 Walk in every room like that. Honourable Speaker, I move that this House at its next sitting resolve itself for this session into a committee to consider the supply to be granted to His Majesty. Members, you heard the question. All those on favour indicate aye. Aye. Those who oppose? Motion carried. Minister? Honourable Speaker, I have the honour to present a message from Her Honour, the Lieutenant Governor. Her Honour, the left-hand governor transmits here with estimates, fiscal year ending March 31st, 2024, and supplement to the estimates, fiscal year ending March 31st, 2024, and recommends the same to the Legislative Assembly. Minister? Honourable Speaker, I move that the said message and the estimates accompanying the same be referred to the Committee of Supply. You heard the question. All those on favour indicate aye. Aye. Opposed? Motion carried. Minister? Honourable Speaker, I move seconded by the Honourable Premier, British Columbia, that the Speaker do now leave the chair for the House to go into Committee of Supply. Minister will continue. I'm going to hand the Mamre that… Minister? Thank you, Mr Speaker. I'd like to begin by acknowledging the Lekwungen peoples, the Sonnies, and Esquimalt First Nation upon whose territories we are gathered today. Today I am honoured to present Budget 2023, a budget that builds today for a stronger tomorrow, that eases the pressures we feel in our daily lives, and that reflects the priorities of British Columbians. This year's budget will improve healthcare, build more homes, help with rising costs, and make our communities safer. Budget 2023 will continue our work to build a stronger, cleaner economy for everyone, right across our province. Mr Speaker, these uncertain times require careful, thoughtful action. Action that addresses the uncertainty ahead while moving us forward on long-standing priorities like reconciliation, climate change, and tackling global inflation. Action is what British Columbians want from their government, and it's what Budget 2023 delivers, with real results focused on the priorities of British Columbians. Because while BC is a great place to live, many people are facing real challenges. Global inflation is raising the costs of just about everything. It's getting harder to afford groceries, find essential medication for your kids, or find workers to fill jobs. By the end of the month, many families are wondering if they'll ever get ahead. Then there's the added pressure of economists predicting a global economic slowdown. We can't control global forces, but we can make choices that will help British Columbians weather the storm and come out stronger. Some believe we should respond to uncertainty by pulling back, by making cuts that reduce services, or by making people pay out of pockets for tolls and private health care. And that's not what British Columbians want, and that's not our government's approach. Instead of making cuts to education and expecting teachers to fill the gaps, we are making record investments in BC's elementary schools and high schools. And this year is no exception. Instead of privatizing health care, we are strengthening public health care. Instead of leaving parents to shoulder the cost of childcare, we are saving them hundreds of dollars or more every single month. All the while, we are opening new spaces across the province. Because we know that supporting British Columbians will build a stronger province for us all, we can see that in the results to date. Over three quarters of last year's job growth in BC was driven by women's employment. This is a reflection of our government's work on childcare. It's clear that we can't afford to go back to short-sighted thinking. The kind of thinking that cuts services today while leaving the actual costs for tomorrow. It didn't work before, and it certainly won't work now. When times are tough, that's exactly when you need someone in your corner. Defending you from global uncertainty and building a stronger province for everyone. That's why our government will always be there for British Columbians. And it's why we're putting this year's new investments and multi-billion dollar surplus to work for people. To deliver another round of the BC affordability credit and help more people make ends meet. To protect people from evictions and rent hikes while preserving rental buildings. And to support growing cities and towns right across the province with a total of a billion dollars in grants. To improve local roads and water facilities and build more community centres, trails and arenas. Because as someone who is proud to call rural BC home, I know it's not just our large cities facing big changes. That's why these grants are going to all 188 of BC's municipalities and regional districts. This is part of our ongoing work to support rural communities, especially those that rely on BC's forest industry and have been hit hard by the effects of pine beetle and wildfires. Because we are at our strongest when everyone, rural and urban, shares in the benefits of a strong economy. In an uncertain world you can be certain that our government has your back. Budget 2023 responds to the priorities of British Columbians. We know you want healthcare you can count on. You want more affordable homes built faster. You want help with everyday costs and an economy that is clean and strong. And you want a safer and healthier community. This budget delivers for you. Today we are taking another step forward toward a brighter future for all. Mr. Speaker, people want to know that strong healthcare will be there when they need it. At the same time, coming out of the pandemic, healthcare workers have never been under greater stress. These challenges are not unique to BC. That's why our government and other provinces across the