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close menu Office of the Premier

Upgrades secure drinking water system in Prince Rupert

March 17, 2023 9:38 AM
Upgrades secure drinking water system in Prince Rupert
The Province is providing $65 million to the City of Prince Rupert to replace crucial sections of its aging water-distribution system to ensure reliable water service for the community.
  Read More

B.C. supports stable, expanded transit services in Metro Vancouver

March 15, 2023 1:20 PM
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close menu Agriculture and Food

Historic investment in food security supports British Columbians

March 7, 2023 10:55 AM
Historic investment in food security supports British Columbians
The Province is investing more than $200 million in food security to ensure people have better access to an increased supply of affordable, local food.   
  Read More

Farmers, ranchers, processors supported by new Canada-B.C. partnership

March 15, 2023 9:00 AM
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close menu Attorney General

New legislation will help protect against sharing of intimate images without consent

March 6, 2023 3:00 PM
Sharing intimate images without consent is wrong
To better protect people from the harmful effects of having their intimate images shared without their consent and improve access to justice for survivors of sexualized violence, the Province is introducing the intimate images protection act. 
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Amendments will fight disinformation, make elections more accessible

March 2, 2023 10:15 AM
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close menu Children and Family Development

Access to post-secondary education expanded for former youth in care

March 14, 2023 10:15 AM
Expanding access to post-secondary education and skills training for former youth in care
Former youth in care in B.C. of all ages will have their tuition waived for post-secondary education as government takes action to remove age requirements for the Tuition Waiver Program.
  Read More

More children will be supported with inclusive child care

February 3, 2023 8:00 AM
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close menu Citizens' Services

British Columbians will get better highway cell coverage

March 21, 2023 10:45 AM
Safer highways with expanded cell coverage
The Province is supporting new cellular projects that will enable better safety for travellers along key transportation routes across British Columbia.
  Read More

High-speed internet access coming to remote Gitanyow, Stewart

March 16, 2023 11:15 AM
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close menu Education and Child Care

B.C. launches anti-racism action plan for K-12 students

January 23, 2023 11:15 AM
B.C. launches anti-racism action plan for K-12 students
Empowering students and educators to identify and take action against racism and discrimination in British Columbia schools is the aim of a new provincial K-12 Anti-Racism Action Plan launched on Monday, Jan. 23, 2023.
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Students get improved air quality in B.C. schools

March 15, 2023 2:30 PM
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close menu Emergency Management and Climate Readiness

Province boosts funding for communities to help tackle climate challenge

February 21, 2023 12:22 PM
Province boosts funding for communities to help tackle climate challenge
Historic provincial investments will support communities in preparing for the risk of natural disasters related to climate change, along with a new one-stop online platform to help people and communities better prepare for, mitigate and understand disaster and climate risks.
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Community emergency response enhanced by Indigenous cultural safety

February 16, 2023 8:00 AM
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close menu Energy, Mines and Low Carbon Innovation

New energy action framework to cap emissions, electrify the clean economy

March 14, 2023 2:50 PM
New energy action framework to cap emissions, electrify the clean economy
The Province’s new energy action framework will ensure oil and gas sector projects fit within B.C.’s climate commitments and create new opportunities for people in clean energy and technology.
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B.C., Haisla move forward on historic development project, commit to reduce emissions

March 14, 2023 1:58 PM
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close menu Environment and Climate Change Strategy

New energy action framework to cap emissions, electrify the clean economy

March 14, 2023 2:50 PM
New energy action framework to cap emissions, electrify the clean economy
The Province’s new energy action framework will ensure oil and gas sector projects fit within B.C.’s climate commitments and create new opportunities for people in clean energy and technology.
  Read More

B.C., Haisla move forward on historic development project, commit to reduce emissions

March 14, 2023 1:58 PM
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close menu Finance

Budget 2023 takes action on issues that matter most

February 28, 2023 1:40 PM
Budget 2023
Budget 2023 invests in improving health and mental-health care, creating more affordable housing, growing a clean economy and delivering more help with costs – especially for families and British Columbians most affected by global inflation.
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Legislation will help close B.C.’s gender pay gap

March 7, 2023 10:20 AM
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close menu Forests

B.C. introduces new measures on old growth, innovation, forest stewardship

February 15, 2023 1:20 PM
Taking more action to care for B.C. forests
The B.C. government is launching new measures to protect more old growth by fast-tracking innovation and co-developing new local plans with First Nations to better care for B.C.’s forests.
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Updated angling fees increase streams of revenue for fisheries conservation

March 14, 2023 3:45 PM
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close menu Health

B.C. launches action plan to better detect, treat, prevent cancers

February 24, 2023 10:25 AM
A photo of a doctor talking to her patient about her x-ray results. White text on a blue banner reads: BC's Cancer Care Action Plan
Cancer patients and their loved ones will benefit from expanded access to care as B.C. launches a new action plan with immediate steps to better prevent, detect and treat cancers, delivering improved care for people now while preparing for the growing needs of the future.
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More than 300 new long-term care beds coming to Colwood

March 16, 2023 1:45 PM
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close menu Housing

Safe, new homes coming for women, children in B.C.

