The House met at 10:03 a.m.

[The Speaker in the chair.]

Routine Business

Prayers and reflections: Jody Toor.

Introductions by Members

Rosalyn Bird: Good morning. It is my pleasure this morning to introduce a contingent of highly dedicated constituents from Prince George: Coun. Garth Frizzell, Coun. Kyle Sampson and Coun. Susan Scott. They are accompanied by senior advisor intergovernmental relations, Catherine Sokobe, and our city manager, Walter Babich.

[10:05 a.m.]

They will be visiting for a few days, so if you see them in the halls, please stop and say hello and take a few minutes to chat.

Will everybody here please make them feel welcome

Councillor Kyle Sampson, Councillor Susan Scott. They are accompanied by senior advisor, intergovernmental relations, Catherine Sokobe, and our city manager, Walter Babich.

They will be visiting for a few days, so if you see them in the halls, please stop and say hello and take a few minutes to chat.

Will everybody here please make them feel welcome today and throughout the precinct this week.

Hon. Adrian Dix: Today we have in the gallery members of the Filipino community, who have joined us for the statements by party leaders and by our colleague from Vancouver-Kensington. I want to acknowledge their strength and courage in being with us today — they give us strength and courage — and to express the solidarity of all members of the House with their grief in this moment.

I want to particularly acknowledge my friend, the financial secretary of the Hospital Employees Union, Betty Valenzuela, who is in the gallery. Betty is an extraordinary leader in our province, leader of the labour movement, leader of hospital workers, leader of her community. She, joined with many others, is a strength today.

I’d ask everyone in the House to join me in making our guests welcome.

Hon. David Eby: As the Minister of Energy has noted, we have many guests from the Filipino community joining us today for statements from the leaders of the parties and from the member for Kingsway. I will do my best to recognize as many of them as possible.

Melissa Bedua is here, and she is the president of the Bayanihan Cultural and Housing Society; Micah Parris, the president of the Victoria Filipino Canadian Association; Teresita Quigley, president of the Victoria Filipino Canadian Seniors Association; Annette Beech, president of the Victoria Filipino Canadian Association; Isadora Emanuel, BFCA board member; Dominga Passmore, BCHS board member; Ronnie Nicholas Saura, HEU; Betty has already, of course, been introduced by the Minister of Energy; Janice Lozano, United Filipino Canadian Association of B.C.; Cliff Belgica; Christian Kanaanen, from the United Filipino-Canadian Association of B.C.; Bert Parungao; Ray Fortaleza — Ray is a former Olympic boxer and community leader — all joining us.

Please, will the House join me in making them feel very welcome here today.

Hon. Jennifer Whiteside: We are really honoured to be joined today on the legislative precinct by a number of scientists, professors, assistant professors across our academic system, who are joining us as part of Science Meets Parliament B.C. 2025, organized by the Canadian Science Policy Centre.

While there are many of the more than two dozen scientists who are joining us today to have conversations with us as decision-makers about how we can better use scientific evidence in decision-making, I just want to say that in these times, when sometimes the truth and the facts become casualties, it is so important that we take every opportunity we can to learn from those who are on the front lines of generating knowledge, of doing the scientific research that is so critical in helping us make decisions about how to make good decisions on behalf of our communities and our province.

Would the House please join me in welcoming all of the scientists who are joining us on the precinct today?

Hon. Randene Neill: I would like to give a warm welcome — and I hope you’ll all join me — to the 18 young folks from the Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society young leaders in conservation program, along with CPAWS’s Tori Ball and Eden Lymies.

CPAWS B.C. does absolutely amazing work protecting our wilderness in B.C. and working to support sustainable livelihoods and advance reconciliation with First Nations.

[10:10 a.m.]

The Minister of Environment and I look very much forward to having lunch with you today. Please rise, and please help me in giving them a warm welcome.

the Minister of Environment, and I look very much forward to having lunch with you today.

Please rise, and please help me in giving them a warm welcome.

Steve Kooner: I heard the Premier’s address, and three of the people that were mentioned that are in the gallery today are my personal friends — Cliff Belgica, Christian Cunanan and Rey Fortaleza.

From this side of the House, we’d also like to welcome them.

Hon. Spencer Chandra Herbert: I want to welcome a man who has served this province well as a lawyer, as a judge and as a dad. He has raised two wonderful kids, with his wife Satwinder, who now work with us here in the building. They asked not to be named, but I will name him — Bill Sundhu. Welcome to the Legislature.

Hon. Josie Osborne: I’m so pleased to welcome Guy Felicella to the House today.

Guy is a powerful speaker about the toxic drug crisis, and he widely shares his personal experience with addiction, harm reduction, stigma, homelessness and recovery. But most importantly, Guy believes in people. Through his work, he provides hope for recovery, and he inspires so many of us to continue to do our work to support people in every single aspect of their healing journey.

Will the House please join me in making Guy feel most welcome.

Susie Chant: This morning I have a friend in the gallery who I met very long ago at HMCS Discovery when he was a brand-new officer cadet and I was a senior petty officer, and therefore, very scary.

He is a young man that I mostly see in uniform, either as a citizen sailor with the reserves or as a member in high standing and always at various events with St. John Ambulance. He also works with B.C. Hydro, keeping the electricity running in our province, and he provides service in so many ways. The young man’s name is Mario Liverant, and he’s in Victoria right now continuing his officer training with the reserves.

I’d just like the House to make him very welcome.

Brennan Day: I’d like to pre-welcome the grade 10 class from Phil and Jennie Gaglardi Academy. Ms. Tansky will be inheriting my son in eight years, so I wish her all the best when she gets here. She’s definitely going to need it.

Jessie Sunner: I just want to echo some of the welcomes that the Premier and the Minister of Energy have made to my…. I would like to welcome my very good friend Ronnie Nicolasora, who was the person, when I started at the Hospital Employees Union, who I shared an office with and truly considered my office dad. He is such a wonderful human being. Any picket line — he will be there serving soup and food and doing it out of the kindness of his heart. He won’t miss a single birthday or any occasion throughout the year to wish you well. He’s such a kind, kind soul.

It’s wonderful to see you here, and please know we stand with you every single day here in our hearts.

Please make him feel welcome.

Interjection.

The Speaker: Oh sorry.

Member.

Sheldon Clare: Despite that I am wearing a very light shade of blue this morning, I am saddened that you didn’t recognize me right away.

Statements

Message of Appreciation
for Vancouver-Kensington MLA

Sheldon Clare: I wanted to rise today and acknowledge the tremendous service, courage and just plain good common sense and cultural sensitivity shown by the member from Vancouver-Kensington. I know it was a very, very horrible weekend for her personally, and I just wanted to acknowledge that I see she’s attending here today. I wanted to thank her for her service. She did an awful lot on Saturday, and I think it’s worthy of this House to recognize that.

[Applause.]

[10:15 a.m.]

Paul Choi: I’m very excited

Paul Choi: I’m very excited to welcome Prof. Victor Ramraj today in the House.

He’s a law professor, director of the Centre for Asia-Pacific Initiatives at the University of Victoria and former vice-dean for academic affairs at the National University of Singapore. He’s co-director of the Centre for Transnational Legal Studies in London, a global consortium of law schools. He’s a former judicial law clerk at the Federal Court of Appeal.

He has held visiting appointments at universities such as Thailand and Japan and the University of Toronto, and he has just freshly returned from Macau as a co-panellist at the Asia Universities Summit. He is a big supporter, also, of the Filipino community.

Please, if I can get all the House to join me to make him feel very welcome today.

Hon. Lisa Beare: I have the honour of welcoming 65 students from Thomas Haney Secondary today on the precinct, accompanied by their teacher, Chris Connolly.

Thomas Haney happens to be my alma mater. I was in the second grad class ever there, which now gives you my age, if anyone wants to look that up.

Please make them feel welcome today.

Introduction and
First Reading of Bills

Bill 13 — Miscellaneous Statutes
Amendment Act, 2025

Hon. Niki Sharma presented a message from Her Honour the Lieutenant Governor: a bill intituled Miscellaneous Statutes Amendment Act, 2025.

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

I am pleased to introduce Bill 13, the Miscellaneous Statutes Amendment Act, 2025.

This bill amends the following statutes: Greater Vancouver Sewerage and Drainage District Act, Housing Supply Act, Islands Trust Act, Local Elections Campaign Financing Act, Local Government Act, Professional Governance Act, Vancouver Charter, Wildfire Act and Wildlife Act.

