BC politics

B.C. Premier John Horgan walks to the rose garden at the B.C. legislature, June 16, 2020. (Chad Hipolito/The Canadian Press)

B.C. approves deferral of old-growth logging at Fairy Creek, Walbran valleys

Premier John Horgan accepts Indigenous demand to pause

B.C. Premier John Horgan walks to the rose garden at the B.C. legislature, June 16, 2020. (Chad Hipolito/The Canadian Press)
B.C.’s “community safety unit” and police raid an unlicensed cannabis store in Sooke, Oct. 27, 2019. (Tim Collins/Sooke News Mirror)

Illegal cannabis often contaminated with pesticides, B.C. study finds

Bacteria, heavy metals also present in some seized samples

B.C.’s “community safety unit” and police raid an unlicensed cannabis store in Sooke, Oct. 27, 2019. (Tim Collins/Sooke News Mirror)
Vancouver-Langara MLA Michael Lee, B.C. Liberal transportation critic, speaks in the legislature, March 10, 2021. (Hansard TV)

MLA Michael Lee officially enters B.C. Liberal leadership contest

Fourth candidate to lead official opposition in B.C. legislature

Vancouver-Langara MLA Michael Lee, B.C. Liberal transportation critic, speaks in the legislature, March 10, 2021. (Hansard TV)
Saik’uz First Nation Coun. Jasmine Thomas and Chief Priscilla Mueller speak about the need for addiction treatment facility near Vanderhoof, March 2021. (Aman Parhar/Omineca Express)

Remote B.C. addiction treatment centre tries again with ministry support

Agriculture minister insists she is not interfering in land commission

Saik’uz First Nation Coun. Jasmine Thomas and Chief Priscilla Mueller speak about the need for addiction treatment facility near Vanderhoof, March 2021. (Aman Parhar/Omineca Express)
B.C. Green Party leader Sonia Furstenau speaks in the B.C. legislature, December 2020. (Hansard TV)

B.C. counsellors won’t get their own regulatory college, minister says

Professional self-discipline groups being reduced from 20 to six

B.C. Green Party leader Sonia Furstenau speaks in the B.C. legislature, December 2020. (Hansard TV)
Each year, less than one per cent of the area designated for sustainable timber harvesting by B.C.’s independent chief forester is harvested. (B.C. government photo)

B.C. overhaul of logging policy continues to include old-growth harvest

Province seeks new ways to redistribute big logging tenures

Each year, less than one per cent of the area designated for sustainable timber harvesting by B.C.’s independent chief forester is harvested. (B.C. government photo)
Tracy Porteous, co-executive director of Ending Violence Association of B.C. (Tom Fletcher/Black Press)

B.C. expands grant program for community sexual assault response

Indigenous, immigrant women receive specialized outreach

Tracy Porteous, co-executive director of Ending Violence Association of B.C. (Tom Fletcher/Black Press)
Downtown areas across B.C. have emerged from a bleak winter, with business closures and restrictions as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. (Angie Mindus/Williams Lake Tribune)

Return to offices up next in B.C.’s COVID-19 restart plan

Tourism businesses can start to take bookings again

Downtown areas across B.C. have emerged from a bleak winter, with business closures and restrictions as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. (Angie Mindus/Williams Lake Tribune)
Premier John Horgan arrives to receive a dose of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine at the pharmacy in James Bay Thrifty’s Foods in Victoria, B.C., on Friday, April 16, 2021. British Columbia’s plans to restart the province with the methodical lifting of strict COVID-19 health restrictions are set to be announced today. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chad Hipolito

B.C. set to lay out restart road map as COVID-19 cases slow, vaccinations increase

Horgan said plans involve gradual lifting of health restrictions and by July B.C. will be in a better spot

Premier John Horgan arrives to receive a dose of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine at the pharmacy in James Bay Thrifty’s Foods in Victoria, B.C., on Friday, April 16, 2021. British Columbia’s plans to restart the province with the methodical lifting of strict COVID-19 health restrictions are set to be announced today. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chad Hipolito
Rail shipment of lumber from B.C.’s Interior. (Black Press Media files)

Despite shortage, U.S. moves to double some Canadian lumber duties

B.C. industry says American builders, home buyers will pay

Rail shipment of lumber from B.C.’s Interior. (Black Press Media files)
Holland America Volendam carries passengers from Seattle to Ketchikan, Alaska for scenic tours. A 19th century U.S. shipping law has required foreign vessels to stop at a B.C. port in between. (Holland America Line)

