Throne Speech Promises Action on Environment, Drug Crisis, Pandemic Recovery

The throne speech opening the new session of the B.C. legislature today focused on the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, the province’s response to it and the government’s commitment to building back better.

“The COVID-19 pandemic is the toughest challenge we have faced in more than a generation,” said the text of the speech read by Lt.-Gov. Janet Austin and written in Premier John Horgan’s office.

“Many have had to say goodbye to a loved one too soon,” the speech said. “Many others have felt the financial stress of job loss, or the strains of loneliness and isolation. Every one of us has been called on to do our part — and to stay apart — to protect the people around us.”

It noted that 1,400 people in the province have died from COVID-19 since the pandemic began, another 1,800 have died from poisoned illicit drugs.

While British Columbians have risen to the challenge of the pandemic, the government cautioned the province is at a turning point and still has a ways to go.

“The threat of new variants means we cannot relax, even as your government accelerates the largest mass immunization program in B.C.’s history,” the speech said.

If the province receives vaccines as scheduled, everybody in the province will be able to receive a first dose by the end of June, it said. “With each person who gets vaccinated, all of us become safer. Bringing us one step closer to the end of the pandemic. But in a marathon, the final push is the most difficult.”

British Columbians share a collective responsibility to keep people healthy and safe until the province reaches the pandemic finish line, the speech said. “It is an essential precondition for economic recovery and a return to normal life. And it will remain your government’s top priority.”

The pandemic exposed systemic gaps in health care, housing and other basic services, the speech said, and in future it’s essential to share decision-making and prosperity “with the Indigenous peoples who have exercised their inherent rights on their respective territories since time immemorial.”

Other priorities outlined in the speech included helping businesses and workers in the hard-hit tourism and hospitality sectors, supporting the work charitable organizations and non-profits do in their communities and creating good jobs while also protecting the environment and tackling the climate crisis.

The provincial budget, where the government’s priorities get translated into financial decisions, is scheduled for release April 20.

“This budget will choose to help people now and create the conditions for a strong economic recovery that reaches every British Columbian,” the throne speech said. “It will make health care better while creating new opportunities for people. It will target help to small businesses so they can grow and hire. And it will invest in the infrastructure we need to strengthen local communities.”

The government will protect public services, then “carefully return” to balanced budgets after the pandemic ends and the economy recovers.

B.C. has already delivered more direct help to people during the pandemic than any other province in Canada and took a leadership role in protecting workers, it said. “We successfully advocated for paid sick leave benefits for workers across Canada during the pandemic. And we amended B.C.’s laws to make sure workers cannot be fired for staying home when they are sick.”

It noted that women, young people, Indigenous peoples, Black people, people of colour and those working in frontline jobs and the gig economy have been disproportionately affected. “As we move forward towards better days, your government will make targeted investments to ensure the recovery does not leave people behind,” it said.

It promised to improve health care, hire thousands of new workers for long-term care and reduce wait times for surgeries. There will be new investments to improve mental health and addictions care, it said.

“B.C. will take action to end the criminalization of simple drug possession that directly leads to stigma and prevents people from seeking services,” it said.

There will be a 20-per-cent cut to ICBC rates, new money for rental homes, more child care spaces available at $10 a day and continued efforts to address homelessness.

In the speech the government promised “record investments” in infrastructure, development of an anti-racism law and reform of the Police Act. “It will also introduce landmark legislation to remove barriers to accessibility and inclusion experienced by British Columbians with disabilities,” it said.

A section on the environment promised reforms to B.C.’s forestry laws, continued implementation of recommendations in a report on old-growth forests and steps to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

“Too often, economic growth in our province has come at the expense of the environment,” it said. “That must change. We can no longer rely on simple resource extraction to generate wealth with no regard to long-term consequences.”

At the same time, it said it will do more to make sure communities, First Nations and small businesses have access to wood from the province’s forests.

“Land management practices will be updated to improve forest stewardship and emphasize environmental protection,” it said. “The forest sector will be supported to move from volume to value — using innovation to improve management, support communities and generate economic opportunity.”

The recovery from the pandemic needs to be seen as an opportunity to accelerate environmental protection, not an excuse to relax the commitment to sustainability, it said.

Green Leader Sonia Furstenau said in a prepared statement that the province needs courageous leadership, not minor tweaks to the status quo.

“This throne speech doesn’t outline a plan to address the gaping holes in mental health care or to tackle the housing affordability crisis in any meaningful way,” Furstenau said.

“I was profoundly disappointed to see no mention of a green recovery,” she said. “Our recovery from COVID-19 provides a singular opportunity to change our economy for the better and we cannot afford to let it pass us by.”

People are looking for an inspiring and shared vision of a future that is healthier, more equitable and more hopeful, she said. “We owe it to young British Columbians and to future generations to seize this moment and to not let all of the sacrifices of this past year amount to nothing.”

BC Liberal interim leader Shirley Bond said many individuals and businesses are struggling, but the throne speech offered them no immediate support.

“Today we see little help, little hope, and in fact very little assistance for British Columbians who are struggling as they try to manage their way as we continue to be in the middle of this pandemic,” Bond said.

“We need to see that long-term strategic plan that’s going to rebuild confidence and restart the economy in British Columbia,” she said. “That’s what we would have done.”

Bond said she expects next week’s budget will show a significant deficit, but the government’s priority has to be getting support to people and businesses who need it.

“I think it’s reasonable to expect that it is going to take time to restore British Columbia’s balanced budget, but it should still be an important priority to create that plan, that job creation strategy, that economic recovery strategy, that will ultimately lead to resumed confidence in British Columbia so that we can be in a position to look at a balanced budget.”

*Story updated on April 12 at 4:40 and 5:01 p.m. to include comment from the BC Liberal interim leader Shirley Bond and BC Green Leader Sonia Furstenau.