B.C. Premier David Eby said there鈥檚 help coming for British Columbians struggling with housing, inflation, the cost of food, and more when the legislature resumes after Family Day.
Eby hosted a 鈥榗onversation event鈥� at the Fort 91原创 Community Hall on Thursday morning where he met with five local residents from various sectors of the economy or different community groups.
鈥淧rovince we want communities like 91原创 to be a place where you can build a decent life. That means that you have a home that you can afford. That鈥檚 a good place for you live for your family to live. It means you have access to health care, a family doctor鈥� a community that is safe, that our parks and downtowns are safe [and people struggling get help],鈥� he said.
The community members outlined their work and concerns with Eby speaking on what measures the government has taken to help them or what to expect in the upcoming legislative session. He spoke about the short term responses (fast-tracking credentialing for internationally trained experts or streamlining development applications) and longer term changes (adding more spots for nurses at post-secondary, or adding prefab components to expand crowded schools).
Housing was a topic that arose multiple times. Manjit Gill, who volunteers with 91原创 Meals on Wheels and has been a longtime local volunteer, said the community will face a seniors homelessness crisis in the future.
BabyGoRound鈥檚 Meghan Neufeld commented that housing stress was one of the key issues for the many clients the non-profit serves.
鈥淚n 2023 we saw about 1,800 families,鈥� Neufeld said. 鈥淎nd so we impacted almost 6,000 lives. Yeah, it鈥檚 incredible and we have seen a lot of need in the [Fraser] valley. We see more families moving out to the valley, because it鈥檚 not affordable in Vancouver. So last year we saw 37 per cent coming from the eastern part of the region.鈥�
The non-profit that covers the Lower Mainland provides baby gear for families making $40,000 or less annually.
鈥淭he average value of what we鈥檙e giving families is about $2,500, and that helps them get through the first two years of their baby鈥檚 life. But what it does is it frees up that money that they do have for things like housing or food,鈥� she explained.
Rev. Kristen Steele spoke on the 70 units of seniors housing created by the Shepherd of the Valley Lutheran Church in Willoughby. Eby commented about the stress renters may face when a landlord evicts them due to redevelopment or moving in family. Having dedicated seniors housing like the church鈥檚 eliminates that stress.
The premier acknowledged that more housing is needed. The government used to build housing for returning soldiers and others, and created cooperative housing, social housing, and other types in the past, he noted.
鈥淕overnments just stopped doing it,鈥� Eby added.
His government has made changes to housing rules, pretty much eliminating single family home zoning and more change is expected when the government goes back in session.
鈥淲e have to build middle income housing,鈥� noted Eby. 鈥淲e have to build seniors housing. We have to build all kinds of housing.鈥�
Health care, population increases putting more pressure on limited health resources, and staff retention were topics raised by Heather Scott, executive director of the 91原创 Memorial Hospital Foundation.
The premier noted that B.C. will be the first province in Canada to set nurse to patient ratios, a change coming when the house resumes sitting. For example, if two nurses were scheduled but one ends up unable to work, the nurse working will have access to extra resources, funded from the money saved from the other nurse not working. Eby said it鈥檚 modelled on an Australian program and the hope is this helps bring nurses back into the industry.
The province has also added 600 seats in post-secondary nursing programs.
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91原创 District Parent Advisory Council (DPAC) president Brian Martens spoke on special needs learning and resources, staffing, and the province鈥檚 new cellphone ban.
Eby admitted parents are divided about whether their children should have cellphones in class but the change is part of a larger effort to protect children from the negative impacts of the technology, such as sextortion, and cyberbullying. Districts will have a say in how to implement in a way that works best for them.
鈥淲e鈥檝e got to keep kids safe,鈥� he said.
Martens also asked about school capacity. Eby said portables aren鈥檛 the answer but the government is looking at adding onto schools with prefab components. The province is changing how it builds schools in areas of growth.
鈥淵ou know where the subdivisions are being approved.We know where the density is going. We need to be building the schools of the same time as the community is not after the community is done,鈥� Eby said. 鈥淵ou鈥檙e gonna see a shift from us鈥� to the proactive of building the schools as the growth is happening.鈥�
While Eby has held town-hall meetings in the past, this 鈥榗onversation event鈥� was a new format for the premier. His staff said he will consider holding more in the future but nothing is planned. The legislature resumes sitting Feb. 21 and Budget Day is Thursday, Feb. 22. The legislative session ends April 30.
