B.C. NDP lays out priorities in critical throne speech

The NDP government laid out its plan to guide B.C. through the rest of the COVID-19 pandemic and manage the economy in its throne speech Monday.

Lt.-Gov. Janet Austin delivered the speech from Victoria's legislature outlining the government'scommitments to businesses and communities over the next year, whilethe pandemic remains the province's overwhelming priority.

Austin said the government is at a turning point in the fight to end the pandemicas the threat of new variants emerge and B.C. rolls out the largest mass-immunization program in the province's history.

As COVID cases continue to climb at an alarming rate,B.C. Premier John Horgan says the finishline is in sight.

"Butin a marathon, the final push is the most difficult," Horgan said in a statement.

In her speech, Austin said more than a million British Columbians havereceived their first dose.

"Thousands more are being added to that list every day. If vaccine supplies are delivered as scheduled, everyone in B.C. will be able to receive one by the end of June," she said.

As part of the throne speech, the NDP is promising new, government-funded rental housing,hiring of thousands of long-term care workersand partneringwith local governments to address homelessness and mental health.

Other highlights include:

• Reducing surgery wait timesand building more hospitals and urgent primary care centres.
• Changes to ICBC that will see car insurance rates cut by up to 20%.
• Expanding access to $10-a-day child care spaces.
• Supporting businesses with grants to help them build or expand online stores.
• Introducing legislation to remove barriers to accessibility for peoplewith disabilities.
• Boosting digital connectivity in rural, remote and Indigenous communities.

Finance Minister Selina Robinson is set to table the government's first budget on April 20. Last December, in a fiscal update, she forecast a budget deficit nearing $14 billion.

NDP house leader Mike Farnworth said the budget will include details of government investment in infrastructure, but will also keep focused on the fight against COVID-19.

• B.C.'s opposition parties call for coherent plan ahead of Monday's throne speech

Interim Liberal Leader Shirley Bond said the government's economic, social and health programs throughout the pandemic have been unfocused and the Opposition will demand initiatives with straightforward goals.

Bond said Tuesdayshe's disappointed that as a second-term government, the NDPbasically repeated the promises it had made before in the throne speech. She also argued the NDP should have had a COVID-19 vaccine rollout plan at the beginning of the pandemic.

"Those are things that could have been done in the year leading up to this very serious place that we find ourselves," she told Chris Walker, the host of CBC's Daybreak South. "They're basically operating on the fly."

Adam Olsen, one of two B.C. Greens in the legislature, says the NDP has yet to offer a clear agenda since their fall election win.

Not over yet

"The difficult times are not over yet." Austin read. "As we begin this legislative session, your government urges you not to lose sight of what has made our province so resilient."

Tap the link below to hear Shirley Bond's interview on Daybreak South: