British Columbia
Standing Items
- BC Government news portal
- Progress of Bills
- Office of the Premier
- Legislative Assembly
- Parliamentary Calendar
- BC Government Directory
- Prime Minister of Canada news portal
Spring 2026 Legislative Session
February 18 to May 28 (41 working days)
Budget 2026
- Budget 2026 announced by Minister Bailey on Tues. Feb. 17
- budget and fiscal plan (PDF)
- budget highlights
- budget speech
- estimates for fiscal year ending March 31, 2027
- Analysis by CRD Chief Financial Officer Nelson Chan - see Item 6.3 of the March 4 Financial Committee meeting agenda.
News Coverage
- BC Budget Includes Tax Increases, 15k Public Job Cuts, Projected #13b Deficit - CBC News, Feb. 17
- BC Budget Brings Cuts - Times Colonist, Feb. 18
- More Money for Health Care, But Long-Term Care Projects Face Delays - Times Colonist, Feb. 17
- BC Budget Brings A Record Deficit and No Big Changes - The Tyee, Feb. 18
- Miscellaneous: RBC + Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives + Fraser Institute
* Legislative Assembly explainer
* "BC Budget Must Cut Government Spending" (Canadian Taxpayers' Federation)
* Austerity Budget Expected (CHEK News, Feb. 3)
“Absolutely we’ll be reducing spending in the next budget, but the reductions will be focused on administrative costs and bureaucracy, while we’re preserving frontline services,” said Premier Eby. "British Columbians will actually see an increased investment in services like education and health care.” ... Bailey confirmed she’s taking a hard look at spending, and said the current eight per cent annual growth in health care (which makes up almost 40 per cent of the province’s entire budget) is unsustainable when the B.C. economy is only projected to grow around 1.5 per cent in the coming year."
April 2026
- Statements on 10th Anniversary of the Toxic Drug Crisis (April 13) + latest monthly statistics (150 deaths in January) + Youth Statistics, 2019-2023 report
"Since the public-health emergency was first declared in 2016, more than 18,000 people in British Columbia have died from toxic drugs. Deaths continue to disproportionately affect Indigenous people, men and people working in the trades. Between January and June 2025, First Nations people died at 5.4 times the rate of other B.C. residents, with First Nations females dying at 8.5 times the rate of other females. Similarly, the BC Coroners Service found that 21-23% of people who died between 2022 and 2025 were currently or previously employed in trades, transport or as equipment operators.
Over the last decade, government has worked urgently to expand and strengthen mental-health and substance-use services throughout the continuum of care, including prevention, education, early intervention, harm reduction, treatment and recovery, supportive and complex-care housing, and aftercare.
- Adventure Tourism Hub announced (April 9) - Easing permit delays for adventure tourism operators in support of the Look West: Tourism Sector Action Plan + application portal for Crown Land Tenure in BC + Eligibility & Restrictions + details re: Recreation and Tourism on Crown Land (per forthcoming Sooke Bike Club application for use of crown land east of Butler Main Road for a future bike trail network serving beginning and intermediate mountain bikers + further tenancy details)
- Proposed Professional Reliance Act (Bill M216) Withdrawn (April 7). "“In recognition of the local governments, organizations and individuals that took countless hours to provide written submissions to the committee, the Ministry of Housing and Municipal Affairs will be engaging with stakeholders to see how we can continue to reduce permitting timelines for new housing projects. This work will explore how to build on the principles of safety, speed and professional responsibility while balancing the needs of local governments and regulated professionals." - Minister Christine Boyle while referencing progress to date through Development Permit Approval Process (Sooke included) and the Building Permit Hub.
- Primary Care Statistics (April 2) + One-Year Update on Recruitment Program (March 17)
March 2026
- Heritage Conservation Act Transformation Project continues with release of new policy paper (March 27)
- New Police Training Centres in Vancouver and Victoria (March 6) - Addressing the fact that police recruitment is 20% behind needs. "Budget 2025 invests $235 million in new funding over the next three years to improve community safety through various public safety and justice programs. This investment is increasing access to the justice system and supporting court operations, including sheriff recruitment, legal aid and Crown counsel."
- Look West: The Tourism Sector Action Plan (March 4 + announcement)
"B.C.’s Tourism Sector Action Plan sets a clear path to double visitor spending to $48 billion by 2036. The plan is built on five pillars: marketing B.C. as a top-tier destination; improving access through expanded air services and provincial corridors; leveraging events; mobilizing private-sector investment; and creating a supportive business climate for tourism operators and investors."
- Amendments to the Residential Tenancy Act to improve health and safety in supportive housing (March 4). Highlights: "Keep weapons out of supportive housing; provide operators a continuum of options to temporarily restrict the access of tenants to a supportive housing site to de-escalate critical health and safety risks to other residents and staff."
