Provincial and Kamloops area news stories from August 25th to 31st

ADDICTION / DECRIMINALIZATION / RECOVERY:

·         Helping "hard to house" addicts; mental health ~~ Times Colonist 08/27

 

·         ‘Shocking actually’: BC Conservatives criticize Island Health’s harm reduction kiosks ~~ CHEK NEWS 08/27

 

·         Premier David Eby is asking for a review of vending machines such as those outside Vancouver Island hospitals which dispense condoms, needles, crack pipes, drug-testing strips, wound-care supplies and naloxone kits ~~ Times Colonist 08/27

 

·         More than 15,000 people have died of toxic drugs in BC since 2016. BC Coroners Service reported at least 192 people died of drug toxicity in July ~~ CBC 08/30

 

AGRICULTURE / Aquaculture / FOOD SECURITY:

·         BC United is calling on the provincial government to step into the case involving BC Tree Fruits Cooperative debacle and help tree-fruit farmers ~~ Delta Optimist 08/26

 

BC NDP / GOVERNMENT SUPPORT / POPULARITY:

·         $5B deficit? No surprise for B.C. government's current spending. Expect the NDP to include these "eye-popping numbers" for its messaging in the upcoming 2024 election, columnist Keith Baldrey says ~~ Delta Optimist 08/26

 

BC POLITICS and POLLING:

·         Premier David Eby's dream of a second-straight NDP majority is looking a bit iffy as centre-right voters flock to Conservatives ~~ Vancouver Sun 08/24

 

·         Jordan Bateman: A BC United insider’s guide to supporting the BC Conservatives. A former party supporter explains why BC united can no longer hold back the wave of change in provincial politics ~~ Business in Vancouver 08/27

 

·         Today? David Eby’s New Democrats remain the favourites. But easy favourites? No way. The cushion the NDP had a year ago has evaporated and the upcoming election is theirs to lose — and, if they’re not careful, they just might lose it ~~ The Writ 08/26

 

·         Conservatives Poised to Dominate in British Columbia. As the BC provincial election nears, polls reveal a stunning political realignment ~~ 338-BC 08/27

 

·         Barring some kind of deficit or debt crisis for the province — and we don't really seem to be in that space at the moment — I don't see those issues leap-frogging the broader concerns regarding the social programming and housing and affordability issues that continue to dominate the list of most important issues for voters ~~ Surrey Now Leader 08/26

 

·         $5B deficit? No surprise for B.C. government's current spending. Expect the NDP to include these "eye-popping numbers" for its messaging in the upcoming 2024 election, columnist Keith Baldrey says ~~ Delta Optimist 08/26

 

BC UNITED:

·         Jordan Bateman: A BC United insider’s guide to supporting the BC Conservatives. A former party supporter explains why BC united can no longer hold back the wave of change in provincial politics ~~ Business in Vancouver 08/27

 

·         Putting BC First -- A message from BC United Leader, Kevin Falcon ~~ BCU 08/28

 

CONSERVATIVE PARTY OF BC:

·         Jordan Bateman: A BC United insider’s guide to supporting the BC Conservatives. A former party supporter explains why BC united can no longer hold back the wave of change in provincial politics ~~ Business in Vancouver 08/27

 

·         Conservatives Poised to Dominate in British Columbia. As the BC provincial election nears, polls reveal a stunning political realignment ~~ 338-BC 08/27

 

CRIME / JUSTICE / POLICING:

·         On the heels of the last significant police action on Wet’suwet’en territory, B.C. quietly embarked on a process to “streamline” its response to what it saw as a rising wave of protests across the province ~~ The Tyee 08/28

 

ECONOMY / EMPLOYMENT:

·         It's therefore imperative that all parties articulate how they will deliver long-term economic growth and investment stability. Without it, as a province, we risk running off a financial cliff ~~ Langley Advance Times 08/23

 

