British Columbia
Fall Legislative Session
Oct. 6 to Nov. 27
* Fall Session Focus - Province of BC, Oct. 6
* What To Expect from BC Legislature's Fall Session - The Narwhal, Oct. 6
* North Coast Transmission Line - Oct. 20 + BC Hydro project map
* 900 New Child Care Spaces (including Choo Choo, Let's Go/Sooke) - Oct. 17
* Clearer Short-Term Rental Rules - Oct. 9
* Holding Vape Manufacturers Accountable for Public Health Costs - Oct. 8
* Province to make way for more child care at schools - Oct. 7
Miscellaneous
* Eby Takes A Beating At Hostile Developer (UDI) Luncheon - Rob Shaw, Business In Vancouver (Oct. 7)
* What Does David Eby Have To Be Thankful For? An Amateur Opposition in Utter Turmoil - Globe & Mail (Oct. 9)
* David Eby Says He Will Not Support A Pipeline From Alberta. Can He Stop It? - Vancouver Sun (Oct. 7)
* Pipeline Push: Majority of Canadians, Including BC Residents, Support a North Coast Pipeline - Angus Reid (Oct. 9)
Spring Legislative Session Overview
* Press Release
* Archive of New Legislation (Spring 2018 to Spring 2025)
* Parliamentary Calendar 2025 - Next session - Oct. 6 to Nov. 27
Housing Legislation
* Local Government Housing Initiatives - one stop overview
* Inclusive Zoning and Density Bonusing Comprehensive Guidance
(updated June 13)
* New Local Government Tools
* Housing and Municipal Affairs guide for local governments - Proactive Planning Guide
* From the blog: Bill 44 Update + BC's New Housing Regulations
+ Housing 101 + X Homes + Y People + Z Cars = ?
Homelessness Point-In-Time Count Provincial Data Released
* press release
* homeless counts in the 20 communities in which BC Housing did the count
* CRD conducted PIT counts in Greater Victoria in association with the Community Social Planning Council + results released on Sept. 24 + data + technical appendix <clip> "The 2025 PiT Count was conducted on March 25 and 26 and identified 1,749 people who were experiencing homelessness compared to 1,665 in March of 2023." + CRD Housing Data & Analysis
Fiscal Plan Update (Sept. 15, 2025)
* Report from the Ministry of Finance + press release
Infrastructure Project Acts (July 2025 to March 2026)
* Engagement process - three-part survey
Heritage Conservation Act Transformation Project (July 9)
* Home Page
* Updating the Act
* Ministry of Forests press release (July 9)
* The Act applies to 64k sites listed in a provincial registry, 90% of them within First Nations territories
"The Heritage Conservation Act (HCA) encourages and enables the protection and conservation of sites with historical, cultural and/or archaeological value in B.C. These sites hold physical evidence of how and where people lived. Many of these sites in B.C. are culturally sensitive, contain ancestral remains, and have important sacred and spiritual value to First Nations in B.C. Altering these protected sites without a permit is prohibited under the Act."
UBCM press release - Sept. 24 "“We want to be very clear, UBCM recognizes and supports the importance of archeological conservation, particularly as it relates to Indigenous values,” said UBCM President Trish Mandewo. “But while the Province took seriously its obligation to work with Indigenous groups in developing the legislation, engagement with local governments was largely disregarded.”
- "BC Pushes Heritage Act Reform Amid Concerns of Development Slowdowns" - Globe & Mail, Sept. 26
- "UBCM Blasts Province for Lack of Consultation on Heritage Conservation Act" - Vaughan Palmer, Vancouver Sun, Sept. 24
Province of BC Responses to UBCM 2024 Resolutions (July 2)
* Resolutions Reply Book (includes original resolutions adopted in Sept. 2024 and Provincial response)
Development Cost Charge Amendments (July 2)
* Housing and Municipal Affairs Press Release
* About Development Cost Charges
* DCC Best Practices Guide (April 2025)
* DCC Guide for Elected Officials (April 2025)
* Amenity Cost Charges: Best Practices Guide (March, 2025)
* Amenity Cost Charge Guide for Elected Officials (April, 2025)
Times Colonist - "The British Columbia government is loosening the rules for payment of development fees in a bid to jump start home construction that has been hampered by upfront costs.
Housing Minister Ravi Kahlon says among the biggest changes will be more flexible and extended payment timelines for homebuilders, so instead of paying development fees up front, they will pay 25 per cent at permit approval and 75 per cent when the building is occupied.
Developers will also have four years, rather than two, to pay the charges, in rule changes that Kahlon says are needed because the current market conditions have stalled projects in the province.
While some municipalities want letters of credit from a bank as a promise the work will be done, that can restrict a developer's access to credit, so the government will also change the regulations provincewide to allow for the financial guarantee of on-demand surety bonds."
