that perhaps their discomfort with discussing this issue reflects the fact that they don’t want to have their record examined. And their record that….

Since elected, 2005, when I arrived in this House, I remember talking about the issue of homes and housing and homelessness. That party, the United Conservatives — or the BCUP and the Conservatives I might say, because they were one and the same — have not focused on the important capacities on the development of housing for people in this province. And we know that to be the case.

We had 16 years of relative inaction on this subject, and we are getting ourselves out of the mess that was created by the same people who don’t want to talk about this. They don’t want to talk about this. They actually want to conflate issues about decriminalization with the housing challenges, if you can imagine. It’s shocking to realize that they have nothing to say on this issue. They would rather talk about something that they think they can get a headline out of.

We know, for a fact, that this has been an issue facing British Columbians for a long time. Finally, in 2017, when we had a government that actually recognized that problem, did steps start being taken. Those steps were late in coming, but they came as soon as our government formed in 2017. This was not a new issue.

I understand their reluctance and unhappiness with the fact that we are talking about this issue. We are talking about building homes. We’re talking about making homes more affordable. We’re talking about taking the speculators out of this.

Interjections.

Deputy Speaker: Members. Members.

Please take your seat, Member, for a minute.

[The Deputy Speaker rose.]

Deputy Speaker: Okay. We’re going to have one person speak, and then you’ll get a chance to speak. It’ll go back and forth. We’ve only been doing that in this House for most of time.

So let’s respect each other. Let’s listen to each other, and then we will get your chance to have a debate, just as he’s getting his chance to have a debate.

Interjections.

Deputy Speaker: Members. Members.

Interjections.

Deputy Speaker: Okay. The member for Surrey–White Rock, the member for Peace River South, if you’re going to keep debating, I’m going to ask you to leave the chamber.

Interjection.

Deputy Speaker: Member. Member.

Interjection.

Deputy Speaker: Okay, Member. I would ask you to leave the chamber if you’re going to debate and disrespect this institution. You’re arguing with me in this chamber. I’ve asked you to stop, and you’re continuing.

Interjection.

Deputy Speaker: Member, you will retain your silence, or I will ask you to leave.

Interjection.

Deputy Speaker: Thank you for leaving. It would help this House.

Thank you, Members.

The Member will continue his debate.

[The Deputy Speaker resumed their seat.]

N. Simons: Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker.

I was just talking about the record of the previous government, and it probably caused them some unhappiness, but I would just refer to their record of 16 years of relative inaction on the housing file.

We all recognize…. It’s important that…. I would like to just point out that my colleagues across the way now recognize that we do have a crisis in housing. They should be actually grateful for the fact that we have a government that is addressing these issues in urban communities, in rural communities across the province.

I can speak to a number of important projects in Powell River–Sunshine Coast that, I’m pleased to say, are going to be offering homes for the middle-income folks that were also basically neglected by the previous government through their interest in supporting those who were their major supporters.

In 2005.… Let me just say…. Let me just read a quote. “Homelessness in Vancouver has doubled under the….” This is a quote from 2005. I’d like to quote from 2005.

Interjection.

N. Simons: You may not have been born then, member for Kamloops–North Thompson, but, “Homelessness in Vancouver has doubled under this government,” — we’re talking about the previous government — “driven by the savage cuts to social services and health care.”

Let me point out that those savage cuts to social services and housing and health care were made under that government, and it was because of that that people have been neglected when it comes to providing homes. Government failed to provide the housing and the homes and affordability.

[11:35 a.m.]

I understand they’re testy about it. That’s understandable…

Interjection.

Deputy Speaker: Member.

N. Simons: …because they may not have their recollection.

Interjection.

Deputy Speaker: Member. The member for Surrey–​White Rock will retain his silence.

N. Simons: But I would suggest that they simply read Hansard. They’ll know for a fact that our government has taken the necessary steps. Sure, there’s more to be done, but I’m really proud of our government’s approach to providing homes for people who need them, across this province.

Deputy Speaker: Members, we will all need to be able to hear what each other say, and then we will get a chance to respond. Let’s give each other that chance, just as we would in other jobs that we have worked.

C. Oakes: Let’s be very clear. In response to the member for Powell River–Sunshine Coast, what we were intended to debate this morning was scrapping the government’s decriminalization experiment. Let’s be clear. Friday’s announcement from the Premier did nothing to end…

Deputy Speaker: Member. Member, the debate is around the issue of Motion 5. Thank you.