country have been working with Ottawa to help us deliver better healthcare for people. There is more work to do. The federal proposal we received earlier this month provides stable funding for the next generation. Stability is good, but the status quo is not good enough. That's why we're not waiting. Our government is taking action now to deliver better healthcare for more people. This year's budget builds on the work we've done with an additional $6.4 billion to strengthen and improve healthcare over the next three years. We're continuing to manage COVID-19 and flu levels by supporting the ongoing public health response. And as our population increases and ages, we're adding $2.6 billion over the plan to meet the growing demand for health services, including cancer care. Cancer has touched the lives of almost everyone in BC. Its impact on patients, families, and our struggling healthcare system is one of the greatest challenges we face. A few days ago, we shared new steps to deliver cancer care people can count on for themselves and their loved ones. As part of our fight against cancer, this year's budget commits $270 million over the next three years. We're focused on improving access to screening, early detection, diagnosis, and treatment because, Mr. Speaker, nobody should be stuck waiting for a test result or urgently needed treatment. We're also increasing compensation for the doctors providing this life-saving care. It's part of our work to recruit and retain more oncologists in British Columbia. We know our healthcare system is only as strong as the people who keep it running. This year's budget delivers a new deal for family doctors and supports BC's healthcare workforce. Nearly $1 billion for our health workforce strategy will recruit, train, and retain workers. We're also adding 1,700 healthcare staff and training 3,000 more graduates. New bursaries and grants will make it more affordable than ever to start a career in healthcare. At the same time, we're adding new resources to get more internationally trained doctors, nurses, and healthcare staff working and off the sidelines. Mr. Speaker, people understand that mental health is health. That's why our government has made the largest investment in mental health and addiction services in BC's history. It's why we are opening more urgent and primary care centres around the province, which is how most people first access the mental healthcare they need. And it's why we are building complex care housing for people living with addictions, severe mental health issues, or brain injury. This year's budget will get hundreds more units built and enhance healthcare supports at existing buildings. Our goal is to stop the cycle of evictions, shelters, emergency rooms, and jails for those struggling with mental health and addictions, because we won't stop working until all British Columbians get the help they need when they need it. Our budget delivers more than $1 billion in new funding over three years to support services and capital projects for mental health, addictions, and treatment services. Our focus will be on expanding supports across the spectrum of care for people struggling with addiction. We'll do this by expanding the number of treatment and recovery beds, by creating new recovery communities to support those who have gone through treatment, and by delivering wrap around services for youth and more indigenous treatment centres. This will all feed into our work to develop and implement a new model of seamless care, one that supports people through their entire recovery journey, from detox to treatment to aftercare. We'll begin with new investments in road to recovery and partnership with Providence Health and Vancouver Coastal Health. Our goal will be to expand the initiatives to other regions. People may have heard of the Redfish Healing Centre in Coquitlam on the site of the Old Riverview Hospital. It's the first of its kind facility in North America. At Redfish, complex mental illness and addictions are treated simultaneously. With this year's budget, we will expand the Redfish model of care across the province with regional facilities so more people have access to those services closer to home. Almost one month ago, BCE became the first province to decriminalise people who use drugs. So they feel able to come forward to family, friends, and medical professionals to seek help. We're saving lives and delivering more services and supports at an unprecedented rate because, Mr. Speaker, all of us know someone who has struggled or is struggling with an addiction. It could be a brother, sister, friend, or parent. We also know that a health response is needed, not just a criminal justice one. This budget will provide specialised health care for people who need it. When we think of what it means to build a good life in British Columbia, an affordable home is at the top of the list. For too long, the housing market worked well for investors, speculators, and banks, but it did not work for everyday people. After five and a half years of work by our government, we are starting to see results. 