The following electronic version is for informational purposes only.
The printed version remains the official version.
Ten o’clock a.m.
Prayers and Reflections by Jody Toor.
The Hon. Niki Sharma (Attorney General and Deputy Premier) presented to the Speaker a Message from Her Honour the Lieutenant Governor, which read as follows:
Wendy Cocchia
Lieutenant Governor
The Lieutenant Governor transmits herewith Bill (No. 13) intituled Miscellaneous Statutes Amendment Act, 2025, and recommends the same to the Legislative Assembly.
Government House,
April 28, 2025.
Bill introduced and read a first time.
Bill Ordered to be placed on the Orders of the Day for second reading at the next sitting after today.
Order called for “Members’ Statements.”
The Hon. David Eby (Premier) made a ministerial statement regarding the tragedy at the Lapu Lapu Day festival in Vancouver.
John Rustad made a statement.
Jeremy Valeriote made a statement.
Mable Elmore made a statement.
Order called for “Oral Questions by Members.”
The Hon. Raj Chouhan (Speaker) tabled the Auditor General Independent Audit Report, Ensuring the Quality of Legal Aid Representation Services, April 2025.
The Hon. Adrian Dix (Minister of Energy and Climate Solutions) tabled the following documents:
Climate Change Accountability Report, 2024; and,
Zero-Emission Vehicle Update, 2024.
The House proceeded to “Orders of the Day.”
Order called for Committee of Supply.
Pursuant to Sessional Order, order called for Section A and Section B of Committee of Supply.
(In Committee — Section B)
Section B of Committee of Supply reported progress of the estimates of the Ministry of Housing and Municipal Affairs.
Report to be considered at the next sitting.
Committee to sit again at the next sitting.
(In Committee — Section A)
Section A of Committee of Supply reported progress of the estimates of the Ministry of Energy and Climate Solutions.
Report to be considered at the next sitting.
Committee to sit again at the next sitting.
And then the House adjourned at 11.56 a.m.
One-thirty o’clock p.m.
The House proceeded to “Orders of the Day.”
By leave, the Hon. Mike Farnworth moved —
That Susie Chant replace Mable Elmore as a member of the Select Standing Committee on Private Bills and Private Members’ Bills.
Motion agreed to.
Order called for Committee of Supply.
Pursuant to Sessional Order, order called for Section A and Section B of Committee of Supply.
(In Committee — Section B)
Section B of Committee of Supply reported progress of the estimates of the Ministry of Housing and Municipal Affairs.
Report to be considered at the next sitting.
Committee to sit again later today.
(In Committee — Section A)
23. Resolved, That a sum not exceeding $90,831,000 be granted to His Majesty to defray the expenses of Ministry of Energy and Climate Solutions, Ministry Operations, to 31st March, 2026.
Section A of Committee of Supply reported the Resolution and completion of the estimates of the Ministry of Energy and Climate Solutions.
Report to be considered at the next sitting.
Committee to sit again later today.
Order called for Committee of Supply.
Pursuant to Sessional Order, order called for Section A and Section B of Committee of Supply.
(In Committee — Section B)
Section B of Committee of Supply reported progress of the estimates of the Ministry of Housing and Municipal Affairs.
Report to be considered at the next sitting.
Committee to sit again at the next sitting.
(In Committee — Section A)
Section A of Committee of Supply reported progress of the estimates of the Ministry of Indigenous Relations and Reconciliation.
Report to be considered at the next sitting.
Committee to sit again at the next sitting.
And then the House adjourned at 8.57 p.m.
HON. RAJ CHOUHAN, Speaker
Thursday, May 1
Steve Kooner to introduce a Bill intituled Drug Use Prevention Education in Schools Act.
Wednesday, April 30
19 The Hon. Mike Farnworth to move —
That a Special Committee to Review the Lobbyists Transparency Act be appointed to review the Lobbyists Transparency Act (S.B.C. 2001, c. 42), pursuant to section 11.1 of the Act.
