Bill 17, the Miscellaneous Statutes Amendment Act, 2014, was introduced in the legislature today by Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Suzanne Anton, Q.C.

If passed, the amendments will affect the following provincial statutes:

Adoption Act - These proposed amendments correct a legal issue identified by the Ministry of Justice in a review of the Adoption Act. The amendments clarify the legislative authority of a director - under the Child, Family and Community Service Act - to support the adoption of children in care and support eligible families through adoption assistance payments.

BC Online Act - Proposed amendments to this act will enable government, in its role as operator of BC OnLine, to collect and retain operator fees associated with delivering the service. The changes are an important first step as government looks to enhance BC OnLine services. These amendments will allow for the online information service to move back into government from its current service provider at the end of the operating agreement. BC OnLine provides online access to government programs such as: Land Titles Registry, Corporate Registry, Personal Property Registry, Manufactured Homes Registry and Wills Registry. The service is primarily used by legal, financial, real estate, land surveying, government and business professionals. These changes will enable government to deliver efficient and effective services that government, businesses and citizens depend on.

Employment Standards Act - The proposed legislation for the Employment Standards Act corrects an oversight and confirms the appointment of Brent Mullin as chair of the Employment Standards Tribunal for the period between Feb. 13, 2009, and Oct. 5, 2011.

This legal housekeeping legislation will correct an oversight that resulted in Mr. Mullin's appointment to the tribunal technically lapsing during the period Feb. 13, 2009, to Oct. 5, 2011, although Mr. Mullin continued to act as the chair.

The proposed legislation would apply retroactively and would confirm the validity of all decisions rendered by the Employment Standards Tribunal between Feb. 13, 2009, and Oct. 5, 2011. There are no financial or other direct impacts for government.

Esquimalt and Nanaimo Railway Belt Tax Act repeal - The Esquimalt and Nanaimo Railway belt tax has not been assessed since 1969. The act was initially introduced in 1950 to collect tax on any land the railway disposed after 1946. Repealing the act will make it clear there will be no tax collected under this act in the future.

Local Government Act, Community Charter and Vancouver Charter - The proposed legislative amendments will support economic development by cutting red tape that can delay building projects and add costs for developers and landowners.

Amendments to the Local Government Act, Community Charter and Vancouver Charter will remove unnecessary ministerial approvals for land use planning and development decisions, allow modern land use policies and practices to replace outdated land use contracts and protect developers from increases in development cost charges.

Nurse Practitioners Amendments and Vital Statistics Act - The proposed amendments to various statutes allow nurse practitioners to work more fully within their existing scope of practice. Amendments will also modernize the Vital Statistics Act and change the approach to providing identity-related services for those who wish to change their sex designation on a birth certificate.

Mines Act - This proposed amendment gives Lieutenant Governor in Council the authority to prescribe fees and charges through regulation for services provided and duties performed under the Mines Act. The amendment also ensures that fees are paid prior to the issuance of a permit or permit revision. The primary purpose of this amendment is to facilitate the introduction of fees for Mines Act permits to maintain timely and efficient service.

Miscellaneous Professional Association Acts - The proposed amendments concern changes to legislation governing three professional accountant associations: the Certified General Accountants Association of British Columbia; the Institute of Chartered Accountants of British Columbia, and; the Certified Management Accountants Society of British Columbia. As a first step toward a planned merger of the three associations, these changes will allow association members to legally use the additional designation Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA), and enable the associations to make bylaws regarding use of designations provided for under their legislation. The acts are:

• Accountants (Chartered) Act.
• Accountants (Management) Act.
• Accountants (Certified General) Act.

Real Estate Development Marketing Act - The proposed amendments to the act bring clarity to the scope of purchasers' remedies and certainty to the enforceability of purchasers' contracts. The proposed changes are designed to increase industry efficiency and provide purchasers with a more readable disclosure statement.

Special Accounts Appropriation and Control Act - Proposed amendments to the Special Accounts Appropriation and Control Act will enable successful implementation of the new BC Training and Education Savings Program (BCTESP). The program will provide $1,200 grants paid from the Children's Education Fund into Registered Education Savings Plans for B.C. six-year-olds born on or after Jan. 1, 2007. This will help B.C. families save for their children's post-secondary education. These changes also authorize the creation of a separate fund or funds to provide for the training and educational needs of former children in care and other vulnerable children who have had significant involvement with the Ministry of Children and Family Development and who would not have their training and educational needs met by BCTESP.

Statute Revision Act - Every year, government is made aware of small errors - such as spelling errors - that are in various pieces of legislation and as an interim fix, corrections are made by regulation. The changes reflected in the regulations are being put before the legislature to be finalized.

Taxation (Rural Area) Act - The proposed amendments to the act will provide the province authority to issue tax notices to a single representative, rather than each owner, on properties that have more than a prescribed number of owners. The changes will help streamline processes, avoid taxpayer confusion and duplicate payments, and they will bring B.C.'s legislation in line with how other jurisdictions administer property taxes.

Workers Compensation Act - This proposed amendment to the Workers Compensation Act fulfills Government's election commitment to restore heart disease in firefighters to the list of presumptive diseases recognized by WorkSafeBC.

The amendment to this legislation will provide further protection for firefighters, as well as forest firefighters. If a firefighter suffers from heart disease or a heart injury - including a heart attack - it will be presumed to be due to their work as a firefighter unless the contrary is proved. This legislation will thus support B.C. firefighters in receiving workers' compensation should they suffer from heart disease or heart injury as a result of their work.

This amendment ensures that B.C. continues to be a leader in recognizing occupational diseases associated with employment as a firefighter.

Media Contacts at Government Communications and Public Engagement:

Miscellaneous Professional Association Acts
Ministry of Advanced Education
Scott Sutherland
250 952-6400

Adoption Act
Ministry of Children and Family Development
Sheldon Johnson
250 213-5811

Local Government Act, Community Charter and Vancouver Charter
Ministry of Community, Sport and Cultural Development
Gillian Rhodes
250 888-1462

Special Accounts Appropriation and Control Act
Ministry of Education
Media Line
250 356-5963

Mines Act
Ministry of Energy and Mines and Responsible for Core Review
Jake Jacobs
250 952-0628

Esquimalt and Nanaimo Railway Belt Tax Act, Real Estate Development Marketing Act and Taxation (Rural Area) Act
Ministry of Finance
Jamie Edwardson
250 356-2821

Employment Standards Act and Workers Compensation Act
Ministry of Jobs, Tourism and Skills Training
David Currie
250 387-2799

Statute Revision Act
Ministry of Justice - Attorney General
Lori DeLuca
250 953-3196

Nurse Practitioners Amendments and Vital Statistics Act
Ministry of Health
Kristy Anderson
250 952-1887 (media line)

BC Online Act
Ministry of Technology, Innovation and Citizens' Services
Melody Wey
250 508-5030