In the provincial riding of Vancouver-Quilchena, a movement has been brewing against the sole MLA elected there, Dallas Brodie. The Recall Dallas Brodie campaign is a grassroots movement dedicated to using the provincial Recall and Initiative Act to remove Brodie from power and trigger a by-election to choose a replacement MLA.

“Having people in power who behave in that way, I feel, is quite dangerous for our democracy in general,” said Zoé Kruchten, a volunteer in the campaign. “Regardless of where on the spectrum politically they are, I think that when you’re using fear to gain power, stoke resentment and create divisions in society, it’s bad for all of us in general,” she continued.

On July 20, it was announced that the Recall Dallas Brodie campaign had failed to meet the 15,000-signature threshold from registered voters to trigger a recall and subsequent by-election. The campaign reportedly submitted a little over 3,600 signatures on the petition in total.

While the campaign has concluded for now, many are still unaware of what is happening in Vancouver-Quilchena. What spurred this campaign? What did MLA Brodie do to incur this sort of movement against her? Coastal Front took a look inside the Recall Dallas Brodie campaign to find out more.

Who is Dallas Brodie?

Brodie is a former BC Conservative MLA, ousted from the party in 2025 by then-leader John Rustad, only half a year after the 2024 provincial election. In that election, she became the MLA for Vancouver-Quilchena. Brodie had been removed from the Conservatives because of her mocking the testimonies of residential school survivors in an appearance on a YouTube podcast.

Since then, she and Tara Armstrong—another MLA who left the Conservatives, partnered together to create a new party: OneBC. OneBC’s politics are publicly associated with right-wing populism and social conservatism. They have proposed bills such as the Land Acknowledgement Prohibition Act or the Protecting Minors from Gender Transition Act. None of their proposed bills have passed and have been voted down in legislation.

After a period of internal strife in December of last year, Brodie was internally removed from OneBC by the board of directors. In the end, Brodie was reinstated after eight days, and Armstrong, along with some senior members of the board, left the party in the aftermath.

Dr. Susan Burgess, a volunteer within the movement, told Coastal Front how after Rustad kicked Brodie out, “she was unleashed.”

“Elected, then kicked out, kicked out again, still continuing,” she added.

During this time, the Musqueam Council and Chief Wayne Sparrow (whose lands overlap with Vancouver-Quilchena) openly called for Brodie’s resignation and reflection on her words and actions over her residential school denialism.

“Our leaders carry themselves and the business of our people in an honourable and respectful manner,” the collective statement read. “We expect the same from all public officials. Denialism and anti-Indigenous rhetoric have no place in the Legislature.”

Since being elected in October 2024, Brodie has neither opened a constituency office in her riding nor has she barely even answered email inquiries relating to local issues in Vancouver-Quilchena, according to some of her constituents.

Burgess noted how Brodie had previously failed to address the concerns of citizens in the riding. In the Vancouver-Quilchena riding, she pointed out how many senior citizens live in the area who have needs to be addressed.

Burgess also pointed to a shortage of family doctors in the area and the crucial need for Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) in children’s elementary schools for emergencies. These material needs have not been addressed by Brodie, she pointed out.

“I might not need help, but my neighbours might. That’s the point of being a representative for your constituents,” summarized Burgess.

Through OneBC’s provincial party status, almost $650,000 in taxpayer funding has been granted to the party of one— two at the time of its inception. Although the full scope of what these funds have been used for hasn’t been disclosed by OneBC yet, it has been speculated that Brodie used the funding for her documentary “Making a Killing.”

Brodie’s documentary uses residential school denialism rhetoric and claims to uncover a “massive scandal behind the taking of wealth, land, and power from the Canadian public to benefit indigenous tribes.”

While some residential school sites have yet to provide evidence of bodies, a child’s remains were discovered at the former Blue Quills residential school site in Alberta, and a child’s jawbone fragment was verified at the Lebret residential school in Saskatchewan.

The Truth and Reconciliation Commission has identified 3,200 deaths of named students at these schools and estimates that just under one-third of total deaths didn’t even have their names recorded.