That the Special Committee have the powers of a Select Standing Committee and in addition be empowered to:
a. appoint of its number one or more subcommittees and to refer to such subcommittees any of the matters referred to the Special Committee and to delegate to the subcommittees all or any of its powers except the power to report directly to the House;
b. sit during a period in which the House is adjourned, during the recess after prorogation until the next following Session and during any sitting of the House;
c. conduct consultations by any means the Special Committee considers appropriate;
d. adjourn from place to place as may be convenient; and,
e. retain personnel as required to assist the Special Committee.
That the Special Committee report to the House by May 4, 2026, and that during a period of adjournment, the Special Committee deposit its reports with the Clerk of the Legislative Assembly, and upon resumption of the sittings of the House, or in the next following Session, as the case may be, the Chair present all reports to the House.
That the Special Committee be composed of the following Members: Steve Morissette (Convener), Rosalyn Bird, Paul Choi, Kiel Giddens and Harwinder Sandhu.
20 The Hon. Mike Farnworth to move —
That the Sessional Order adopted by the House on March 12, 2025, enabling concurrent proceedings of the House, be discharged.
And that, for the remainder of the current Session:
GENERAL
1. Certain proceedings of the House may be undertaken in three sections, designated Section A, Section B and Section C, to be subject to the rules that follow.
2. Section A and Section C sit in such committee room as may be designated from time to time, and Section B sit in the Legislative Chamber.
3. Section A, Section B and Section C be authorized to examine all Estimates, and for all purposes be deemed to be the Committee of Supply, and that the Standing Orders relating to the consideration of Estimates in the Committee of Supply and to Committees of the Whole House be applicable to such proceedings, save and except that, during proceedings in Committee of Supply in Section A and Section C, a Minister may defer to a Deputy Minister to permit such Deputy to reply to a question put to the Minister.
4. Section A, Section B and Section C be authorized to consider bills at committee stage after second reading thereof, and for all purposes be deemed to be a Committee of the Whole House, and that the Standing Orders relating to the consideration of bills in a Committee of the Whole House be applicable to such proceedings.
5. Estimates or bills may be considered in the order determined by the Government House Leader and may at any time be subsequently referred to another designated Section, as determined by the Government House Leader in accordance with Standing Order 27 (2).
COMPOSITION
6. The Deputy Chair, Committee of the Whole or their designate preside in Section A and Section C.
7. Section A and Section C consist of 12 Members, not including the Chair, being six Members of the B.C. NDP Caucus, five Members of the Conservative Party of British Columbia Caucus and one Member of the B.C. Green Party Caucus.
8. The Members of Section A be: the Minister whose Estimates are under examination or who is in charge of the bill under consideration and Rohini Arora, Hon. Ravi Parmar, Janet Routledge, Harwinder Sandhu, Amna Shah, Amelia Boultbee, Gavin Dew, Steve Kooner, Lawrence Mok, David Williams and Rob Botterell.
9. The Members of Section C be: the Minister whose Estimates are under examination or who is in charge of the bill under consideration and Hon. Adrian Dix, Stephanie Higginson, Hon. Sheila Malcolmson, Steve Morissette, Hon. Niki Sharma, Heather Maahs, Macklin McCall, Larry Neufeld, Ian Paton, Donegal Wilson and Jeremy Valeriote.
10. Substitutions for Members of Section A and Section C be permitted with the consent of the Member’s Caucus Whip.
11. Section B be composed of all Members of the House.
DIVISIONS
12. When a division is requested in Section A, the division bells shall be rung four times, and the division shall proceed in accordance with Standing Order 16.
13. When a division is requested in Section B, the division bells shall be rung three times, at which time proceedings in Section A and Section C shall be suspended, and the division shall proceed in accordance with Standing Order 16.
14. When a division is requested in Section C, the division bells shall be rung five times, and the division shall proceed in accordance with Standing Order 16.
