Taking action to help people the focus of final legislative session
Delivering more homes for people:
Bill 15 – Budget Measures Implementation (Residential Property (Short-Term Holding) Profit Tax) Act:
The B.C. flipping tax means more homes for families, not speculators. B.C. is taking action to target housing speculation to make sure more people can find an affordable home in the communities where they live and work.
https://news.gov.bc.ca/releases/2024FIN0019-000462
Bill 14 – Tenancy Statutes Amendment Act:
Amendments to the Residential Tenancy Act and the Manufactured Home Park Tenancy Act will strengthen protections for tenants against bad-faith evictions, support landlords against problematic tenants and eliminate rent increases for additional minor occupants in a household. No rent increases above the annual allowable rent increase will be permitted even if there is a term in the tenancy agreement that states rent will increase with new occupants.
https://news.gov.bc.ca/releases/2024HOUS0017-000461
Bill 16 – Housing Statutes Amendment Act:
New proposed measures will improve the ability of local governments to build more affordable, livable communities for people and help tenants facing eviction from redevelopment.
https://news.gov.bc.ca/releases/2024HOUS0049-000471
Bill 18 – Vancouver Charter Amendment Act (No. 2):
Proposed changes to the Vancouver Charter will help build more homes faster. The legislative amendments would help improve planning and public hearing processes to support the timely delivery of housing for people in Vancouver.
https://news.gov.bc.ca/releases/2024MUNI0018-000505
Bill 27 – Municipalities Enabling and Validating (No. 5) Amendment Act, 2024:
New amendments to the Municipalities Enabling and Validating Act (MEVA) will support action by the provincial government to keep rents affordable for low-income people in the Downtown Eastside (DTES), preventing as many as 1,000 people from losing their homes. The amendments were made at request of the City of Vancouver, allowing the city to regulate single-room occupancy (SRO) vacancy control and protect rent affordability for vulnerable residents. The amendments will validate single-room accommodation bylaws that limit rent increases between tenancies at SROs, as set out in Vancouver’s bylaws.
Bill 11 – Vancouver Charter Amendment:
Proposed legislative amendments support reconciliation and the delivery of social housing for people living in Vancouver. The bill will recognize First Nations as a level of government that qualify for exemptions from the City of Vancouver’s development-cost levy and amenity-cost charge for social-housing projects built on First Nations-owned land in Vancouver.
https://news.gov.bc.ca/releases/2024MUNI0003-000341
Helping people with everyday costs:
Bill 3 – Budget Measures Implementation Act:
As part of Budget 2024, the Budget Measures Implementation Act outlined tax measures to crack down on the flipping of homes, support small and growing businesses, and help more first-time homebuyers get into the market.
Bill 2 – Employment Standards Amendment Act:
Amendments will ensure minimum wages automatically increase each year based on inflation. These changes will provide greater predictability for businesses and ensure B.C.’s lowest-paid workers do not fall behind. On June 1, 2024, minimum wage will increase to $17.40 per hour.
https://news.gov.bc.ca/releases/2024LBR0006-000240
Bill 7 – Social Development and Poverty Reduction Statutes Amendment Act:
The Poverty Reduction Bill sets ambitious new 10-year targets to help people out of poverty. Changes to legislation will also reduce barriers for people receiving income assistance or disability assistance, improving their access to the supports they need to move out of poverty.
https://news.gov.bc.ca/releases/2024SDPR0006-000284
Keeping communities safe:
Bill 10 – Commercial Transport Amendment Act:
Changes to the Commercial Transport Act will make highway travel safer for everyone by imposing higher penalties for commercial truck drivers who hit overpasses.
https://news.gov.bc.ca/releases/2024MOTI0028-000326
Bill 22 – Safe Access to Schools Act:
New legislation will help keep kids safe and focused on their education by preventing disruptive behaviour on school grounds, protecting the physical and mental safety of students and staff.
https://news.gov.bc.ca/releases/2024PREM0018-000526
Bill 26 – Name Amendment Act (No.2):
Proposed changes to the Name Act would prevent offenders convicted of serious Criminal Code offences from legally changing their names.