The bill also makes consequential clarifying and related amendments to other statutes.

We’ll be pleased to elaborate on the nature of the amendments during the second reading of the bill.

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

Motion approved.

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

Motion approved.

Members’ Statements

Trey Helten

Claire Rattée: I rise today with a heavy heart to honour the life of Trey Helten, who passed away tragically last week. Just three days before his passing, I had the privilege of spending time with Trey. True to his nature, he was teaching and giving, taking the time to give me and other friends a refresher on naloxone training, a skill that saves lives every day.

Trey dedicated much of his life to helping others, especially those struggling with mental health challenges and addictions on the Downtown Eastside. He was a tireless advocate, a mentor and a lifeline for countless people who often had no one else.

Trey’s leadership wasn’t loud or self-serving. It was quiet, fierce and deeply rooted in compassion. He fought every day to create hope where many had given up.

I first met Trey when we were both in active addiction. When I reconnected with him a few months ago, I was struck by how profoundly moving it was to see how far he had come in his recovery. His life was often difficult, and he faced many challenges, but no matter how many times he fell down, he got back up. It was that determination that he exemplified through his work he has done on the Downtown Eastside.

His impact didn’t stop there though. Trey helped shift conversations around mental health and substance use across British Columbia. He believed in solutions, real recovery and building systems that treated people with dignity rather than judgment.

His work to spearhead the peer recovery navigator program has been profoundly impactful in the fight against addiction. And his efforts will not be in vain, because there are thousands of people who have been positively impacted by Trey, and we will continue that work in his memory.

Trey’s life reminds us that some of our greatest heroes are not found in positions of power but on the frontlines of our communities, standing shoulder to shoulder with those society too often leaves behind.

His loss is profound. My thoughts are with his family, his friends, his colleagues and the many people whose lives he touched. Tragically, he leaves behind a son and an unborn child, but I know that they will grow up to be fiercely proud of the man that their father was.

[10:20 a.m.]

Trey was a fighter, a teacher and, above all, a friend. His legacy will live on in every life he helped save, in every person he gave hope to and in every conversation he sparked about building a better and more compassionate future.

Trey was a fighter, a teacher and, above all, a friend. His legacy will live on in every life he helped save, in every person he gave hope to and in every conversation he sparked about building a better and more compassionate future.

Red Dress Day and Action for
Missing and Murdered Indigenous
Women, Girls and Two-Spirit People

Harwinder Sandhu: Today I rise to recognize the upcoming National Day of Awareness for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls and Two-Spirit People — Red Dress Day.

This day is a solemn reminder of the deep and ongoing injustices faced by Indigenous women, girls and 2SLGBTQIA+ communities. In Indigenous women, girls and 2SLGBTQIA+ people and every red dress we see hanging across our communities, there is a life, a daughter, a mother, a sister, a friend, each one cherished, loved and each one deserving of safety, protection and remembrance.

In Vernon and across the North Okanagan, communities are gathering to honour these lives. The Vernon and District Métis Association will host a gathering on May 4 and North Okanagan Friendship Centre will hold a ceremony on May 5, both offering spaces for healing, for remembrance and for renewed commitment to justice.

But remembrance alone is not enough. We must confront the colonialism, the systemic racism, ongoing embarrassing denialism by some and the gender-based violence that allows this national tragedy to continue. We must demand change, not just in our words but in our actions.

As an ally, I stand shoulder to shoulder with the Indigenous communities. Whenever possible, I join the annual march for missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls in Vancouver, standing strong in solidarity with them, listening, learning and committing to be a part of that change.

Today and every day we honour the resilience, the courage and unwavering voices of Indigenous families, survivors and advocates. Their fight for justice is a call to all of us to act, to amplify and to never turn away. Let us build a future where every Indigenous woman, girl and two-spirit person is safe, respected and empowered. We owe them nothing less.

Volunteerism

Donegal Wilson: Today I want to take a moment to celebrate the heart of our communities — our volunteers.

In rural British Columbia, volunteerism isn’t just an act of service; it’s a way of life. It’s what keeps our small towns and rural communities strong, connected and thriving. Volunteers are the first to step up when help is needed, often filling gaps where formal services are stretched thin.

Across our province, volunteers contribute more than 114 million hours every year. That is the equivalent of over 60,000 full-time jobs. That’s an extraordinary contribution for many rural areas. And it’s not just helpful; it’s essential. Without volunteers, many of the services, events and programs we depend on simply wouldn’t exist.

Volunteerism is about more than giving back. It’s about building up, building stronger communities, deeper connections, helping our neighbours and a shared sense of belonging.

The spirit of volunteerism also strengthens our economy. The non-profit sector is a major employer in British Columbia, creating meaningful work opportunities, especially for women and newcomers to Canada. In fact, over 72 percent of those employed in the non-profit sector are women, and over half come from immigrant backgrounds, a reflection of how volunteering and community service build an inclusive, vibrant province for everyone.

To every volunteer, whether you give an hour a month or dedicate countless hours each week, thank you. Thank you for making our communities safer, healthier, stronger and more connected. Your efforts are seen, they are valued, and they make a difference every single day.

As we celebrate Volunteer Week, let’s all take a moment to thank a volunteer, support a local organization or even find a way to give back ourselves. It’s through small acts of kindness and generosity that we continue to build the strong, resilient communities we are so proud to call home.

Happy Volunteer Week and, from the bottom of my heart, thank you.

[10:25 a.m.]

NaloxHome and Overdose Prevention
Work by Chloe Goodison

Jennifer Blatherwick: This last weekend was difficult. There were some very dark moments, but I want to be very grateful for the bright core of joy that I was able to experience at the morning of the Lapu-Lapu festival.

But also, in my community, it is not very often that you get to be at the beginning of something that is beautiful, at the beginning

were some very dark moments, but I want to be very grateful for the bright core of joy that I was able to experience the morning of the Lapu-Lapu festival.

But also, in my community, it is not very often that you get to be at the beginning of something that is beautiful, at the beginning of the journey of a leader. I was very lucky to be present at the beginning of the journey of Chloe Goodison, who is the founder and now executive director of a tiny non-profit called NaloxHome. When Chloe was in high school, she worked with the Tri-Cities opioid overdose action committee and, together with a local Indigenous artist, Christine McKenzie, created an incredible, beautiful mural that still hangs in our local library.

But for Chloe, expressing her feelings was not enough. She wanted to do something, and she had a deep belief that young people could achieve so much if they just reached out to other people who are like them. So when she got to SFU, she founded NaloxHome, an organization that trained other young students to go out into the community and to speak — to talk about stigma, to talk about safety, to talk about recognizing the signs of overdose and then how to counteract them using naloxone.

Chloe and her team started with a tiny core of 17 people. I started seeing them at festivals, at community cleanups, at clothing drives. There they were in their purple shirts, handing out naloxone, getting people to practice by injecting oranges and sharing their deep and passionate commitment to making the world better.

This January, they will have educated 30,000 people in our province on how to prevent overdose. I want to raise my hands to them for the strength and courage of their journey and the passion of their hearts.

Contributions of Ed Fast

Korky Neufeld: All of us have certain individuals that stand above all others in our local communities. It is my honour to be here today to recognize an outstanding individual who has dedicated so much of his life to serving Abbotsford, Canada and beyond — former Member of Parliament, the Hon. Ed Fast.

Ed has been a public servant for 19 years as the Member of Parliament for Abbotsford. On May 18, 2011, the former Prime Minister Stephen Harper appointed Ed to his cabinet to serve as Minister of International Trade. He assumed his responsibility for the development of the government of Canada’s global markets action plan. His accomplishments include free trade agreements with the European Union, South Korea and Ukraine, and negotiations on the original Trans-Pacific Partnership.

Ed introduced a private member’s bill, C-277, to amend the Criminal Code to increase from five to ten years in prison the maximum sentence for luring children over the internet for sexual purposes, which received royal assent in 2007 and became the law of Canada.

But his public service journey began long before that. Ed’s commitment to Abbotsford started in 1985 when he was first elected to the Abbotsford school board, where he served two terms. In 1996, he was elected to the Abbotsford city council and served three terms. It was from there that he went on to serve this country as MP for Abbotsford in 2006.