- Permanent Daylight Savings Time (March 2 press release)
- Cowichan Nation land-title legal action update (March 2). <clip> "For transparency, neither the Cowichan Nation nor British Columbia are seeking to invalidate any privately held fee simple titles on the Cowichan Title Lands through the negotiation or appeal processes.”
February 2026
- BC Greens Won't Renew Accord (Times Colonist, Feb. 10) "The New Democrats have 47 members in the 93-seat legislature, while the Greens have two. The Opposition B.C. Conservatives have 39 seats, having lost five members from their caucus who are now sitting as Independents."
- Defence, Security and Resilience Bank (DSRB) to establish new HQ in Vancouver (Feb. 9)
- Community Gaming Grants Update (Feb. 5) - $53m distributed to more than 2,500 BC organizations in 2025 + recipient list (includes $470k approx. to 20 Sooke region organizations - Sooke Fall Fair, Sooke Region Historical Society, Sooke Philharmonic, school PACs, Sooke Fine Arts, etc. Top awards: $250k to the Royal Canadian Marine Search & Rescue and $85k to JDF Marine Rescue Society.)
January 2026
- First Ministers' Joint Statement (Ottawa, Jan. 29)
- Premier Eby on Alberta Separatism (Jan. 29)
- Announcement of five more Foundry youth centres (Jan. 27)
- Western Canada Critical Mineral Strategy + web page (Jan. 25)
- Results of 2025 BC Hydro Call For Power - 14 proposals, 13 wind/1 solar; five proposals from the southern Interior, two from the central Interior, four from the North Coast and three from the Peace region + BC Hydro page + 2024 Call for Power results (Jan. 21)
- Heritage Conservation Act update - postponement of proposed amendments (Jan. 19)
- Addiction Hot-Line Service Improvements (Jan. 14)
- BC Trade Mission to India (Jan. 12-17, 2026)
Developing ...
- BC Conservative Party Leadership Race (official)
- Emily Lowen on Next Steps for the BC Greens (The Tyee, Jan. 8)
Fall Legislative Session
Oct. 6 to Nov. 27
* UBCM Executive Advocacy With the Province - UBCM statement, Dec. 3
* Fall Session Focus - Province of BC, Oct. 6
* What To Expect from BC Legislature's Fall Session - The Narwhal, Oct. 6
* BC's Population Has Dropped (Times Colonist, Jan. 1, 2026). "Between July and October of this year, more than 26,000 non-permanent residents left B.C. as part of a trend that dropped Canada’s overall population by 0.2 per cent ... B.C. gained large numbers of people in 2022, 2023 and 2024, and its population soared from 5.3 million to just under 5.7 million. Losses in the first quarter of 2025 were due to a decline in natural population growth and interprovincial migration. But decreases in the past two quarters, making up the vast majority of the decrease, have been due to out-migration."
Ministry of Finance - Second Quarterly Report (November, 2025)
"The updated fiscal outlook for 2025/26 forecasts an operating deficit of $11.2 billion, $390 million lower than the projection in the First Quarterly Report."
Bill 25 - Housing and Municipal Affairs Statutes Amendment Act, 2025 (Nov. 28)
- Policy bulletin issued by the Ministry
- Relatively minor changes to Small-Scale Multi-Unit Housing and Short-Term Rental regulations
- Backgrounder
Special Committee on Democratic & Electoral Reform (Nov. 26)
- Committee home page
- Report (first of two) Toward A Stronger Democracy in British Columbia (Nov. 26, 2025)
"The Committee makes 36 recommendations to strengthen BC’s democracy by supporting British Columbians’ participation and engagement, examining the efficacy of legislation and policy, and enhancing the responsibilities of and resources for Elections BC, political parties, and MLAs."
- submissions
- Proportional Representation Won't Be Revived on Eby's Watch (Rob Shaw, Dec. 16, 2025). <clip> "I think British Columbians are done with that conversation," said the Premier.
CleanBC Independent Review Panel (Nov. 26)
Rising To the Moment: Final Report
"CleanBC is, for the most part, working. Its policies and programs are measurably reducing climate pollution while creating jobs, improving community health, and lowering everyday costs for British Columbians. Yet, despite these successes, the plan is not yet reaching its full potential. The government now has an opportunity to adjust and close gaps in CleanBC—improving outcomes for all—while acknowledging current challenges."
