 Thank you for joining us today. A reminder to media on the line please press star one to enter the queue You will be limited to one question and one follow-up with that I'll hand it over to Minister of Public Safety and Solicitor General Mike Farnworth Thank you, and good morning. I want to acknowledge that I'm speaking to you from the territory of the Laquangan speaking peoples the song He's an Esquimalt First Nations I'm also joined virtually for this announcement by Nicholas Jimenez the president and CEO of ICBC It's been ten months since the implementation of enhanced care the most transformative shift in ICBC's history in its first eight months enhanced care saved full coverage customers an average of $490 or about 28% when renewing their policies for the first time under the new enhanced care model Enhanced care has brought significantly improved care recovery and income replacement benefits to any British Columbian injured in a crash and Ensures that they get the care they need for as long as they need it Today I can announce another key step in ICBC's transformation the convenience of you a renewing your personal vehicle insurance online and the discontinuation of the license plate validation decals coming next month ICBC customers renewing policies effective on or after May 1st 2022 will have the option to renew their policy online by computer tablet or mobile device in fact Customers can renew up to 44 days early Meaning if your insurance expires May 1st, you can renew online starting March 17th Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic ICBC has reviewed and adjusted its operations To protect the health and safety of its customers employees and partners By offering renewals over the phone and by email While also making temporary changes to help each ease financial hardships based by customers such as waving insurance cancellation fees As part of the corporation's efforts to make life more convenient for customers ICBC undertook an assessment of its online service offerings a process which involved close consultation with brokers representing more than 900 offices throughout British Columbia and Customer research methods which included in-depth interviews and quantitative surveys as Early as March 17th people will be able to renew their ICBC personal insurance policies update their address Find out if they're eligible for discounts as well as change their listed drivers and how their vehicle is used all of it online Customers will be insured immediately upon successful completion of their online transaction While behind the scenes brokers will review each online renewal for any potential concerns and fall off with drivers if it's required and Of course customers continue to have the in-person option for their insurance renewal Today, we're also excited to announce the discontinuation of license plate validation decals This change effective May 1st in conjunction with online renewals Will reduce incidents of theft and misuse and will free up police resources which are currently used to investigate these crimes Safety on our roads remains of critical importance Which is why we're committed to keeping uninsured drivers off BC roads With the advance of technology the need for validation decals has been reduced in Recent years police departments have been adding admission or license plate readers to their fleets These readers quickly recognize the lettering and numbering on a license plate Enabling officers to obtain the status of a vehicle's insurance while on the road To enhance and expand the plate reader program to effectively transition away from the need for validation decals ICBC is providing police agencies in British Columbia with a one-time one million dollar in grant funding towards these plate readers Funding for this investment is offset by removing the manufacturing and distribution of the decals and keeps money in the pockets of British Columbians Since enhanced cares launched last May we've enjoyed hearing feedback from ICBC customers about how much they're saving and the improved care and recovery benefits Now we're excited for British Columbians to take advantage of online renewals starting next month Online insurance renewal adds to the growing number of service options available to ICBC ICBC customers including the offerings by phone email and in person and provides greater convenience choice and Flexibility to the people in British Columbia. I'll now turn it over to ICBC CEO Nicholas Jimenez. Thank you By acknowledging that the land on which I'm speaking Today is the traditional ancestral indigenous territories both unceded and treated of the Musqueam Squamish Slaywood Tooth First Nations We're really excited about today's announcements of what it means for customers We know online renewals or something our customers have been waiting for and we're pleased to announce that we're ready to deliver just that This new online service It's going to be a convenient way for many of our customers to renew their auto plan insurance policies with us The first element of customers those who have personal policies expiring in early May Will be able to renew online as early as next month if they wish Now a lot of work has gone into creating an online experience that's secure Seamless and above all convenient for customers It's also important to point out that our customers won't be left on their own if they decide to renew online Every online renewal is going to be reviewed by a broker and specifically the one chosen by customers So our broker community which has been working with British Columbians for decades Will be there to assist people with their insurance needs whether that's in person by phone or online And and that's not changing what is changing is that with the addition of online insurance renewals BC motorists are no longer going to need to display a validation deckle on their license plate for proof of insurance And that's a big change the decision of which came after extensive Consultation and support from law enforcement in the province. So along with government