15. If a division is underway in Section A or Section C at the time that a division is requested in Section B, the division in Section B be suspended until the completion of the division in Section A or Section C.
REPORTING
16. At 15 minutes prior to the ordinary time fixed for adjournment of the House, the Chair of Section A and Section C shall report to the House.
Thursday, May 1
21 The Hon. Mike Farnworth to move, seconded by Á’a:líya Warbus and Rob Botterell —
That Seunghee Suzie Seo hold the status of a permanent officer in her capacity as Law Clerk and Parliamentary Counsel, in accordance with section 39 (1) of the Constitution Act (R.S.B.C. 1996, c. 66).
22 The Hon. Mike Farnworth to move, seconded by Á’a:líya Warbus and Rob Botterell —
That Artour Sogomonian be appointed Deputy Clerk of the Legislative Assembly and hold the status of a permanent officer, in accordance with section 39 (1) of the Constitution Act (R.S.B.C. 1996, c. 66).
23 The Hon. Mike Farnworth to move —
That, notwithstanding Standing Orders 2 (1) and 2 (2) (b), the House sit during the week of Victoria Day, beginning on Monday, May 19, 2025, including Friday, May 23, 2025.
24 The Hon. Mike Farnworth to move —
That, notwithstanding Standing Orders 2 (1) and 2 (2) (b), the House sit during the week of Victoria Day, beginning on Tuesday, May 20, 2025, including Friday, May 23, 2025.
25 The Hon. Mike Farnworth to move —
That, notwithstanding Standing Orders 2 (1) and 2 (2) (b), the House sit during the week of Victoria Day, beginning on Tuesday, May 20, 2025.
26 The Hon. Mike Farnworth to move —
That, notwithstanding Standing Order 2 (2) (b), the House sit during the week of Victoria Day, beginning on Monday, May 19, 2025.
27 The Hon. Mike Farnworth to move —
That, effective May 5, 2025,
1. Standing Order 2 (1) be amended to provide for
a. the Thursday afternoon sitting to be from 1 p.m. to 7 p.m.; and,
b. a Friday sitting from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., with a recess from 12 noon to 1 p.m.
2. Standing Order 3 be amended by striking the indicated text and adding the underlined text:
If at the hour of 9:00 p.m. on any Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, or 5:307:00 p.m. on Thursday or 5:00 p.m. on Friday, the business of the day is not concluded and no other hour has been agreed on for the next sitting, the Speaker shall leave the Chair:
On Monday until 10 a.m. Tuesday
On Tuesday until 1:30 p.m. Wednesday
On Wednesday until 10 a.m. Thursday
On Thursday until 109 a.m. MondayFriday
On Friday until 10 a.m. Monday
subject to the provisions of Standing Order 2 (2) (b).
And that this order expire on May 29, 2025.
28 The Hon. Mike Farnworth to move —
That Motion 10, adopted by the House on March 12, 2025, amending Standing Orders 2 (1) and 3, be discharged.
That Standing Order 2 (1) be amended to provide for the Monday afternoon sitting, Tuesday afternoon sitting and Wednesday afternoon sitting to be from 1.30 p.m. to 11.59 p.m., with a recess from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m.
That Standing Order 3 be amended by striking the words “6:30 p.m. on any Monday and Tuesday, 7:00 p.m. on Wednesday” and replacing them with “11:59 p.m. on any Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday”.
And that this order expire on May 29, 2025.
Thursday, May 1
5 Rosalyn Bird to ask the Hon. Minister of Citizens’ Services the following questions: —
Connectivity
1. Can the Minister confirm that the Ministry of Citizens’ Services increased its contract with Starlink, a company owned by Elon Musk, from $1.25 million to $5.25 million, including a $1 million amendment dated December 15, 2024?
2. Was the Premier aware of this expanded contract with Elon Musk’s Starlink when he publicly stated that British Columbians “would want to throw up” if taxpayer money went to Elon Musk?