Priorities for Action
1. Accelerate clean electricity production and electrification as the foundation of energy security and economic growth
2. Make it easier for British Columbians to cut energy bills and climate pollution
3. Leverage B.C’s clean energy advantage to create more jobs in the energy transition
4. Support B.C.’s industries to become cleaner and more competitive
5. Increase production of clean, made-in-B.C biofuels and renewable natural gas
6. Deepen partnerships with First Nations and local governments
7. Focus on delivering effective, achievable and fiscally responsible outcomes
- engagement home page ~ "Over the course of the review we met with 157 organizations in 41 engagement sessions, received 279 written submissions from 232 different organizations and 47 members of the public and/or experts, and received 2,650 public engagement survey forms."
- review led by Merran Smith from Clean Energy BC and Simon Fraser University's New Economy Canada; and Dan Woynillowicz from the consulting firm Polaris Strategy + Insight.
DASH, Digitally Accelerated Standardized Housing online platform (Nov. 20)
"A new BC Housing online platform called DASH is helping developers and non-profit organizations design and construct three- to six-storey buildings more quickly and at lower cost using products manufactured in B.C."
Look West Workforce Development Strategy (Nov. 20)
- Home page
"Look West is a targeted plan designed to deliver major projects, create good jobs and strengthen B.C.'s and Canada’s economic security in the face of economic threats."
- Accelerating Maritime Industry's Shift to Clean Energy
- COAST Innovation Challenge
- Innovate BC + 2024/25 Impact Report
Proposed Private Members' Bill M-216 - Professional Reliance Act (Oct. 27)
- Draft legislation introduced by MLA George Anderson ... approval required by the Select Standing Committee on Private Bills and Private Members' Bills before advancing to the legislature. Public input welcome until Jan. 6, 2026; Standing Committee likely to address it at its meeting of Feb. 2
- UBCM expresses concern (Nov. 7)
"UBCM views the proposed legislation as continuing a trend towards sweeping, centralized legislation that impacts local governments, developed without meaningful local government input. If adopted, Bill M216 would prohibit local governments from requiring a standard technical peer review during housing development applications. Instead, local governments would be required to accept any certified submission of a registered professional (in accordance with the Professional Governance Act) hired by the developer. If passed, any local government that disputed the submission would have to appeal the certification with the Office of the Superintendent for Professional Guidance."
- Metro Vancouver Mayors Outraged (CBC)
- The Quiet Revolution in BC Planning (City Hall Watch)
- Professional Reliance Review (2019)
- North Cowichan Considers Joining Judicial Review of M-216 (Chemainus Courier, Jan. 8, 2026)
Cowichan Tribes Decision
* BC Supreme Court Decision - Aug. 7, 2025 (case first filed on Sept. 9, 2019)
* Cowichan Tribes website statements on the decision + technical backgrounder
* City of Richmond: Notice to Registered Owners - Oct. 2025
* Legal Panel Discussion at UBCM Conference, Sept. 23, 2025
* Coverage of the UBCM discussion (Resource Works) <clip> ""The panel agreed on two points: the Cowichan case is measured, not catastrophic, and it is also massive in significance. Appeals are already underway, and the process could take seven years or more. In the meantime, municipalities, lenders, and governments will be navigating uncharted territory."
* The Cowichan Ruling Doesn't End Private Property, It Tests Our Honour - Vancouver Sun, Oct. 24
* Correcting Misconceptions: The Cowichan Tribes Decision - Kate Gunn, First Peoples' Law
* "It's A Big Deal," says BC Premier - Les Lyne, Vancouver Sun, Oct. 20
* Related: Rising Tide - Haida Land Title Agreement, April 14, 2024
Miscellaneous
* Zero Emissions Vehicles Framework Update (Nov. 18)
* 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
Media Coverage
* Eby Stands Against Proposed Pipeline as First Nations Vow It Will Never Happen - Times Colonist, Nov. 28
* Carney's Energy Deal Went Down Differently Depending On Who You Ask - CBC, Nov. 27
* 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
* As Smith Pushes New Pipeline Plan, Eby Says No Way - The Tyee, Oct. 2
* 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)
Spring Legislative Session
* 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:
"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)
Other Provincial Parties
Conservative Party of BC
* 2025 news and commentary portal
BC Green Party
* Media releases
OneBC
* Website
Federal Government
Build Communities Strong Grant Stream
Announced April 7, 2026 + launch announcement - formerly known as the Canada Community Building Fund
- Build Communities Strong Fund home page
- British Columbia Community Grant Stream
- UBCM related website
Assault-Style Weapons Buyback Program
"While participating in the program is voluntary, compliance with the law is not. Individual firearm owners must safely dispose of or permanently deactivate their assault-style firearms before the amnesty period ends on October 30, 2026, or risk criminal liability for the illegal possession of a prohibited firearm."