Over the years, Ed has witnessed many changes, faced challenges and demonstrated resilience. In 2016, after suffering a stroke, Ed faced a difficult road to recovery. But true to his character, he overcame that challenge with determination.

Throughout all these years, Ed has been supported by his loving wife, Annette, who has been by his side for more than 40 years. Together, they have built a life and a family in Abbotsford, raising four daughters and now proudly watching as they have 12 grandchildren.

Ed, your dedication to our community, your unwavering commitment to our public service, your resilience has made Abbotsford and Canada a better place. As you now prepare for retirement from public life, I want to personally thank you and Annette for your sacrifice, for your hard work, for your selfless service. Your legacy will continue to inspire us all — former hon. Member of Parliament Ed Fast.

Sookarama Event and
Community Organizations in Sooke

Dana Lajeunesse: Today I’d like to recognize the incredible work of the Sooke Lions Club and thank them for the vision that inspired their annual Sooke-A-Rama event that showcases what many of the local businesses and non-profits have to offer. Having attended on more than one occasion, I’m always struck by the diversity and passion of the organizations represented.

[10:30 a.m.]

I’d like to take a moment to acknowledge and commend just a few of these organizations for their tireless work: Amber Academy for fostering creativity and artistic expression among local youth; Sooke Women in Business; Sooke Radio, which is a new addition to the community that provides a platform for community voices and local broadcasting; the Harmony Project for promoting music and education and youth development; Sooke Family

Amber Academy for fostering creativity and artistic expression among local youth; Sooke Women in Business; Sooke Radio, which is a new addition to the community that provides a platform for community voices and local broadcasting; the Harmony Project for promoting music and education and youth development; Sooke Family Resource Society, which provides essential support services for families; Sooke Region Communities Health Network for advocating for community health and wellness.

Also Sheringham Lighthouse Society for preserving the region’s maritime heritage; Sooke Fine Arts Society, showcasing artistic talent and cultural enrichment via the creation of Vancouver Island’s longest-running juried art show; Sooke Autism Support; Sooke Philharmonic Orchestra; Sooke Transition House, providing safe haven for those escaping domestic violence; Sooke Region Museum for preserving the region’s local history.

This annual event is not just a showcase; it’s a testament to the collective strength and resilience of the region. Each organization with its unique mission contributes to a network of support, culture and development that highlights the power of volunteer organizations.

So I’d once again just like to thank the Sooke Lions Club for hosting such an incredible annual event, for allowing residents and visitors alike to become familiar with so many of the programs and services available.

Ministerial Statements

Response to Violent Incident at
Lapu-Lapu Festival in Vancouver
and Support for Filipino Community

Hon. David Eby: Thank you to members for supporting this important opportunity for us to reflect on the horrific events of the weekend.

Our province is mourning, the country is mourning, people around the world are mourning the senseless murder of 11 people in our province, and the maiming and injuring of dozens more, during a celebration of a community that is loved, that is respected, that is foundational to our province.

It’s hard for any British Columbian to not have been touched in some way by a member of the Filipino community. It’s a community that is disproportionately represented in all of our caregiving in the province, whether it’s in the hospital, whether it’s in care homes, whether it’s one-on-one care. It’s a community that’s been specifically recognized for their contributions to nursing in this country. This is a community that gives and gives and gives.

On the morning of the attack, I stood on the stage with many of my colleagues here, with colleagues from across the way, to celebrate that community that too often has been overlooked, working away tirelessly for us. We stood on the stage together with many aspiring office holders — local government, provincial, federal — to celebrate the community and the amazing work done by the member for Vancouver-Kensington and her team in her community office, and the team at Filipino B.C. in pulling together a cultural celebration — the second — on a beautiful sunny day.

First of all, I’d like to say it was an amazing celebration. The organizers did an incredible job. People had a wonderful time. The actions of one man cannot take away from that. This group has raised the profile of Filipinos in the province and brought us together to celebrate that community, and that should be recognized.

For those who are mourning, right now, loved ones who died…. And I know all British Columbians are seeing that family, the five-year-old leaving a 16-year-old orphan behind, staring out at us from our TV screens and from the cover of the newspaper, all of us with a knot in our stomach about the senselessness of this tragedy. For those of you who are mourning, and we count ourselves among you, we stand with you.

For those of you who are in hospital, injured, recovering, some in critical condition, for you and your families, we stand with you.

[10:35 a.m.]

I want to thank the amazing first responders. I mentioned it the next day, but I am still so moved by the sequence of events: of dispatchers overwhelmed; at the paramedic service saying, “We’re not going to be able to get to everybody in the way that we’d like to. There’s just too much

first responders.

I mentioned it the next day, but I am still so moved by the sequence of events: of dispatchers overwhelmed; at the paramedics service saying, “We’re not going to be able to get to everybody in the way that we’d like to. There’s just too much demand,” and then almost instantaneously we had paramedics calling in. “We’ve added seven more cars. We’ll be able to meet the demand.”

The paramedics were just one group who stepped up in this way. There were so many: doctors, the nurses in the hospitals who worked late and who came in, the lab technicians in the hospital, people who keep the hospital clean and running. Every person in the care teams in those urgent responses stepped up.

The fire department, the police department — responding to a scene of unimaginable horror. It will be with them for the rest of their lives. The heroism wasn’t limited to the professionals. There were people who were witness to the event, did CPR, tried to ease the suffering of those who were injured, tried to assist those who witnessed the unimaginable.

At three o’clock in the morning, volunteers from the Lapu-Lapu Day festival went out to take down tents beside an active crime scene investigation because they had to, and they didn’t sleep. The member from Kensington didn’t sleep because her office became a triage centre for the whole community.

On behalf of the province of B.C., on behalf of all the members of the government caucus, to the Filipino community: we stand with you through this. I know that this community, this province, will come out of this horrific event stronger. The Filipino community pulls together in moments of adversity like no other. They always stand together and come through stronger. This will be no exception. This time they’ll have the whole province standing with them together.

John Rustad: I want to thank the Premier for his words here today.

It’s hard to imagine this event. Hundreds of thousands of British Columbians just over the last couple of weeks came together in celebrations, out on streets, celebrating with families; enjoying what great things we have to offer British Columbia; providing food, free water, friendship; bringing unity of people together.

This event — I can’t imagine how this could happen. The Lapu-Lapu festival is the Filipino community coming together to celebrate a hero of bravery and hope, to celebrate on the street and to bring people together and to share those values with people in British Columbia.

I want to start by saying my heartfelt condolences to the families, to those injured, to those who’ve been killed, to the whole community. It’s unimaginable to think that something, a tragedy, like this could happen. It, unfortunately, has changed all of us. Certainly, for the Filipino community, the impact will take a long time to get over.

But I do know the Filipino community a little bit. I’ve had the honour and pleasure to attend some events with them over the years, to get to know families. They’re such a caring people. They are people that are so dedicated and devoted to family, to working hard, to improving lives and not just for them but for everyone they touch, for everyone that they’re involved with and come across.

I think it’s one of the reasons why so many of them participate and work in our care facilities, whether it is personal care, whether it’s home care, whether it’s in our hospitals, because it’s in their nature as to who they are.

[10:40 a.m.]

I really want to thank the Filipino community for what they do, for everything that they provide for all of us in British Columbia and, most importantly, for that hope, that bravery, that love that they share so openly with everyone they come in contact with.

Mr. Speaker,

they do, for everything that they provide for all of us in British Columbia and, most importantly, for that hope, that bravery, that love that they share so openly with everyone they come in contact with.

At a time like this, and with such tragedy that has touched our hearts, there is a huge time for grieving and also for answers. We need to know how to resolve this; how to make sure that these sort of things can never happen again; how we can come together, from all sides politically, and fight for those changes that are needed, fight for the things that are important, fight to make sure that support is there for the community and that celebrations like this can go on and be strengthened and be honoured.

The Filipino community is grieving. There’s no question. And they will for many days, months, weeks, years. I was never fortunate enough to have children, but I can’t imagine what it’s like for a community and for individuals and families to face such tragedy and loss and find some way to be able to go on.

I think it’s incumbent upon all of us, as elected officials, to be able to be there in support, to be able to find answers, to be able to make sure that we can reassure the community that we stand with them, that we will be there, that we will fight and that we’ll make sure that the changes that are needed will happen.

