Policy Search

The current funding model for healthcare infrastructure in Canada is intended to provide equitable access to necessary medical services for ALL Canadians. Currently, there are several regions of British Columbia that lack adequate medical infrastructure to deliver even the most necessary medical services to the populations they are serving. To ensure that all British Columbians have equitable...

Recent changes to federal immigration policy are threatening Canada’s ability to address critical workforce shortages, sustain the competitiveness of its post-secondary education system, and uphold its global reputation as a premier destination for international education. These changes disproportionately impact the country’s ability to attract and retain international talent, particularly...

British Columbia has several thousand kilometres of coastline along which communities are located. Likewise, the Fraser River and other rivers flow through BC communities that are vulnerable to flooding. Floods from rivers and oceans could destroy or affect residential, commercial, industrial, and agricultural properties as well as affect transportation means (roads, highways, bridges) and cause...

More short-term provincial government investments in veterinary services, along with a long-term strategy to create a provincial veterinarian training institute, are required to protect food security, animal health and welfare, wildlife and marine mammals, and zoonotic disease management.

The provincial government has not kept pace with inflation and population growth with dedicated additional funding in its annual budget for BC public libraries. These critical public institutions provide meeting rooms for businesses and technical help for job seekers, while also helping new residents integrate into the community.

There is a shortage of industrial land, creating barriers for BC businesses to grow and reducing economic competitiveness. It’s critical that we find ways to protect existing industrial land, use it more efficiently, and unlock more for economic development.

The toxic drug supply and overdose deaths in BC have deeply affected both individuals and businesses. While intranasal naloxone can prevent these deaths, access remains limited. Given the high occurrence of illicit drug overdoses by males, ages 30-59 working in trades, now is the time to invest in tools which reduce barriers to use and are well suited to their work environments. By working...

Highways 97 and 16 are the two longest highways in British Columbia, serving as essential north-south and east-west corridors across the entire length and width of the province, respectively. With that in mind, the Ministry of Transportation and Transit needs to update its long-term capital plans to incorporate specific priorities for north-central BC highway projects.

Canada’s energy sector is a key driver of economic prosperity, providing jobs, investment, and revenue for governments. However, regulatory uncertainty, including the Impact Assessment Act (administered by the Impact Assessment Agency of Canada) and processes under the Canadian Energy Regulator, infrastructure constraints, and policy barriers have hindered the sector’s ability to compete globally...

To maximize the benefits of taxpayer dollars spent on public infrastructure projects, especially as overall construction costs continue to rise and BC faces a substantial deficit, and ensure that all qualified BC companies and employees can work on and benefit from these projects, an open and fair tendering must be the process by which governments implement public projects.