- list of firearms and "upper receivers" for individuals
- RCMP firearms page ~ "A firearms licence shows that the licence holder can possess and use firearms. A registration certificate identifies a firearm and links the firearm to its owner. You need a registration certificate for restricted and prohibited firearms. Usually if you are in possession of a firearm, you need a licence even if you are not the owner and never handle the firearm." + RCMP explainer
- Firearm statistics in Canada (2022) ~ 2.2m individuals licensed; 10.4m firearms in circulation
- number of weapons by province returned by March 31, 2026 deadline ~ 67k in total, 15,600 in BC
- firearm regulation in Canada (Wikipedia) + history of gun buyback programs (Argentina, US, UK, etc.)
- guns per capita world-wide (Wikipedia) ~ 34.7 guns/100 people (Canada) vs. 120.5 per 100 (US) & 0.3 per 100 (Japan)
"The collection, deactivation and compensation processes are expected to run from spring through early fall 2026 with the support of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), participating local police of jurisdiction and secure mobile collection units. Firearms collected by the RCMP or local police under this program will be sent in consolidated shipments to a processing facility where they will be validated and destroyed. Firearms collected through mobile collection units will be validated and destroyed on site. After the firearms have been validated, compensation will be issued within 45 business days. Start dates for these processes will be staggered in different parts of the country to ensure that resources and supports for each area are in place. Participants will be notified directly and further details will be provided. All destruction of firearms collected over the course of the program will be completed before the end of the amnesty period, on October 30, 2026."
Following the end of the amnesty period on October 30, 2026, the RCMP and local police will be responsible for the collection of prohibited firearms from individuals who have not complied with the federal ban. The process will shift from a voluntary compensation phase to a mandatory compliance phase, where unauthorized possession of previously prohibited long guns becomes a criminal offense.
- Fraser Institute editorial ~ "The ban targets “assault-style” rifles popular with hunters and sports shooters who—based on the data—are exceptionally law-abiding and less likely to commit murder than other Canadians. To own a firearm in Canada, you must obtain a Possession and Acquisition Licence (PAL) from the RCMP after an initial vetting, then the government monitors PAL holders daily for possible criminal activity."
Canada's Defence Industrial Strategy (Feb. 2026)
Vision: "A robust Canadian defence industry that provides technological and operational advantage to the Canadian Armed Forces and its security partners in their mission to defend Canada, and maximizes growth, job creation and economic benefits for all Canadians."
- Canada's Defence Industrial Strategy (backgrounder 2025)
- Canada's Trade Diversification Strategy
- Canada Groceries and Essentials Benefit (Jan. 26, 2026)
"The benefit will be paid quarterly, at the start of the quarter, to permit timely access to the funds to help families with day-to-day expenses. These amounts are additional to existing benefits such as the Canada Child Benefit, the Canada Disability Benefit, and the Guaranteed Income Supplement."
- Is Canada Ready for an American Civil War? - The Walrus, Jan. 2026
- Disruptions on the Horizon - Canadian Policy Horizons (Government of Canada), April 2024
- On Hybrid Warfare - Canadian Armed Forces Special Operations Forces Command (2016)
- Davos 2026 Speech by PM Carney (Jan. 21) + text
<clip> "Canada is a pluralistic society that works. Our public square is loud, diverse, and free. Canadians remain committed to sustainability. We are a stable, reliable partner – in a world that is anything but—a partner that builds and values relationships for the long term. Canada has something else: a recognition of what is happening and a determination to act accordingly.We understand that this rupture calls for more than adaptation. It calls for honesty about the world as it is. We are taking the sign out of the window. We know the old order is not coming back. We should not mourn it. Nostalgia is not a strategy.
But we believe that from the fracture, we can build something better, stronger, and more just. This is the task of the middle powers, the countries that have the most to lose from a world of fortresses and the most to gain from a world of genuine cooperation."
Federal Budget 2025 (Nov. 4)
- Canada Strong: Budget 2025 + Our Plan infographics
- What's In The Federal Budget For You (CBC)
- Office of the Parliamentary Budget Officer
Misc.
- Introduction of Colour-Coded Weather Alerts (Environment Canada, Nov. 26)
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:
- Investment Policy Framework (Nov. 22)
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)
Standing Items
- BC Government news portal
- Progress of Bills
- Office of the Premier
- Legislative Assembly
- Parliamentary Calendar
- BC Government Directory
- Prime Minister of Canada news portal
Spring 2026 Legislative Session
February 18 to May 28 (41 working days)
Budget 2026
- Budget 2026 announced by Minister Bailey on Tues. Feb. 17
- budget and fiscal plan (PDF)
- budget highlights
- budget speech
- estimates for fiscal year ending March 31, 2027
- Analysis by CRD Chief Financial Officer Nelson Chan - see Item 6.3 of the March 4 Financial Committee meeting agenda.
