MLA Steve Morissette Newsletter
By MLA Steve Morissette
On September 20, I had the privilege of attending the grand opening of the Lower Columbia Community Health Centre in Trail, a project eight years in the making, driven by the vision and determination of local leaders Linda Sawchenko, Win Mott, Frank Marino and a large team of community folks volunteering their time and expertise to achieve this goal.
Their vision and persistence are a powerful example of how small communities roll up their sleeves and get things done. We know that health care is a provincial responsibility, but when communities step up and shape a project to meet their own unique needs, the results are extraordinary.
The new health centre now provides 18 exam and office rooms for family physicians, nurse practitioners, social workers and other providers, alongside a large collaborative workspace, a physiotherapy room, two fully equipped treatment rooms, a quiet space off the waiting room and even a staff lunch and meeting room to support teamwork.
Already the centre is attaching over 3,600 patients, with the capacity to serve an additional 3,600 once recruitment is complete. The current complement includes 3.7 physicians, with more being recruited, 1.7 nurse practitioners, with more on the way, and 2.5 social workers.
This is what resilience looks like. This is how rural communities build solutions that work for their people.
I want to thank everyone who has played a part in bringing the Lower Columbia Community Health Centre to life. Congratulations, team. This is a tremendous accomplishment and a shining model of community-driven health care.
Our region has reached a significant milestone: since its launch in 2022, 10,000 local patients have been connected with a local family doctor or nurse practitioner through the Health Connect Registry (HCR). This progress reflects the combined efforts of clinics, practitioners, and community partners across the region.
All residents without a family practitioner are encouraged to sign up at KBHCR.ca. The site also serves as a centralized resource hub where residents can explore care options including the KB Access Clinic, the Urgent and Primary Care Centre (UPCC),KB Screen preventive screening services, and more.
B.C.’s anti-racism data committee reappointed to new terms
Three years after their initial appointment, the Province has reappointed 10 members to the anti-racism data committee. As outlined in the Anti-Racism Data Act (ARDA), the committee will continue to advise the Province on matters relating to the collection and use of demographic data for the purposes of identifying and eliminating systemic racism and advancing racial equity in government programs and services. The committee is an important part of the Province’s commitment to dismantle systemic racism and build more inclusive communities for everyone.
MLA Garry Begg new BC NDP Caucus Chair
Garry Begg, MLA for Surrey-Guildford, has been selected as the new chair of the BC NDP caucus. Begg was first elected MLA in 2017, and re-elected in 2020 and 2024. MLA Begg brings with him a lifetime of experience serving the people of British Columbia. Garry will be a great caucus chair, keeping us focused on the needs of the people across the province who sent us here to get results on their behalf.
New meeting rules will strengthen Indigenous, local government relations
The Province is proposing legislative amendments in response to the desire of First Nations and local governments to make it easier to work together and better protect confidential and culturally sensitive information.
Provincial funding boosts Indigenous-led treatment, recovery
First Nations, Métis, Inuit and urban Indigenous Peoples in B.C. will have access to stronger cultural treatment and recovery services thanks to new funding. These grants will support organizations in improving the delivery of treatment and recovery services by helping them invest in program supplies, equipment, technology, staff training, resident resources and other measures that will support long-term service improvements.
A B.C. Legislature Committee is seeking input on Bill M 214, Firefighters’ Health Act. Share your thoughts with the Committee by 3pm (Pacific) on October 21. Visit https://bcleg.ca/4kPrplL for details.
As background, the Select Standing Committee on Private Bills and Private Members’ Bills is one of 11 permanent parliamentary committees of the Legislative Assembly. Private Members’ bills that pass second reading are automatically committed to the Committee, and the Committee must report back to the Legislative Assembly on the bill within 30 sitting days.
Further information is available on the Committee’s website. If you have any questions about the work of the Committee or the information in this email, please don’t hesitate to contact me directly or contact the Parliamentary Committees Office at PMBCommittee@leg.bc.ca or phone at 250-356-2933 or 1-877-428-8337 (toll-free in BC).
Fall session focuses on economic development, creating jobs, improving lives
We’re introducing more than a dozen bills this fall, most of them tabled this first week back. The legislation will provide good jobs to support B.C. families, ensure the fair treatment of workers, protect people from sexual violence and address affordability issues.
Stronger tools coming to protect people from credit fraud
The second phase of amendments to modernize BC consumer protection laws will:
- help consumers access their credit report and score monthly for free and set up security alerts and credit freezes free of charge, providing more people with control of their critical financial information;
- create new rules for credit-reporting agencies and credit-repair businesses to ensure their services are being delivered to consumers accurately and transparently; and
- create new roadblocks to help protect against identity and credit fraud, making it harder for fraudsters to open credit card accounts or take out loans.
Stronger protections coming for people affected by intimate-image abuse
People who had their intimate images shared without their consent will have access to higher compensation and better privacy protections while navigating the justice process. These new changes will give survivors more options to decide what justice looks like and help them regain autonomy over their digital presence and repair the damage to their sense of safety.
New legislation will ensure prompt payment in B.C.’s construction industry
Businesses and workers from the construction sector will benefit from greater certainty with new legislation that will ensure contractors, subcontractors and workers are paid fairly and on time. This will:
- set clear timelines for payment on construction projects;
- establish a fast-track adjudication process to resolve payment-related disputes;
- and improve cash flow and stability across the construction industry.
New legislation makes online versions of B.C. laws official
As part of ongoing work to improve and modernize access to justice, the Province has introduced new legislation to make online versions of B.C. laws official. The updated Regulations Act will let people use B.C.’s acts and regulations accessed through a government website as official versions for evidentiary purposes in court and elsewhere.