3. How does the Minister reconcile the Premier’s rhetoric about refusing to subsidize Elon Musk’s companies with this Minister quietly awarding him millions more in public funds?
4. Does this government have a clear policy on contracting with Elon Musk’s companies; does it change based on which of his companies they’re dealing with and the Premier’s mood that day?
5. If it’s inappropriate to give Elon Musk a $350 rebate through BC Hydro for a Tesla charger, why is it appropriate to send him over $5 million through a government contract for satellite internet?
6. Can the Minister provide a detailed explanation of what services British Columbians received in exchange for the most recent $1 million Starlink contract amendment? How was that value determined?
7. Was any part of the Starlink contract sole-sourced?
8. Were other Canadian or non-U.S. providers considered before awarding millions more to a U.S. billionaire?
9. Has the Minister issued any guidance or directives to limit procurement for the U.S. firms as part of the Premier’s push to “preference of Canadian goods”?
10. Is the Minister aware of any other contracts the B.C. government holds with Elon Musk-affiliated companies?
11. Highway cell service is an ongoing challenge across areas of the province, more so for the northern part of the province. I know on various highway sections in my riding the service is non-existent or unstable. For cellular coverage on B.C.’s primary and secondary highways, can the Minister provide a list of which remaining highway projects have been initiated, are in progress and scheduled to complete this fiscal year?
12. I may have missed it, but I have not seen any connectivity projects for Highway 5. This highway was most unfortunately named the “highway of death” last summer due to the very high number of vehicle accident fatalities. This highway was never intended to have the amount of traffic it currently does. It needs a significant safety upgrade including reliable connectivity. The inability to report incidents is contributing to long waiting times for emergency responses, putting lives at risk. Is the Minister aware of any scheduled improvements on Highway 5 between Valemount and Kamloops?
13. Has the Minister considered and priced alternative options for expensive fibre and infrastructure projects? Program funds available to communities for connection submissions to high-speed internet do not include satellite alternatives. Satellite alternatives may prove to be significantly less expensive, easier to install, less maintenance and additionally offer portability compared to hard wire/cable projects. Does the Minister expect this to change in the immediate future?
14. Does the Minister know what the Premier’s stance is on Starlink today considering our strained relations with the U.S.?
15. My understanding is that Rogers has a contract with Starlink; how does that impact considerations for rural and remote communities still having poor or no access?
16. My understanding is the BC Ferries have Starlink onboard. Why is it only available for BC Ferries employees and not passengers? Can passengers expect to see that change soon to offer better opportunities to complete work and school tasks during travel?
17. The Connected Coast project is now slated for completion in 2025. Concerns have been raised regarding the success of this project. A subsea fibre has been laid along the ocean floor to key landing sites on land with the intention of connecting 139 rural, remote and coastal communities. However, there have been multiple incidents of cable damage. Can the Minister confirm that the fibre is in fact encased? What materials were used for the casing, and is the Minister aware of further issues resulting from cable shifts, ocean movement and sea traffic interference?
18. To the Minister, what safeguards have been implemented to prevent cable damage and prevent network disruptions?
19. City West applied to the federal government for a secondary fibre cable to serve as backup for Haida Gwaii. Was a secondary cable approved, and who will be paying for the additional cable?
20. What is the current expenditure on this project year-to-date, expected final cost and does the Minister have a contingency plan if the fibre fails due to oceanic factors?
21. How many of the 139 communities have last-mile infrastructure and are connected?
22. This project is scheduled to be completed sometime this year. Can the Minister confirm that is still the case?
23. Connected Coast is one of the largest projects of its kind in the world and the first in Canada. The project required substantial capital fund investment and physical infrastructure. Would it not have been prudent for the government to complete consultations and guarantee a funding commitment to ensure all 139 communities will have stable and reliable connectivity prior to commencing a project of this magnitude?
