BC Gov News

The Ministry of Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development plans to conduct a 180-hectare prescribed burn on Crown land, near Cherry Creek, to restore the area’s ecosystem, and reduce wildfire risks for nearby communities.

The Miscellaneous Statutes Amendment Act (No. 2), 2018, was introduced in the legislature today, Apr. 23, 2018, by Attorney General David Eby.

Government is tabling amendments to the Class Proceedings Act that, if approved by the legislature, will clarify and improve the processes for class proceedings involving both residents and non-residents of British Columbia.

The Province of British Columbia has marked the official proclamation of Creative Industries Week, April 23 to 30, 2018, with a BC Book Day celebration at the Parliament Buildings in Victoria.

Premier John Horgan has issued the following statement on the apology by the City of Vancouver to Chinese Canadians:

People in the Fraser Health region will have better access to joint replacement surgery, thanks to the Fraser Health hip and knee replacement program, which will increase the number of hip and knee replacement surgeries in the region by 23% in 2018-19.

During National Organ and Tissue Donation Awareness Week, Minister of Citizens’ Services Jinny Sims wants to remind British Columbians to register their decisions on organ donation at any Service BC office.

The Province is investing $50 million in the Peace River region, to strengthen its local service sector and boost the regional economy.

Premier John Horgan has issued the following statement in honour of Earth Day:

A new prohibition coming into force on May 1, 2018, will ban all former public-office holders from lobbying for two years after leaving their position.

In partnership with the City of Prince Rupert and North Coast Transition Society, the Province is responding to a growing need for supportive housing, and is moving ahead with 36 units of modular housing at 1450 Park Ave., with construction to begin this summer.

The Ministry of Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development plans to conduct a series of ecosystem restoration burns southwest of Williams Lake between April 23 and May 15, 2018, weather conditions permitting.

The Cariboo Fire Centre is encouraging the public to exercise caution with any outdoor burning activities, due to predicted windy conditions in the region that could bring gusts up to 40 kilometres per hour to some areas on Saturday.

The Government of British Columbia is asking for public input on a $27-million provincial caribou recovery program, Doug Donaldson, Minister of Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development announced today.

Twelve more students in Oliver will be able to get the education and skills to pursue a fulfilling and in-demand career as health-care assistants, with the expansion of the program at Okanagan College.

Sixteen more students in Masset will be able to get the education and skills to pursue a fulfilling and in-demand career as health-care assistants, with the expansion of the program at Northwest Community College (NWCC).

Fourteen more students in Kamloops will be able to get the education and skills to pursue a fulfilling and in-demand career as care aides, with the expansion of the program at the Nicola Valley Institute of Technology (NVIT).

Fifteen more students in Quesnel will be able to get the education and skills to pursue a fulfilling and in-demand career as health-care assistants, with the expansion of the program at the College of New Caledonia (CNC).

Motorists are advised that the northbound off-ramp from Highway 91 to 72nd Avenue will be closed from 9 p.m. on Friday, April 20, to approximately 5 a.m. on Wednesday, April 25, depending on the weather.

The public is invited to participate in the annual juvenile white sturgeon release on Thursday, April 26, 2018, between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m., at the Old Ferry Landing, near Creston.

The Government of British Columbia is meeting with Catalyst Paper and community stakeholders to come up with strategies to protect the paper industry in light of the U.S. decision to levy high duties against Catalyst Paper’s exports of newsprint, book publishing and printing papers, Premier John Horgan announced today.

From Fort St. John to Wells, eight communities in northern British Columbia are receiving age-friendly grants to support seniors, so they can live active, safe, socially engaged and independent lives.

From Kent to Surrey, four communities in the Fraser Valley are receiving age-friendly grants to support British Columbia seniors, so they can live active, safe, socially engaged and independent lives.

From Ladysmith to Saanich, four communities in the Vancouver Island region are receiving age-friendly grants to support British Columbia seniors, so they can live active, safe, socially engaged and independent lives.

From Powell River to West Vancouver, four communities in the Vancouver Coastal Health region are receiving age-friendly grants to support British Columbia seniors, so they can live active, safe, socially engaged and independent lives.

