Nos. 27 and 28 VOTES AND PROCEEDINGS OF THE Legislative Assembly of British Columbia Second Session of the Forty-third Parliament

Monday, March 30, 2026

Ten o’clock a.m.

Prayers and Reflections by Susie Chant.

The House proceeded to “Orders of the Day.”

Order called for “Private Members’ Statements.”

M 201  The House resumed the adjourned debate on Motion M 201 with respect to affirming commitment to affordable, equitable and accessible clean water as an important component of Canadian sovereignty.

A debate arose.

Motion agreed to.

M 203  Tony Luck moved —

That the House affirms that the application of the merit principle within the B.C. Public Service be overseen by an independent officer of the Legislature.

A debate arose.

Pursuant to Standing Order 25, division on the motion was deferred until 30 minutes prior to the ordinary time fixed for adjournment.

And then the House adjourned at 11.54 a.m.

Monday, March 30, 2026

One-thirty o’clock p.m.

The Hon. Ravi Parmar (Minister of Forests) presented to the Speaker a Message from His Honour the Administrator, which read as follows:

Leonard Marchand
Administrator

The Administrator transmits herewith Bill (No. 14) intituled Forests Statutes Amendment Act, 2026, and recommends the same to the Legislative Assembly.

Vancouver Law Courts,

March 27, 2026.

Bill introduced and read a first time.

Bill Ordered to be placed on the Orders of the Day for second reading at the next sitting after today.

On the motion of Scott McInnis, Bill (No. M 239) intituled Aboriginal Title Transparency Act was introduced, read a first time, and Ordered to be placed on the Orders of the Day for second reading at the next sitting after today.

Order called for “Members’ Statements.”

Order called for “Oral Questions by Members.”

The Hon. Raj Chouhan (Speaker) tabled the Auditor General Report, Provincial Support for the Village of Lytton’s Wildfire Recovery, March 2026.

Amna Shah presented the Report of the Select Standing Committee on Private Bills and Private Members’ Bills for the Forty-third Parliament (Sixth), March 30, 2026, regarding its consideration of Bill (No. M 214) intituled Firefighters’ Health Act.

The Committee reported Bill (No. M 214) complete with amendment.

The House proceeded to “Orders of the Day.”

The Hon. Mike Farnworth moved —

That pursuant to Standing Order 16 (4), that this morning’s Private Members’ Time deferred division be further deferred until the start of Orders of the Day to the next sitting day and that any division in Section B in today’s sitting be also deferred.

The House divided.

Motion agreed to on the following division:

Yeas — 46
Lore
Blatherwick
Dhir
Routledge
Chant
Toporowski
B. Anderson
Neill
Osborne
Brar
Krieger
Davidson
Parmar
Sunner
Beare
Greene
Wickens
Kang
Begg
Arora
Higginson
Sandhu
Lajeunesse
Choi
Rotchford
Elmore
Popham
Dix
Sharma
Farnworth
Eby
Bailey
Kahlon
Chandra Herbert
Whiteside
Boyle
Ma
Yung
Malcolmson
Gibson
Glumac
Shah
G. Anderson
Chow
Morissette
Valeriote
Nays — 43
Loewen
Kindy
Milobar
Warbus
Halford
Rattée
Wat
Kooner
Banman
Hartwell
L. Neufeld
Van Popta
Dew
Clare
K. Neufeld
Rustad
Wilson
McInnis
Paton
Day
Bhangu
Toor
Hepner
Giddens
Dhaliwal
McCall
Maahs
Block
Stamer
Gasper
Mok
Davis
Williams
Chapman
Bird
Doerkson
Luck
Tepper
Chan
Boultbee
Sturko
Armstrong
Kealy

Order called for Committee of Supply.

Pursuant to Sessional Order, order called for Section A of Committee of Supply.

Pursuant to Sessional Order, order called for Section C of Committee of the Whole.

Trevor Halford reserved his right to raise a question of privilege regarding remarks made by the Hon. David Eby (Premier) during Oral Question Period.

On the motion for second reading of Bill (No. 12) intituled Safe Access to Schools Amendment Act, 2026, a debate arose.

The debate continued.

On the motion of Larry Neufeld, the debate was adjourned to the next sitting of the House.

(In Committee — Section A)

30. Resolved, That a sum not exceeding $406,398,000 be granted to His Majesty to defray the expenses of Ministry of Forests, Ministry Operations, to 31st March, 2027.

31. Resolved, That a sum not exceeding $235,702,000 be granted to His Majesty to defray the expenses of Ministry of Forests, Fire Management, to 31st March, 2027.

53. Resolved, That a sum not exceeding $4,062,000 be granted to His Majesty to defray the expenses of Other Appropriations, Forest Practices Board, to 31st March, 2027.


Section A of Committee of Supply reported the Resolutions and completion of the estimates of the Ministry of Forests and further reported progress of the estimates of the Ministry of Social Development and Poverty Reduction.

Report to be considered at the next sitting.

Committee to sit again at the next sitting.

(In Committee — Section C)

Bill (No. 6) intituled Motor Vehicle Amendment Act, 2026, was committed.

Clauses 1 through 11 and the title of Bill (No. 6) passed.


Section C of Committee of the Whole reported Bill (No. 6) intituled Motor Vehicle Amendment Act, 2026, complete without amendment.

Bill (No. 6) to be read a third time at the next sitting.

The following documents were received by the Office of the Clerk during adjournment:

Legal Aid BC Service Plan, 2026/27–2028/29, Revised February 2026; and,

Ministry of Transportation and Transit, Major Capital Project Plan, Highway Reinstatement Program Highway 8 Corridor (Nicola Valley Partnership Alliance) Project Plan.

And then the House adjourned at 6.23 p.m.

HON. RAJ CHOUHAN, Speaker

NOTICE OF MOTIONS

Wednesday, April 1

14  The Hon. Mike Farnworth to move —

That, notwithstanding Standing Order 2 (1),

a. the adjournment time of the sitting of the House commencing at 10 a.m. on Thursday, April 2, 2026, be modified to immediately following the conclusion of Oral Question Period; and,

b. the start of the afternoon sitting on Thursday, April 2, 2026, be modified to 2 p.m.

M 208  Harwinder Sandhu to move —

That this House calls on the provincial government to address the gap in price regulation from private wastewater utility companies to ensure they charge fair rates to their customers.