News Coverage
- BC Budget Includes Tax Increases, 15k Public Job Cuts, Projected #13b Deficit - CBC News, Feb. 17
- BC Budget Brings Cuts - Times Colonist, Feb. 18
- More Money for Health Care, But Long-Term Care Projects Face Delays - Times Colonist, Feb. 17
- BC Budget Brings A Record Deficit and No Big Changes - The Tyee, Feb. 18
- Miscellaneous: RBC + Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives + Fraser Institute
* Legislative Assembly explainer
* "BC Budget Must Cut Government Spending" (Canadian Taxpayers' Federation)
* Austerity Budget Expected (CHEK News, Feb. 3)
“Absolutely we’ll be reducing spending in the next budget, but the reductions will be focused on administrative costs and bureaucracy, while we’re preserving frontline services,” said Premier Eby. "British Columbians will actually see an increased investment in services like education and health care.” ... Bailey confirmed she’s taking a hard look at spending, and said the current eight per cent annual growth in health care (which makes up almost 40 per cent of the province’s entire budget) is unsustainable when the B.C. economy is only projected to grow around 1.5 per cent in the coming year."
April 2026
- Statements on 10th Anniversary of the Toxic Drug Crisis (April 13) + latest monthly statistics (150 deaths in January) + Youth Statistics, 2019-2023 report
"Since the public-health emergency was first declared in 2016, more than 18,000 people in British Columbia have died from toxic drugs. Deaths continue to disproportionately affect Indigenous people, men and people working in the trades. Between January and June 2025, First Nations people died at 5.4 times the rate of other B.C. residents, with First Nations females dying at 8.5 times the rate of other females. Similarly, the BC Coroners Service found that 21-23% of people who died between 2022 and 2025 were currently or previously employed in trades, transport or as equipment operators.
Over the last decade, government has worked urgently to expand and strengthen mental-health and substance-use services throughout the continuum of care, including prevention, education, early intervention, harm reduction, treatment and recovery, supportive and complex-care housing, and aftercare.
- As of April 2026, the Province added more than 829 publicly funded substance-use treatment and recovery beds in the province, for a total of 3,875.
- To date, complex care housing services are in place for more than 600 people, with government and BC Housing working to build new housing for people living with addictions issues.
- From January 2019 until October 2025, 17,060 potential death events were prevented with observed consumption sites."
- Adventure Tourism Hub announced (April 9) - Easing permit delays for adventure tourism operators in support of the Look West: Tourism Sector Action Plan + application portal for Crown Land Tenure in BC + Eligibility & Restrictions + details re: Recreation and Tourism on Crown Land (per forthcoming Sooke Bike Club application for use of crown land east of Butler Main Road for a future bike trail network serving beginning and intermediate mountain bikers + further tenancy details)
- Proposed Professional Reliance Act (Bill M216) Withdrawn (April 7). "“In recognition of the local governments, organizations and individuals that took countless hours to provide written submissions to the committee, the Ministry of Housing and Municipal Affairs will be engaging with stakeholders to see how we can continue to reduce permitting timelines for new housing projects. This work will explore how to build on the principles of safety, speed and professional responsibility while balancing the needs of local governments and regulated professionals." - Minister Christine Boyle while referencing progress to date through Development Permit Approval Process (Sooke included) and the Building Permit Hub.
- Primary Care Statistics (April 2) + One-Year Update on Recruitment Program (March 17)
- "More than 600,000 people have been connected to a family doctor or nurse practitioner since 2023
- Upwards of 77% of British Columbians now have a primary care provider and approximately 4,000 more people are being matched each week
- As of February 2026, more than 500 U.S.-trained health professionals have accepted job offers within B.C.’s public health-care system – 100 more since last month’s announcement
- B.C. now has the most doctors per capita in Canada with more than 15,000 physicians, which equates to 271 physicians per 100,000 residents, increasing the number of family doctors by nearly 1,500, which represents growth of 23% from 2017 to 2024
- In 2025, the nursing workforce increased by 3,300, bringing the total to 78,750, while the number of nurse practitioners has tripled from 550 in 2018 to more than 1,650 to date."
March 2026
- Heritage Conservation Act Transformation Project continues with release of new policy paper (March 27)
- New Police Training Centres in Vancouver and Victoria (March 6) - Addressing the fact that police recruitment is 20% behind needs. "Budget 2025 invests $235 million in new funding over the next three years to improve community safety through various public safety and justice programs. This investment is increasing access to the justice system and supporting court operations, including sheriff recruitment, legal aid and Crown counsel."
