Premier John Horgan has issued the following statement in celebration of B.C. Day:

“On B.C. Day, we celebrate this beautiful place we call home and reflect on the history of our province.

“There is much to be proud of and grateful for in British Columbia. We are surrounded by unmatched natural beauty, abundant resources and thriving communities that people from around the world call home.

“By working together, British Columbians have pulled through one of the most challenging times in our province’s history. We helped fight the COVID-19 pandemic by following public health advice and getting immunized in record numbers.

“This B.C. Day, I encourage everyone take a moment to recognize the health-care workers, first responders and so many others who worked tirelessly through the pandemic. Tonight at 7 p.m., I ask everyone to step out onto their lawns or balconies and join me in making some noise for our front-line workers.

“Now, we are confronted with a new challenge. As wildfires threaten our province, I have no doubt that people will once again step up, look out for one another and help those in need, because that is what we do as British Columbians. 

“This year also marks the 150th anniversary of B.C. joining confederation. While there are many proud moments in the story of British Columbia, there are also dark chapters. Colonialism has left a legacy that continues to inflict pain upon people and perpetuate systems of racism and discrimination.

“Reconciliation with Indigenous peoples, on whose territories all people in British Columbia are privileged to live, is a responsibility we all share. It will take all of us working together to dismantle the barriers that far too many people still experience in their daily lives and build a more inclusive province.

“There are challenging days ahead, but British Columbians are more than equal to the task. We are resilient, hard-working people, and together we are going to build a stronger British Columbia for everyone.”