While Brodie hasn’t opened a constituency office, she has been “touring” the province to other ridings, speculatively on the taxpayers’ dime as well. Most recently, she went to town halls in other municipalities like Kamloops and Prince George for OneBC’s “Backbone of BC Tour.”

In an email response to a concerned constituent, Brodie’s staff did not disclose how much was spent on the documentary and claimed that it presented “diverse views” and encouraged “respectful dialogue.”

Those in the Recall campaign emphasize that this is a blatant misuse of taxpayer dollars and political effort. “If you ask the residents of Vancouver-Quilchena, would they rather see a documentary or would they rather see AEDs in elementary schools?” inquired Erin, a Recall volunteer.

Mike Farnworth, NDP House Leader, spoke on the matter of public funds being used for Brodie’s political commentary and career to CHEK News.

“Right now, they are able to do that as elected MLAs, in terms of how they use their caucus funds, but certainly it’s something we could be taking a look at,” he said. “Because quite frankly that’s never really what the caucus funds have been intended for.”

The Campaign

The Recall campaign is entirely volunteer-led, with many of the participants donating their time outside of their own personal jobs. The financial agent for the movement is the only “employee” on the payroll who previously worked for the BC NDP, a fact that Burgess transparently disclosed to Coastal Front.

The movement was organized by Dorothy Cumming, a retired nurse and instructor at BCIT, as well as a resident of Vancouver-Quilchena for 45 years. In a public statement, she said, “Residents have raised concerns that they don’t see an engaged MLA on meaningful engagement or advocacy on everyday issues facing families, seniors, renters and businesses. We have not seen an MLA working to support healthy, vibrant schools for all school children.”

The movement stresses itself as being bipartisan, made up of NDP, Conservative, and Green Party voters altogether. Multiple volunteers who spoke to Coastal Front all confirmed this, some even voted for Brodie in 2024.

Instead of Brodie representing her constituents, said Erin, “she’s doubling down, promoting branding and marketing for her own party, her own ideological values, and has since abandoned any of the campaign promises that she platformed on and the promises she made to the residents.” This has brought community members and even volunteers outside of the riding, like Erin herself, from all different backgrounds into this movement.

“I myself am a member of Syilx Nation,” she said, “so her really harmful comments and rhetoric around mocking residential school survivors became immediately of interest and a huge concern for me.”

During the time since the campaign announcement in May, volunteers have been canvassing, engaging unaware constituents, and setting up petition signings in various neighbourhoods around the riding. At these sites were enthusiastic volunteers holding up signs to grab the attention of passersby.

In the past two months or so of organizing, you could see many “Recall” signs in the front yards of residents in Vancouver-Quilchena.

However, Brodie also has many loyal supporters in her riding as well. Many volunteers in the Recall campaign have reported they face harassment from plainclothes OneBC staffers or supporters. Typically, they did not identify as either and instead told volunteers they were “just asking questions.”

Kruchten said they often yell at volunteers for being on public property and described them as being “very hostile people.”

She even described how, on a few occasions, some of these people disingenuously filled out forms related to mobility issues, so that canvassers could show up at their homes for petition-signing. They would then start “asking questions” with the canvassers rather than signing the petition. This made volunteers within the campaign quite uncomfortable, according to Kruchten.

“I’ve been yelled at, frankly, a lot on shift, including hurtful comments about residential schools and disparaging comments about the Kamloops Residential School, which is where my family went to residential school,” said Erin.

Masha Kleiner, an identified member of Brodie’s staff, was allegedly subjecting volunteers to “abusive and hostile behaviour, including unethical conduct,” according to a statement from the campaign.

Brodie herself was publicly called out by a then-Conservative MLA, Amelia Boultbee, for being harassed and filmed by her in a public space, back in October 2025.

Issues with the system

Before the results of the petition signing were announced, volunteers like Kruchten expressed frustration with the whole system of recalling MLAs in BC in general.

“There’s been a lot of attempts, but it’s never been successful, and I’m kind of like, ‘Well, maybe we should question why it’s never been successful,” she said.

Kruchten acknowledged that it shouldn’t be too easy to get an MLA recalled, but there needs to be a balance in comparison to the current system, which is difficult for several reasons.

