Close X
Thursday, November 14, 2024
ADVT 
National

Climate change key focus of B.C. budget: minister

Darpan News Desk The Canadian Press, 22 Feb, 2022 12:23 PM
  • Climate change key focus of B.C. budget: minister

VICTORIA - The challenges of climate change facing British Columbia are expected to be the main focus of the budget Finance Minister Selina Robinson tables today.

Robinson says ensuring communities have the resources they need to address climate change will form a large part of the New Democrat government's budget for the 2022-23 fiscal year.

Robinson told a pre-budget news conference on Monday that the realities of climate change hit the province over the past year with deadly heat waves, wildfires and storms that caused major flooding and infrastructure damage across southern B.C.

She says the budget will include details about the government's plans to introduce a year-round B.C. Wildfire Service dedicated to full-time fire prevention, preparedness, response and recovery.

But Robinson was saying little about the financial accounting of the damage caused by last fall's floods and mudslides that hit agricultural operations in the Fraser Valley, left communities evacuated and brought vital transportation links to a standstill.

In November, Robinson forecast a budget deficit of $1.7 billion for the 2021-22 fiscal year, down from the original projection of $9.7 billion last February.

 

MORE National ARTICLES

Police doing their job in B.C. protests: minister

Police doing their job in B.C. protests: minister
Mike Farnworth also said the province supports Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in using the Emergencies Act to deal with protests that are holding other parts of the country "economic hostage."

Police doing their job in B.C. protests: minister

2,701 COVID19 cases over 3 days

2,701 COVID19 cases over 3 days
In addition, 93.1% (4,315,735) of eligible people 12 and older in B.C. have received their first dose of COVID-19 vaccine, 90.5% (4,193,878) received their second dose and 52.7% (2,443,314) have received a third dose.

2,701 COVID19 cases over 3 days

Suspect Arrested in a Series of Stranger Assaults on Transit

Suspect Arrested in a Series of Stranger Assaults on Transit
In all incidents, the suspect and victim were not known to each other, and there was no interaction between the two prior to the alleged assaults. The Metro Vancouver Transit Police General Investigation Unit linked this series of assaults to one suspect.

Suspect Arrested in a Series of Stranger Assaults on Transit

​​​ICBC set to launch online insurance renewals

​​​ICBC set to launch online insurance renewals
Eligible ICBC customers renewing policies effective on or after May 1, 2022, will have the option to renew their policy using their computer, tablet or mobile device.

​​​ICBC set to launch online insurance renewals

Emergency law could freeze travel near Parliament

Emergency law could freeze travel near Parliament
Security expert Wesley Wark says declaring a public order emergency under the never-used law would give the government power to control streets near the Hill now jammed with vehicles.

Emergency law could freeze travel near Parliament

Former B.C. Speaker doesn't recall documents

Former B.C. Speaker doesn't recall documents
Bill Barisoff told the B.C. Supreme Court trial of the former clerk of the legislature Craig James that he only saw some documents connected with benefits after the RCMP began investigating James, and when letters and memos were sent to him by the Crown.

Former B.C. Speaker doesn't recall documents