- Look West: The Tourism Sector Action Plan (March 4 + announcement)
"B.C.’s Tourism Sector Action Plan sets a clear path to double visitor spending to $48 billion by 2036. The plan is built on five pillars: marketing B.C. as a top-tier destination; improving access through expanded air services and provincial corridors; leveraging events; mobilizing private-sector investment; and creating a supportive business climate for tourism operators and investors."
- Amendments to the Residential Tenancy Act to improve health and safety in supportive housing (March 4). Highlights: "Keep weapons out of supportive housing; provide operators a continuum of options to temporarily restrict the access of tenants to a supportive housing site to de-escalate critical health and safety risks to other residents and staff."
- Permanent Daylight Savings Time (March 2 press release)
- Cowichan Nation land-title legal action update (March 2). <clip> "For transparency, neither the Cowichan Nation nor British Columbia are seeking to invalidate any privately held fee simple titles on the Cowichan Title Lands through the negotiation or appeal processes.”
February 2026
- BC Greens Won't Renew Accord (Times Colonist, Feb. 10) "The New Democrats have 47 members in the 93-seat legislature, while the Greens have two. The Opposition B.C. Conservatives have 39 seats, having lost five members from their caucus who are now sitting as Independents."
- Defence, Security and Resilience Bank (DSRB) to establish new HQ in Vancouver (Feb. 9)
- Community Gaming Grants Update (Feb. 5) - $53m distributed to more than 2,500 BC organizations in 2025 + recipient list (includes $470k approx. to 20 Sooke region organizations - Sooke Fall Fair, Sooke Region Historical Society, Sooke Philharmonic, school PACs, Sooke Fine Arts, etc. Top awards: $250k to the Royal Canadian Marine Search & Rescue and $85k to JDF Marine Rescue Society.)
January 2026
- First Ministers' Joint Statement (Ottawa, Jan. 29)
- Premier Eby on Alberta Separatism (Jan. 29)
- Announcement of five more Foundry youth centres (Jan. 27)
- Western Canada Critical Mineral Strategy + web page (Jan. 25)
- Results of 2025 BC Hydro Call For Power - 14 proposals, 13 wind/1 solar; five proposals from the southern Interior, two from the central Interior, four from the North Coast and three from the Peace region + BC Hydro page + 2024 Call for Power results (Jan. 21)
- Heritage Conservation Act update - postponement of proposed amendments (Jan. 19)
- Addiction Hot-Line Service Improvements (Jan. 14)
- BC Trade Mission to India (Jan. 12-17, 2026)
Developing ...
- BC Conservative Party Leadership Race (official)
- Emily Lowen on Next Steps for the BC Greens (The Tyee, Jan. 8)
Fall Legislative Session
Oct. 6 to Nov. 27
* UBCM Executive Advocacy With the Province - UBCM statement, Dec. 3
* Fall Session Focus - Province of BC, Oct. 6
* What To Expect from BC Legislature's Fall Session - The Narwhal, Oct. 6
* BC's Population Has Dropped (Times Colonist, Jan. 1, 2026). "Between July and October of this year, more than 26,000 non-permanent residents left B.C. as part of a trend that dropped Canada’s overall population by 0.2 per cent ... B.C. gained large numbers of people in 2022, 2023 and 2024, and its population soared from 5.3 million to just under 5.7 million. Losses in the first quarter of 2025 were due to a decline in natural population growth and interprovincial migration. But decreases in the past two quarters, making up the vast majority of the decrease, have been due to out-migration."
Ministry of Finance - Second Quarterly Report (November, 2025)
"The updated fiscal outlook for 2025/26 forecasts an operating deficit of $11.2 billion, $390 million lower than the projection in the First Quarterly Report."
Bill 25 - Housing and Municipal Affairs Statutes Amendment Act, 2025 (Nov. 28)
- Policy bulletin issued by the Ministry
- Relatively minor changes to Small-Scale Multi-Unit Housing and Short-Term Rental regulations
- Backgrounder
Special Committee on Democratic & Electoral Reform (Nov. 26)
- Committee home page
- Report (first of two) Toward A Stronger Democracy in British Columbia (Nov. 26, 2025)
"The Committee makes 36 recommendations to strengthen BC’s democracy by supporting British Columbians’ participation and engagement, examining the efficacy of legislation and policy, and enhancing the responsibilities of and resources for Elections BC, political parties, and MLAs."
- submissions
- Proportional Representation Won't Be Revived on Eby's Watch (Rob Shaw, Dec. 16, 2025). <clip> "I think British Columbians are done with that conversation," said the Premier.