It’s what I know each of us as elected officials are devoted to doing — to being here for the families, to being here for that change, to being here to try to make those improvements. I know that as we go through and ask hard questions, as we deal with issues of mental health, if we deal with issues in our communities, this will always be at a heart, and this will have touched us and affected us and changed us.

This is the darkest day that we have seen in Vancouver — probably, in British Columbia. I can’t think of a community that is more loving and more caring that would have to go through this kind of suffering and tragedy. I mean, it’s just unimaginable.

I want to say once again to the Filipino community and to all British Columbians and those around the world that are grieving that our thoughts and prayers are with you, that we will do everything we can to support the families, to support the community.

We’ll do everything we can to fight for the changes that are necessary to try to make sure a tragedy like this can never happen again.

Jeremy Valeriote: Thank you to the Premier and the Leader of the Official Opposition for their words.

A huge amount of gratitude and appreciation, particularly, for the member for Vancouver-Kensington for the strength and support you’ve shown for your community. I look forward to your reflections on all that you’ve absorbed over the past three days.

The events of Saturday evening, where a community that was celebrating its history and its culture were so tragically marked, will stay in our hearts and our thoughts.

To the entire Filipino community across British Columbia and around the world: we stand in solidarity with the pain that you feel today, and our thoughts are with you. What should have been a joyous celebration of a rich culture and heritage ended in devastating loss, and we join you in mourning those whose lives were taken so senselessly. I thank you for allowing us to stand beside you, to grieve with you and to share in your vigils.

In times like this, it can be easy to call for snap judgments and quick decisions for more policing, for incarcerating people who don’t look or act like we do. I ask this House not to fall into that trap. I urge all of us to remember that the vast majority of people who experience mental illness are not violent and, in fact, are more likely to be the victim of violence than to be the perpetrator.

In this House, we may occasionally reinforce stigma and do harm to those who least deserve it. I urge us all to be careful with our words and our actions and to avoid reinforcing harmful stereotypes.

[10:45 a.m.]

What will make us safer is building an equitable society where people can access the supports that they need; where people experiencing a mental health challenge can access culturally safe, prompt and comprehensive care; where we can all live free from racism, bullying

words and our actions and to avoid reinforcing harmful stereotypes.

What will make us safer is building an equitable society where people can access the supports that they need; where people experiencing a mental health challenge can access culturally safe, prompt and comprehensive care; where we can all live free from racism, bullying and discrimination, feeling loved, included and able to be exactly who we are, no matter who we are, no matter where we come from, no matter where we live and no matter where we find and celebrate community.

Mable Elmore: I would like to thank you for the opportunity to say a few words about the shocking murders that occurred on Saturday at the Lapu-Lapu Festival. It was a shocking tragedy for our province, for our city, but most of all to our Filipino community. We are so, so devastated by what has happened.

I want to start by once again saying my heart goes out to the victims, their families, those who were injured and the many volunteers and witnesses who were there when the incident happened and have been traumatized by it. You are our priority. The province, the Premier, my office and I will continue to provide support to the families of those who lost their lives or were injured.

The Lapu-Lapu celebration, which is a festival showcasing our Filipino strength and culture, was just steps away from my office and was to be a celebration of our Filipino strength and culture. It turned unspeakably tragic due to the actions of one individual, which has left me and my community in shock. We are heartbroken.

There is grief. There is anger. There is shock. But we can’t let an incident like this, however horrific, stop us from supporting and gathering within our communities across B.C. We are collectively shattered, but we are coming together as a community. We will heal, and we will rebuild.

I want to begin by recognizing the first responders who were on scene immediately, who came together to provide support and save lives, and many community members, across British Columbia, around the world, who have offered support and assistance. It means a lot. We appreciate it, and it will help us move forward.

I also want to appreciate all the outpouring of support that has come from all levels of government. I thank the city of Vancouver, the federal government, the consul general and the ambassador from the Philippines for their ongoing support in this difficult time.

There’s a lot that needs to come together, and we will continue working with the city, the province and federal government to make sure there are adequate supports and services in place. Together, we will all support the community and help ensure the necessary healing occurs.

I would like to now say something very specifically to those in the Filipino community, who are in incredible pain. We are hurting right now. The events of this Saturday were horrifying, and their impact cannot be understated. But we will support each other, and we will help each other move forward. We will come together out of this catastrophe. The strength we were to celebrate on that day will be shown as we get through this, as we rebuild. I love you all.

[10:50 a.m.]

Again, we are here for the families of the victims and those who are injured, and we will stand by those who have been indelibly scarred and devastated. We will come together. We will support our community, and we will rebuild our community, rebuild with our great strength.

I want to close by saying that anyone who needs help should seek it

who have been indelibly scarred and devastated. We will come together. We will support our community, and we will rebuild our community, rebuild with our great strength.

I want to close by saying that anyone who needs help should seek it out. There is no reason why you should struggle alone. I encourage anybody who has been impacted to please reach out. Talk to your friends and family. Get help and get support. We are here for you. We love you, we care for you, and we’re here for you. We stand strong together.

Oral Questions

Mental Health Services for
Persons with Severe Mental Illness

John Rustad: In the light of the tragedy, I wish at this point that we could be taking some time to be doing other work, other than to be asking questions in question period. But we do need to carry on with the work that we’ve been elected to do in this chamber. This past weekend’s event, especially for the Filipino community, has set some serious questions that need to be asked.

Interim Police Chief Steven Rai has called this the darkest day in the city of Vancouver’s history, and it may well be the darkest day in British Columbia’s history. But despite this darkest time, we saw the best in humanity shine through the actions of first responders and of the bystanders who rushed in doing everything they could to help and, certainly, in the health care workers around the province and the health care workers in the Lower Mainland who responded to the code orange, who continue to give the care. I want to say thank you to all of them.

But even as we grieve, we need to fulfill our duty as members of the Legislature to ask the difficult questions so that we can ensure that these events will not be repeated. So as a first question to the Premier: does the Premier recognize the current system is not providing the level of care that people with severe mental illness need, that is putting British Columbians at risk?

Hon. David Eby: Thank you to the member for the question. I recognize this is not the ideal moment for question period, but I appreciate the critical role of the opposition and the need for question period. I thank the member for recognizing that in his question. I just don’t want the community to think that this is somehow improper. In fact, this is how the Legislature will get through this.

The question the member asked is an important one. We know that mental health services are critical for people in the community. For the specific incident, I won’t speculate. Vancouver Coastal Health has released some information to indicate this man was being tracked by a care team and was compliant with his medications. There is not an indication of violence. It leads to a whole array of further questions for British Columbians, for me and, I am sure, for the opposition as well.

Because there’s a current police investigation — 100 police officers right now are investigating this, ensuring that the evidence is there to convict this man for the heinous crime that he committed against our community — we’re limited in what we can release without compromising that investigation. Police will release information as they can. We want them to do that, encourage them to do that, but not at the expense of getting a conviction.

In terms of the mental health system generally in the province, we know the province needs urgent expansion of mental health supports. We just recently opened some beds for people struggling with mental health addiction and brain injury at Surrey Pretrial. We’re opening more in Maple Ridge for a different group of people. We have 2,000 beds in the province that are available for doctors and nurses to use the Mental Health Act to hold people involuntarily, and those services are available.

People should go to hospital. They should ask for assistance. We know that we need more. We are adding 140 more beds at new hospital builds across the province. We are going to keep doing that work, because it is a priority.

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

[10:55 a.m.]

John Rustad: I know we all share in the grief of the incident, as people around the world do. But the serious questions about the tragedy and, unfortunately, far too many other incidents around the province caused by individuals with significant police contacts and related to mental health disorders, have shown an unacceptable pattern

But the serious questions about the tragedy and, unfortunately, far too many other incidents around the province caused by individuals with significant police contacts and related to mental health disorders have shown an unacceptable pattern in British Columbia, where people with serious mental illness disorders are deteriorating in communities without proper care, without support.

So I would ask the Premier to put forward how it is that we can break this pattern. What is it that we need to be doing as a province to fix the system that is clearly not meeting needs and, quite frankly, is broken so that we can ensure these people are receiving the care that they need and we can reassure the families in British Columbia of the safety and ability to be able to celebrate without fear of these issues happening in the future?

