VICTORIA, B.C. - After a period of unprecedented cooperation between all parties in B.C.’s minority government, the province’s economic recovery plan has been released.
“This plan is a good starting place and includes many important initiatives to get British Columbians through this pandemic,” said B.C. Green Party leader Sonia Furstenau and MLA for Cowichan Valley. “However, there is more work to do to connect these short-term supports with a long-term sustainable recovery plan.”
The B.C. Green Caucus consulted with government on this plan under CASA and the $1.5 billion in funding was approved in March by all three parties of the Legislature. In partnership with stakeholders, the B.C. Green Caucus advocated for the inclusion of DRIPA, CleanBC, and many of the policies featured in today’s announcement, including:
- jobs in species and ecosystems restoration;
- supports for value added manufacturing and supply chain resilience;
- targeted training for in-demand occupations;
- expanded access to childcare, and;
- strategic investments in innovation and digital connectivity.
“Ultimately, this plan lacks imagination about what’s possible and what’s necessary at this moment in our history. We can dream bigger. We can strive to put every young person who needs a job to work restoring and healing our natural environment, begin a mass building retrofit campaign to create jobs in every community, and create a just transition for workers in dying industries.
“This is the work we have ahead of us. British Columbians need support now to navigate the immediate economic and health impacts of this crisis. But they also expect the government to prepare for the future. A future that includes clean air, clean water, children that are cared for, and elders that are safe.
“As a concrete step, the NDP government should exclude the oil and gas sector from receiving any economic supports under this plan. The oil and gas sector already receives billions of dollars in subsidies - a number that has grown significantly under the NDP government.
“We look forward to continuing to work with the government to build on and strengthen this plan through the next year, including in the upcoming budget.”
-30-
Media contact
JoJo Beattie
Press Secretary
B.C. Green Caucus
+1 250-882-6187 | [email protected]