CleanBC Independent Review Panel (Nov. 26)
Rising To the Moment: Final Report
"CleanBC is, for the most part, working. Its policies and programs are measurably reducing climate pollution while creating jobs, improving community health, and lowering everyday costs for British Columbians. Yet, despite these successes, the plan is not yet reaching its full potential. The government now has an opportunity to adjust and close gaps in CleanBC—improving outcomes for all—while acknowledging current challenges."
Priorities for Action
1. Accelerate clean electricity production and electrification as the foundation of energy security and economic growth
2. Make it easier for British Columbians to cut energy bills and climate pollution
3. Leverage B.C’s clean energy advantage to create more jobs in the energy transition
4. Support B.C.’s industries to become cleaner and more competitive
5. Increase production of clean, made-in-B.C biofuels and renewable natural gas
6. Deepen partnerships with First Nations and local governments
7. Focus on delivering effective, achievable and fiscally responsible outcomes
- engagement home page ~ "Over the course of the review we met with 157 organizations in 41 engagement sessions, received 279 written submissions from 232 different organizations and 47 members of the public and/or experts, and received 2,650 public engagement survey forms."
- review led by Merran Smith from Clean Energy BC and Simon Fraser University's New Economy Canada; and Dan Woynillowicz from the consulting firm Polaris Strategy + Insight.
DASH, Digitally Accelerated Standardized Housing online platform (Nov. 20)
"A new BC Housing online platform called DASH is helping developers and non-profit organizations design and construct three- to six-storey buildings more quickly and at lower cost using products manufactured in B.C."
Look West Workforce Development Strategy (Nov. 20)
- Home page
"Look West is a targeted plan designed to deliver major projects, create good jobs and strengthen B.C.'s and Canada’s economic security in the face of economic threats."
- Accelerating Maritime Industry's Shift to Clean Energy
- COAST Innovation Challenge
- Innovate BC + 2024/25 Impact Report
Proposed Private Members' Bill M-216 - Professional Reliance Act (Oct. 27)
- Draft legislation introduced by MLA George Anderson ... approval required by the Select Standing Committee on Private Bills and Private Members' Bills before advancing to the legislature. Public input welcome until Jan. 6, 2026; Standing Committee likely to address it at its meeting of Feb. 2
- UBCM expresses concern (Nov. 7)
"UBCM views the proposed legislation as continuing a trend towards sweeping, centralized legislation that impacts local governments, developed without meaningful local government input. If adopted, Bill M216 would prohibit local governments from requiring a standard technical peer review during housing development applications. Instead, local governments would be required to accept any certified submission of a registered professional (in accordance with the Professional Governance Act) hired by the developer. If passed, any local government that disputed the submission would have to appeal the certification with the Office of the Superintendent for Professional Guidance."
- Metro Vancouver Mayors Outraged (CBC)
- The Quiet Revolution in BC Planning (City Hall Watch)
- Professional Reliance Review (2019)
- North Cowichan Considers Joining Judicial Review of M-216 (Chemainus Courier, Jan. 8, 2026)
Cowichan Tribes Decision
* BC Supreme Court Decision - Aug. 7, 2025 (case first filed on Sept. 9, 2019)
* Cowichan Tribes website statements on the decision + technical backgrounder
* City of Richmond: Notice to Registered Owners - Oct. 2025
* Legal Panel Discussion at UBCM Conference, Sept. 23, 2025
* Coverage of the UBCM discussion (Resource Works) <clip> ""The panel agreed on two points: the Cowichan case is measured, not catastrophic, and it is also massive in significance. Appeals are already underway, and the process could take seven years or more. In the meantime, municipalities, lenders, and governments will be navigating uncharted territory."
* The Cowichan Ruling Doesn't End Private Property, It Tests Our Honour - Vancouver Sun, Oct. 24
* Correcting Misconceptions: The Cowichan Tribes Decision - Kate Gunn, First Peoples' Law
* "It's A Big Deal," says BC Premier - Les Lyne, Vancouver Sun, Oct. 20
* Related: Rising Tide - Haida Land Title Agreement, April 14, 2024
Miscellaneous
* Zero Emissions Vehicles Framework Update (Nov. 18)
* 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
Media Coverage
* Eby Stands Against Proposed Pipeline as First Nations Vow It Will Never Happen - Times Colonist, Nov. 28
* Carney's Energy Deal Went Down Differently Depending On Who You Ask - CBC, Nov. 27
* 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
* As Smith Pushes New Pipeline Plan, Eby Says No Way - The Tyee, Oct. 2
* 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)
Spring Legislative Session
* 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)
Other Provincial Parties
Conservative Party of BC
* 2025 news and commentary portal
BC Green Party
* Media releases
OneBC
* Website
Federal Government
Build Communities Strong Grant Stream
Announced April 7, 2026 + launch announcement - formerly known as the Canada Community Building Fund
- Build Communities Strong Fund home page
- British Columbia Community Grant Stream
- UBCM related website
Assault-Style Weapons Buyback Program
"While participating in the program is voluntary, compliance with the law is not. Individual firearm owners must safely dispose of or permanently deactivate their assault-style firearms before the amnesty period ends on October 30, 2026, or risk criminal liability for the illegal possession of a prohibited firearm."