24. For this project, why are communities required to complete the additional step of completing the funding application when a letter of support from the local government (and/or a Council Resolution from the First Nation) is required?
25. In a rural area such as Falkland, where Shaw and Telus internet services the town, what is the plan for folks that still don’t have access, and the service providers refuse to install them as they indicate it is cost prohibitive?
26. What is the relationship between the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission, B.C. service providers and Citizens’ Services Ministry, and how does it impact the goals of the B.C. government in providing stable and efficient high-speed internet to all B.C. households when the province is not able to direct service providers as to where and when to expand their networks?
27. A constituent was told by Telus that the monthly rate for landlines is government regulated. Are these prices in fact government mandated? If so, why would the government be charging rural and remote communities $75 compared to the $35 an urban customer pays for a landline? How often and who reviews/determines government-mandated rates?
28. Connecting B.C. offers funding opportunities through an application process to expand internet service. Is the intent of this program to eventually replace all other funding programs?
29. How are applications prioritized? If a community applies and it is not selected for implementation, does the community have to reapply under a new application intake announcement?
30. Once the application is submitted, how does the Ministry communicate the various stages of the assessment, negotiation and construction to the applicant? Do applications submitted under a previous intake take priority as a new intake process opens?
31. Is this funding envelope going to remain in place to maintain and upgrade the infrastructure as needed moving forward?
Properties Management and Real Estate Services — Real Property Division
32. The Minister’s mandate letter includes directions to review the intended versus the actual use of government real estate assets; how does the Ministry intend to carry out this analysis?
33. The Minister was further directed to work with the Ministries of Housing and Municipal Affairs, Transportation and Transit, Finance, and Infrastructure, to ensure the highest and best use of all government real estate assets. What real estate assets would this include: government buildings such as court houses, jails and hospitals?
34. Are properties purchased or rented with tax dollars, no matter the ministry, then not considered part of the provincial real estate portfolio? More specifically, if a building of any kind is purchased or rented by any ministry — an office building, a medical clinic, an apartment building, a hotel/motel — who is the oversight ministry for all real estate assets?
35. If there is no oversight ministry for all real estate assets, how can an asset be reliably determined as being effective, surplus or redundant?
36. What formula is used to determine the way a real estate asset is managed or service delivered promotes the cost effectiveness of the administration of government services and the interests of British Columbians?
37. What formula is used to determine the assessment of anticipated capital cost expenditures for existing assets?
38. How is an asset determined to be surplus to requirements? What is the process once that determination has been made?
Office of the Chief Information Officer
39. There are growing concerns that the B.C. government is continuing to store data in the U.S. Can the Minister tell us if B.C. data is being stored in the U.S., what type of data is being stored there and what steps are being taken to ensure that data is secure?
40. Is there a plan to transfer that data back to B.C. — are these plans being discussed or explored currently?
41. Has the First Nations data governance centre been established? If so, where is it located and is it operational?
42. What was the cost of the project, who currently funds the centre and how many staff are employed for the operation? Who is currently the governing body of the centre: the Ministry of Citizens’ Services or Indigenous Relations and Reconciliation?
43. Where is the data being stored and is it being shared across ministries? Will there be different protocols to access this specific data? When the centre commences gathering its own data, will it be shared with other ministries? Will the data collected and stored by the centre be subject to FOI requests in accordance with current legislation?
44. Does this or any ministry have, or are they working on, a data catalogue/base that reflects the type of equipment (backup generators, emergency lighting, medical supplies, etc.) and its location throughout the province should an emergent need be deemed during provincial emergency incidents?
45. With a growing increase and severity of cybersecurity and personal information breaches in combination with the rapid advancement of computer hardware, software and programing across all industries, various levels of governments and countries around the world, what improvements or implementations have been made or are being considered to protect and ensure the integrity of sensitive government, financial and personal information/data?