·         People can't afford food, people can't afford taxes, and they can't afford their rent in BC. There's no such thing as affordable housing being built – that's an oxymoron -- the province is $100 billion in debt, and the government has "no desire to balance the budget ~~ Maple Ride – Pitt Meadows News 09/01

 

·         Economic revitalization job one for John Rustad's BC Conservatives. Policy details may still need polishing, but leader makes it clear where his party's priorities are ~~ Castlegar News 08/30

 

EDUCATION:

·         A provincewide restriction on cellphones and other digital devices in schools was made official Tuesday -- Also put forward was a policy to keep protesters off school grounds ~~ Times Colonist 08/28

 

·         BCTF says BC needs to get better at teacher recruitment and retention. Union representing teachers in BC says staffing shortfalls are creating classroom issues ~~ Cranbrook Daily Townsman 08/30

 

ENERGY / RESOURCES:

·         On the heels of the last significant police action on Wet’suwet’en territory, B.C. quietly embarked on a process to “streamline” its response to what it saw as a rising wave of protests across the province ~~ The Tyee 08/28

FINANCE:

·         $5B deficit? No surprise for B.C. government's current spending. Expect the NDP to include these "eye-popping numbers" for its messaging in the upcoming 2024 election, columnist Keith Baldrey says ~~ Delta Optimist 08/26

·         British Columbia’s finances go from bad to worse during Eby’s first full year ~~ Fraser Institute 08/30

 

FORESTRY:

·         A group of forest-based organizations have come together to advocate for the future of forestry in the British Columbia. Forestry Works for BC is a new initiative representing more than 1,000 businesses across BC’s forestry sector ~~ Cdn Forest Industries 08/26

 

·         BC United leader Kevin Falcon said Tuesday that if his party is elected this fall he will make changes to B.C.’s forestry sector that he says will create jobs, reduce bureaucracy and restore the province’s reputation as a leader in forestry ~~ Prince George Citizen 08/27

·         How much primary forest does Canada have? ~~ Cdn Forest Industries 08/26

 

HEALTHCARE:

·         BC's health authority board directors made $1,400/day after 53% pay hike. Some health authority directors made as much as $2,000 for every day of meetings they attended ~~ Fraser Valley Current 08/27

 

HOMELESSNESS / SUPPORTIVE HOUSING:

·         ‘I’m not happy with the processes’; Kamloops councillors, public push back on rezoning for BC Housing project ~~ CFJC Today 08/27

 

HOUSING

·         The British Columbia government is capping the maximum allowable rent increase at three per cent next year, down from the 3.5 per cent hike allowed in 2024 ~~ CTV 08/26

 

·         New rules limit municipalities' ability to get developers to pay for civic amenities. Civic projects stalled after municipalities face problems getting money from developers ~~ Times Colonist 08/27

 

·         Buying up older rentals for affordable housing is a novel idea. The program has benefits and drawbacks that are worth exploring ~~ The Orca 08/28

 

·         BC fire chiefs worry about 1-stairwell building code changes. Buildings up to 6 stories allowed to have 1 exit stairwell instead of 2 in effort to boost housing supply ~~ CBC 08/31

 

INFRASTRUCTURE:

·         British Columbians can't afford NDP's mismanaged SkyTrain extension. Province blames inflation, labour issues for the $6B SkyTrain cost — but taxpayers know better ~~ Richmond News 08/27

 

KAMLOOPS AND AREA:

·         Clearly, the concept and practice of municipal ethics/integrity commissioners is a work in progress, and the provincial government needs to step in and provide firm guidelines ~~ The Armchair Mayor 08/25

 

·         ‘I’m not happy with the processes’; Kamloops councillors, public push back on rezoning for BC Housing project ~~ CFJC Today 08/27

 

MUNICIPAL AFFAIRS:

·         Clearly, the concept and practice of municipal ethics/integrity commissioners is a work in progress, and the provincial government needs to step in and provide firm guidelines ~~ The Armchair Mayor 08/25