- list of firearms and "upper receivers" for individuals
- RCMP firearms page ~ "A firearms licence shows that the licence holder can possess and use firearms. A registration certificate identifies a firearm and links the firearm to its owner. You need a registration certificate for restricted and prohibited firearms. Usually if you are in possession of a firearm, you need a licence even if you are not the owner and never handle the firearm." + RCMP explainer
- Firearm statistics in Canada (2022) ~ 2.2m individuals licensed; 10.4m firearms in circulation
- number of weapons by province returned by March 31, 2026 deadline ~ 67k in total, 15,600 in BC
- firearm regulation in Canada (Wikipedia) + history of gun buyback programs (Argentina, US, UK, etc.)
- guns per capita world-wide (Wikipedia) ~ 34.7 guns/100 people (Canada) vs. 120.5 per 100 (US) & 0.3 per 100 (Japan)
"The collection, deactivation and compensation processes are expected to run from spring through early fall 2026 with the support of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), participating local police of jurisdiction and secure mobile collection units. Firearms collected by the RCMP or local police under this program will be sent in consolidated shipments to a processing facility where they will be validated and destroyed. Firearms collected through mobile collection units will be validated and destroyed on site. After the firearms have been validated, compensation will be issued within 45 business days. Start dates for these processes will be staggered in different parts of the country to ensure that resources and supports for each area are in place. Participants will be notified directly and further details will be provided. All destruction of firearms collected over the course of the program will be completed before the end of the amnesty period, on October 30, 2026."
Following the end of the amnesty period on October 30, 2026, the RCMP and local police will be responsible for the collection of prohibited firearms from individuals who have not complied with the federal ban. The process will shift from a voluntary compensation phase to a mandatory compliance phase, where unauthorized possession of previously prohibited long guns becomes a criminal offense.
- Fraser Institute editorial ~ "The ban targets “assault-style” rifles popular with hunters and sports shooters who—based on the data—are exceptionally law-abiding and less likely to commit murder than other Canadians. To own a firearm in Canada, you must obtain a Possession and Acquisition Licence (PAL) from the RCMP after an initial vetting, then the government monitors PAL holders daily for possible criminal activity."
Canada's Defence Industrial Strategy (Feb. 2026)
Vision: "A robust Canadian defence industry that provides technological and operational advantage to the Canadian Armed Forces and its security partners in their mission to defend Canada, and maximizes growth, job creation and economic benefits for all Canadians."
- Canada's Defence Industrial Strategy (backgrounder 2025)
- Canada's Trade Diversification Strategy
- Canada Groceries and Essentials Benefit (Jan. 26, 2026)
"The benefit will be paid quarterly, at the start of the quarter, to permit timely access to the funds to help families with day-to-day expenses. These amounts are additional to existing benefits such as the Canada Child Benefit, the Canada Disability Benefit, and the Guaranteed Income Supplement."
- Is Canada Ready for an American Civil War? - The Walrus, Jan. 2026
- Disruptions on the Horizon - Canadian Policy Horizons (Government of Canada), April 2024
- On Hybrid Warfare - Canadian Armed Forces Special Operations Forces Command (2016)
- Davos 2026 Speech by PM Carney (Jan. 21) + text
<clip> "Canada is a pluralistic society that works. Our public square is loud, diverse, and free. Canadians remain committed to sustainability. We are a stable, reliable partner – in a world that is anything but—a partner that builds and values relationships for the long term. Canada has something else: a recognition of what is happening and a determination to act accordingly.We understand that this rupture calls for more than adaptation. It calls for honesty about the world as it is. We are taking the sign out of the window. We know the old order is not coming back. We should not mourn it. Nostalgia is not a strategy.
But we believe that from the fracture, we can build something better, stronger, and more just. This is the task of the middle powers, the countries that have the most to lose from a world of fortresses and the most to gain from a world of genuine cooperation."
Federal Budget 2025 (Nov. 4)
- Canada Strong: Budget 2025 + Our Plan infographics
- What's In The Federal Budget For You (CBC)
- Office of the Parliamentary Budget Officer
Misc.
- Introduction of Colour-Coded Weather Alerts (Environment Canada, Nov. 26)
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
- Investment Policy Framework (Nov. 22)
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)
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