From Cache Creek to Trail, 14 communities in the Interior are receiving age-friendly grants to support British Columbia seniors, so they can live active, safe, socially engaged and independent lives.

British Columbia’s winemakers, grape growers and tourism operators are taking a step toward the establishment of a learning centre geared to their specific needs, thanks to a federally and provincially funded feasibility study for a BC Wine Centre of Excellence.

The Government of British Columbia is taking action to help clean technology companies so they can expand into global markets and create good jobs for people throughout B.C., Bruce Ralston, Minister of Jobs, Trade and Technology, announced today.

Workers who earn an alternate minimum wage — including liquor servers, piece-rate farm workers, resident caretakers and live-in camp leaders — will soon see a pay raise, Minister of Labour Harry Bains announced today.

Whether seniors live in residential care, assisted living or their own homes, government is taking action to ensure care will be there for them when and where they need it.

The BC Wildfire Service is planning to burn about 50 piles of wood debris in an area near the Arawana Forest Service Road, about five kilometres east of Naramata.

The Ministry of Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources is looking to improve the restoration of orphan wells in British Columbia, and better protect the province's land and water.

The Province is launching a review of B.C.’s real estate regulators to make sure that British Columbians are effectively protected, announced Finance Minister Carole James. 

 Attorney General David Eby has released the following statement regarding the government’s reference case:

Disaster Financial Assistance (DFA) is now available for eligible British Columbians in the central Interior who may have been impacted by overland flooding or landslides from heavy rains that began on March 22, 2018.

As part of National Volunteer Week, the Government of British Columbia has recognized six Public Safety Lifeline volunteers for their contributions to emergency and disaster response throughout the province.

Government has introduced two legislative amendments that, if passed, will strengthen maintenance enforcement orders and ensure that children and families have the supports they are entitled to through the Family Maintenance Enforcement Program (FMEP).

The Government of British Columbia is exploring ways to develop a community solution that improves access to post-secondary education and training for people living in the fast-growing communities of the West Shore and Sooke.

Environment Canada has issued warnings and special weather statements for the Southern Interior, as heavy snowfall is expected on many British Columbia highways within the next 24 hours.

The Government of British Columbia is taking steps to strengthen enforcement and prevent fraud in B.C.’s investment markets, announced Finance Minister Carole James.

The first batch of vaccines to protect pet rabbits from rabbit haemorrhagic disease has arrived from Europe.

Members of the public are invited to provide comment on the proposed new Tsaa Nuna conservancy, until May 25, 2018.

The Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure will upgrade approximately two kilometres of Otter Point Road, which is a key access point for Highway 14, and an important alternative route when the highway is closed.

The second year of British Columbia’s Community Gaming Grants capital project program gives organizations an opportunity to apply for funding to complete projects that provide significant benefits to their communities.

Over the past six days, thousands of festival goers have revelled in alpine fun, music and "big air" at the 23rd annual World Ski and Snowboard Festival in Whistler.

The safety and security of First Nation communities is a shared priority for the Government of Canada and the Province of British Columbia. Canada is committed to partnering with First Nations to ensure access to emergency assistance services that are comparable to those available to nearby non-Indigenous communities.

The Ministry of Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development plans to conduct a 500-hectare prescribed burn in the Crows Bar area between April 16 and April 30, 2018, weather and site conditions permitting.

In total, 1,187 provincial permits are required for the Trans Mountain expansion project, with many involving First Nations consultation.

People living in northern British Columbia can look forward to reduced wait times for hip and knee surgeries, and a 70% increase in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) exams, thanks to government’s new surgical and diagnostic strategy.

In anticipation of the upcoming spring freshet, dam owners throughout the province are being urged to safeguard their water supplies and ensure that their dams operate safely during this period of high flows.

The Government of British Columbia’s new HousingHub will bring local governments, Indigenous partners, the non-profit sector and developers together for innovative partnerships to create homes people throughout British Columbia can afford.

In the coming weeks, the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure will resurface two sections of Head Bay Forest Service Road, to make the drive smoother and safer for people, using a process called sealcoating.

The Habitat Conservation Trust Foundation has been granted $2 million to aid in caribou habitat restoration, Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development Minister Doug Donaldson announced during his address at the B.C. Wildlife Federation’s annual conference.