40,000 homes are built or underway. Construction of new rental housing is at record levels. Seven times what it was a decade ago. In just the past few months, we've removed unfair strata restrictions that keep rentals empty. And we're setting new housing targets with local governments to keep pace with BC's strong population growth. Still, Mr. Speaker, new pressures coming out of the pandemic have left too many people struggling to find a decent home, even if they earn a good income. That needs to change, and it will. This year's budget will invest $4.2 billion to deliver homes of all kinds for all British Columbia. It is centered around a bold housing action plan, one that builds on our work and takes new steps to deliver more homes for middle-class families, for Indigenous peoples, for renters, and for those in greatest need. We'll clear the way for more housing with zoning changes and a faster permitting process, and we'll make major new investments to increase housing and services near public transit hubs around the province. Our plan will also help to ease pressure on local rental markets by building thousands more student housing spaces. This is on top of the nearly 8,000 student beds already open or underway. From Okanagan College's campus in Kelowna, Vernon, and Salmon Arm, to tripling the number of student homes at Abbotsford University of the Fraser Valley, and I can't forget my own stomping grounds, a few months ago we started work on new homes for students at Selkirk Colleges, Kasselgar, and Nelson campuses. And the best part, these are all built using mass timber technology, which creates jobs and helps reduce carbon pollution. Mr. Speaker, it's clear that homelessness is no longer just a big city issue. What we see happening in communities and on streets throughout the province isn't good for anyone, least of all for people who are living on the street or in dangerous encampments. This year's budget will fund more supportive housing and strengthen existing programs which help vulnerable people keep their homes. We're adding hundreds more units of complex care housing, and we're creating new regional teams to help any community dealing with a major encampment. Mr. Speaker, whether I'm in Victoria or at home in the Kootenays, I often hear the same thing for my neighbors. People in BC are working harder than ever, but many feel like they're just getting by, not getting ahead. And if you're renting your home, as almost one-third of British Columbians are, every month can feel like a stretch. Never mind saving up for a down payment. I hear you, our government is working for you. Whether you're a young person or looking for your first home away from home, a family wanting more space, or a senior enjoying your retirement years. While some things, like interest rates, are out of our control, we can make things, other things, a little better. That's why we launched a new $500 million rental protection fund to safeguard people against evictions and rent hikes, while protecting rental buildings for many years to come. It's why we are making new investments in BC housing to upgrade old housing and new housing. We're making new investments in BC housing to upgrade older rental buildings while adding thousands of new rental homes. And Mr. Speaker, it's why we are introducing a new renters tax credit. The new income tested credit will put as much as $400 back into the pockets of low and moderate income renters. We expect this benefit will benefit more than 80% of renters right across BC. The renters tax credit is just one way we are helping people with the cost of daily life. We're freezing basic car insurance rates for another two years. And we provided a $100 credit to reduce everyone's power bill. More than 85% of people received the BC affordability credit in January, but some families getting up to $410. And just days ago, we announced another BC affordability credit coming in April. Adults will receive up to $164 more and children up to $41 more. But we know there's much more work to do. Alongside putting money back in people's pockets, a total of $4.5 billion in this year's budget will help with the rising cost of essentials. And when it comes to essentials, having full control over your reproductive rights is at the top of the list. All too often these fundamental rights are under attack, but not here in BC. Starting April 1st, prescription birth control is going to be free in British Columbia. We know cost varies, but it really adds up. For someone who pays $25 a month for birth control pills, that's $300 a year in savings. And as much as $10,000 in the savings over their lifetime. Mr. Speaker, as a mom of two daughters and five granddaughters, I know the effect this is going to have on people's lives in our province. This is a win for health and it's a win for gender equity in our province. And it's about time. The days of passing these costs to women, trans, and non-binary people are coming to an end. For the families who feel like they are just getting by and never getting ahead, we're here for you. This year's budget delivers an important and permanent lift to the BC family benefit, a 10% increase. Now parents will receive up to $1,750 for the first child, $1,100 for the second, and $900 for the third. For a family with two kids, the extra $1,750 per year can help buy healthy food, pay bills and extracurricular activities. On top of the 10% increase, single parents will get as much as an extra $500 a year. Because while global inflation is stretching most household budgets, it can be really tough for those already struggling to make ends meet. To tackle food insecurity, we're providing stable funding to expand local school food programs so any child who needs a meal gets one. And for post secondary students, we are doubling the student loan maximums and increasing the amount students can make before they need to start repaying their loans. To help British Columbians rely on income and disability assistance to make ends meet we are providing more support. Income and disability rates will be increased, including a 33% lift to the shelter rate. This marks the fourth increase since 2017. And we expect it will benefit about 160,000 people including 33,000 children and help reduce homelessness. There's always more to do. That's why we're beginning engagement to update our poverty reduction strategy for March 2024. All too often the work of caregivers is not given the respect or compensation that it deserves. This