Under the Recall and Initiative Act in BC, a campaign only has 60 days to get the signatures of at least 40 percent of constituents who were eligible to vote in the 2024 provincial election. Absolutely no advertising for the campaign can be done before it is approved for those 60 days. As mentioned earlier, for Vancouver-Quilchena, this 40 percent was 15,000 signatures from voting constituents.

Kruchten also pointed out how the Act can prevent volunteers from reaching certain populations. In retirement homes, for example, the building’s staff can refuse entry to volunteers without consulting any of the elderly people living inside the building and constituency.

She also discussed how vulnerable populations could be barred from participating in the petition, as it does not allow mail-in signatures, and the system of signing from home can be abused, as previously mentioned.

Kruchten wanted to make it clear that Elections BC, as an institution, has been helpful in answering questions and providing information to the Recall campaign. It’s the legal framework for MLA recalls outlined in the Act that was the true difficulty for them.

What’s Next?

With the petition’s signatures not being able to meet the threshold, it is uncertain where the campaign will go next. The next provincial election is slated for October 2028.

In a statement to Coastal Front responding to the final petition signature count, Brodie said: “I didn’t lift a finger or spend a penny opposing the recall and they still failed miserably.”

She continued, “I have to thank them for making more British Columbians aware of my record of standing up for property rights and against the Reconciliation Industry that is dividing our province socially and geographically.”

The aforementioned Masha Kleiner said OneBC’s future election strategy will be targeting ridings “hardest hit by the BC NDP.” She said they have apparently identified “thousands of supporters” in several ridings, which they will be utilizing in future elections.

While the Recall supporters and volunteers aren’t thrilled by the results, there was a lot of communal optimism

A statement from the Recall campaign reads that “this campaign mobilized and connected residents who are now more engaged than ever in the democratic process”. It continued, “members of the team will provide feedback and suggestions to update the Recall and Initiative Act to Elections BC and to legislators to be more in line with the Election Act.”

Erin said no matter the outcome, “it’s important to reflect that so many thousands of her [constituents] already don’t agree she’s effective at her job.” She continued, “I hope that that sentiment, even if the recall doesn’t succeed, will carry on to the next election to make sure that she can’t be reelected.”

No matter the outcome, one thing was objectively clear. The community of Vancouver-Quilchena has never seen an MLA like Dallas Brodie, and a movement like the Recall campaign organized against her.

The BC NDP provincial government has released a statement emphasizing water conservation practices amid concerns about potential scarcity and drought risks.

Much of BC is expected to face elevated drought conditions this summer, with extreme summer heat conditions. This is amid news of 77 emerging fires as of July 18, due to a barrage of thunderstorms hitting the province. These fires all started within 24 hours of the thunderstorm, bringing the total to a staggering 115 fires burning overnight.

“Protecting BC’s water resources is a shared responsibility, and the actions we take today will help communities, farmers and businesses manage increasing drought pressures,” said Randene Neill, Minister of Water, Land and Resource Stewardship. “We are working closely with First Nations, local governments, industry and the agricultural sector to support water conservation and long-term water security.”

The provincial government additionally announced other “key actions” to combat water scarcity in BC. This includes updating the province’s Drought and Water Scarcity Response Plan. The new Disaster Resilience and Innovation Funding has also been launched, its function is to help local communities prepare for climate disasters and emergencies.

Other funding includes a $100 million investment into the Watershed Security Fund and $100 million (since 2023) into the Agriculture Water Infrastructure Program, which supports nearly 700 projects to build or improve water storage and supply systems.

$50 million has also been given to install water meters for 19 rural First Nations communities in the province.

Through these actions, the government seeks to emphasize protecting watersheds and aquatic ecosystems throughout BC. The lack of rainfall and heat conditions put key watersheds like the Koksilah River, Salmon River, and Bessette Creek.

Water is essential to BC’s agricultural sector so farmers can continue to grow crops, produce forage and care for livestock that help feed British Columbians,” said Lana Popham, Minister of Agriculture and Food. She emphasized the importance of this for BC’s food security and local wildlife.

Conflicting actions

This statement comes as the BC Energy Regulator, a government body, approved a request from FortisBC to increase the discharge volume of copper and aluminum in its wastewater. This wastewater runs from the Eagle Mountain pipeline project into Howe Sound.

