Jennifer Whiteside, Minister of Mental Health and Addictions, has released the following statement regarding the BC Coroners Service year-end report on illicit drug toxicity deaths:

Preliminary reporting released by the BC Coroners Service confirms that toxic, unregulated drugs claimed the lives of at least 2,511 people in British Columbia in 2023, the largest number of drug-related deaths ever reported to the agency.

Harry Bains, Minister of Labour, has issued the following statement regarding the Metro Vancouver transit labour dispute:

The removal of the temporary bridge at the Falls Creek (Jackass Mountain) construction site requires a full closure of Highway 1 overnight on Tuesday, Jan. 23, 2024.  

B.C. farmers and ranchers are being supported with a new round of funding to help prepare and protect their farms and animals from extreme-weather emergencies, ensuring people will continue to have access to local food in a changing climate.

Phase 1 of a new made-in-B.C. Critical Mineral Strategy delivers key actions to build a clean economy by expanding the critical minerals sector in alignment with the standards of the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.

Josie Osborne, Minister of Energy, Mines and Low-Carbon Innovation, has released the following statement in celebration of Mineral Exploration Week 2024, from Jan. 21-27:

The Province has approved funding for a new Conseil scolaire francophone de la Colombie-Britannique (CSF) kindergarten-to-Grade 6 elementary school to meet the growing enrolment needs of the region’s francophone community. 

Changes to the Residential Tenancy Regulation (RTR) will provide increased safety for staff and tenants living in supportive housing.