March 9, 2023 9:15 AM
Safe, new homes coming for women, children in B.C.
More women and children will have an affordable, safe and secure place to go, as 150 homes are either opening or are under construction in four different locations throughout the province.
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More than 130 affordable rental homes open in Langford, Victoria

February 17, 2023 11:00 AM
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close menu Indigenous Relations and Reconciliation

B.C. will formally recognize National Day for Truth and Reconciliation

February 7, 2023 11:35 AM
B.C. will formally recognize National Day for Truth and Reconciliation
The National Day for Truth and Reconciliation will be enshrined in B.C. law to honour the strength and resilience of residential school survivors and remember the children who never came home.
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Huu-ay-aht First Nations, Province partner to create Oomiiqsu Mother Centre

November 8, 2022 2:15 PM
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close menu Intergovernmental Relations Secretariat

Nominate an exceptional citizen for B.C.’s highest honour

January 6, 2023 9:30 AM
Nominate an exceptional citizen for B.C.’s highest honour
Nominations are being accepted for the Order of British Columbia, the Province’s highest honour.
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Fifteen British Columbians honoured for dedication to service

December 5, 2022 10:30 AM
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close menu Jobs, Economic Development and Innovation

Minister’s statement on February Labour Force Survey results

March 10, 2023 8:00 AM
Minister’s statement on February Labour Force Survey results
Brenda Bailey, Minister of Jobs, Economic Development and Innovation, has issued the following statement on the release of Statistics Canada’s Labour Force Survey for February 2023:
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New legislation will reduce barriers for people

March 8, 2023 1:55 PM
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close menu Labour

B.C. will formally recognize National Day for Truth and Reconciliation

February 7, 2023 11:35 AM
B.C. will formally recognize National Day for Truth and Reconciliation
The National Day for Truth and Reconciliation will be enshrined in B.C. law to honour the strength and resilience of residential school survivors and remember the children who never came home.
  Read More

New funds will bolster supports for workers, businesses

February 23, 2023 11:45 AM
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close menu Mental Health and Addictions

B.C. building historic treatment, recovery services for people struggling with addiction

March 2, 2023 12:15 PM
More addiction treatment and recovery spaces
People struggling with mental health and addiction will have access to more treatment and recovery beds, along with community-based aftercare services through new historic investments through Budget 2023.   
  Read More

B.C. takes action to reduce ER wait times for people in mental-health crisis

February 23, 2023 9:52 AM
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close menu Municipal Affairs

Upgrades secure drinking water system in Prince Rupert

March 17, 2023 9:38 AM
Upgrades secure drinking water system in Prince Rupert
The Province is providing $65 million to the City of Prince Rupert to replace crucial sections of its aging water-distribution system to ensure reliable water service for the community.
  Read More

Upgraded wastewater plant will better protect people, environment

March 3, 2023 9:45 AM
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close menu Post-Secondary Education and Future Skills

Access to post-secondary education expanded for former youth in care

March 14, 2023 10:15 AM
Expanding access to post-secondary education and skills training for former youth in care
Former youth in care in B.C. of all ages will have their tuition waived for post-secondary education as government takes action to remove age requirements for the Tuition Waiver Program.
  Read More

Province cooks up new centre for tourism, culinary arts

March 21, 2023 10:30 AM
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close menu Public Safety and Solicitor General

Repeat violent offending teams strengthen public safety

March 14, 2023 10:45 AM
The Province is creating dedicated police-prosecutor-probation officer teams to help keep communities safe by focusing on repeat violent offending throughout British Columbia.
  Read More

Investment in 911 network supports safer communities

March 1, 2023 10:45 AM
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close menu Social Development and Poverty Reduction

Historic investment in food security supports British Columbians

March 7, 2023 10:55 AM
Historic investment in food security supports British Columbians
The Province is investing more than $200 million in food security to ensure people have better access to an increased supply of affordable, local food.   
  Read More

Truck-driving program helps women change gears for new careers

February 17, 2023 8:15 AM
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close menu Tourism, Arts, Culture and Sport

Contract awarded for RBCM collections, research building

February 23, 2023 2:30 PM
Contract awarded for RBCM collections, research building
Construction will begin this summer on the Royal BC Museum’s (RBCM) collections and research building as part of a long-term plan to protect the Province’s collections that include more than seven million artifacts and the BC Archives.
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Support to host sport events will benefit B.C. athletes, tourism

March 12, 2023 1:30 PM
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close menu Transportation and Infrastructure

B.C. supports stable, expanded transit services in Metro Vancouver

March 15, 2023 1:20 PM
B.C. supports stable, expanded transit services in Metro Vancouver
The Province is taking action to address TransLink’s urgent financial needs to protect transit service levels and investment plans, while providing reliable, affordable public transit that connects people to jobs, schools and essential services, enabling the transportation authority to plan for the region’s future.
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New funding will keep ferry fares affordable

February 26, 2023 1:46 PM
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close menu Water, Land and Resource Stewardship

Marine Protected Area Network partners endorse plan to protect British Columbia’s North Coast

February 5, 2023 10:45 AM
Marine Protected Area Network partners endorse plan to protect British Columbia’s North Coast
From Fisheries and Oceans Canada: https://www.canada.ca/en/fisheries-oceans/news/2023/02/marine-protected-area-network-partners-endorse-plan-to-protect-british-columbias-north-coast.html
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Watershed strategy co-developed with First Nations, $100 million invested

March 6, 2023 9:15 AM
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Citizens' Services

Data Privacy Day: Do you know what your apps are doing?