This allows FortisBC to increase the volume of wastewater discharge to four times the original amount.

Environmental groups like the Sunshine Coast Conservation Association have expressed concerns over how this could affect the region’s biosphere in the future.

BC Green MLA for West Vancouver-Sea to Sky, Jeremy Valeriote, said that regulators bending the industry rules is quite concerning.

“Imagine a driver going 100 kilometres an hour through a school zone, and instead of getting a ticket, the government simply raises the speed limit,” he said. “That’s effectively what happened here. Laws should apply equally to everyone, and British Columbians expect their government to hold companies accountable when they break the law—not change the rules.”

Valeriote also pointed out how the BC NDP have repeatedly “shown a soft spot” for the LNG industry in the province through taxpayer subsidization and the recent weakening of environmental protection policies.

Mayor Ken Sim and the Vancouver city council recently greenlighted an extension to the pedestrian zone on Granville Street until September 7, after the Labour Day Weekend. This will preserve the ongoing pedestrian zone, keeping it car and transit-free in continuation, and will cost the city almost $5 million to uphold until September.

The closure of Granville originally began on June 11 for the FIFA World Cup tournament in anticipation of tourists flocking to the city. The original closure and the newer extension are done in partnership with the Downtown Vancouver Business Improvement Association (Downtown Van).

Sim and the ABC party voted in favour of extending the pedestrian zone after the FIFA tournament concludes on July 19. This is part of an initiative called the Granville Street Plan, which was approved last year and is a 20-year process to develop a pedestrian-oriented Granville Street in the centre of downtown Vancouver.

Costs

In a statement to Coastal Front, the City of Vancouver confirmed an estimate of $4.75 million in costs for this extension. The engineering costs will be around $2.1 million in total estimates.

Weekly, “enhanced sanitation” will cost $150,000, traffic management around $100,000, and other costs, including washrooms, will be $50,000 per week. This is a total of $300,000 a week to keep Granville Street a pedestrian zone.

The total costs for the Vancouver Police Department are $1.4 million, with $200,000 a week required for law enforcement in the zone. The city has also given Downtown Van a grant of up to $1.25 million for “activation and programming.” All of the above costs total to $4.75 million for a seven-week extension.

In a post on Instagram, the ABC party said that the “extension gives businesses the opportunity to continue building on that momentum while giving Vancouver families and visitors even more time to enjoy an affordable day out and experience the city at its best.”

The post also noted “disappointing opposition from Councillors Pete Fry and Rebecca Bligh,” with their vote against the extension in the council.

Fry told CBC News, “Yes, [the] Granville pedestrian zone has been awesome. It’s been a fantastic experience.” He added, “But $5 million to keep it going for another month and a half without the benefit of the World Cup excitement … is a different matter altogether.”

Fry believes that Sim and ABC are “playing fast and loose” with taxpayer money, noting how many organizations have been defunded due to a freeze on property taxes passed by the city, but now they are asking for almost $5 million from the “public purse.”

Further details

A Translink spokesperson told Coastal Front that moving buses off Granville Street would increase walking distances and lead to more inconvenient transfers for customers. “The corridor currently features significant bus priority measures,” they said. “Without permanent comparable infrastructure on alternate streets, transit speed and reliability would be reduced.”

TransLink noted downtown Granville Street as the second-busiest bus corridor in Vancouver, surpassed only by Broadway.

In a public document, Sim and ABC propose that city staff look at a temporary reactivation of the pedestrian zone in November 2026 for a “Christmas Market,” which presumably would extend into December and is part of the Granville Street Plan approved last year.

The City of Vancouver said, “We have no details at this time on a Christmas Market,” in the statement to us.

Ottawa is committing up to $3 billion to British Columbia’s Fraser River Tunnel Project after the cost of replacing the George Massey Tunnel more than doubled to $8.5 billion.

The federal money, announced under the Canada-BC Cooperative Prosperity Agreement, still does not cover the project’s $4.35-billion increase from the earlier $4.15-billion figure.

The province says the new budget reflects market conditions, inflation, project scope and the delivery schedule required for a build of this size and complexity. It also says the estimate has been validated by an “independent third party.”