C. Oakes: …his failed decriminalization policy. It remains in effect.

Let me talk about the mismanagement — this mismanagement of this NDP government on every single file. Look, the member for Chilliwack-Kent talked about her business community. Let me share with you the challenges we have in our community in attracting investment to build housing in our communities.

I, too, spent the weekend talking to my chamber of commerce, talking to the Quesnel Downtown Association. They have stories they wanted me to share with members of this House today.

The impacts on a business that says that people are no longer feeling safe to come to our downtown core — they’re not safe to come to our downtown core because of the government’s failed policies on decriminalization. The fact that when you have a young family that are going into a business and they have open drug use — that sends fear into our communities. The fact that Quesnel is so proud of our river walk, where families have come together for so many years, and they’re afraid to walk because of this government’s failed policies. It’s mismanagement of policies with real consequences.

We had fires behind a business this past weekend, and I can tell the Speaker of the impact of what that means. Look, it is time that this government does the right thing. Stop the rhetoric. Bring it forward to this House and have a real debate on decriminalization and the impact it’s having on communities.

Let’s talk about seniors housing. Let’s talk about the Fraser Village in my community, which has been taken over by B.C. Housing. I get calls all of the time from community members, from seniors, who are afraid. They are afraid because this government continues down this path without the necessary guardrails. I heard speakers before talk about the steps that they have been taking.

Look, they’ve been in government since 2017. By any account, is any one of our communities safer? Does any one of our communities have better access to health care? Does any community have treatment?

Do you have treatments?

Interjection.

C. Oakes: You have treatment? Well, there you go.

While rural British Columbia is abandoned by this government, I’ve got someone down there that has the audacity to brag about that they’ve got treatment. They’ve got housing. Well, then I say that there is inequity by this government. You had better start paying attention to what’s happening in rural British Columbia.

We have been hollowed out by this government. Where do you think the resources come? Where do you think the resources come to pay for those things that you’re bragging about now? Where do you think that revenue comes from? It comes from our communities in rural British Columbia.

[11:40 a.m.]

I am saying that whether it’s the seniors advocate report on how we do not have services in rural British Columbia for our seniors, or when the Minister of Health says we are protecting our hospitals…. We do not have the security that this member talks about. When the Minister of Public Safety talks about the fact that we have these wraparound hubs for prolific offenders. we do not have that in our communities.

Time after time, this government comes forward and says that we have services in our communities, which we do not. To these members that like to smile and chuckle about how good their services are in their communities, come to rural B.C. and look rural residents in the eye, because this NDP government has some explaining to do.

R. Glumac: I’m happy to rise today to speak to this motion that “this House agrees to put the interests of regular people who are looking to afford a home ahead of real estate speculators and investors.” It’s no surprise today that the opposition has been trying to talk about things other than the motion that we’re trying to debate here in the House today. Because…

Interjection.

R. Glumac: Well, Member, do you know how democracy works?

Deputy Speaker: Members, this is not a time for cross….

Interjections.

R. Glumac: This is the motion we’re debating.

They don’t, apparently. They don’t understand. See, they’re still trying to…. They don’t even want me to talk about the motion, because they’re so embarrassed about their record on housing and what they did to create the situation that we’re in today. They turned the real estate market into a stock market for speculators. That’s their record. That’s what they did. That’s why they don’t want to talk about it today. That’s why they don’t want to talk about it: the record that they have.

Let’s look at the statistics.

Interjections.

R. Glumac: Yeah, you’d like to hear some statistics, members from the opposition.

When they became government in 2001, the average home price in the Metro Vancouver area was less than $400,000.

Interjections.

R. Glumac: Yeah. That was when you became government, less than $400,000. When they left government…

Interjections.

Deputy Speaker: Okay, Members, we’re going to have one person….

R. Glumac: …it was over $1.8 million, the average home price. That’s their record. That’s your data. You want to talk about data? That’s your data. That’s your record.

Deputy Speaker: Member, through the Chair, please.

R. Glumac: Through the Chair, that’s their record.

They set the stage for this situation. They did nothing to curb speculation. In fact, their Premier, Christy Clark, went to China with real estate speculators to promote speculation in Vancouver. Three Vancouver real estate firms travelled to China with Premier Christy Clark to promote foreign investment. To promote…

Interjections.

R. Glumac: What? What is it?

Interjection.