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Honourable Lisa Beare

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Email: CITZ.Minister@gov.bc.ca

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British Columbians will get better highway cell coverage

March 21, 2023 10:45 AM
Safer highways with expanded cell coverage
The Province is supporting new cellular projects that will enable better safety for travellers along key transportation routes across British Columbia.
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High-speed internet access coming to remote Gitanyow, Stewart

March 16, 2023 11:15 AM
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Data Privacy Day: Do you know what your apps are doing?

https://news.gov.bc.ca/07757

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News Release

Victoria
Tuesday, January 27, 2015 3:00 PM

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News Release

Victoria

Tuesday, January 27, 2015 3:00 PM

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VICTORIA - The number of identity theft and fraud reported has grown 50% since 2010 in B.C. with over 2,500 incidents reported to police in 2013. It’s more important than ever to protect your information.

Here are nine simple tips for protecting personal privacy online:

  • Check your apps - Smartphone apps can potentially access your contacts, location, email and other information on your device. Only download apps from a trusted source and ensure you know what you are giving the app permission to do when you install it.
  • Think before you click - Be careful when clicking on unfamiliar links embedded in websites or text, especially when they come from unknown companies. Hackers can create templates that look like a bank or other official websites to make it easier for them to access your computer and online accounts.
  • Think twice about email attachments, even from people you know - Attachments may contain software that could potentially harm your computer's performance, steal your personal information and send viruses to other people.
  • Be cautious about revealing information on social networks - It’s easy to end up with personal information in your social media profiles. Remember to regularly review and update your privacy settings. For example, including email addresses and phone numbers can sometimes be enough for hackers to figure out your password.
  • Do not respond to emails requesting personal information - Legitimate individuals and companies will not ask you to provide or verify sensitive information through a non-secure means such as email. If you have reason to believe that your financial institution needs personal information from you, phone the company using the number in your records, not the one the email may provide.
  • Make strong passwords - When creating new passwords, use a mix of upper and lowercase letters and numbers. Make sure you change your most-important passwords, like banking, every six months.
  • Secure your wireless connection - Make sure to protect your home wireless network with a password. When connecting to public Wi-Fi, be cautious about what information you access. It’s easy for hackers to use programs to snoop and observe open Wi-Fi data.
  • Upgrade your security - Personal firewalls and security software with anti-virus, anti-spam, and spyware detection features are a must-have for those who engage in online financial transactions. Make sure the computer you are using has the latest security patches. Secure websites start with "https" instead of "http" and have a key or closed padlock in the status bar that appears in the lower right-hand corner of the screen.
  • Protect your phone with a password - Smartphones can hold as much or even more personal information than your laptop or desktop computer. Add a password to your smartphones or mobile devices for protection.

British Columbia’s proclamation is part of an international campaign to help educate and illustrate the importance of managing the growing amount of personal information that is being posted to the Internet. 

Quotes:

Minister of Technology, Innovation and Citizens’ Services Amrik Virk -

“With cyberattack and privacy-breach stories becoming a regular event, it’s more important than ever to be smart cyber-citizens. Being an informed user of technology is the best way to protect personal data and privacy.”

Internet/social media safety & security advocate, Personal Protection Systems, Darren Laur -

“Protecting personal information should be a priority. Everything we post online is public, permanent and searchable, which makes it easy to misuse if not properly protected. Remember to practise good habits, ensure privacy settings are in place and use security hardware and software to ensure that personal online information remains as secure and private as possible.”

Quick Facts:

  • Data Privacy Day began in Canada and the United States in January 2008 as an extension of the Data Protection Day celebration in Europe.
  • This day commemorates the 1981 signing of Convention 108, the first legally binding international treaty dealing with privacy and data protection. 
  • Data Privacy Day is a celebration for everyone and is held on Jan. 28 every year.

Learn More:

Proclamation of Data Privacy Day:
www.bclaws.ca/civix/document/id/oic/OIC_CUR/DataPrivacy2015

Minister of Technology, Innovation and Citizens’ Services Amrik Virk on Data Privacy Day 2015 sound clips:
https://soundcloud.com/bcgov/data_privacy_day

Information about how to protect personal information and maintain data security in B.C.:
www.cio.gov.bc.ca/cio/informationsecurity/isawareness/securityawareness.page

By telephone, people can access more information by calling B.C.'s Privacy and Access Helpline at 250 356-1851 in Victoria or toll free at 1 800 663-7867.

Media Contacts:

Melody Wey
Ministry of Technology, Innovation and Citizens’ Services
250 387-0172

https://news.gov.bc.ca/07757

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