Over the last week, we reaffirmed our commitment to strengthen local economies, make communities safer, invest in people, and make life more affordable for B.C. families.

After the last two years of unprecedented wildfires, many people in B.C. are heading into summer with a feeling of uncertainty. Will families be able to spend time outdoors hiking, camping and taking advantage of B.C.’s backyard? Or will more people face evacuations and threats to their homes and businesses?

Too many people in B.C. have struggled to make ends meet and find a home they can afford. The holiday season often adds the financial strain of travel and entertaining, and combined with the high costs of rent, child care and other expenses, it can be overwhelming.

Many British Columbians were shocked when they heard the findings of the Expert Panel on Money Laundering in Real Estate. More than $7 billion in dirty money was laundered in B.C. last year alone. About $5 billion of that went through B.C.’s real estate market, driving housing prices up and hurting families, seniors and students.

The people of B.C. work hard, and they expect a government that works hard for them. As we begin a new session of the Legislature, the first for our new government, our focus is getting results for people.

British Columbia’s forest industry is facing difficult times. In the Interior, the end of the pine beetle cut, lower prices for lumber, and back-to-back catastrophic wildfire seasons have led to a number of sawmill closures. This has created hardship for workers and uncertainty for the communities that depend on forestry for their livelihoods.