R. Glumac: The Leader of the Opposition was there during this time. His record is clear. He left government to take advantage of this speculation situation that they’ve created and went to work at Anthem Properties. He worked there from 2013 to 2021, in a time when housing prices were going through the roof. Not only that, but while he was there, Anthem donated $247,000 to the B.C. Liberals. What do you think of that?

Their record: when they were in government, they had the opportunity to do things. They did nothing. They just fuelled speculation. They built 130 beds for student housing in 16 years. That’s a fact. Since 2017, we built 6,800 units.

Interjection.

Deputy Speaker: Member.

[11:45 a.m.]

R. Glumac: Now they are railing against the speculation tax. They are saying: “We don’t want the speculation tax.” The Leader of the Opposition, who worked at Anthem and who was part of the speculation frenzy, said: “Why on earth are we punishing Canadians who are already paying taxes for owning real estate here? It makes no sense.”

They want to take away the speculation tax. They want to bring back that stock market fervour for a real estate investment. That’s why they’re upset about this motion, because that’s their record.

In 46 seconds, I will just mention very briefly some of the things that we’re doing. We’re reining in the out-of-control short-term rental market by banning Airbnbs and putting those units back into the rental pool. We’re expanding the speculation and vacancy tax. We’re making sure that secondary suites are being built in every community in British Columbia.

We’re protecting renters. We’re capping rent increases below inflation, providing a $400 renters tax credit. We have a B.C. home flipping tax. We have BC Builds, to help build more affordable housing. The record that we have, the things that we’re doing, are making a big difference, and we look forward to better times ahead.

Deputy Speaker: I hear a motion. We still have other speakers.

P. Milobar: Not only has the government forbidden us from actually debating decriminalization; they don’t even know how to handle their own motion on the floor. It’s pretty disappointing, because the motion around housing…. I’ve heard them pointing fingers back 20-plus years ago, but I haven’t heard about anything they’ve actually attempted to do in the seven years that they’ve been government.

The last speaker…. We already know that antisemitism is alive and well in the NDP and in this government, but now we hear the member right before me start to go back to bringing up anti-Asian sentiments around blaming them, anti-Asian sentiments around housing prices.

That’s what their leader, the Premier, tried doing. That is exactly what this Premier tried doing. In fact, he targeted the Asian community around housing prices for his own political gains back in the day and then had to walk that back as well.

That’s what this government does, just like on Friday, when the announcement from the Premier tried to make it look like he was ending his failed decriminalization policy, but it actually remains in effect. Then today, they refused to actually have a debate or discussion around decriminalization and the impacts it’s having on our communities around housing as well.

Why does this government think there’s so much pushback when housing starts being talked about for the hard-to-house and when the backdrop of decrim is unfolding in front of us? This government refuses to even talk about it. Burying the head in the sand is not actually making any improvements to communities out there.

Trying to have a performative announcement on Friday that they’re taking strong action on decriminalization, after 15 months of pressure from B.C. United to actually scrap it completely, followed by a Monday motion game being played by this government to bring back a debate. This is how bad things are happening with decrim.

This government would rather talk about their failure on the housing file for the last seven years instead of decriminalization. Talk about poor results from a government. They’d rather talk about the highest rents in Canada, the highest housing costs in Canada, the fact that they can’t actually get anything built. They make a lot of announcements. They don’t get anything built.

I can think of all the places in Kamloops where they want to talk about freeing up government land for housing. Well, they have government land. They’ve been twiddling their thumbs for over four years in Kamloops. They haven’t actually been able to get any of those sites built. Then they go and they pay three times assessed value for a piece of property.

They let it sit through the winter, 42 housing units sitting completely empty. Guess what. The pipes freeze. The building’s ruined. Still no one’s living in it. They were supposed to have people living in that in September of last year. They don’t even know if they’ll have people living in it next year, and this government wants to lecture us about how effective they’re being on the housing file.

Are you kidding me? Some 42 housing units just sitting empty because they didn’t know how to keep them heated in the wintertime and keep pipes from freezing when they should have actually had people already living in there, based on this government’s own timeline.

[11:50 a.m.]

If they can’t actually get people housed in a physical building that just needs some renovations to actually have 42 housing units back into play in over two years, it will take a better part of three years to actually have people living in that building.

