Government is committed to making British Columbia a safe harbour, welcoming those fleeing war and violence in their own countries and supporting the integration of all newcomers to B.C.

That familiar September feeling is in the air as thousands of students return to school throughout B.C. this week, anticipating the new school year while looking forward to reconnecting with friends and meeting new teachers. Whether they’re coming back to the school they were at last year, or moving to a new one, it’s an exciting time to embrace the opportunities and challenges the year will bring. 

As the summer holidays draw to a close, many families are starting to think about their back-to-school tasks. Buy school supplies. Take their children for haircuts. And help their kids pick out the perfect outfit for the first day of school.

In an otherwise bad-news year, I’d like to share something positive: no matter how you get around, 2019 was, by many measures, the safest time to be on B.C.’s roads in years.

This factsheet is updated with current information on the overdose crisis in B.C., including provincial actions, statistics and announcements.

This summer, our government has taken action to provide the most significant improvements to the Workers Compensation Act (WCA) in more than two decades. The current pandemic has highlighted the need for modernization, for stronger occupational health and safety protections and a more balanced workers’ compensation system. The bill we passed this summer drew on several expert reports that had feedback from employers, workers, as well as experts in workers’ compensation systems.

The tourism industry is a major economic engine and job creator for people in British Columbia.

British Columbia is in the midst of two major public health emergencies. The first is the on-going overdose crisis, and while overall death rates have started to come down, it continues to take a heart-breaking toll on families and communities across B.C. The second, of course, is the COVID-19 pandemic, which has drastically changed all our lives.

As we celebrate Education Week 2020, there’s never been a better time to shine a bright light on the extraordinary work being done throughout our province right now to ensure B.C. kids keep learning.