46. Does the Minister know how much the B.C. government has invested in cloud storage solutions?
47. My understanding is that ministries access the cloud on a case-by-case basis and are engaging with a variety of cloud vendors. Are Canadian tech companies and institutions such as UBC given additional points through the social impact purchasing guidelines and procurement process?
48. One service, Sprint With Us, offers companies opportunities to bid on contracts of up to $5 million. These procurements take as little as 17 days from start to finish. I find this astonishing considering that most often I can’t even get an inquiry response from most ministries within two weeks. Will the Minister please explain how a $5 million dollar procurement contract can be awarded this quickly, but FOI requests can’t be completed in the 30-day legislated timeframe?
BC Registries and Online Services; Service BC Contact Centre
49. The Service BC provincial emergency line has made improvements and now offers support in 220 languages. This is fantastic; however, there remains a problem in that it is only staffed 7:30–5:00 p.m. Why is this service not available 24 hours during times of emergency?
50. Budget 2024 contained new funding to broaden support for evacuees by funding specifically trained Service BC call centre agents who provide virtual navigation to access information regarding emergency services. Last year, the fire in Jasper marked the loss of one of Canada’s most spectacular tourist destinations. This may be the first massive evacuation of Alberta residents to B.C. but likely won’t be the last. With the Village of Valemount taking in more than 20,000 people from Alberta, are there lessons learned or post-mortem planning around bringing ministries from both provinces together to help assist neighbouring evacuees better?
51. The deaf/blind institute in Prince George has expressed frustration and concern and feels that most people don’t stop to consider how individuals with challenges — mobility, physical (lack of, or no sight, sound or dialogue) and/or a combination — experience a significantly higher level of stress during emergencies. They would like to see changes and/or improvements regarding the lack of access to resources, dissemination of information and alerts for emergency situations (e.g., fires and evacuation orders). Are there any current projects to help determine better access to general and emergency management information for these individuals?
52. BC OnLine provides access to government information products, filings and registrations for private and public sector business customers. When a new registry is formed and there is an annual requirement to register, does Citizens’ Services have any involvement?
53. More specifically, the new Short Term Rental Registry; at what point do concerns/complaints regarding service received, questions not answered, unclear communication, notification and administrative processes not understood become the purview of this Ministry — or do they?
54. Where do the lines cross or intersect between all ministries regarding services received through any government office or online service? The registry is one; however, if multiple complaints are made regarding service from a B.C. government office, who is ultimately responsible for that service — good, bad or other?
Government Procurement
55. Procurement and project management failures have contributed to these huge overruns the past five years; what is being done to prevent similar budget explosions on current and future projects?
56. If construction costs are climbing generally, has the Minister looked at adjusting its procurement approach — for instance, using fixed-price contracts or including higher-contingency allowances — to avoid these shortfalls?
57. What accountability measures are in place for the planners or contractors who underestimated costs or contributed to these overruns?
58. What penalties or incentives are in the contract to keep the builder on schedule, and have any been used?
59. Are there contract amendments made regarding the necessity for revised project deadlines?
60. How many contracts or purchases across all ministries were sole-sourced in the last fiscal year, and do all these direct awards strictly comply with the B.C. government’s Core Policy and Procedures Manual (CPPM) for procurement?
61. Is the Minister able to provide a list of any contracts above the competitive bidding threshold that were awarded without an open tender? For each, explain why a sole source was deemed necessary and what justification was documented.
62. If any were awarded due to “urgent” needs or specialty suppliers, did the Ministry post the required Notice of Intent to direct award, and how did it ensure a fair price in the absence of competition?
63. The public is concerned that sole-sourcing may be happening outside of truly exceptional circumstances; how is the Minister monitoring this and ensuring adherence to procurement best practices on all projects?
64. During the pandemic, the government procured large quantities of personal protective equipment (PPE). It was later revealed that about $16 million worth of PPE had to be disposed of due to quality issues and a further $13 million worth expired unused. What went wrong in the procurement and quality control vetting process that allowed tens of millions of dollars spent on PPE that did not meet quality specifications?
