Local government leaders express concern over NDP-pushed Bill 15

Municipal leaders from across B.C. have joined First Nations in asking the provincial government to withdraw or delay Bill 15.

The bill proposes to speed up public and private infrastructure projects in response to U.S. tariffs.

This renewed demand follows a meeting between over 120 local government leaders and Infrastructure Minister Bowinn Ma.

The local officials used the meeting to express their concerns over the government motion. However, many of these officials expressed skepticism that the government would hear their concerns.

“What I am hearing is, that they [the provincial government] are not really addressing the concerns that are being brought forward,” said Trish Mandewo who is the president of the Union of B.C. Municipalities (UBCM).

She says there were so many questions for Minister Ma at the meeting that it ran out of time to hear them all. The ministry staff asked participants to send further questions by email.

Mandewo says that the union has received the same message previously given to First Nations leaders after their own meetings with the government. “People are willing to work with the province,” she added.

Mandewo stresses that the UBCM does not want to block any projects. “We were only wondering why this was expedited. We do not see justification for the province giving itself the powers,” she explained.

The UBCM hopes that the government returns to proper consultations.

Premier David Eby is running out of time and votes to secure Bill 15. The legislative session will end at the end of May, and the B.C. NDP government will need every vote it can.

However, Green MLA Jeremy Valeriote refused to support the bill since it grants “sweeping cabinet powers to bypass environmental assessments and municipal authorities.”