British Columbia Minute: Issue 86

British Columbia Minute - Your weekly one-minute summary of British Columbia politics.

📅 This Week In British Columbia: 📅

• Prime Minister Mark Carney announced that two major projects in British Columbia are being forwarded to the Major Projects Office for potential fast-track approval. The first is the Ksi Lisims LNG project on Pearse Island, a 12-million-tonne-per-year liquefied natural gas facility backed by the Nisga’a Nation but opposed by other regional First Nations and several environmental groups. The project is projected to create 800 construction jobs, over 200 ongoing positions, and contribute $17 billion to the Canadian economy over its lifetime. The second project is the North Coast Transmission Line, which would double electricity flow from Prince George to Terrace to support LNG, mining, and port expansion, with construction possibly starting next summer and full operation by 2034. While the projects have provincial and federal backing, Carney emphasized that referral to the Major Projects Office does not guarantee approval. These announcements follow a first batch of five fast-track projects submitted two months ago, including expansions in ports, LNG, nuclear, and mining sectors across Canada.
  
  
• British Columbia’s Human Rights Commissioner, Kasari Govender, has criticized the provincial government for its approach to the opioid crisis, calling it stigmatizing and a violation of human rights. In a position statement, Govender argued that the government treats drug use as a moral failing rather than a health issue and relies too heavily on criminal justice and involuntary care instead of evidence-based measures. She emphasized that the crisis demands urgent action comparable to the response to COVID-19. Govender advocates for harm reduction and safer supply programs, noting they can significantly reduce deaths and serious harm despite potential political unpopularity. Data from the BC Coroners Service shows 158 overdose deaths in September 2025, down nearly 20% from the previous year, though unregulated drug toxicity remains the leading cause of death for people aged 19 to 59. Govender stressed that the crisis stems from prohibition policies rather than safer supply measures and called for policies guided by science rather than ideology.
  
  
• BC is allocating a significant portion of international undergraduate seats to private institutions, with 32% of provincial attestation letters (PALs) going to private colleges and universities, compared to just 4% in Ontario. Experts warn this raises concerns as public colleges disproportionately serve underserved populations, including part-time, working, first-generation, Indigenous, and low-income students, and many face program cuts and layoffs due to declining international enrolment. The federal government sets overall international student targets, but provinces decide how seats are distributed, and BC has been criticized for a lack of transparency in this process. Some private institutions, such as University Canada West, hold large numbers of international student permits, highlighting how lucrative PAL allocations can be. Experts suggest that public institutions, and not-for-profit private schools, should be prioritized to protect the accessibility and stability of BC’s post-secondary system, especially as changes to immigration and student permit policies reduce international recruitment.
  
  
• BC Attorney General Niki Sharma has expressed strong concern after social media company X challenged a tribunal order to remove a non-consensual intimate image worldwide. The Civil Resolution Tribunal had ordered X to delete the image entirely under the Province’s Intimate Images Protection Act, after a BC resident filed for protection. X complied by geo-blocking the content in Canada but argued in court that a global removal order could infringe on foreign sovereignty and free speech, and could set a precedent allowing restrictive foreign laws to dictate internet content. The tribunal imposed a $100,000 penalty for the company’s refusal to remove the image globally. Sharma emphasized that blocking access only within Canada is insufficient, and the Province will intervene to defend the law and ensure full protection for survivors.
  
  
• British Columbia has introduced new rules limiting when employers can request sick notes, aiming to reduce the burden on doctors and prevent the spread of illness. Under the updated employment standards, employers cannot require a note for the first two health-related absences of up to five consecutive days in a year. Health Minister Josie Osborne emphasized that the rules allow sick employees to stay home and recover, while Labour Minister Jennifer Whiteside noted that unnecessary doctor visits do not speed recovery and can spread illness. The change responds to advice from healthcare providers and scientific evidence that most minor adult illnesses resolve within five days. BC doctors previously issued an estimated 1.6 million sick notes last year, highlighting the administrative strain. The new regulations cover absences due to illness or injury for the employee or immediate family members.

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