BC politics

Happier days: Black Press legislature reporter Tom Fletcher talks about the outlook for 2020 with B.C. Premier John Horgan, B.C. legislature, Dec. 13, 2019. (Jen Holmwood/Premier’s Office)

Election didn’t slow down COVID-19 aid, John Horgan says

B.C. premier’s annual year-end interview with Black Press

Happier days: Black Press legislature reporter Tom Fletcher talks about the outlook for 2020 with B.C. Premier John Horgan, B.C. legislature, Dec. 13, 2019. (Jen Holmwood/Premier’s Office)
Jobs Minister Ravi Kahlon speaks in the B.C. legislature, describing work underway to make a small business and tourism aid package less restrictive, Dec. 10, 2020. (Hansard TV)

B.C. eases rules for COVID-19 small business, tourism relief

30% loss of sales at time of application now qualifies

Jobs Minister Ravi Kahlon speaks in the B.C. legislature, describing work underway to make a small business and tourism aid package less restrictive, Dec. 10, 2020. (Hansard TV)
B.C. Finance Minister Selina Robinson speaks to the legislature’s pre-Christmas session to approve more COVID-19 spending, Dec. 10, 2020. (Hansard TV)

Rising income, real estate tax hold B.C. deficit at $13.6 billion

Cost of next COVID-19 payments up to $1.7 billion

B.C. Finance Minister Selina Robinson speaks to the legislature’s pre-Christmas session to approve more COVID-19 spending, Dec. 10, 2020. (Hansard TV)
Public health workers unpack B.C.’s first shipment of Pfizer vaccine against COVID-19, which has to be kept in low-temperature packaging until administering, Dec. 13, 2020. (B.C. government)

B.C.’s daily COVID-19 cases dip to 522 Tuesday

Hospitalized, intensive care patients still increasing

Public health workers unpack B.C.’s first shipment of Pfizer vaccine against COVID-19, which has to be kept in low-temperature packaging until administering, Dec. 13, 2020. (B.C. government)
B.C. Premier John Horgan and Dr. Bonnie Henry at news conference on arrival of COVID-19 vaccine, Dec. 9, 2020. (B.C. government)

Horgan warns B.C. holiday partiers, protesters to sit tight, mask up

COVID-19 fines will be levied, and collection will follow

B.C. Premier John Horgan and Dr. Bonnie Henry at news conference on arrival of COVID-19 vaccine, Dec. 9, 2020. (B.C. government)
A kitten plays with the drawstrings on a sweatshirt as folks take part in Yoga with Cats on Mats at the Chilliwack Animal Safe Haven on Saturday. (Jenna Hauck/ The Progress)

‘Low-intensity’ indoor fitness OK under B.C.’s revised COVID-19 orders

Light weightlifting, pilates, hatha yoga, low-intensity barre classes

A kitten plays with the drawstrings on a sweatshirt as folks take part in Yoga with Cats on Mats at the Chilliwack Animal Safe Haven on Saturday. (Jenna Hauck/ The Progress)
B.C. Public Safety Minister Mike Farnworth defends government actions in the legislature, Feb. 19, 2020. (Hansard TV)

ICBC applies for 15% rate decrease as lawyers pushed out

Resolution tribunal to determine most injury awards

B.C. Public Safety Minister Mike Farnworth defends government actions in the legislature, Feb. 19, 2020. (Hansard TV)
Seniors use gymnastics equipment for routines to improve their balance and flexibility, one of the programs developed to keep B.C.’s growing number of seniors active and independent. These programs have been suspended, seniors’ activity centres closed due to COVID-19. (Delta Gymnastics Society)

B.C. senior health indicators show strain as numbers grow

Wait times for long-term care continue to grow

Seniors use gymnastics equipment for routines to improve their balance and flexibility, one of the programs developed to keep B.C.’s growing number of seniors active and independent. These programs have been suspended, seniors’ activity centres closed due to COVID-19. (Delta Gymnastics Society)
Jobs Minister Ravi Kahlon speaks in the B.C. legislature, describing work underway to make a small business and tourism aid package less restrictive, Dec. 10, 2020. (Hansard TV)

B.C. tourism calls for ‘bridge’ relief to recover from COVID-19

Task force asks province for $95 million emergency fund

Jobs Minister Ravi Kahlon speaks in the B.C. legislature, describing work underway to make a small business and tourism aid package less restrictive, Dec. 10, 2020. (Hansard TV)
Medical personnel wear protective gear to wheel a patient into St. Paul’s Hospital in Vancouver, B.C. on Wednesday, Dec. 2, 2020. B.C. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Marissa Tiel

B.C.’s earliest COVID-19 vaccines go to health care workers first

Aim is to immunize 400,000 people by end of March

Medical personnel wear protective gear to wheel a patient into St. Paul’s Hospital in Vancouver, B.C. on Wednesday, Dec. 2, 2020. B.C. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Marissa Tiel
Interim B.C. Liberal leader Shirley Bond questions the NDP government in the legislature, Feb. 19, 2020. (Hansard TV)