I don’t know how they think they’re building anything from scratch in this building with any speed, but they don’t want to talk about their seven years. They talk as if they haven’t actually been government for seven years, so far this hour. It’s quite remarkable to see. I guess that’s why they’re not able to actually point to any of their successes out there whatsoever.

Instead of us talking about decrim today, we’re filling time talking about a motion we already talked about in this chamber once before. This government, you would think, over the last few months that this motion was first talked about, would have at least been able to find some successes in housing that they could talk about, but they can’t. So they talk about 2003; they talk about 20 years ago.

We have interns in the basement that weren’t even born yet when they were talking about the housing market. You know what? Those people would actually like a place to rent that they could afford in today’s world. They weren’t looking back then for an apartment to rent. They are now. University students weren’t looking for an apartment back then to rent. They are now, and they can’t afford it. They don’t even know if they’ll have a place to rent in the fall with the mess the government has made with the rental market these days.

To just highlight how out of touch this government is, they don’t want to talk about decrim. They don’t want to talk about their own failures on the housing market. They want to talk about 20 years ago, literally. And then they proudly declare how great health services are in their community and access to treatment is in their community, as if that’s a real statement. They’re completely out of touch. They may want to check their email inbox, because I’m sure it’s just like all of ours, and it’s full with people who can’t get treatment, can’t get recovery, can’t get health care, can’t get housing they can afford.

That’s all under this Premier’s watch. They need to start taking actual responsibility for their failed policies like decrim.

G. Begg: “Be it resolved that this House agrees to put the interests of regular people who are looking to afford a home ahead of real estate speculators and investors.” What a simple and novel concept.

Should this not be our first choice? Amidst troubling economic times and decades-high interest rates, we in British Columbia and across the country are worried about the prospect of home ownership and, in many cases, may be rethinking how we achieve that traditional Canadian interest.

When asked recently in a survey about their agreement with a series of statements about the current housing market in the country, attitudes are consistent with years past, suggesting that housing prices, interest rates and policies have not had a significant impact on how Canadians feel about the real estate market.

We know that most Canadians want a home of their own in a community where they can live and raise their families, while enjoying all of the benefits of living and working in British Columbia. We know that there are many pressures. Inflation and the ever-increasing cost of living are driving up prices, and the cost of housing is challenging far too many of our citizens.

This government, the B.C. government, is leading the country in the fight to find solutions to this housing crisis, and we are taking actions every day to make homes attainable for our people. We are recognized nationally, and now internationally, for the progressive, logical steps that we are taking to tackle the affordability of housing. This government and this leader are taking actions on what matters most to our people, which is to help everybody in this country enjoy the life here.

The opposition are looking for real estate speculators. They’re looking for entrepreneurs, who are causing the actions of increased housing all across the province. People shouldn’t have to compete with entrepreneurs and speculators trying to make a profit to find housing that they can afford. That’s why this government, proudly, is taking action to crack down on investors, including by restricting short-term rentals, to deliver even more housing.

[11:55 a.m.]

B.C. is one of the most sought-after places in Canada to live. Surveys across the country indicate that most Canadians, when contemplating retirement, indicate that they want to retire on the west coast of British Columbia, and we want them here. We have made real progress to deliver more homes for more people over the past five years, but a fast-growing population, combined with the effects of the pandemic on the housing market, have brought us all new challenges. It means we have to do more, and we will do more, a lot more, to ensure more people and families in B.C. have a home that they can afford to meet their needs.

With Homes for People, we ensure that we take action to meet the moment, tackle the challenges head-on and deliver more homes for more people. What have we done? Well, our Homes for People program is a great example: unlocking more homes faster by creating the conditions to encourage faster housing construction: delivering more homes so people can afford to rent or buy, including more homes for renters and homes that are within easy reach for most of our citizens; supporting those who need the most with more housing and services to support people experiencing homelessness and to resolve encampments; building a housing market that puts people ahead of profits, with measures to crack down on speculators and profiteers and to get the proceeds of crime out of the real estate market.

We’re taking action every day to build and deliver more homes for more people. BC Builds is a good example of part of that work, leveraging underused land, lower-cost financing and granting funding to bring more low-cost, middle-class rental homes for people on the market today.

Noting the hour, I move adjournment.

G. Begg moved adjournment of debate.

Motion approved.

Hon. M. Farnworth moved adjournment of the House.

Motion approved.

Deputy Speaker: This House stands adjourned until 1:30 this afternoon.

The House adjourned at 11:57 a.m.