Thursday September 19, 2024 | VANCOUVER, BC
by Mary P Brooke | Island Social Trends
This morning Premier David Eby will be addressing the delegates at the Union of BC Municipalities (UBCM) convention in Vancouver, at 11:15 am.
He addressed the impacts of global inflation on households and community, and the impacts of the highest-ever population growth that has been seen in the past three years.
The election is “a pretty stark choice”, said Eby.
It’s a time to hire more health-care workers and not cut health-care budgets, build hospitals and not close them, the Premier said.
His commitment is that “we need to keep working together”, said Eby, of course pointing out that his NDP government would need to be “returned to office following the election”.
Housing:
Housing is one of the biggest issues that is connected to many other issues, said Eby. He says that experts say 300,000 middle income homes will be built over the next 10 years based on what the BC NDP government has put into place.
Public land is being used for attainable middle income housing. Short term rentals and speculation have been addressed. Faster and easier builds is taking pressure off the need for public hearings. “Rents are finally starting to come down,” said Eby, noting that’s down from record highs.
So far, 90% of municipalities have made the required zoning changes. He thanked municipalities for the heavy workload to get the changes done.
“What we’re doing is working and we can’t stop now,” said Eby.
EComm review:
There will be a provincial review of the performance of the EComm (911) service, said Eby. That will have no cost to municipalities, he said.
Health-care:
“It is not meeting your expectations and it is not meeting my expectations,” said Eby about the health-care system in BC. But there are signs things are heading in the right direction,he said, noting more family doctors hired and more people being connected to them.
He promised that “every single British Columbian will have access to a family doctor”.
Cuts to health-care will not address the challenges we face, said Eby, referring to the approach that the BC Conservatives would take, if elected as BC’s next provincial government.
Toxic drug crisis:
“Many of you have seen our announcement about expanding care for people struggling with mental health issues, brain injuries and serious addictions to opioids,” said Eby.
There are two goals the NDP government is trying to address: helping the people dealing with these health issue as well as the communities feeling safe.
More policing will be provided for downtown cores, said Eby, to applause from the municipal audience. Mental health, peer response, and connections to treatment will be included in the scope of response.
Questions from the UBCM delegates:
Questions were taken from delegates only using the online platform called Slido. Delegates who lined up at microphones in the room were told by UBCM President Trish Mandewo that their questions would not be taken.
Eby said that housing and infrastructure are “indivisible”.
Climate change will continue to be addressed by a BC NDP government, said Eby. If a government is elected that doesn’t believe in climate change, will dikes be built, forest fire management done, and how will investors coming to BC be guided on this matter, Eby posited re if the BC Conservatives were to win under leadership by John Rustad.
“We are the most climate-affected jurisdiction,” in Eby, comparing BC to other provinces in Canada. Polluters will be encouraged to pay a climate tax in BC. “Protecting the province’s finances and supporting people” if the federal government climate tax is withdrawn will have to be addressed, said Eby. Royalties do come to the BC government through oil and gas, Eby noted.
Transit will be expanded across the province, says Eby. “We wanted to avoid the death-spiral of reduced ridership,” he said regarding how bus ridership went down during the pandemic.
Skilled trades training and modular housing construction are two ways that housing will be facilitated in small and rural communities, said Eby. He said more details will be in the BC NDP election platform.
“Every person in this room knows the value of collaboration and working together. I will never tolerate the level of racism and division that is being promoted by (the BC Conservatives),” said Eby. “Let’s build our province, let’s do it together for all British Columbians, for our kids,” said Eby at the conclusion of his time on stage this morning.
Media session:
The Premier will hold a media availability at 12:15 pm.
All of this comes just days ahead of the official campaign start on September 21. The BC provincial election is on October 19.
===== RELATED:
Housing is the top election issue says Eby (July 22, 2024)
NEWS SECTIONS: BC PROVINCIAL ELECTION 2024