Hon. David Eby: Again, for this incident, I’m going to refrain from speculating about the contact this individual had with the system and how the system responded or did not respond to the needs that he had. It’s an individual that made a decision to drive the vehicle into a crowd of people, killing elders and children. He should be prosecuted and convicted.

There are two aspects to this. One is the health care system, and there’s the criminal justice system. On the criminal justice side, we’re training more police officers to ensure that police are available to support community events and communities across the province. We’re tracking repeat violent offenders, 400 in the province, to ensure that courts have all the information they need, when people are arrested, to detain and hold these individuals and to intervene with supports if, for example, mental health interventions will help interrupt that cycle of offending.

We’re opening mental health beds literally in prisons so that individuals who are in our remand centre in Surrey, for example, are able to get mandatory involuntary care while in custody to ensure they’re not released back to the community untreated. We’re opening additional beds for people who aren’t in contact with the criminal justice system at Maple Ridge, and we will be at other sites across the province.

I know that there are lots of people struggling in our community, very visibly in communities, particularly in downtown cores. There have been incidents of repeat violent offenders in our community. I can tell British Columbians that those numbers are coming down thanks to these programs, and we’re going to continue to expand them to ensure that people are safe.

With the horrific attack that took place in Vancouver, we’ll look to the criminal justice system to provide information to the police about what they find in terms of this individual’s activities before the attacks, how the system responded or didn’t. If those answers don’t come through the criminal justice system, we will not hesitate to call a public inquiry to get the answers that British Columbians deserve.

Elenore Sturko: I stood with the Premier and MLAs on both sides of this House to celebrate the community, the Filipino community, at the Lapu-Lapu festival. I stood beside them again at the vigil in Kensington Park. And I’m still standing in solidarity to support the victims and their families and British Columbians.

But we also must stand here in this chamber today because British Columbians deserve answers. And as our leader, the Leader of the Opposition, said, this is not the first time we have seen this pattern. It’s been reported that the man accused of murdering festival attendees had well over 50 police contacts. He had numerous health care contacts related to mental illness.

According to media reports, just hours before the attack, a family member had contacted the psychiatric ward at the hospital because the man had a deteriorating mental health condition. He had police contact just the day before. Despite the fact that the man had a care team, we know the result. The system failed, and people were killed.

[11:00 a.m.]

To the Premier, how many times does someone in this province have to interact with police? How many times do they have to interact with the health care system before effective supports are in place to keep the public and seriously mentally ill people safe?

Hon. David Eby: I won’t speculate about this particular incident. Police are investigating. I expect that we will hear answers from police

to keep the public and seriously mentally ill people safe.

Hon. David Eby: I won’t speculate about this particular incident. Police are investigating. I expect that we will hear answers from police and from the criminal justice system about aspects of what the member is asking. I encourage them to share whatever information they can as soon as they can, but we won’t compromise the possibility of prosecution and conviction at this stage.

I also want to say that this man made a decision. He decided to drive a vehicle into a crowd of people, killing children, killing seniors. He should be criminally tried and convicted.

For the health care system — the member is a former police officer; she’ll know — without knowing the specifics of this case, conduct needs to rise to a level before we can take action to detain someone, to force them into care or arrest them. The information we have currently from Vancouver Coastal Health is that up to this horrific murder, the person was compliant with medication and had no indication of violence.

It raises all kinds of questions that the member rightly asks. I don’t have the answers. Police are investigating that exact question right now. I would urge British Columbians to let the police do their work to provide us with the answers and the court system to provide us with the answers. If those systems are not able to do so, at the earliest opportunity that we can do so without compromising the police investigation or prosecution, we will call a full public inquiry.

Elenore Sturko: The court’s role is to look at evidence that the police will collect, and they will determine whether or not the accused murderer is guilty or innocent or not guilty as a result of a mental illness. But it is not the role of the court to do a deep dive on our mental health care system, where there are clearly gaps in helping British Columbians, British Columbians who were shaken by the tragic events of this past weekend.

Notwithstanding that further investigation may be underway, the facts already show a clear and devastating pattern in British Columbia. People with mental illness, with dozens of police interactions, repeated contacts with the health care system and countless missed opportunities to ensure effective support was in place. He had services, but they failed.

How many incidents does the government think it should take before a person is effectively supported — ten interactions, 20? Is it 30? We know that there were more than 50, perhaps even as many as 100, documented interactions with authorities, a final plea for help within hours of this tragedy that left 11 people dead and still more in the hospital.

My question is: how was this allowed to happen?

Hon. David Eby: I won’t join the member in speculating. I won’t join the member in saying that the people that were tracking this individual, that were monitoring him, or the police that interacted with him — in judging any of the decisions they made.

We don’t know what happened. The investigation is underway. If there were failings in the system, we will address them. If this was an individual who made a decision to run down a bunch of people, then he will be prosecuted and convicted and held for the rest of his life, which, in my opinion, is exactly what needs to happen.

Now, my commitment to the member and to all British Columbians is that I agree with her. I agree the criminal justice system is not set up to deep dive into our health care system. If we do not get the answers from the criminal justice system that British Columbians are rightly looking for, then we will call full public inquiry at the earliest opportunity to do so without compromising that criminal trial.

Electoral Reform and Public
Participation in Democracy

Rob Botterell: I also wish to acknowledge the earlier statements, heartfelt statements regarding the Lapu-Lapu festival tragedy. I also wish to acknowledge that we are proceeding with question period in difficult circumstances. In asking questions, we mean no disrespect to the horrific events in the earlier statements.

[11:05 a.m.]

Last night we saw Canadian democracy in action, a system very familiar to British Columbia. We saw a winner-take-all

In asking questions, we mean no disrespect to the horrific events in the earlier statements.

Last night we saw Canadian democracy in action, a system very familiar to British Columbia. We saw a winner-take-all, first-pass-the-post counting system which locks us further into an adversarial status quo, where collaboration is the exception rather than the rule; where people vote based on fear of the worst possible outcome, rather than in support of a vision of the future they would like to see; where parties work for their own electoral interests, rather than collaborating for the best interests of the public.

To the Premier: how will you modernize the voting system in British Columbia to adequately honour each person who makes the effort to vote?

Hon. Niki Sharma: I want to thank the member for the question.

Our democracy is very important. It’s important that we have a strong democracy, and I think what we saw last night was a demonstration of many Canadians participating in that democracy.

Every time we have a democratic process in B.C., the Electoral Officer reviews that. I know there is a select standing committee that will be in place that will involve all members of this House that will review that election. As Attorney General, if there are changes that need to be made under the Election Act to modernize our democracy, I will certainly do so.

The Speaker: Member, supplemental.

Rob Botterell: Thank you for the answer to the first question.

Across Canada and across British Columbia, people are feeling disconnected from institutions, from decision-making, from each other. We hear that people don’t see their decision-making reflected — that their voices don’t matter and their votes don’t count.

Trust in our institutions, including our democracy, is the cornerstone of our system of government. Our education, health and housing systems suffer when they don’t reflect the will of the people.

To the Premier: how will you ensure that people feel connected and listened to by this House?

Hon. Niki Sharma: Again, I share the member’s sentiment that it is important that we have an engaged public that understands the work that we’re doing here and how important our democratic institutions are.

That’s the work of all of us. I think the proper place for understanding changes is not the government to direct it but for all parties of the select standing committee to understand how we can make our democracy strong and continue to do so.

I’m glad that we’re having a select standing committee to do just that work. I’ll be receiving a report from the Chief Electoral Officer at some point about the last election, and we will continue to do the work of making sure that everybody is involved, that we have high voter turnout, that people are engaged with this important project of democracy.

Access to Mental Health and
Addiction Services in Northern B.C.

Kiel Giddens: The head of the University Hospital of Northern British Columbia’s psychiatric board, backed by 23 community agencies, has been advocating for mental health and addiction support for patients. They’ve launched a petition to bring a psychiatric hospital to northern B.C.

There are very few short-term acute psychiatric care beds available in Prince George, Terrace and Dawson Creek, only 45 of those in total. But if anyone in the region requires a greater level of safe and secure forensic care, there are no beds at all in Northern Health.

These patients need to somehow be transported to one of only three beds in Kamloops. The head of psychiatry at UHNBC has said: “We are releasing dangerous patients from the hospital before they are ready to go because we have to. There is nowhere else to send them.”

To the Minister of Health, when will this government bring proper psychiatric care to Northern Health?

Hon. David Eby: Thank you to the member for the question.

