Legislation introduced to rein in short-term rentals, deliver more homes for people
Turning short-term rentals into homes for people is at the core of newly introduced legislation to regulate the rapidly expanding short-term rental market. “Anyone who’s looking for an affordable place to live knows how hard it is, and short-term rentals are making it even more challenging,” said Premier David Eby. “The number of short-term rentals […]
Will the federal government go ahead with a one-click citizenship oath?
By Katrya Bolger, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter/New Canadian Media A petition to stop the federal government from allowing new Canadians to take their citizenship oath by clicking a button online is set to be tabled in Parliament. The petition (Petition (e-4511), which was launched in July of this year, garnered more than 1,500 signatures. It […]
COLUMN: Why we need systemic change
When one person has more money than entire nations and 81 billionaires have more wealth than 50 per cent of the human population, there’s something wrong with the system. How can we possibly sustain a global economy that rewards rampant consumerism, waste, profit for its own sake and disregard for the natural processes that keep […]
Investigation: BC's Energy Regulator and Coastal GasLink
The BC Energy Regulator was given sweeping powers over a suite of provincial laws designed to protect the environment and cultural heritage but documents reveal its compliance and enforcement officers rarely exercised those powers following inspections of Coastal GasLink construction sites By Matt Simmons, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter When officials from the BC Energy Regulator […]
OPINION: It’s time to banish the notwithstanding clause, the slow killer of Canada’s rule of law
By Jeffery B. Meyers, for The Conversation I have written before that the far-right populist nationalism of the sort that fuelled the events of Jan. 6, 2021 in the United States and the so-called “freedom convoy” of February 2022 in Canada are not outlier events. We live in a period in which the validity of […]
FROM THE HILL: MP calls for real solutions to bring down food prices
On Wednesday, after a new report from Dalhousie University revealed that close to three out of five Canadians are worried about compromising on nutrition due to high food prices at the grocery store, NDP MP Richard Cannings (South Okanagan – West Kootenay) joined NDP leader Jagmeet Singh in reiterating his call for the Liberal government […]
COUNCIL MATTERS: Rossland City Council meeting, October 3, 2023
No budging on birdfeeders; despite strong arguments in favor of the highest standard, a majority of Council compromises with a “step back” approach on greenhouse gas emissions; getting started on prep for the 2026 BC Winter Games in Rossland and Trail; aquamation request ignored Present: Mayor Andy Morel, and Councillors Maya Provençal, Lisa Kwiatkowski, Jeff […]
BC Ombudsperson finds gaping holes in BC emergency relief programs
In a report released today, the BC Ombudsperson finds emergency support programs are outdated, under-resourced, inaccessible for vulnerable evacuees and poorly communicated and calls on government to take urgent action to better support people who are increasingly being displaced from their homes for long periods by extreme weather events. The report Fairness in a Changing […]
Newsletter from MLA/Minister Katrine Conroy
On Sept. 30, people across British Columbia and the entire country observe Orange Shirt Day to honour the children who suffered in the residential school system and to remind all Canadians that “Every Child Matters.” Since 2021, Sept. 30 is also the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. This year marks the first time that this day […]
Newsletter from MLA/Minister Katrine Conroy, housing tops list
For many people in our community and across B.C., affordable and available housing is top of mind. It’s one of our government’s top priorities too. This week, our government announced two actions from our Homes for People plan that will help get more British Columbians into affordable homes, faster. We launched the Single Housing Application Service […]