B.C. Greens introduce bill to remove gendered language
VICTORIA, B.C. - Today, Adam Olsen, MLA for Saanich North and the Islands introduced theNorth Island-Coast Development Initiative Trust Amendment Act, 2024 to rectify outdated and gendered language within legislation; an important step towards ensuring inclusivity and equality within our legal framework.
"We're making a simple but important change to reflect today's language. This shows our commitment to inclusivity and respect for everyone,” said Olsen.
B.C. Greens reintroduce bill to protect bear dens
VICTORIA, B.C. - Today, Adam Olsen, MLA for Saanich North and the Islands and member of Tsartlip First Nation reintroduced legislation to protect bear dens in British Columbia as the province lacks comprehensive protection.
“For over 20 years, experts have been advocating for laws to protect bear dens in British Columbia,” said Olsen. “While specific regions like the Great Bear Rainforest and Haida Gwaii have some level of legal protection, most of B.C. is wide open to the wrecking ball of logging companies smashing through bear habitats.”
B.C. Greens respond to 10-year poverty reduction goals
VICTORIA, B.C. - Today, the BC NDP announced amendments to income and disability assistance legislation, and poverty reduction legislation. The B.C. Green Caucus has issued the following statement:
“Simply put, poverty reduction is not good enough. We need a poverty elimination strategy, otherwise, we can’t take this government seriously,” said Sonia Furstenau, Leader of the B.C. Greens and MLA for Cowichan Valley. “At a time when people on disability and income assistance are falling far below the poverty line, this bill adds even greater bureaucratic demand with no recognition of the way in which these assistance programs are trapping people in poverty. We need entirely new thinking around how people with disabilities and on income assistance are served so programs are a path out of poverty and not a prison.”
B.C. Greens respond to gang recruitment near schools
VICTORIA, B.C. - Following the Victoria Chief of Police's alert regarding gangs actively targeting students near schools, the B.C. Green Caucus has issued the following statement:
“I support the community-based process that is underway and the work of the B.C. Greens Deputy Leader, Dr. Lisa Gunderson, who is a member of the Community Advocating for Students and Safety (CASS),” said Sonia Furstenau, Leader of the B.C. Greens and MLA for Cowichan Valley.
B.C. Greens introduce new bill to protect renters
VICTORIA, B.C. - Today, the B.C. Green Caucus introduced the Residential Tenancy Amendment Act, to make housing more affordable and to protect renters. The proposed changes would prevent landlords from unfairly increasing rent when a unit becomes empty.
In British Columbia, the current practice of allowing landlords to raise rent only for existing tenants often leads to evictions aimed at increasing rents for new tenants. B.C. has the highest eviction rate in Canada, with 10.5% of renters evicted in the last five years, primarily due to 'no-fault' reasons.