Dr. Daniel Vigo, a special adviser to the province, has been meeting with mental health specialists from the hospital, has been working with Chief Dolleen Logan and is making very good progress in identifying solutions for additional mental health services in the North.

Let me say this. The province has historically centralized intensive mental health services — for example, at Colony Farm, at Riverview — and transported patients across the province.

[11:10 a.m.]

Our goal is to bring these services to the regions in the province so people can get care closer to home, closer to family and support networks who are key to their success on release. We’ll continue

mental health services — for example, at Colony Farms, at Riverview — and transported patients across the province.

Our goal is to bring these services to the regions in the province so that people can get care closer to home, closer to family and support networks who are key to their success on release. We’ll continue that work. We are very active in the member’s region in advancing that.

Mental Health Services for
Persons with Severe Mental Illness

Á’a:líya Warbus: Right now, a 28-year-old man living in Victoria with schizophrenia is supported by community housing. His family has been discouraged from seeing him, and because he is an adult, they have no authority to intervene. One of his parents told us after what happened on this past weekend that the attacker could have been their son. This man recently attempted to slit his own throat with a machete. His main supports are meeting with a support worker once a week for coffee and a doughnut.

My question: are these sufficient supports for someone battling serious mental illness? When can we expect increased supports that are immediate, before someone becomes a danger and needs to be incarcerated and put into one of these emergency beds?

Hon. Josie Osborne: Thank you so much to the member for the question.

I want to begin by commenting just how important it is that we are having this conversation here today in the House. Despite the fact that this is question period, this is a very important time for us to take in the events of this weekend, to really hold people, and all people who are impacted by the actions of others in situations like these, close in our hearts and to thank all of the first responders, the health care workers, mental health counsellors — everybody who is active in this weekend’s incident and continues to support people.

The member rightly raises concerns for those people who are actively living with mental health issues and with serious illnesses and the work that we have to continue to do to support them in providing and working with them, not only to have the appropriate supports but to provide appropriate housing.

That is why our government maintains a commitment to building out complex care housing for people who need those kinds of active supports. That is why our budget this year adds more resources, and as has been spoken about in this House, not just in urban areas like Victoria or the Lower Mainland, but these supports are actively needed in more rural and remote areas of the province.

We’re going to continue to do that work. I think what we’re hearing today in the House is that all parties are deeply committed to this and that we’ll continue to work together to ask the difficult questions of each other and to use what we learn in time and immediately from incidents that have taken place around British Columbia to strengthen and bolster the mental health care system for all British Columbians.

Mental Health Services and
Community Safety
and Violence Prevention

Korky Neufeld: Yes, another difficult question. A tourist visiting from Toronto, Stephanie, came to Vancouver to see the sights, to visit Stanley Park, experience everything that British Columbia has to offer. Instead, she was viciously attacked on the Vancouver seawall. She was left beaten with a black eye and, more importantly, terrified for her life.

But prior to the incident, the attacker’s family had pleaded for him to get mental health help. Mr. Nungu’s family told the media they called the police because he was having a mental health crisis, that he was off his medication, and that he needed help.

Why didn’t Peterhans Nungu receive the mental health assessment that could have prevented this brutal attack on Stephanie?

Hon. David Eby: My understanding is that when the family called police, this individual was, in fact, arrested. This is a matter that is in front of the court. Again, I will continue to monitor it. Deeply disturbing to British Columbians. Visitors come to British Columbia to feel welcome and safe, but all British Columbians should feel safe.

We will continue to monitor this file, but I am sure, as well, on this one, we will see information come out through the criminal justice system.

[11:15 a.m.]

Sheldon Clare: Back in September 2024, a deeply disturbed mentally ill man with a history of over 60 police

justice system.

Sheldon Clare: Back in September 2024, a deeply disturbed mentally ill man with a history of over 60 police interactions brutally attacked two innocent people in downtown Vancouver, killing one man, cutting off his head and severing another’s hand. Despite prior convictions and probation for assault and assault causing bodily harm, there were no effective interventions to prevent this mentally ill–related catastrophic outcome.

Only after this horrifying attack did the Premier announce nine beds to be installed for the pretrial centre. These beds are only for those who have become entangled in the justice system. This is after something bad happens.

To the Premier, what will the Premier do to prevent these violent attacks from happening in the first place?

Hon. David Eby: The member’s timeline is not correct, but we’ve been working with Dr. Daniel Vigo to ensure that we have a couple of critical pieces in place. One is the intervention services and the ACT teams. These are assertive community care teams that provide care to people who are struggling in community, particularly those that are identified by police or community service organizations as being a particular risk, either themselves or to other people.

Also, we know that many of these individuals are ending up being arrested in our criminal justice system, so we need to do both things at the same time, and we are. In this budget, we’re expanding those ACT teams. We’re expanding the care that started with the Surrey pretrial beds that the member said, which are indeed targeted to people who are in the pretrial system.

In the coming weeks, we’ll announce additional beds at Alouette in Maple Ridge, where people are in community, not necessarily involved in the criminal justice system. That is just the beginning, and we’re going to continue opening beds across the province for people who are struggling, particularly with health issues, addiction issues and brain injury all at the same time.

Rosalyn Bird: On October 18, 2022, Const. Shaelyn Yang was killed in the line of duty while trying to help Burnaby park staff check on a man living in Broadview Park. The accused who stabbed Constable Yang had been living in the park for months and was facing assault charges from an incident that occurred seven months before he killed Constable Yang. He had also been charged with assault and wilfully obstructing a peace officer in February 2021, two police interactions in the year before he killed a police officer six months later.

These tragic and preventable incidents continue to occur. Why has it taken this government so long to just begin to address this historic problem?

Hon. David Eby: I was at the constable’s funeral. It was a moving event, a horrific death, and the whole community mourned. Police officers put themselves at risk at every call that they attend. I was thinking about first responders, particularly this weekend, again putting themselves at risk for all of us.

The member is correct to recall that the tragedy was devastating for the province. It is one of a series of attacks on police officers nationally, of profound concern. It’s a national issue that we are grappling with. In particular, this incident led to significant changes around peer-assisted teams in community, around active community outreach and treatment program expansion to prevent these kinds of incidents.

We’ve got to keep doing this work. We will keep doing this work, and I’ve outlined much of it that’s underway across the province right now.

[11:20 a.m.]

Community Safety and Involuntary
Care for Mental Health Issues

Trevor Halford: The reality is that on Saturday, people left their homes to take part in a joyous occasion, and 11 of those people aren’t coming home. The reality is that Constable Yang went to work to protect her community, and she didn’t come home. The reality is that we have not updated our Mental Health Act in any substantial way since 1996. Right now, the reality is that it’s not just the province.

protect her community, and she didn’t come home. The reality is that we have not updated our Mental Health Act in any substantial way since 1996.

Right now the reality is that it’s not just the province watching what this Premier does next. It’s not just Canada watching what this Premier does next. The world is now watching what we do next. And I can tell you this: in every community, whether it’s mine or any other member of this House, in all honesty, we are not doing enough to keep our streets and our people safe. That has unfortunately been proven out time and again.

My question to the Premier is a direct one. When will he take the necessary action that we can accomplish in this House to make sure that people can be taken off of our streets and given the care they need, before these tragic incidents occur again?

Hon. David Eby: In relation to the horrific mass murder that took place over the weekend, our government has announced we’ll establish an independent commission to move quickly to review best practice from other jurisdictions. Because we know there are other community organizations that are planning on holding events this summer that are asking: “Should we hold our event? Can we do it safely?” We want to make sure they have all the information they need to both ensure the event is as safe as possible and so that British Columbians are able to continue celebrating.

In terms of this specific incident, I won’t join the member in his conclusions that he is drawing already about what happened. Police are investigating that. What we know is that a man made a decision to drive a vehicle into a crowd of people. He killed innocent people — 11, and potentially more as people struggle for their lives in hospital right now. He is rightly charged with murder. He is facing a criminal trial. I hope he is convicted. I hope he spends the rest of his life behind bars.

As for the system as a whole, British Columbians rightly have questions, as does the opposition. We will ensure that at our earliest opportunity, if we don’t have those answers, we will call a full public inquiry so we can get those answers.