Declaration On The Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act (June 25)
* Sixth Annual Declaration Report (June 25, 2025)
BC Coroners' Service (June 24)
* 2025 summary to date as of April 30 (with 10-year trend charts)
* Ministry press release
Municipal Liabilities Regulation Amendment (June 24)
* Housing and Municipal Affairs Press Release
* Municipal Liabilities Regulation (amended)
* BC Municipalities Allowed To Take On More Debt For More Projects (CBC News)
<clip> "On Tuesday, the province announced changes that will:
- Allow municipalities to borrow up to $150 per person without a referendum or AAP if the term of the borrowing is less than five years, up from $50.
- Raise the borrowing limit without a referendum or AAP from five per cent of annual general revenue to 10 per cent for projects with a longer repayment schedule.
"This is something local governments have been asking for for more than 30 years and we believe it is time for them to be able to catch up," he said."
Innovative Clean Energy Fund 2025 Performance Report (June 24)
* June 2025 Update + Report .... "Since 2008, the ICE Fund has committed over $124 million to support pre-commercial clean energy technology projects, clean energy vehicles, research and development, and energy efficiency programs."
Ease of Doing Business Review (June 5)
* Jobs, Economic Development & Innovation Press Release + Backgrounder
“We are listening to B.C. businesses as we work to ensure our province is an easy place to do business,” said Diana Gibson, Minister of Jobs, Economic Development and Innovation. “This review will help us to continue to modernize our regulatory and permitting systems, as we secure B.C.’s position as the economic engine of Canada’s new economy.”
New Funding for Building BC: Community Housing Fund (May 30)
* Press Release
* Community Housing Fund backgrounder
* Homes For BC - Completed Projects Map
Cooperation & Responsible Government Accord (CARGA)
* Quarterly report (Jan. 1 - April 30) on NDP and Green Party accord
* Full CARGA agreement signed March 12, 2025
CleanBC Accountability Report
* 2024 accountability report
* CleanBC 2025 Review announced (May 7)
* CleanBC review - survey/deadline Aug. 1
Provincial Forest Advisory Council (May 22)
* Ministry press release
"Members of the newly formed Provincial Forest Advisory Council are tasked with providing recommendations to government on advancing forest stewardship, while supporting communities and workers that rely on forests."
* Terms of Reference
* A New Future For Old Forests: Strategic Review (2020)
Clean Power Overview (May 5)
* Energy and Climate Change Press Release
* BC's Clean Energy Action Plan 2025
* Frequent Calls for Power to Be Expected (Bennett Jones Law Firm)
Infrastructure Projects Act - Bill 15 (May 1)
* Office of the Premier Press Release
* Legislation (assent on May 29)
* Technical Briefing (slide deck)
* UBCM Perspective ~ "UBCM notes that the process leading to the drafting of the legislation has been rushed, and did not include meaningful consultation with UBCM or member local governments. As has been proven in the past, a fast-tracked approach that skips over consultation is more likely to lead to unintended consequences." + May 21 update + UBCM and First Nations Leadership Council Call For Withdrawal
* Kill The Bill: BC First Nations Leadership Council
* Legislation Narrowly Passes (CBC News, May 28)
* Legal perspective (Beale&Co, Toronto) + Clark Wilson Law, Vancouver
Renewable Energy Projects (Streamlined Permitting) Act - Bill 14 (April 30)
* Legislation in full
* Press release
* BC Energy Regulator
Mental Health Act Review Announced (April 30)
* BC premier announces review of mental health legislation (CBC News)
* Mental Health Act home page
Carbon Tax Eliminated (March 31)
* BC Ministry Press Release
* Federal government removes carbon tax (March 22)
"Cancelling the tax and the credit will have an estimated impact of $1.99 billion in the coming fiscal year. The Province will restructure programs funded by carbon tax revenue to minimize the impact on B.C.’s budget, while supporting people in British Columbia in achieving climate goals. The Province will continue to ensure big polluters pay through the B.C. output-based carbon pricing system. The system supports decarbonization efforts, incentivizing industry to lower their emissions to avoid paying the tax."
* BC Output-Based Pricing System (Province of BC guidelines)
* BC Officially Kills Tax (CBC News)
* Statement from Fortis BC
* Clean Energy Canada response at federal level
* Carbon Pricing and Consumer Myopia: Why Carbon Taxes Fell Short and What We Should Do Next (University of British Columbia) <clip> "Carbon pricing was poorly understood and poorly communicated. Although most of the revenue was returned to households—through rebates or tax cuts in places like B.C.—many people only noticed higher fuel prices and ignored the money coming back. The policy felt like a tax, and that made it unpopular. Ironically, now that it’s gone, many lower-income households will be worse off ... Yet the reality is, the consumer carbon tax wasn’t strong enough to meet our climate goals. So, scrapping it isn’t quite as damaging as it might seem. It opens the door to rethink climate policy in a way that’s both more effective and politically durable."