and police We remain very committed to maintaining the very low percentage of uninsured drivers on BC's roads And this is why we're investing in enhancing and updating the automated license plate recognition program that police currently use here across the province We are really Looking forward to our customers experiencing the convenience of online insurance renewals and we're going to continue to build on our digital service offerings To make life easy for all British Columbians Thanks Thanks We'll now take questions a reminder to reporters on the line Please press star one to enter the queue or you'll be and you will be limited to one question and one follow up Our first question today comes from justine hunter globe and mail I actually want to ask about the meeting the premier had with the prime minister this morning and there was a discussion on The use of the Emergencies Act to deal with protests and I'm just wondering what BC's position is on that The the premier met with other premiers with the other prime minister this morning the Prime Minister has indicated that they will that he will be making a Statement will be out on an announcement at 1 30 this afternoon our time British Columbia's view is is that if the federal government believes that it needs emergency powers to deal with the the situation that we are seeing for example in the in the capital in Ottawa and the the challenges and the convoy protests that have been holding Ontario and the rest of the country to to economic hostage That we are supportive of the the measures that he feels he needs to deal with the situation back east Justine, do you have a follow-up? I do thank you and thanks for that minister just How do you how would you describe the situation in British Columbia right now? Is that something that's necessary here? We have seen the number of protests in different parts of the province By and large most of the the protests have been lawful And police have been out in force that we have seen them here in the capital We have seen them on the parts of the province. I think the police have been doing have been doing their job and of course We've also made it clear because I mean in touch with the police In terms of what is happening that if there are additional resources or authorities required we would absolutely consider them Next question penny daft loss CTV Yeah, I mean if you're in a similar vein I just want to know how the public safety ministry is involved and in terms of the provincial Cooperation or or help in terms of whether it's the encampments at the border or concern about you know Future encampments or future convoys rallies becoming entrenched for several days. What's the provincial? Contribution and what roller are you playing in in supporting police or in keeping tabs of things like I just want to know what your involvement is So obviously we are in contact with the police in terms of what is happening on an hour-by-hour day-to-day basis I have spoken With with with police chiefs for example here in Victoria We make sure that the That the police have the resources that they require They have been doing an effective job. They have the resources. They're the ones who make the decisions Around how to to enforce things operationally our expectation is is that the police enforce the law and that is what they're doing Penny do you have a follow-up? If you've heard from your your counterpart in Washington state or the governor's office Expressing concern. I know it's just one border crossing at this point But have you heard anything from Washington state in terms of disruptions to trade or other impacts at the border? We have not heard anything from Washington state as you know, both the other border crossings are open And the police are actively engaged in enforcing the law at the Pacific border crossing were a number of arrests have already been made We did see you know a significant protest on the weekend There are a smaller number a small number of individuals down there and the police are are dealing with that situation Next question Richard Sussman global news Minister how much do drivers save? by renewing their insurance online compared if they go into a broker and What's the financial breakdown looking like for how much a broker gets? Do they get the same amount of money for a transaction if someone renews their insurance in a brokerage compared to if they do it online? I'll turn to Nicholas in a moment for the for the broker question but in terms of Money being saved people are already saving money Through enhanced care as I said earlier. They're saving about $490 on average at 28% reduction So you're not going to be saving a significant amount by by on by going online As opposed to going in sudden in in person. It is all about convenience and over the past the past 18 months we've also seen ICBC Return rebates to to customers and so I think that's where ICB the customers of ICBC are seeing the the significant savings in rate reductions and on the broker Question, I'll turn to Nicholas Sure Right now every transaction completed online will be bound So the policy will be bound as soon as customers complete Brokers will do a review and if there's any issues that they see Based on their understanding of that customer and their circumstance in the policy Coverage is that they have selected they'll follow up with the customer within 48 hours What I'd also point out is that brokers don't just work for the actual sale of the policy They're really there for the duration of the policy term So we see about a quarter of our customers Contacting the broker for some reason during the policy to add a driver Change an address or to do some other adjustment based on their life circumstance So brokers will continue to provide that function as a head for decades to British Columbians Richard do you have a follow-up? Richard do you have a follow-up? Is it time to consider minister an actual significant change with the broker program other jurisdictions Have seen a move away from that It cost significant amount of money They