goes back to my previous life as children and families. To foster parents and those who look after some of BC's most vulnerable people, thank you. You are changing lives and we are here to support you. Starting this year foster families will see their rates increase by 47%. This will help cover the costs of rising essentials like food, gas and clothing because youth and kids in care deserve every opportunity to thrive. Just as people need to know a good life is in reaching BC, they need to feel safe in their home and community. And budget 2023 backs our safer communities action plan with a commitment of 462 million over three years. On the enforcement side we're adding 250 more RCMP members to help keep people safe especially in rural BC. We're implementing new response teams to address and prosecute repeat violent offenders. These teams are made up of police dedicated prosecutors and probation officers. To improve access to justice we're continuing to update the police act and adding more resources to the BC human rights tribunal. And over the next two years another 10 Indigenous justice centers will open their doors. This is in addition to those already serving people in Prince George and the Central Center. Addressing the overrepresentation of Indigenous people in the justice system is a top priority both for our government and for the BC First Nations Justice Council. Together we can break the cycle of jail and release. It begins with addressing the poverty, trauma and health issues that brought the person to the justice system in the first place. Mr. Speaker when a person's violent or disruptive behavior results from mental health and substance use in addition to significant new investments across the spectrum of care this year's budget will expand the number of mental health crisis response teams. This includes integrated mobile teams like the successful Part 87 program in Vancouver which pairs up a police officer with a health worker. Budget 2023 includes new funding to expand operating hours for the existing peer assisted care teams on the North Shore and in Victoria and New Westminster. And it'll expand teams to new communities beginning this year. Budget also provides funding to engage on Indigenous led civilian crisis responses services. So people in crisis are met early on by healthcare workers and people who understand what they're going through. This will also free up police to stop focus on this will also free up police to focus on stopping crimes which makes us all safer. As we prepare for another year of strong population growth it's clear that the strong and clean economy is attracting talent from around the world. That's a good thing. We're forecasting one million job openings in the next decade. People see opportunity here. I couldn't agree more. We weathered the pandemic with one of the strongest recoveries in Canada. Vancouver's tech sector is growing at the highest rate in North America. Last year we had record breaking mineral exploration funding for a new critical mineral strategy and this year's budget will continue to support the sector. BC is ready to deliver the essential materials needed to help transition away from fossil fuels and grow a clean economy. Materials like copper for conducting wind power, nickel for batteries in electric cars and so much more. And we'll continue to deliver while meeting BC's exceptionally high standards with global uncertainty on the horizon and one million jobs to fill in the next decade. The safest bet we can make is on BC and that is what we're going to do. Mr Speaker, this year's budget supports our government's future ready plan coming this spring. It's a plan to grow the most inclusive and talent driven workforce in Canada and it responds to one of the biggest challenges we're hearing from businesses better access to more highly skilled workers. To start, we're attracting new talent by speeding up the recognition of foreign credentials so internationally trained professionals can get to work rather than sitting on the sidelines. I think of Monique who started her nursing career in the Philippines. She now has a good job caring for patients in BC but the path wasn't straightforward. Monique is excited about our government's changes to make it easier and faster for qualified internationally educated nurses to work in our province. In Monique's words, it will create more opportunities for skilled professionals like her and to quote to establish lives here too. This will benefit everyone in BC and our nurses means better healthcare and I couldn't agree more. We are grateful to Monique and so many others who are using their skills and talents to make BC a better place. Mr. Speaker, we're also training the next generation of workers with thousands more seats in high demand fields from healthcare to tech and veterinary medicine to early childhood education and we're focused on getting more people with multiple barriers and underrepresented groups into the workforce. Mr. Speaker, I believe that if someone wants to retrain or upgrade their skills costs shouldn't be a barrier. Our future ready plan will make sure of that. We're launching a new future skills grant to get people trained and working in high demand fields from programming and software development to trades, manufacturing and aquaculture. The new grant will help people access the skills they need to succeed today and in the years to come. At the same time, Mr. Speaker, we're also looking to face their share of difficulties, whether it's uncertainty brought on by COVID-19, global inflation or a growing labor shortage. These are major and ongoing challenges and responding to these needs is a key part of our future ready plan. We'll provide new funding to help small and medium-sized businesses implement solutions