Introduction of housing and municipal affairs statutes amendment act, 2025
The proposed changes will ensure all local governments are meeting the small-scale, multi-unit housing requirements allowing more diverse forms of housing, such as triplexes, rowhomes and townhomes, consistently throughout B.C. While the Province expects only a small number of communities to be affected, the changes will remove barriers to the development of small-scale, multi-unit housing by clarifying where this type of housing will be allowed.
Province to remove barriers, make way for more child care at schools
We introduced legislation to enable school districts in B.C. to support families with more child care on school grounds. Districts also will be allowed to provide care during non-school days, such as professional development days, and winter, spring and summer breaks.
Safety planning updated to better support children, families
The Province is strengthening safety planning, helping families stay connected, while mitigating safety concerns for children and youth. Safety plan agreements are voluntary, short-term agreements that are developed in collaboration with parents for the care of the child or youth.
New law will hold vape manufacturers accountable for public health costs
A new proposed law will hold vaping product manufacturers and wholesalers accountable for deceptive practices that prioritize profit over people. The first-of-its-kind vaping product damages and health care costs recovery act enables the government to take legal action to protect public health and ensure accountability from wrongdoers whose products are associated with vaping-related disease and injury.
On Monday my colleague MLA Rohini Arora moved to Motion 38 – That this House condemns the intolerant views of the Association for Reformed Political Action (ARPA), including its harmful discrimination against transgender people, its belief that homosexuality is “immoral” and its explicit policy goal of restricting abortion access in British Columbia.
I spoke in support this motion condemning the intolerant views of the Association for Reformed Political Action, or ARPA. I stand for diversity and inclusion. I stand for the freedom to love whom we choose. I stand for human rights. And I stand for Canada’s long-established values of acceptance, dignity and freedom for every Canadian.
I take my responsibility as a member of this Legislature very seriously. We have important work ahead, to build a better British Columbia for the remainder of this term and for generations to come. For me, this is not some fluffy motion wasting our time. This motion goes to the very heart of that work. It is the foundation upon which all our efforts must rest.
If we do not stand for love, diversity and inclusion, if we instead allow hatred and division to take root, everything we strive to build together is doomed to collapse.
I was raised Christian. I recognize the many positive contributions of Christianity that have bettered the fabric of our province. But I also know the fallibility of religious institutions of all kinds, and I know the sometimes appalling paths that they have taken.
Let me be clear. I support Christians, I support Buddhists, I support Muslims, I support Hindus, I support Sikhs — whatever faith or belief system people choose. But I draw the line when religion is used as a shield for hatred. I will call out hatred every single time. And this is one of those times.
ARPA has said, and I quote: “As a Christian advocacy organization that adheres to the truths we believe are found in God’s word, it is not inconsistent then for us to state that we believe homosexuality is immoral.” They also say, and I quote: “ARPA believes homosexuality and transgenderism are disordered.”
There is nothing disordered about being gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender or queer. What is disordered is believing that some British Columbians are less worthy of dignity and respect because of who they are or who they love. That is not faith. That is prejudice. And prejudice, when cloaked in religious language, does not become righteous. It remains harmful, it remains hateful, and it has no place in the values of our province.
This is why this motion is so important. It is not an attack on faith or on anyone’s personal beliefs. It is a stand against hatred and discrimination masquerading as religion.
By supporting this motion, the House affirms that all British Columbians, regardless of sexual orientation, gender identity or whom they love, are entitled to dignity, respect and equality under our laws. We are saying clearly that prejudice has no place in our communities, no place in our schools, no place in our workplaces. This is a declaration that love, inclusion and human rights must guide the work of this Legislature, now and into the future. The work of this Legislature cannot succeed if we turn a blind eye to hatred. It cannot succeed if we allow division to take root.
Today, by supporting this motion, we choose love over fear. We choose inclusion over exclusion. We choose dignity over discrimination. We send a message to every British Columbian. Here in our province, you are valued. You are accepted. You are free to be yourself.
Let us rise to this moment with courage and conviction. Let us affirm that hate has no home in British Columbia. I urge all members to support this motion. Stand up for the values that make our province truly great.
We are thrilled to announce the official grand opening of Glenmerry Elementary School — a place where learning, growth and community come together!
Come celebrate with us!
Tours, refreshments and lots of smiles await!
Glenmerry Elementary School (K-7) in the Kootenay-Columbia School District (#20) is a school where respect and responsibility are key words. Staff works closely as a team to provide the best possible learning opportunities for all students.
Know before you go!
Travel safe by researching where you’ll get important updates while on the road. Visit:
DriveBC.ca and BC Ministry of Transportation and Transit for road info
EmergencyInfoBC.ca for emergency info
Weather.gc.ca for weather alerts
BC Wildfire Service for wildfire updates
PreparedBC.ca for preparedness tips
Learn more travel safety tips: https://blog.gov.bc.ca/emergen…/dont-sweat-the-unexpected/
If you have any questions or concerns about a provincial issue or need assistance with a provincial body, please don’t hesitate to reach out. We’re here to help. My office can be reached online at Steve.Morissette.MLA@leg.bc.ca or at (250) 304-2783.
Helpful resources:
- Visit the BC Benefits Connector at gov.bc.ca/BCBenefitsConnector to find benefits and savings for things like energy bills, transportation, education and training, and health care.
- Stay up to date with weather conditions and forecasts: Weather.gc.ca
- Find mental health and substance-use supports: Helpstartshere.gov.bc.ca
- The United Way BC 211 Racist Incident Helpline is available by dialing (toll-free) 1 833 457-5463 (1 833 HLP-LINE). Learn more at https://racistincidenthelpline.ca/