65. Were the applicable due diligence, quality control and vendor qualification processes or safeguards waived in the rush to buy PPE, and have any vendors been held accountable or blacklisted for supplying faulty goods?
66. Going forward, how will the Ministry improve supply contracts to include quality guarantees or claw-back provisions so that taxpayers aren’t left footing the bill for unusable products?
67. Multiple industry representatives have raised concerns that the government’s use of Community Benefits Agreements on public projects is driving up costs and reducing efficiency. Under the CBA framework, bids are restricted to companies who agree to certain union hiring conditions through BC Infrastructure Benefits, effectively disqualifying many open-shop contractors and potentially reducing the pool of bidders. Does the Minister acknowledge that the CBA policy may be contributing to higher bid prices or fewer competitive bids on projects like the Pattullo Bridge and Surrey-Langley SkyTrain?
68. How does the government justify the CBA approach considering these cost escalations — has any analysis been done on how much extra the CBAs are costing taxpayers?
69. We want to ensure that well-intentioned labour policies are not resulting in hidden cost premiums or project delays. Will the Minister commit to transparently releasing data on the number of bidders and bid prices for CBA-governed contracts versus non-CBA contracts, so the public can see the impact? If not, why keep that hidden?
70. Although BC Ferries operates at arm’s length, the Ministry has oversight of this vital transportation Crown corporation. In the context of procurement best practices, what steps is the Minister taking to ensure BC Ferries’ contracting decisions are sound?
71. For example, when BC Ferries procures new vessels or major refits, are those contracts tendered internationally, and is the government comfortable with that approach given potential impacts on local shipbuilding jobs?
72. Conversely, if BC Ferries pursues sole-source or limited tenders for specialized work, how is value for money being verified?
73. The recent ferry service disruptions highlight the importance of reliable assets. Were there any procurement or maintenance contract failures that contributed to vessels being out of service, such as a poor choice of supplier for parts or delays in refit work?
74. How is the Minister working with BC Ferries to improve procurement outcomes, ensure open competition where appropriate and avoid costly mistakes that ultimately affect ferry users and taxpayers?
75. In the wake of the forensic audit of BC Housing, which found mismanagement and conflict of interest involving the former CEO and a major housing provider, can the Minister of Housing detail what has been done to clean up procurement practices at BC Housing?
76. An independent investigation into BC Housing made 20 recommendations to improve oversight, conflict-of-interest safeguards and accountability for public funds regarding various procurement processes. Can the Minister confirm that all of the recommendations have been implemented?
77. Specifically, what changes have been made regarding board governance, financial oversight and procurement approval processes at BC Housing since the audit?
78. The 2025 budget includes significant spending on new housing programs — for example, financing for affordable housing construction, acquisitions of properties, modular housing, etc. The public is concerned about recurring patterns where particular companies or non-profits get the lion’s share of contracts. For instance, if BC Housing or the new Housing Secretariat is partnering with private developers or contractors to build affordable units, how are those partners selected?
79. Is there a competitive request for proposals for each project, or are certain developers being repeatedly chosen through a less transparent process?
80. Will the Minister publish an annual breakdown of which vendors and partners receive housing-related contracts and funding, to allow scrutiny of whether the distribution is fair or indicative of favouritism?
81. How will the Minister ensure value for money in these rapid housing programs — what cost benchmarks or audits will be used to prevent overspending or gold-plating under the rush to build homes?
82. Site C has become the most expensive public project in B.C. history, with the budget now at $16 billion, nearly double its original $8.3 billion price tag and a one-year delay to 2025 for completion. Specifically, was the original project design — that turned out to be flawed — done internally or by an external engineering firm, and has that firm faced any consequences for the costly fixes required?
83. The Premier, when he announced the $16 billion revised budget, cited “escalating safety issues” as a cause. Were these safety issues something that should have been caught in the initial procurement and planning phase?