But it is important for the member to know, and it is important for British Columbians to know that when we look at communities across the province, we are seeing crime rates come down. These programs intervening with repeat violent offenders, people struggling with mental health issues and with criminality generally, are driving down crime rates in the province. It’s not enough. We have got to do more.

In Vancouver, a 6 percent drop in overall crime, down 18 percent over 2016. Kelowna decreased the second year in a row, down 17 percent over the high-water mark in 2022. In Kamloops, a 14 percent drop over the previous year. The numbers are lower than 2020 and 2021.

This isn’t enough. We’ve got to do more. But it shows that these programs, the work that we’re doing with police, prosecutors, Crown counsel, social workers, mental health services, is working. We’ll continue to do that work.

[End of question period.]

Tabling Documents

The Speaker: Hon. Members, I have the honour to table a report from the Auditor General, Ensuring the Quality of Legal Aid Representation Services.

Hon. Adrian Dix: I have the honour to present the 2024 Climate Change Accountability Report, pursuant to the Climate Change Accountability Act.

Also, hon. Speaker, I have the honour to present the 2024 Zero-Emission Vehicles Update Report. The purpose of this report is to provide data on the status of vehicle suppliers’ compliance with the Zero-Emission Vehicles Act and regulation.

Orders of the Day

Hon. Mike Farnworth: In this chamber, I call estimates debate for the Ministry of Housing and Municipal Affairs.

In Section A, the Douglas Fir Room, I call continued estimates debate for the Ministry of Energy.

[11:25 a.m.]

The House in Committee, Section B.

The committee met at 11:27 a.m.

[Lorne Doerkson in the chair.]

Committee of Supply

Estimates: Ministry of
Housing and Municipal Affairs

The Chair: We’ll call the chamber back to order where we will be contemplating the estimates of the Housing and Municipal Affairs Ministry. We’ll call on the minister to move the vote.

On Vote 33: ministry operations, $1,513,975,000.

The Chair: Minister, do you have any opening remarks?

Hon. Ravi Kahlon: Thank you, Chair. Yes. First off, I want to thank the amazing team here that I’ve got — and not only here. There are folks in the other room and some in their office, I assume, that are just amazing. I am just so fortunate to have such a strong team of individuals who are thoughtful, who are caring, who understand that the work we do impacts all communities and, in particular, the lens of empathy that they bring to the work. I’m only able to do what I’m able to do because of their amazing work, and I want to say I’m really grateful to all of them.

I want to welcome the member back. I know we haven’t had a chance to see each other in person, but it’s great to see the member here.

Of course, housing is a major priority for our government. It’s a major priority for the province. Although right now tariffs and a whole host of things are top of mind, we know that it always comes back to housing. Housing is central to the economy, is central to our health as a community, and it’s critically important for us as we go forward.

So I look forward to the exchange we’re going to have, and I want to thank all members that are participating, in advance.

[11:30 a.m.]

Linda Hepner: Thank you for your comments. I’m glad to be back in the House, and I hope I have the stamina that this has been given because we know what an important issue it is for both sides of the aisle. My questions today are to the ministry, and I’m glad to see you’ve brought so many capable people that will be able to help us answer some of our questions.

But my

important issue it is for both sides of the aisle.

My questions today to the ministry…. I’m glad to see you’ve brought so many capable people that will be able to help us answer some of our questions.

My key priority areas will include increasing the housing supply and affordability, as you described, and those measures that you have implemented in order to do that; supporting home ownership, as opposed to rental; addressing homelessness; talking a little bit about the action response team, the IHART team; and improving community livability and infrastructure.

I’m joined here with our critic on municipal affairs. I’m sure there will be more questions that I can at least turn some of that over as we proceed throughout the day.

And talking about financial sustainability and good governance for local governments in improving their prudent financial management and oversight; strengthening regulatory systems — that would be providing fair and efficient responsive residential tenancy services, as well as how are we protecting not only tenants but ensuring landlords have rights as well; reconciliation with the Indigenous people and the off-reserve alignment relative to the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act, and advancing those housing projects.

And finally, the economic and social challenges, and reviewing some of the programs under the ministry for efficiency and how we’re going to address what I would consider now to be significant constraints, going into, as you describe, the tariff situations that we may be faced with.

My first questions to the minister will be around the Speculation and Vacancy Tax Act and the revenues, costs and results of that act.

We know that in B.C. the prices are remaining stubbornly high. My questions will be really talking about the stated goals and the burden that has been imposed administratively on home owners and taxpayers to comply with some of the requirements.

My first question to you, Mr. Minister, is: does the minister believe that the speculation and vacancy tax has effectively eliminated the issues of foreign investment and speculation in British Columbia’s housing market? If yes, why are home prices still at record highs?

Hon. Ravi Kahlon: I’ll start by saying to the member that the speculation and vacancy tax is actually with the Ministry of Finance. That being said, at a high level, I’m happy to speak to it. I just want to make sure that I put that on the record at the beginning so that if there are specific pieces I can’t answer, the member understands why.

On a high level, I would say the speculation and vacancy tax has been effective. It’s been effective to ensure that the housing in our community is available for people in our communities. The member is probably well aware of the impact in Metro Vancouver, where we saw over 20,000 homes that came onto the market for long-term rental from the introduction of speculation and vacancy tax.

We have heard from mayors from around the province who want us to consider expanding the speculation and vacancy tax to their communities because they are seeing the impact in other communities.

If the member’s question is, “Do I think it’s been effective,” my answer is yes. I do believe it’s been effective. If the member is asking…. I think the member was asking: why hasn’t it solved the entirety of our housing crisis? One program won’t do that. If that was that easy, there wouldn’t be a ministry dedicated to this, and everybody in the country would just do one thing. It’s going to require a whole host of measures.

[11:35 a.m.]

I have spoken on many occasions about needing to address speculation as a key part, which we’ve been doing. We talk about reducing red tape, so we can get to decisions quicker, and finding more efficient ways for decision-making to happen. I’m sure we’ll canvass that. We have introduced a whole host of legislation over the last few years, which has

to address speculation as a key part, which we’ve been doing.

We talk about reducing red tape so we can get to decisions quicker and finding more efficient ways for decision-making to happen. I’m sure we’ll canvass that, but we have introduced a whole host of legislation over the last few years which has led to some greater efficiencies.

It’s going to require investments directly into affordable housing, which we’ll be canvassing, I’m sure.

Lastly, it’s going to need for us to ensure that we’re protecting some of our existing housing stock, as well, and we are doing that with the Rental Protection Fund. Those are some important measures.

Again, I can speak high level on speculation and vacancy tax, but it is a Ministry of Finance measure.

Linda Hepner: Can the minister provide any detailed revenue figures on how much money the speculation and vacancy tax has generated since its implementation?

Hon. Ravi Kahlon: Again, the speculation and vacancy tax is with the Ministry of Finance. I’ll have the team try to find some numbers from the Ministry of Finance, but it’s better situated for the estimates for the Ministry of Finance.

Linda Hepner: I’m hearing that the minister suggests that I should ask that question of Finance, or is the minister prepared to undertake…? Clearly, that is within his ministry, this kind of tax. You would think that he would be interested in knowing the kind of revenue that is bringing in to the minister.

Hon. Ravi Kahlon: Again, it’s actually not in our ministry. It’s with the Ministry of Finance, so that’s what I was getting at.

Linda Hepner: I’ll reserve the right to ask that question later then.

Can the minister then identify how many individuals or households have paid the speculation tax since it was introduced, and can the minister offer insights into the typical profile of those taxpayers?

Hon. Ravi Kahlon: I think this may get repetitive, because the speculation and vacancy tax is with the Ministry of Finance. That’s where the information is available. I would direct the member to estimates with the Ministry of Finance to get at the speculation and vacancy tax and all the information the member is requiring.

The Chair: Thank you, Minister.

Member, I will just warn that we have now heard a couple of times that this may be directed better toward the Minister of Finance.

Linda Hepner: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I was hoping he may have a profile of the kind of taxpayer that we were imposing this taxation on, so I’ll leave the financial piece of it to the Ministry of Finance.

In terms of the reporting requirements, then, let’s move on to that. Do we have any indication of what it would take, or what it does take, for the ministry to annually incur and implement and enforce — the staffing, the mailing, the advertising, the legal services?

I know we had a deadline, so I’m assuming all of that was clearly within the ministry and not within Finance.