Bill 17 – Police Amendment Act:
Changes introduced to the Police Act will help ensure B.C.’s policing system is fair, equitable and responsive to all communities, with improved governance and oversight of municipal police agencies.
https://news.gov.bc.ca/releases/2024PSSG0024-000478
Building a stronger and more inclusive economy:
Bill 23 – Anti-Racism Act:
The Anti-Racism Act requires government to identify and remove barriers affecting Indigenous and racialized people, making it more equitable for them when seeking out government programs and services in hospitals, schools, courts and other public institutions.
https://news.gov.bc.ca/releases/2024AG0020-000521
Bill 25 – Haida Nation Recognition Amendment Act, 2024:
The Haida Nation Recognition Amendment Act, 2024, recognizes Haida’s Aboriginal title throughout Haida Gwaii and is the first legislation to recognize Aboriginal title in Canadian history.
https://news.gov.bc.ca/releases/2024IRR0020-000610
Bill 19 – Children and Family Development Statutes Amendment Act:
Amendments to the Adoption Act and the Child, Family and Community Service Act will strengthen Indigenous jurisdiction in child and family services. The changes will expand the scope for joint and consent-based decision-making agreements in Indigenous child and family services, and will create a full pathway for dispute resolution through the provincial courts under Indigenous law.
https://news.gov.bc.ca/releases/2024CFD0005-000501
Bill 5 – Child, Family and Community Service Amendment Act:
New procedural safeguards in the Child, Family and Community Service Act will enhance personal privacy protections, while supporting child protection needs through amended legislation that also removes barriers to Indigenous jurisdiction.
https://news.gov.bc.ca/releases/2024CFD0001-000254
Bill 20 – First Nations Mandated Post-Secondary Institutes Act:
New legislation will commit to ongoing funding for First Nations-mandated post-secondary institutes to reflect their important role within B.C.’s post-secondary education system.
https://news.gov.bc.ca/releases/2024PSFS0020-000510
Bill 8 – Athlii Gwaii Legacy Trust (Winding Up) Act:
Through the Athlii Gwaii Legacy Trust (Winding Up) Act, B.C. will enable the transfer of approximately $60 million from a legacy trust to the Gwaii Trust Society. The new fund will be used to support environmental restoration, renewable energy and economic diversification projects.
https://news.gov.bc.ca/releases/2024FOR0009-000290
Bill 24 – Energy Statutes Amendment Act:
Legislative amendments will help ensure B.C. has reliable, affordable electricity to power the future, especially with more people and businesses switching to clean energy.
https://news.gov.bc.ca/releases/2024EMLI0019-000536
Bill 13 – Land Title and Property Law Amendment Act:
The proposed Land Title and Property Law Amendment Act will help to eliminate discriminatory barriers for First Nations. The result would be administrative changes to the ways First Nations can acquire, hold and register fee-simple land in B.C., reducing discriminatory and racist barriers.
https://news.gov.bc.ca/releases/2024IRR0013-000460
Bill 9 – Miscellaneous Statutes Amendment Act:
The Miscellaneous Bill contains amendments to the Offence Act, Lobbyist Transparency Act, Protected Areas of British Columbia Act, Financial Institutions Act, Sechelt Indian Government District Enabling Act, Chartered Professional Accountants Act, Motor Vehicle Act and Labour Relations Code.
https://news.gov.bc.ca/releases/2024AG0015-000328
Bill 4 – Municipal Affairs Statutes Amendment Act:
The proposed amendments will streamline and modernize several processes, such as reporting for the Municipal Finance Authority, as well as dog licensing and landscaping in Vancouver. This will make some services more user-friendly for people in Vancouver and B.C.
https://news.gov.bc.ca/releases/2024MUNI0002-000251
Bill 21 – Legal Professions Act:
The proposed Legal Professions Act brings lawyers, notaries and other legal professionals under a single regulatory body. Depending on the legal matter, people will be able to choose if they would like to hire a lawyer, a notary public or a new designation called a regulatory paralegal for assistance.
https://news.gov.bc.ca/releases/2024AG0021-000527