still charge per transaction more than it costs you to visit your family doctor So why are we still now that they have even less to do are we still paying them the same amount of money? I don't think it's a question of saying that they have less to do As Nicholas just said they there's a lot of work that the brokers continue to do The reality is this We have undergone the biggest transformation of icbc That has resulted in people Saving significant amounts in their insurance We have taken what was more than just a dumpster fire a crown corporation That some in this province wanted to get rid of and go back to an insurance system That clearly does not work in terms of providing affordable insurance for most British Columbians and Have put in place enhanced care, which means that people get better service care for as long as they need it and that they get You know, they're saving on average four hundred ninety dollars a year That's a pretty big improvement in terms of being able to get Insurance in care in terms of affordability and in terms of having confidence that if you are injured You're going to be looked after for with the care that you need for as long as you need it Next question Mirabane CBC Okay, this question is for Minister Farmers You know, this is regarding a question for a colleague. It's about a farmer in McBride What compassion is icbc showing to a BC farmer in McBride? Who's desperately trying to rebook a test for a commercial driving permit after months of delays He was initially told he qualified for the commercial driving permit but then when he drove to go get the test he was He was only he was told two days before the test. He doesn't qualify for it. I'm just wondering, you know What's happening in a case like that? If you forward to us the name of the individual We will look into into the case. I can't comment on you know, and I don't know an individual's name Circumstances licensing any of that stuff, but if you forward the information to us, we will look into the matter Mira, do you have a follow-up? Thank you No, I'm good. Thanks for the next question. We go to Les Lane times colonists less. Oh, thanks Ministry We're expecting announcements on the changes in the various mandates this week Do you think the level of unrest here and elsewhere across the country is going to impact the government of BC's decision on what to do with Health mandates related to the pandemic No Decisions around the health mandates and how things are Lifted and changed are made on the basis of science not on the basis of mob rule Les, do you have a follow-up? I was also wondering just Convoys involving large commercial vehicles who Want to follow of whatever traffic laws or police orders or whatnot Did I see BC do expect? I see BC could play a role when it comes to future License renewals or are there causes in the policies where? That might end up costing protesters money on their renewals What I can tell you is is that by and large most of the protests that we have seen have been lawful They've been noisy, but they've been lawful at the same time police have have been had a very strong presence And one only has to look here in Victoria to not only to monitor but to enforce rules and When necessary do enforcement that can be in the form of tickets It may well also be in the form of traffic violations and over the the past couple of weeks I have seen Victoria police doing just that for example those tickets go through the the normal processing and the fines along with that there may also be events or situations where the police are following up through an investigation that may result in you know potential charges or Other penalties taking place and that's their job, and that's what they've been doing and so You know it could potentially involve ICBC, but that's would be part of any any police investigation that's happening Next question Lisa Yusta city news Just one quick follow-up their ministers so could ICBC though remove the license of truckers who have or people who are participating illegally in illegal protests There's always the the potential For if a vehicle is being used for an illegal activity for for insurance to to be to be cancelled or other penalties to apply And that's where the police come in in terms of you know the investigation that they're doing And the the charges that may tend may potentially flow from that from that investigation Lisa any follow-up But that's good. Thanks. Thank you very much. We have time for one more question today. We'll go to Mary Brooke Island social trends Hi, thanks for taking my questions a couple of ICBC specific things What was the manufacturing cost for the decos that is now being saved by making this change? I believe it was 2.3 million, but I will I will confirm that with Nicholas So let's let's go with 2.3 and I can follow up directly with a reporter with with this specific number Thank you very much. Mary dear number. Thank you very much. Mary do you have a follow-up? Yes, thanks. So were there any focus groups done or any test runs with the new online? Renewal of insurance and where I'm going with that is if somebody is eligible for a range of discounts But they maybe can't find them in the online interface They might miss out on those and I hear you've got brokers that'll review that but you know Maybe that's a situation that can't be determined by and in complete or incorrect applications So I'm just wondering what this you know how much research you did on that and what the safeguards are okay? No, there was a considerable focus group testing and consultation testing done on the the implementation of online renewal At the same time we also know and have looked at how it has worked in the other provinces five other provinces that have done away with the deco for example And that's in a in Saskatchewan in Manitoba It works. It's also one of the reasons why the brokers will continue to review Renewals when it when they're made so if they do spot something they're able to do a follow-up Thank you very much everybody that concludes today's availability