But the numbers are punishing for taxpayers: the project is now about 105 percent over the previous $4.15-billion figure, while the province says the tunnel’s design remains unchanged from the 2023 concept, including its anticipated depth, ramp lengths and location.

A previous BC Liberal plan for a 10-lane bridge was estimated at $3.5 billion and expected to be complete in 2022. After John Horgan’s New Democrats took power in 2017, that project was cancelled. The current eight-lane tunnel was later priced at $4.15 billion and is now budgeted at $8.5 billion, with completion shifted to September 2031.

The procurement process has also been sent back to market.

BC had been working with Cross Fraser Partnership since September 2024 under a design and early works agreement. But the province failed to reach final commercial terms for construction of the tunnel and terminated the agreement, choosing instead to divide the remaining work into several smaller bidding packages.

The government says the revised approach will increase competition, create more opportunities for Canadian and BC-based contractors and seek better value for taxpayers.

In other words, a project previously taken to market as one large procurement in 2023 is now being broken apart and retendered after terms could not be finalized.

Requests for qualifications for the first two work packages were posted June 16. Requests for proposals are expected in early August, with successful companies to be selected by early 2027. Procurement for three more work packages is expected in 2027.

Major construction is still not expected to begin until 2027. The province says the environmental review is expected to conclude before the end of 2026.

The timeline has moved as well. The province says the original estimated completion date was December 2030. The new estimated completion timeline is September 2031.

Early construction work began in January 2026 and includes tree clearing, utility relocations and preparation for a casting basin. Temporary work is also underway on three jetties, a trestle bridge to Deas Island, access roads and retaining walls, creating approximately 200 jobs in 2026 alone, according to the province.

The Fraser River Tunnel Project is meant to replace the aging George Massey Tunnel with a toll-free, eight-lane immersed-tube tunnel to improve safety, transit, goods movement and connections to the Port of Vancouver, border crossings and major trade corridors.

For now, it is also a case study in infrastructure mismanagement: a project with a doubled price tag, a blown timeline, an unfinished environmental review, and a procurement process being rebuilt after the province failed to reach final terms with the consortium it had been working with.

Ottawa’s $3-billion contribution will reduce BC’s share of the bill. It will not explain how a tunnel the province says has not changed in design became more than twice as expensive before major construction is expected to begin.

Last Thursday, the federal Liberal government and the BC provincial NDP government announced the Canada-British Columbia Cooperative Prosperity Agreement. This agreement is a multi-billion-dollar one that has major investment from the federal government into the province’s infrastructure, according to the press release.

The agreement covered many sectors and projects in BC, but chief amongst them were several environmental policy agreements. The partnership will seek to establish that the provincial government will be compensated for environmental risk for any future pipeline projects imposed on the province. It also ensures that the BC NDP can reject any pipeline proposal from the neighbouring province of Alberta.

Under the agreement as well, the North Shore oil tanker ban will be fully maintained without further modification, which will also prevent any pipeline from being built out to there.

“This deal will deliver faster commutes as we build critical infrastructure, less pollution as we power growth with clean electricity, and the kind of shared prosperity that funds strong public services,” said BC Premier David Eby. “I want to thank the Prime Minister for recognizing the key role B.C. is playing in building a stronger, more independent Canada.”

However, the news about the partnership comes at the same time that Prime Minister Mark Carney and Alberta Premier Danielle Smith stood together to announce a new proposed pipeline that would follow the path of the Trans Mountain pipeline to the Roberts Bank terminal in Delta, BC.

Professor Kathryn Harrison, from the UBC Department of Political Science, told Coastal Front that this reflects an approach from Prime Minister Mark Carney’s government that is known as “cooperative federalism.” “Basically, instead of telling the provinces, ‘this is what we’re going to do unless you do it first,’” she said, the federal government has instead opted to negotiate deals, province by province. “In many ways, it’s brokerage politics.”

Harrison pointed out that Carney’s government is more committed to a federal-provincial consensus than the previous Trudeau administration, whose environmental policies were unfavoured by provinces like Alberta.

Criticism

The federal government’s Major Projects Office received a submission from Alberta’s government saying that the project would cost between $35.2 billion and $43.7 billion, including contingency plans. This does not include escalation and allowance for funds used during construction. That same construction would start as early as 2027 and finish by 2034.