COVID-19 rapid test pilot program all B.C. can do now, Dix says

B.C. Liberals call for increased senior home testing

Interim B.C. Liberal leader Shirley Bond questions the NDP government in the legislature, Feb. 19, 2020. (Hansard TV)
B.C. NDP finance critic Mike Bernier speaks in the legislature, Feb. 13, 2020. (Hansard TV)

Big holes in NDP’s COVID-19 Christmas bonus plan, B.C. Liberal says

Applications based on 2019 income, late budget delays further aid

B.C. NDP finance critic Mike Bernier speaks in the legislature, Feb. 13, 2020. (Hansard TV)
B.C. Finance Minister Selina Robinson presents bill to delay B.C.’s budget as late as April 30, and allow further spending before that, B.C. legislature, Dec. 8, 2020. (Hansard TV)

B.C. delays 2021 budget, moves to borrow more for COVID-19

$1,000 family benefit coming, online applications open Dec. 18

B.C. Finance Minister Selina Robinson presents bill to delay B.C.’s budget as late as April 30, and allow further spending before that, B.C. legislature, Dec. 8, 2020. (Hansard TV)
A woman holding a child walks past an elaborate Christmas lights display in Surrey, B.C. on Friday, Dec. 4, 2020. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Marissa Tiel

Drive-thru, drop-off events OK under B.C.’s COVID-19 orders

Travel, team sport and private gathering bans extended to Jan. 8

A woman holding a child walks past an elaborate Christmas lights display in Surrey, B.C. on Friday, Dec. 4, 2020. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Marissa Tiel
Lt. Governor Janet Austin takes oath to serve as the Queen’s representative in B.C., April 24, 2018. (Arnold Lim/Black Press)

B.C. throne speech predicts ‘better days ahead’ with COVID-19

Premier John Horgan vows health care, child care support

Lt. Governor Janet Austin takes oath to serve as the Queen’s representative in B.C., April 24, 2018. (Arnold Lim/Black Press)
Former B.C. legislature clerk George McMinn (left) and others watch as Burnaby-Edmonds MLA Raj Chouhan, then assistant deputy speaker, tries out replica speaker’s chair set up for tourists, spring 2013. (Tom Fletcher/Black Press)

New speaker takes charge as B.C. legislature starts brief session

Burnaby MLA was assistant during Darryl Plecas era

Former B.C. legislature clerk George McMinn (left) and others watch as Burnaby-Edmonds MLA Raj Chouhan, then assistant deputy speaker, tries out replica speaker’s chair set up for tourists, spring 2013. (Tom Fletcher/Black Press)
B.C. NDP leader John Horgan releases his election platform, Vancouver, Oct. 6, 2020, featuring COVID-19 relief payments promised for most households. (B.C. NDP photo)

Next $1.5 billion in B.C. COVID-19 cash ‘prudent,’ Horgan says

New round of payments for household incomes up to $175,000

B.C. NDP leader John Horgan releases his election platform, Vancouver, Oct. 6, 2020, featuring COVID-19 relief payments promised for most households. (B.C. NDP photo)
A coal-fired power plant seen through dense smog from the window of an electric bullet train south of Beijing, December 2016. China has continued to increase thermal coal production and power generation, adding to greenhouse gas emissions that are already the world’s largest. (Tom Fletcher/Black Press)

LNG featured at B.C. energy industry, climate change conference

Hydrogen, nuclear, carbon capture needed for Canada’s net-zero goal

A coal-fired power plant seen through dense smog from the window of an electric bullet train south of Beijing, December 2016. China has continued to increase thermal coal production and power generation, adding to greenhouse gas emissions that are already the world’s largest. (Tom Fletcher/Black Press)
Janet Austin, the lieutenant-governor of British Columbia, not seen, swears in Premier John Horgan during a virtual swearing in ceremony in Victoria, Thursday, Nov. 26, 2020. Horgan says he will look to fill gaps in the federal government’s sick-pay benefits program aimed at preventing the spread of COVID-19. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jonathan Hayward

B.C. premier says province prepared to patch holes in new federal sick-pay benefits

Horgan said workers should not be denied pay when they are preventing COVID-19’s spread

Janet Austin, the lieutenant-governor of British Columbia, not seen, swears in Premier John Horgan during a virtual swearing in ceremony in Victoria, Thursday, Nov. 26, 2020. Horgan says he will look to fill gaps in the federal government’s sick-pay benefits program aimed at preventing the spread of COVID-19. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jonathan Hayward
B.C. Premier John Horgan on a conference call with religious leaders from his B.C. legislature office, Nov. 18, 2020, informing them in-person church services are off until further notice. (B.C. government)

B.C. tourism relief coming soon, Premier John Horgan says

Industry leaders to report on their urgent needs next week

B.C. Premier John Horgan on a conference call with religious leaders from his B.C. legislature office, Nov. 18, 2020, informing them in-person church services are off until further notice. (B.C. government)