Seattle-Alaska cruise ships gear up to bypass B.C. ports this summer

Ottawa’s COVID-19 ban until March 2022 pushes U.S. to act

Holland America Volendam carries passengers from Seattle to Ketchikan, Alaska for scenic tours. A 19th century U.S. shipping law has required foreign vessels to stop at a B.C. port in between. (Holland America Line)
Ravi Kahlon listens as John Horgan speaks to supporters during a campaign stop in Surrey, B.C., on Monday May 8, 2017. The British Columbia government is poised to announce details of a provincial restart plan on Tuesday. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck

Horgan: B.C.’s post-COVID-19 road map to be revealed Tuesday

Plan to restart B.C.’s economy to be revealed as COVID restrictions ease says premier

Ravi Kahlon listens as John Horgan speaks to supporters during a campaign stop in Surrey, B.C., on Monday May 8, 2017. The British Columbia government is poised to announce details of a provincial restart plan on Tuesday. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck
RCMP officers stop vehicles at one of the COVID-19 essential travel stops on highways into B.C.’s Lower Mainland. (B.C. RCMP photo)

B.C. RCMP stepping up COVID-19 road checks for long weekend

30 drivers voluntarily turned around last weekend

RCMP officers stop vehicles at one of the COVID-19 essential travel stops on highways into B.C.’s Lower Mainland. (B.C. RCMP photo)
B.C. Jobs Minister Ravi Kahlon announces formation of a new Crown corporation called InBC to manage $500 million in public funds to help startup companies expand, B.C. legislature, April 27, 2021. (B.C. government photo)

Opposition questions B.C.’s ‘people-planet-profit’ investment fund

Low investment returns, high tax rates for entrepreneurs cited

B.C. Jobs Minister Ravi Kahlon announces formation of a new Crown corporation called InBC to manage $500 million in public funds to help startup companies expand, B.C. legislature, April 27, 2021. (B.C. government photo)
Livestock competitions have been part of the Pacific National Exhibiton for more than a century. (Maple Ridge News files)

B.C. provides $50 million to keep major tourist attractions going

Tour bus companies also eligible for latest COVID-19 aid

Livestock competitions have been part of the Pacific National Exhibiton for more than a century. (Maple Ridge News files)
Then-finance minister Kevin Falcon presents his last B.C. budget, Feb. 21, 2012. The province was emerging from the 2009-10 recession and repaying federal incentive to cancel the harmonized sales tax. (Tom Fletcher/Black Press)

Political veteran Kevin Falcon set for 2nd run at B.C. Liberal leadership

Vancouver MLA Michael Lee announces on the same day

Then-finance minister Kevin Falcon presents his last B.C. budget, Feb. 21, 2012. The province was emerging from the 2009-10 recession and repaying federal incentive to cancel the harmonized sales tax. (Tom Fletcher/Black Press)
B.C. Public Safety Minister Mike Farnworth debates the province’s latest measure to control crime, March 10, 2021. The legislation allows police to impound vehicles used to transport weapons and further restricts sale of vehicle and body armour. (B.C. legislature video)

B.C. seeking ways to ‘name and shame’ gangsters, minister says

Mike Farnworth appeals to family members to talk to police

B.C. Public Safety Minister Mike Farnworth debates the province’s latest measure to control crime, March 10, 2021. The legislation allows police to impound vehicles used to transport weapons and further restricts sale of vehicle and body armour. (B.C. legislature video)
B.C. Agriculture Minister Lana Popham takes questions in the B.C. legislature in 2017. (Hansard TV)

UPDATE: B.C. will fund another year of fresh fruit, vegetables, milk in schools

John Horgan government working on school meal program

B.C. Agriculture Minister Lana Popham takes questions in the B.C. legislature in 2017. (Hansard TV)
B.C. Agriculture Minister Lana Popham promotes the government’s BuyBC food program in 2019. (B.C. government)

Money running out for fresh fruit, vegetables, milk in B.C. schools

‘Looking at ways to support this type of program,’ minister says

B.C. Agriculture Minister Lana Popham promotes the government’s BuyBC food program in 2019. (B.C. government)
The B.C. legislature went from 85 seats to 87 before the 2017 election, causing a reorganization with curved rows and new desks squeezed in at the back. The next electoral boundary review could see another six seats added. (Black Press files)

B.C. election law could add 6 seats, remove rural protection

North, Kootenays could lose seats as cities gain more

The B.C. legislature went from 85 seats to 87 before the 2017 election, causing a reorganization with curved rows and new desks squeezed in at the back. The next electoral boundary review could see another six seats added. (Black Press files)