Smith and the project submission were vague on how much taxpayers would need to pay for this project. The Alberta Petroleum Marketing Commission, the federally-owned Trans Mountain Corporation, and the Alberta-based Pembina Pipeline Corporation are in partnership for this project.

“It’s noteworthy that at the press conference, Danielle Smith and Mark Carney didn’t seem to know which [dollar amounts] they said they were going to contribute equally, but no dollar figures were discussed,” remarked Harrison.

Carney stated that up to $10 billion in funding could be provided for Robert’s Bank Terminal 2— a superport where the pipeline would end, which is far above the projected cost for the superport in the submission.

Harrison noted that Carney’s government wants “to expand oil and gas production for export, which will increase Canada’s emissions at the same time that the policies to reduce those emissions are being weakened.” The government has weakened the reach of environmental protections like the Impact Assessment Act, Navigable Waters Protection Act, and the Species at Risk Act, under the Building Canada Act introduced by the government.

Ironically, this announcement came on the same day, hours after Carney stood next to Eby to announce the Canada--British Columbia Cooperative Prosperity Agreement. The premier conceded that BC will not challenge the federally approved pipeline in court.

“Don’t expect me or members of my government caucus to say we like this project,” he told CBC News.

The move has sparked criticism from environmental groups like the Wilderness Committee, which expresses concern about how this will affect the ecosystem and pollution levels of the Salish Sea, adjacent to where the pipeline would deliver oil to tankers. The organization claims it would push the regional subspecies of orca closer to extinction.

“Premier David Eby said he will ensure British Columbians are compensated for the environmental damage of another pipeline, but there is no compensation for the extinction of the southern resident orcas,” said Conservation and Policy Campaigner Lucero González.

“At a time when people across the country are suffering in extreme heat, wildfire evacuations and devastating floods, pursuing the expansion of Canada’s most polluting industry is utterly despicable,” said Associate Director Torrance Coste. “In the fight against climate change, Prime Minister Carney and Premier Eby are issuing their surrender, and resigning us to a future of ecological and economic decline.”

Harrison points out that over the past decade, we’ve seen a “really precipitous decline in the cost of producing renewable electricity with wind and solar. Complementing that, a rapid decline in the cost of energy storage with batteries. That’s important given the intermittency of renewable electricity and the increasing availability globally of low-cost Chinese EVs.”

She poses this question of why we aren’t adopting these models at a time when the global price of oil is in extreme fluctuation due to the ongoing hostilities between the US and Iran in the Strait of Hormuz.

Harrison believes that the government is doing this to diversify our national exports in addition to maintaining federal-provincial regulations. This diversification is due to the recent unreliability in trade with the United States, which has historically been a dominant partner in that area.

In a video titled “Forward Guidance: Canada’s Energy Future,” Carney announces that Canada’s greenhouse gas emissions are expected to go up in the remaining decade. In it, he admits that increasing oil and gas production is a “short-term goal.”

As for Eby and the NDP, Harrison points out how the province has shifted from meeting its 2030 climate goal plans, in a change of direction for the party, including amending the Zero Emission Vehicles Act.

Further details

Other infrastructure projects have also been highlighted through this partnership between governments.

The agreement includes figures of up to $3 billion toward the cost of the Fraser River Tunnel Project, as well as commitments to the Red Chris mine expansion and the North Coast Transmission Line (NCTL), infrastructure for the critical minerals sector. Support for NCTL will result in a $3.9 billion net benefit to ratepayers, according to the provincial government.

The agreement will also see more than $88 million in proposed major projects reaching a final investment decision in the next three years, with these estimates coming from both governments.

The federal government has also promised to commit a maximum of $3 billion to the capital costs of the George Massey Tunnel Replacement Project. It has been recently announced that the project costs have ballooned to $8.5 billion by the provincial government, doubled from $4.15 billion previously.

While there isn’t a timeline of how these changes will be implemented, Harrison points out how a Memorandum of Understanding between the federal government and Alberta’s government has an October 1, 2026, deadline for the federal government to advance the pipeline. She notes that this deadline is before the controversial October 19 referendum on whether Alberta should separate from Canada, amongst other issues.

