Tag Archives: Gov of BC

Forests

How Will the Parties Help BC Forest Workers?

By Isaac Phan Nay, The Tyee, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

It’s been hard to keep up with the impact of U.S. President Donald Trump’s tariff trade war on Canada.

Punishing tariffs have been levied on steel, aluminum and automobiles and — critically for B.C. — softwood lumber.

“Tariffs are the top election issue for workers,” Canadian Labour Congress president Bea Bruske said. “This uncertainty really has people very, very stressed out about the future of their jobs.”

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Indigenous Nations, Politics

Anna Kindy Explains Why She Does Not Endorse A Section Of DRIPA & More

While she recognizes DRIPA as a valuable document, MLA Anna Kindy recently informed the SRD Board that she does not support ‘article 26.’ The topic came up when she took part in the May 26 Board meeting. 

Kindy began by stating, “ Part of the reason I’m here is to actually learn how things are run.  I’m not going to pretend I know everything, far from it.  It’s a steep learning curve, but my motivation is to truly represent my constituents. I ran for a party, but I’m apolitical now that I am an MLA,  I just look at issues separately and try to bring people’s voices to the legislature, to whoever it needs to be brought to.  I’m not a public speaker by nature, but I do answer questions very readily, so I’m just going to pass it over to you guys if you have any questions.”

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Housing

RIEP Presentation: Affordable Housing Across The Islands

One of the 2025 RIEP Virtual Forum presentations was a panel discussion of how the affordable housing societies were faring on six rural islands. There were a lot of common themes running throughout their stories: difficulties obtaining funding through BC Housing, CMHC and other organizations whose requirements are drawn up for urban rather than rural areas; the cost of building on remote islands; relationships with regional districts and Islands Trust; and water issues. The moderator was Mike Hoebel from the  Galiano Affordable Living Initiative Society (GALI).

Mike Hoebel: “The lack of affordable housing is truly a crisis in our communities and housing policy was a major item for discussion back at the RIEP 2023 In-Person Forum Gabriola. Today we’re going to hear from a number of people about housing related initiatives underway in their communities.”

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Business, Community

Potential Land Use Issue at Evans Bay, Read Island

The text of Lannie Keller’s Tuesday, March 11 presentation made to the Electoral Areas Services Committee

I’m here to present local concerns and request SRD’s help to avert a land use conflict and a Bylaw zoning violation at Read Island.  

To begin, I’m grateful to live in unceded traditional territory of the Homalco and Klahoose First Nations. And for the wild beauty of this place.

We moved to Read Island in 1980, and have made our living creating and running (what is now) Canada’s longest operating kayak touring company from our home in Evans Bay. Coast Mountain Expeditions has become Read Island’s largest employer. We offer activities based on wilderness ambience – all in this local area. Our business is threatened by Island Sea Farm’s Aquaculture License #1401594, conditionally approved by the province in June 2023. 

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Energy

One oil and gas site was ‘stinky,’ another was ‘gurgling.’ B.C. officials gave them a pass anyway

By Matt Simmons, The Narwhal, Local Journalism Initiative reporter

“Serious deficiency.” “Very stinky.” “Leakage.” “A hazard.”

Those are some of the ways BC Energy Regulator officials described oil and gas sites when they documented apparent environmental infractions during routine inspections, according to internal documents. 

The regulator, a provincial government agency, is largely funded by the oil and gas industry and charged with managing oil and gas activities across the province. 

The Narwhal and the Investigative Journalism Foundation identified more than 1,000 instances when inspectors documented apparent infractions yet gave the sites in question a passing grade, according to more than 40,000 records released through freedom of information legislation. The records reveal a widespread pattern: the B.C. government is failing to ensure oil and gas companies comply with regulations designed to protect ecosystems and human health and safety. 

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