84. Taxpayers are footing an extra $5-plus billion because of these problems; has the government pursued any legal recourse or cost-sharing from consultants or contractors involved in the faulty design, or is the public on the hook for all of it?
85. More broadly, how is the Minister strengthening oversight of BC Hydro’s megaproject procurement and risk management so that an error of this magnitude — foundation issues discovered mid-build — never happens again?
86. BC Hydro and its subsidiaries often require specialized services, but we have seen very large sole-sourced contracts that raise questions. One prominent example is the long-term engineering services contract for Site C awarded, without competition, to SNC-Lavalin/AtkinsRéalis and Klohn Crippen Berger — a contract now worth about $424 million and spanning many years. Why was this contract not tendered, given its enormous value?
87. The explanation given was these firms’ historical involvement in Site C’s design dating back decades, but does the Minister believe that justifies sidestepping a competitive process for a contract nearly half a billion dollars in value?
88. In hindsight, could bringing in a fresh engineering perspective via competition have helped avoid some of the technical issues that arose?
89. We understand some situations, like Indigenous partnerships or proprietary tech, might warrant direct awards, but the concern is that the practice can be overused. Will the Minister commit to increasing transparency by publishing all direct-award contracts in the energy portfolio and the justifications for each?
90. Specifically, will the Minister assure B.C. residents that future large undertakings — like any new power projects or major infrastructure for BC Hydro — will undergo fully competitive procurement, unless impossible?
91. Does BC Hydro have independent project reviewers or an Auditor General review to catch issues early? For instance, when Site C’s troubles first emerged, an independent panel was eventually brought in. Should that perhaps have happened sooner via a built-in audit mechanism?
92. The Auditor General of B.C. conducted a survey last year that found 61 percent of public sector organizations had detected some form of fraud in a recent period, including things like theft of funds, regulatory breaches and internal financial fraud. This is very alarming; while the report did not name specific ministries, it signals that fraud risk — which can include procurement fraud such as kickbacks, bid-rigging and invoice schemes — is not an abstract worry but a real occurrence in government. What actions is the government taking in response to the Auditor General’s flags on fraud risk?
93. Will the Minister institute stronger anti-fraud measures tied to procurement, such as random audits of contracts, tighter controls on contract change orders and payments and whistleblower protections for staff who report irregularities?
94. Are ministries now required to have up-to-date fraud risk management policies and assign senior staff to oversee fraud risk as the Auditor General recommended?
95. Is the Minister aware of any specific procurement-related fraud cases that have been uncovered in the past year — for example, any cases of employees steering contracts to relatives or accepting kickbacks from vendors — and if so, what was done?
96. How is the Minister ensuring that an attitude of zero tolerance for fraud and corruption in procurement is maintained, and that any loopholes or weak controls that could be exploited are swiftly tightened?
97. British Columbians expect their government to spend prudently and fairly. Right now, there are too many stories of over-budget projects and questionable contracting. We need to hear from the Minister how he will ensure that in Budget 2025 and onward, every major expenditure will undergo rigorous scrutiny, follow best practices and deliver value — without exceptions or excuses. Will the government commit to greater transparency in procurement across the board?
98. Specifically, will it resurrect or enhance public disclosure tools so that anyone can see which company won a given contract, for what amount and by what procurement method?
99. Some jurisdictions publish open data on all contracts, or at least all above a threshold. In B.C., while some information can be found through databases or FOI, it’s not easily accessible in one place for oversight. The opposition requests that the government publish an annual procurement report summarizing contracting activity by ministry: number of contracts, total spend, percentage by competitive versus direct award and any notable deviations or issues. Is this something the Minister will consider?
100. Will the Minister support empowering an independent commission or the Auditor General to conduct a thorough review of the province’s procurement processes and outcomes over the last few years, to identify patterns of inefficiency or favouritism?
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