BC Budget 2025 (March 4)
* Ministry of Finance Home Page + slide deck
* BC Budget Pushes Deficit to $10.9 Billion (CBC News)
* Budget Highlights (KPMG)
* What Do You Need to Know About the BC Budget (The Tyee)
Speech From The Throne (Feb. 18)
* Text of Lt. Governor Wendy Cocchia's speech
* Release from Office of the Premier
Ministerial Mandate Letters (January 17)
* Cabinet and Parliamentary Secretary mandate letters in full
* BC mandate letters focus on affordability, public safety, economic growth (CBC News)
* Letters summarized (Capital Hill Group consultants)
* Pembina Institute response - linking climate action and community economic development
* Mandate Letters: Post-Secondary Institutions (June 2025)
Conservative Party of BC
* 2025 news and commentary portal
BC Green Party
* Media releases
Federal Government
TBA
- Canada's Defence Industrial Strategy
- Canada's Trade Diversification Strategy
Build Canada Homes (announced Sept. 14, 2025)
"Build Canada Homes is a new federal agency that will build affordable housing at scale. It will leverage public lands, offer flexible financial incentives, attract private capital, facilitate large portfolio projects, and support modern manufacturers to build the homes that Canadians need ... A Special Operating Agency within Housing, Infrastructure and Communities Canada."
- About Build Canada Homes
- Prime Minister Carney's announcement
"Build Canada Homes is ready to engage with partners who are committed to increasing the supply of affordable housing across Canada. We are especially interested in opportunities that can:
- Deliver housing at scale
- Expand non-market and community housing
- Demonstrate financial viability and leverage other investments
- Use innovative building methods and Canadian-made materials
Perspective:
- Canadian Alliance to End Homelessness
- "BC Builders Skeptical" - Business In Vancouver, Sept. 16
- "Carney Unveils Plans to Double Pace of Home Building" - CBC, March 31
Major Projects Office
Mission: "To get nation-building projects built faster, accelerating sustainable growth, strengthening national unity, and putting Canada on a stronger path to long-term economic prosperity."
- Home page
- First set of five on-track projects (all well-advanced in their respective processes)
- Future "transformative strategies"
- "BC Tapped for Two Nation-Building Projects" (Business In Vancouver)
- Long list of 32 projects (internal document acquired by the Globe and Mail, Sept. 4)
"The eight mining projects on the list include the Teck Strategic Minerals Initiative and the Red Chris Copper and Gold Mine expansion in B.C.; Saskatchewan’s Foran McIlvenna Bay and Rook Uranium projects; the Minago Nickel Project in Manitoba; the Crawford Nickel Project and the Ring of Fire in Ontario; and the Strange Lake Torngat Metals Ltd. rare earths mine in Quebec.
The 14 energy-related projects feature a heavy focus on Western Canada. The list includes a 750-kilometre transmission line linking Yukon and B.C. Other B.C. projects include LNG Canada Phase 2, which would expand the liquefied natural gas facility in Kitimat, B.C.; Ksi Lisims LNG, backed by the Nisga’a Nation; the North Coast Transmission Line that would help power critical-mineral mines; a dredging project at the Port of Vancouver that would accommodate fully loaded oil tankers in Burrard Inlet; and the Northwest Coast Oil Pipeline.
Five other projects are in Eastern Canada, including the Gull Island Power Plant that is part of the Quebec-Newfoundland and Labrador new energy partnership; Newfoundland’s Bay du Nord offshore oil and gas project; transmission lines linking Prince Edward Island to the New Brunswick-Nova Scotia power grid; and proposed wind energy projects off the coast of Nova Scotia.
The five ports projects on the list also include the construction of a deep-water port and all-season roads linking Yellowknife to the Arctic Ocean, and a new Roberts Bank Terminal 2 Project at the Port of Vancouver.
Rounding out the list are five projects related to transportation. They include the Mackenzie Valley Highway project in NWT; various proposals to twin the Trans-Canada Highway; rehabbing the century-old New Westminster Rail Bridge in B.C.; the Alto High-Speed Rail project linking Toronto and Quebec City; and the proposed Western trade and economic corridor."
Tariff Response
- Full list of measures to be undertaken to address tariff impacts
- Canada's Response to US Tariffs (Sept. 1, 2025)
- List of US Products Subject to Counter-Tariffs (effective Sept 2025)
- Support for Strategic Industries, including steel and softwood lumber
The One Canadian Economy Act - Bill C-5
* Royal assent granted (June 26)
* Intergovernmental Affairs backgrounder
* Bill C-5 as adopted
Perspective
* First Nations Opposition Draws Comparisons to Idle No More Movement (CBC News, July 1)
* The Public Interest Need to Reconsider C-5 (Canadian Environmental Law Association, June 11)
* What The One Canadian Economy Act Is All About (Globe & Mail, June 6)
Federal Government Mandate Letter - Office of the PM (May 21)
RSS Feed