News & Events - Legislative Watch
March 8-21, 2008
Issue: 3
Government Announcements
- The Government of Canada will provide BC with new federal funding over the next three to five years to assist workers and communities in the ailing forest industry, expand public transit, and hire more front-line police officers. The Community Development Trust will kick in $129 million for skills training and job creation in forest-dependent communities. Another $67 million from the Public Transit Capital Trust Fund will be directed to the Evergreen Line and the $53 million Police Recruitment Fund will combat organized crime and gang violence. Read more
- An agreement signed by the Government of Canada, the Province of BC and the Union of BC Municipalities will provide BC with more than $1-billion from the Gas Tax Fund (GTF) over the next six years to support environmentally sustainable local government infrastructure projects that lead to cleaner air, cleaner water or reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Read more
- More than 100 local governments are now signed on to the BC Climate Action Charter with the Province and the Union of BC Municipalities, committing to become carbon neutral by 2012. Local governments that sign the B.C. Climate Action Charter pledge to become carbon neutral, measure and report on their community’s greenhouse gas emissions profile, and work to create compact energy efficient communities. Read more
- Changes to the Local Government Act, Community Charter, Vancouver Charter, Architects Act and the Engineers and Geoscientists Act have been introduced to create safer buildings and a greener BC Building Code. Read more
- Landlords and tenants with repeated and serious violations of the Residential Tenancy Act or the Manufactured Home Park Tenancy Act will face tough consequences due to new administrative penalties that may be as high as $5,000 per violation, announced Minister responsible for Housing Rich Coleman. Read more
- A $2.7-million investment to expand Residential Tenancy Branch will add 16 information officers and eight dispute resolution officers, giving landlords and tenants improved access to information and dispute resolution services. Read more
- Film and television production in BC contributed $943-million to the provincial economy in 2007. Despite a downturn in foreign BC film production, domestic film and television activity in BC continued a five-year trend of continuous growth, reaching a high in 2007 of $407 million in total B.C. spending, up 47 per cent from 2006. Read more
- A motion passed that calls for the establishment of an electoral map for BC that increases the number of electoral districts to 85 from the current 79, with no reduction in the existing number of rural ridings. Read more
- Labour and Citizens’ Services Minister Olga Ilich introduced legislative changes to BC’s Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act that, in part, provides for the cancellation or suspension of a farm labour contractor’s licence for safety violations. Read more
- The Province is providing a one-time grant of $25 million towards a new world-class centre for brain health research and treatment to be built at UBC Hospital. Read more
- BC is enhancing PharmaNet as the next step in implementing electronic health records by investing $14.2 million in its eDrug project. Read more
- Investigations by the chief inspector of mines, as well as inquest recommendations following the tragic accident at the Sullivan Mine in Kimberley, have resulted in revisions to the Health, Safety and Reclamation Code for Mines in British Columbia. Read more
- The provincial government is investing $75,000 to enhance the health and safety of BC’s aggregate mine workers. Read more
- The Province and chiefs of four Treaty 8 First Nations signed an economic benefits agreement that will provide a share of financial benefits from natural resource development on part of the First Nations’ territory to their communities. Read more
- The Province and the Musqueam Indian Band have signed a landmark reconciliation agreement. The agreement includes a cash payment of $20.3-million and provides for Musqueam to acquire ownership of the UBC University Golf Course lands, Bridgeport Casino lands, and two parcels in the Pacific Spirit Regional Park. Read more
- The Province introduced Bill 14, the Transportation Investment (Port Mann Twinning) Amendment Act, to provide for the establishment of a commercial, self-sustaining crown corporation to deliver the Port Mann/Highway 1 Project. Read more
- The Province has announced that construction of overhead lines for the Tsawwassen segment of the Vancouver Island Transmission Reinforcement (VITR) Project will move forward. Read more
- The Province has appointed David J. Formosa, a Powell River business owner, to the sit on the board of the Island Coastal Economic Trust. Read more
- Osoyoos signed an agreement under the B.C. Resort Municipality Initiative with the Province, allowing it to share a portion of the hotel room tax to invest in local resort-oriented projects. Read more
Question Period Topics
- Disclosure of documents in BC Rail-CN Rail investigation
- Government response to actions of Ken Dobell and Jessica McDonald
Status of Bills
BILLS INTRODUCED
Government Bills
- Bill 10 – Housing Statutes Amendment Act, 2008
- Bill 11 – Small Business and Revenue Statutes Amendment Act, 2008
- Bill 12 – Musqueam Reconciliation, Settlement and Benefits Agreement Implementation Act
- Bill 13 – Labour and Citizens’ Services Statutes Amendment Act, 2008
- Bill 14 – Transportation Investment (Port Mann Twinning) Amendment Act, 2008
Members’ Bills
BILLS DEBATED
Government Bills
- Bill 6 – Electoral Reform Referendum 2009 Act
- Bill 7 – Local Government Statutes Amendment Act, 2008
- Bill 8 – Forests and Range Statutes Amendment Act, 2008
- Bill 9 – Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Amendment Act, 2008
- Bill 10 – Housing Statutes Amendment Act, 2008
- Bill 12 – Musqueam Reconciliation, Settlement and Benefits Agreement Implementation Act
BILLS PASSED
Government Bills
- Bill 5 – Ministerial Accountability Bases Act, 2007-2008
- Bill 7 – Local Government Statutes Amendment Act, 2008
- Bill 8 – Forests and Range Statutes Amendment Act, 2008
- Bill 9 – Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Amendment Act, 2008
- Bill 10 – Housing Statutes Amendment Act, 2008
- Bill 12 – Musqueam Reconciliation, Settlement and Benefits Agreement Implementation Act
Reports Tabled
- Ministerial Accountability Bases Act, 2007-2008 (Bill 5)
- Select Standing Committee on Public Accounts, third report