Hon. Ravi Kahlon: Again, the speculation and vacancy tax is with the Ministry of Finance. They lead all the elements the member has highlighted, and better suited for Ministry of Finance.

Linda Hepner: Then I’m going to move on and talk about the revitalizing…. This is also dealing with, however, investment, within introducing foreign investment into British Columbia. A prominent real estate marketer, Bob Rennie, has proposed a program allowing foreign buyers to invest in rental properties, provided they were to commit to a long-term rental.

[11:40 a.m.]

This initiative would aim to stimulate housing supply, and, apparently, Premier Eby has signalled…. Oh, I’m sorry, could I…? The Premier has signalled.

The Chair: Good catch, Member.

Linda Hepner: Yeah, thank you.

He has signalled a shift in the perspective, acknowledging that role that investors can play in addressing

Apparently, the Premier has signalled a shift in the prospective acknowledgement that investors can play in addressing housing shortages. He has, in fact, expressed interest in harnessing investments through facilitating more conversation around this.

My first question is a policy question of the minister. Does the ministry support initiatives that reintroduce potential foreign investment into B.C.’s rental housing market under long-term rental commitments?

Hon. Ravi Kahlon: I haven’t met with the individual the member is referring to regarding this specific proposal, but I would say that even with the speculation and vacancy tax, as long as an individual is renting their property, they are able to do so and not pay the tax. When individuals are not renting their property is when they have to pay the tax.

Generally, on a high level, I would say that we are always open to ideas and thoughts about how we can continue to get purpose-built rentals being built in this province. When individuals, whether we agree with them or not, whether they’re from not-for-profit or from private…. It doesn’t matter where the ideas come from. We’re always willing to look into those ideas, listen and explore whether they’re feasible or not.

At this point, on the specific idea, all of this is very general. And if there is more information that that individual brings forward, then we would possibly consider it, but we’re not there yet.

Linda Hepner: Has the ministry taken any steps to evaluate or implement programs that would facilitate foreign investment as proposed by industry stakeholders like Rennie?

Hon. Ravi Kahlon: There is no concrete proposal that has been proposed. It’s a high-level concept that was suggested. If there is something that is concrete that’s proposed, it’s certainly something we would have to consider, but we’re not there yet.

Linda Hepner: How does the ministry intend on assessing the proposal or the impact of renewed foreign investment on housing affordability in British Columbia? What would be the elements of consideration?

Hon. Ravi Kahlon: It’s hard to speculate, because there’s no proposal. That being said, if there is a proposal, we would have to analyze it just like we do every other proposal that comes from industry.

My understanding from what I’ve read online publicly is that it requires several changes at a federal government level, and so the advocacy is less to the province and more to the federal government. We’ll see what concrete proposals come forward, but it’s hard to provide commentary on something that’s not present to us at this time.

Linda Hepner: Could the minister clarify for me what he means when he believes that foreign investment in rental properties requires federal intervention?

Hon. Ravi Kahlon: I didn’t imply that. I said that the stakeholders that are proposing this are targeting it towards the federal government. I can’t comment on why they are, but I’ll leave it to them to describe their proposal and explain that.

Linda Hepner: I beg to differ on terms of whether or not that was intended to be a federal issue at all. I believe that they were specifically targeting our interests in having foreign investments, as we are a province that does not wish to have that. But I will leave that for the time being and ask a question about how the minister compares the effect of institutional investors versus individual landlords providing affordable rental housing.

[11:45 a.m.]

How are you measuring the effect of institutional investors who have come forward as opposed to an individual landlord?

The Chair: Thank you, Member. Just a reminder to come through the Chair, please, with all questions.

investors who’ve come forward, as opposed to an individual landlord.

The Chair: Thank you, Member. Just a reminder to come through the Chair, please, with all questions.

Hon. Ravi Kahlon: Again, I’ll just start with where the member started, with the comment around not understanding the federal piece. Again, I can’t speak to what specifically they’re lobbying or advocating to the federal government, but it is my understanding that the federal government has a ban on foreign investment until February 2026, so it may be that.

But I just want to assure the member I’m not trying to avoid it. I just don’t know the details of what they’re proposing to the federal government.

To the member’s question about institutional investment versus, say, mom-and-pop investor landlords, maybe the member is getting at REITs. I would say that what we’re starting to see with REITs in British Columbia is their desire to get out of older rental buildings and use those dollars to invest in new, purposeful rentals.

Anyone that invests in the ability to create more rentals is, I think, positive, whether it’s some REITs trying to invest in brand-new construction or whether it’s a mom-and-pop landlord that wants to have extra units.

Linda Hepner: I have several questions regarding the considerations around foreign investment.

But I think what I will ask directly of the minister is: has he had any conversations specifically with Rennie in terms of this kind of an approach?

Hon. Ravi Kahlon: I don’t recall having a conversation with Mr. Rennie around his proposal. It may have been at an event in passing, but I have not seen any proposal in any way that is concrete that my ministry can analyze.

Linda Hepner: How does the ministry then plan to ensure that rental income generated from foreign-owned properties would contribute positively to our economy and wouldn’t result in significant capital outflows?

Hon. Ravi Kahlon: Again, the member is asking me hypothetical questions about a proposal that’s not concrete and hasn’t been presented to us, so it’s next to impossible for me to answer that question.

Linda Hepner: I am going to turn this over to my colleague and the critic for Infrastructure at this point in time, because I need a break.

Peter Milobar: I just have a couple of quick questions for the minister. I’m sure it will probably shock him to find out it’s to do with the Cherry Ave apartments in Kamloops in my riding. This is a property that was purchased a few years ago, three times the assessed value. It was supposed to be open and have people housed in it in September of 2023.

[11:50 a.m.]

We’re now pushing up on September of 2025, still unsure if there will actually be people living in this 42-unit apartment building yet or not.

We’re unclear what the actual total dollar value that B.C. Housing has had to expend on this building is now.

of 2023. We’re now pushing up on September of 2025, still unsure if there will actually be people living in this 42-unit apartment building yet or not.

We’re unclear what the actual total dollar value that B.C. Housing has had to expend on this building is now. The original deal with the owner that it was purchased off of fell through in terms of the repairs that were needed to be done. Other reputable local contractors are now dealing with the repairs.

So this isn’t about anything that’s happening locally; this is about the handling of B.C. Housing. The building was allowed to freeze up and pipes burst yet again. I say yet again because B.C. Housing had the exact same thing happen to them with a motel that they bought about three blocks away a year or two earlier. So lessons weren’t learned that time either.

What is the full price costing, all in, with the renovations and purchase of the Cherry Ave. apartments, and what is the expected move-in date for people?

Hon. Ravi Kahlon: I’ll just wait for the member there.

Thanks. No surprise. I knew the member was going to ask this question at his first opportunity. Appreciate that.

I can share with the member that the complete cost is $14.8 million. It was unfortunate when the pipes burst. It was, obviously, an unforeseen challenge. When that happened, the not-for-profit partners and B.C. Housing went in, and because the walls needed to be opened up, there was some serious work that needed to be done.

B.C. Housing, with the not-for-profit provider, decided to expand the renovations beyond what was just needed before. So that includes new fire sprinkler and fire alarm panels. They’ve done some additional work for the retaining wall around it, essentially redid the entire electrical of the building, increased the electrical capacity originally anticipated for 600 amp to 1,000, and a whole host of changes to balconies, etc. So because that work needed to be done, it was an opportune time to expand that.

I can share with the member that we expect people to move in this fall.

Hon. Ravi Kahlon: Noting the hour, I move that the committee rise and report progress and ask leave to sit again.

Leave granted.

The committee rose at 11:54 a.m.

The House resumed at 11:54 a.m.

[The Speaker in the chair.]

Lorne Doerkson: Committee of Supply, Section B, reports progress on the estimates of the Ministry of Housing and Municipal Affairs and asks leave to sit again.

Leave granted.

[11:55 a.m.]

George Anderson: Section A reports progress on the Ministry of Energy and Climate Solutions and asks leave to sit again.

Leave granted.

Hon. Spencer Chandra Herbert moved adjournment of the House.

George Anderson: Section A reports progress on the Ministry of Energy and Climate Solutions and asks leave to sit again.

Leave granted.

Hon. Spencer Chandra Herbert moved adjournment of the House.

Motion approved.

The Speaker: This House stands adjourned until 1:30 p.m. today.

The House adjourned at 11:55 a.m.