Thoughts on BC Politics and More

Before he made the jump to politics, BC real estate developer Eric Woodward announced a plan to transfer $55 million worth of property to a new charity. All profits from developing or renting that land, he said, would go toward local causes. The 2018 municipal election was in sight for the Township of Langley in BC’s Fraser Valley, and Woodward told a local newspaper the move could help him avoid conflict-of-interest allegations if he decided to run. Two months later, Woodward was elected to council. By 2022, he was mayor.  Seven years have passed since that pledge. The Eric Woodward Foundation (EWF) was established as a non-profit in 2019, announced some donations in its first few years and then took over management of the annual Fort Langley Cranberry Festival in 2020 ... CLICK HERE for the full story 

  No new schools for you.  The provincial government’s school building spree looks set to grind to a halt in the fast-growing Fraser Valley, with Victoria telling the region’s five school districts it won’t green-light new major projects this year. Last year, the school districts submitted capital plans with a combined $1.5 billion of schools, sites, and expansions for which they hoped to receive funding. This spring, the province told the districts that there is no money for new schools in the valley ... CLICK HERE for the full story

Yesterday, Misty Van Popta, MLA for Langley–Walnut Grove, presented the Firefighters Health Act to the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia, a crucial piece of legislation designed to protect the health of the brave men and women who serve as our province’s firefighters. “This bill is not a political issue, but a matter of public health and safety,” said Van Popta. “We owe it to the over 13,000 firefighters in this province to ensure that they have access to the health screenings they need, in order to detect and treat cancers at an early stage.” The Firefighters Health Act calls for an update to the list of presumptive cancers and the introduction of a health strategy that includes earlier and more frequent screenings for firefighters. The bill was inspired by the stories of  firefighters not eligible for cancer screenings due to their age. Van Popta noted, “We all know a firefighter, whether as a friend or family member, and we know the toll this job takes on them. This bill ...

Y esterday in Question Period, BC NDP Transport Minister Mike Farnworth repeatedly refused to deny plans to impose a vehicle levy—a tax that would hit every car owner in British Columbia. Harman Bhangu, Conservative MLA for Langley - Abbotsford and Official Opposition Critic for Transportation, strongly criticized the NDP government’s lack of transparency and accountability on this issue. “ Mike Farnworth’s refusal to rule out this vehicle levy speaks volumes ,” said Bhangu. “ At a time when British Columbians are already struggling with rising living costs, the NDP is considering yet another punitive tax on hard-working families. This is unacceptable .” The Conservative opposition is calling on the government to clearly and publicly rule out the introduction of a vehicle levy. “ British Columbians deserve straight answers from their government—not evasive silence ,” Bhangu continued. “ If the NDP won’t clearly state their intentions, we can only assume the worst. The Conservatives wil...

Harman Bhangu, MLA for Langley-Abbotsford and Official Conservative Opposition Critic for Transportation, questioned BC NDP Housing Minister Ravi Kahlon over concerning connections surrounding a $50 million grant request involving close associates and family ties of the Minister. During yesterday’s legislative Housing Estimates debate, MLA Harman Bhangu pressed Housing Minister Ravi Kahlon regarding a substantial $50 million grant funding request submitted by the Vancity Community Foundation, a lobbying client of Nicola Hill, Principal of Nicola Hill Strategies, who specifically registered to lobby Minister Kahlon’s Ministry of Housing to arrange meetings with senior Ministry officials regarding the $50 million grant funding request. These meetings have already taken place. Significantly, Nicola Hill Strategies is listed prominently as a "collaborative partner" on the website of Core Firm, a lobbying and government relations firm co-founded by Minister Kahlon's sister, Pa...

A longtime veteran of British Columbia provincial politics is entering the federal election race as an independent. Mike de Jong announced Thursday that he would run in the new Abbotsford-South Langley riding. De Jong served eight terms as an MLA under the BC Liberal/BC United banner, holding multiple cabinet portfolios including finance, attorney general, public safety and health ... CLICK HERE for the full story  

While Monday was originally set up to be a typically enthralling day for political junkies across the nation with the Fall Economic Statement and Cloverdale—Langley City by-election, it turned out to be… even more than that. With news of the finance minister Chrystia Freeland announcing her resignation from cabinet (But notably staying on as a member of parliament) in a letter with many not-so-subtle shots at the Prime Minister, one was forgiven for not paying attention to the by-election in BC. Nonetheless, it was a blowout for the Conservatives ... CLICK HERE for the full story

... (it) doesn’t mean there won’t be things to watch in the results tonight. As always, byelection results can be useful barometers to stack up against the polls — will the Conservatives put up a number that matches their polling? If not, how do the results differ from expectations? Could they give us an indication of how well other Conservative candidates might do in the swathe of suburban ridings in the Lower Mainland? And in just how much trouble might other Liberals be in and around Vancouver? The results will give us some hints. So, let’s set the benchmarks for this contest — one that the Conservatives should easily win ... CLICK HERE for the full story

This October, as Langley voters head to the polls to select representatives in the provincial legislature, the fate of the election may turn on issues like schools, health care, or housing. But a more fundamental question may influence the which local candidates are successful: Just who is your average 2024 Langley voter anyways?. . . . CLICK HERE for the full story

Langley is considering trading park space for childcare spots.  Langley Township staff have compiled a list of 13 parks where daycares could be built to fill the community’s desperate childcare shortage. New daycare programs, starting with a pilot project in a single park, would be an important step to filling the gap in childcare options—but it’s not a perfect solution ... CLICK HERE for the full story

In Chilliwack, Abbotsford, Langley, and Mission, new provincial rules will axe parking requirements and allow taller buildings The downtowns of Chilliwack, Abbotsford, Langley, and Mission could all soon see their skylines grow, whether local politicians want them to or not. New provincial housing legislation is set to make it much easier to build tall housing towers up to 10 storeys high in the centre of all four Fraser Valley cities. In some areas, that development has already been green-lighted. In others, the new development rules could have a profound impact ... CLICK HERE for the full story

BC Transit wants to hand the Fraser Valley Express three more buses next year—so long as the province provides enough funding—and buses—to go around. The Fraser Valley Express runs between Chilliwack and Lougheed Town Centre with stops in Abbotsford and Langley. It has been a hit since its launch in 2015, but its popularity has posed recent challenges, with some buses reaching capacity at Abbotsford and leaving riders waiting for the next vehicle. That problem was so severe that, earlier this year, BC Transit pulled money from its internal budget in order to add two more buses to the route. Now, the transit agency and the Fraser Valley Regional District have put together a plan to further boost BC’s most-popular inter-regional bus service. They also want to create a new regional route between Agassiz and Mission. But there are several potential roadblocks that could stall the buses before they ever hit the road ... CLICK HERE for the full story

Youth around British Columbia and their families will have faster, easier access to mental health and substance use services and supports with eight new Foundry centres to be developed throughout the province. The new Foundry Centres will be in Burns Lake, Comox Valley, Cranbrook, Langley, Squamish, Surrey, Port Hardy and Williams Lake. The new locations, as with all Foundry centres, will offer increased access to integrated health and wellness services for young people aged 12 to 24 in both rural and urban communities. Each centre will offer primary care, youth and family peer supports, walk-in counselling, mental health and substance use services, and social services all under one roof, making it easier for youth to get help when they need it. “ I am so excited that young people in eight more communities in rural and urban B.C. will be able to get quick access to the mental health and substance use services they need and deserve ,” said Judy Darcy, Minister of Mental Health and...