Premier John Horgan has released the following statement in honour of Vaisakhi on Saturday, April 14, 2018:

British Columbia Vintners Quality Alliance (BC VQA) wines are growing in distinction.

Effective immediately, the black bear general open season hunt on Haida Gwaii is closed and is being replaced by a limited entry hunt. 

The Government of British Columbia plans to strengthen the Residential Tenancy Act and Manufactured Home Park Tenancy Act to better protect both renters and tenants of manufactured home parks.

British Columbia’s hard-working farmers and food processors are a key component of the economy, and continue to see a growing global demand for their world-class products.

Children and Family Development Minister Katrine Conroy has released the following statement regarding the Representative for Children and Youth’s announcement that he will resign from the position at the end of August:

Effective at noon on Monday, April 23, 2018, Category 3 open fires will be prohibited throughout the Cariboo Fire Centre to help prevent human-caused wildfires and protect public safety.

Courtesy of the Fisheries and Oceans Canada: https://www.canada.ca/en/fisheries-oceans/news/2018/04/british-columbia-businesses-supported-in-clean-technology-adoption-by-fisheries-and-oceans-canada.html

With today’s proposed amendments to the Public Service Act, the government is continuing to make progress on the recommendations outlined in the ombudsperson’s Misfire Report, announced Finance Minister Carole James.

The Government of British Columbia is providing the Northwest B.C. Resource Benefits Alliance (RBA) with $300,000 in support of RBA communities’ continued efforts to strengthen economic development in the region.

Harry Bains, Minister of Labour, introduced amendments to the Employment Standards Act today.

The Government of British Columbia has introduced legislation — the International Commercial Arbitration Amendment Act — to help position Vancouver as a more desirable location to host international commercial arbitration proceedings, by updating its legislation to align with accepted international standards.

Starting today, guide outfitters in British Columbia can now conduct many hunting business transactions online through one electronic system.

As part of the Highway 1 Kamloops-to-Alberta four-laning program, the results of the most recent public consultation on the Highway 1 RW Bruhn Bridge Replacement Project are now available online at: www.gov.bc.ca/bchwy1-bruhn

Lisa Beare, Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture, was diagnosed last week with a medical condition requiring heart surgery. She is receiving medical care, and is expected to make a full recovery. Beare will be absent from the legislature for a few weeks while she recuperates.

Members of the public are invited to attend two upcoming information sessions in North Vancouver about the Highway 1/Lower Lynn Improvements Project.

Premier John Horgan has issued the following statement regarding Kinder Morgan’s decision to suspend non-essential spending on the Trans Mountain expansion project:

Communities all over the province are the big winners after a new round of Hosting BC grants that support local, provincial, national and international sporting events.

The BC Coroners Service has announced that a public inquest will be held into the death of Andre Claude Boucher.

The Province has identified a location and operator for modular housing in Penticton that will be built by a local manufacturer, helping those most in need, while strengthening the local economy.

British Columbia’s Aboriginal friendship centres have access to reliable, dedicated funding for the first time thanks to Budget 2018, ensuring their critical services for urban Indigenous peoples into the future.

Communities and wildlife will benefit from $134 million being awarded by the Forest Enhancement Society of B.C. (FESBC) to 71 forest enhancement projects around the Province, Premier John Horgan announced today.

Destination BC, B.C.’s tourism marketing organization, has launched a special campaign to promote wine tourism as part of B.C. Wine Month.

The Government of British Columbia is investing $7.8 million to promote the use of B.C. wood overseas, advance wood building systems and products, and expand global markets.

Nelson residents will find it even easier to access government services with the official opening of a brand new FrontCounter BC office in their community, Michelle Mungall, MLA for Nelson-Creston, announced today on behalf of Doug Donaldson, Minister of Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development.

A new specialized treatment centre for youth facing substance-use challenges is coming to Fraser Health.

The Government of British Columbia has released the report that it received from the Minister of Agriculture’s Advisory Council on Finfish Aquaculture (MAACFA).

The Government of British Columbia is moving ahead with new affordable rental homes for people with low to moderate incomes, including seniors and people with disabilities living in Vernon.