to today's labor market challenges and prepare for a changing economy because businesses aren't just going to weather it, but they're going to be coming out of it stronger, backed by the diversity, skills and unique strengths from people right across the province. Mr. Speaker, when we think of tomorrow's economy, sustainability and innovation are top of mind. In a world shaped by climate change, not only is this a necessity, it's a competitive advantage and BC is more than ready to deliver. This year's budget includes more than a billion dollars over the next three years compared to the last three years. This year's budget includes communities that will stand strong in any emergency, whether it be wildfires, heat waves or atmospheric rivers. New investments this year will increase BC's emergency management capacity and help buy more firefighting equipment. Mr. Speaker, we must prepare for our changing climate, but we must also do our part to fight climate change because the cost of doing nothing or not enough is too much. This year's budget includes a clean BC roadmap to 2030. It's a continent-leading plan to reduce emissions while creating family-supporting jobs and strong communities. Budget 2023 builds on our clean BC commitments with new targeted investments and active transportation networks across the province. Additionally, the popular clean BC go electric program will continue. As will pilot projects for heavy duty electric vehicles so transportation will continue. BC has always been a leader in climate change and will continue to be in the years ahead because fighting climate change will take all of us working together. Our clean BC plan is a key part of Canada's plan, which is part of a global solution to reduce emissions, but ordinary British Columbians who are already struggling with rising costs can't bear the cost burden alone. That's why we eliminated the largest subsidy to big oil and oil prices. We're back to work for people. And that's why, as the price on pollution rises, so too will the Climate Action Tax Credit. Budget 2023 will deliver more money to more households through an enhanced Climate Action Tax Credit. Where a family of four would have received a total of $500 last year, that same family will receive almost $900 starting today. In 2030, we expect a significant majority of people to receive the credit will actually receive more than what they pay in carbon tax costs. Mr. Speaker, people here understand that our natural landscape is a source of incredible beauty. It's also a wealth of economic opportunity when done sustainably and responsibly. And it's where we see the results of a new approach to reconciliation with Indigenous peoples. Whether it's new agreements with Blueberry River First Nations and other Treaty 8 nations that find resource development, or it's the first consent-based decision-making agreement under the Declaration Act with the Talltown, because we know what doesn't work. Endless court battles, short-term transactional relationships, litigation instead of negotiation and collaboration. The future lies in rights-based partnership approach to decisions respecting land, water, and resource stewardship. That is where we are focusing our work. To advance our work both in forest stewardship, we are tripling the number of forest landscape planning tables, including eight new planning tables. This will provide greater opportunity for First Nations, local communities, workers, and industry to come together and plan for the future of land management. We're also ramping up our investments to support innovation in the forest industry. Just a few weeks ago we doubled the BC Manufacturing Jobs Fund to $180 million and opened it up to projects from around the province. This will help mills move away from old-growth logs and towards higher value-added wood projects, like mass timber. When natural resource projects meet our high standards, we want shovels in the ground quickly, and delays are just unnecessary barriers to growth. This year's budget will help speed up the permitting process for natural resources, because delays cost money and will slow down our transition to a clean energy future. Through this year's budget, about 160 new staff will help move key resource and infrastructure projects forward, from connectivity to electrification and hydrogen power. They will also help reform the system so that it works better and faster while maintaining BC's high standards. We know that anything built today must meet the demands of a changing climate and growing population. And BC is ready to meet it. With the largest infrastructure investment in our province's history. If you're looking for good, family supporting work, British Columbia is a place to be. We're creating jobs by building hospitals from Lionsgate to Stewart Lake, by building schools and fast growing areas, by building a fast, reliable transit network, including the Broadway Subway and the Surrey Langley Sky Train, and by building homes for generations of British Columbians . No matter where you live, be it rural or urban, there will be opportunities for you and your family. Brick by brick and board by board, we are building a brighter future for everyone who calls our province home. Because if there's one thing we have learned through these challenging years, it's this. Going it alone doesn't work. We are all in this together. A neighbour's success is your success. A strong rural BC is our entire province's success. A growing secure and clean economy is a success for everyone today and in the years ahead. These are your priorities and there are ours too. We are all better off when a good life is in reach for those who call BC home. That is a better, brighter future we all believe in and that is a future Budget 2023 delivers. Thank you.