The British Columbia government says it has retained legal counsel in British Columbia and California to explore legal action against OpenAI over allegations the company failed to alert law enforcement after violent threats were flagged on its ChatGPT platform before the mass shooting at Tumbler Ridge Secondary school.

In a statement released Tuesday, the province said it has retained Vancouver-based CFM Lawyers and California law firm Stranch, Jennings & Garvey to explore all legal avenues to hold OpenAI and its decision-makers accountable. It said retaining California-based counsel will allow it to assess potential legal remedies in the state where OpenAI is headquartered.

The announcement follows the February 10 shooting at Tumbler Ridge Secondary school that claimed the lives of eight people, including an educator and five children between the ages of 11 and 13, and left 27 others wounded.

The province alleges internal OpenAI reports indicate the company’s safety teams flagged the perpetrator’s violent prompts on ChatGPT months before the attack, but that the company’s leadership did not notify police or other authorities.

“Our thoughts remain with the families who lost loved ones, the people who were injured and the entire Tumbler Ridge community,” Attorney General Niki Sharma said in the statement.

“As the community continues to heal, our government remains focused on supporting those affected and pursuing accountability. When there are serious concerns that opportunities to prevent harm were missed, we have a responsibility to act. We owe that to the victims, their families and everyone whose life was changed by this tragedy.”

The province said it will work with legal counsel in British Columbia and California to pursue what it described as appropriate legal avenues while seeking accountability and support for community rebuilding efforts, including construction of a new school in Tumbler Ridge.

“We are taking this step because there are serious concerns about OpenAI’s failure to notify law enforcement after threats were flagged on its platform,” Sharma said.

“We will pursue every available avenue to hold OpenAI and its decision-makers accountable because no company or corporate leader should be beyond scrutiny when public safety is at stake.”

The province said several victims’ families have already launched legal proceedings against OpenAI in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California. It said any legal action pursued by British Columbia would be separate from those lawsuits and would proceed independently.

New data from the Angus Reid Institute suggests Canadians overwhelmingly support stronger oversight of artificial intelligence, even as many question whether governments can effectively regulate the rapidly evolving technology. The survey found that 68 percent of respondents believe governments should heavily regulate artificial intelligence and technology companies, even if it slows development, while 74 percent said they do not believe any government is equipped to keep pace with advances in the field.

The British Columbia government’s announcement comes as OpenAI faces a separate lawsuit filed by a Canadian family.

According to a lawsuit filed last month by New Brunswick resident Kristie Carrier, her 24-year-old daughter, Alice Carrier, told ChatGPT she had to die to stop the pain she was feeling. The statement of claim alleges the chatbot appeared to agree, responding: “If someone else told me everything you just did ... I’d probably feel the same thing you’re feeling now: maybe this is just the end.”

Alice Carrier was dead the following day, according to the lawsuit.

The statement of claim alleges ChatGPT initially encouraged Carrier to seek help but later reinforced her suicidal thinking, discouraged the use of crisis helplines and failed to escalate repeated conversations about suicide for human review. Carrier alleges OpenAI failed to implement adequate safeguards for users experiencing mental health crises and instead designed its chatbot to be sycophantic while lacking effective protections for vulnerable users.

On Tuesday, Prime Minister Mark Carney publicly stated that Canada’s overall greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs) will be “higher in the next few years” than previously projected under the prior Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s Liberal government. This statement came from a 17 minute long video released on the prime minister’s social media platforms titled “Forward Guidance: Canada’s Energy Future.”

This news comes as a severe heatwave hits eastern Canadian provinces like Ontario and Quebec, leading to advisory warnings and cancellations of Canada Day festivities. Quebec itself is facing over 100 wildfires, with the northern region having the densest amount in an unnatural turn of events. Meanwhile, in Europe, a record-breaking heatwave has killed more than 2,000 people in both Spain and France.

Locally, the Metro Vancouver area is facing Stage 3 water restrictions, the strongest seen in over a decade.

In the video, Carney states that “The climate crisis is still with us, and our commitment to fighting it is absolute, but the certainties of the world of 2015 are long gone. Our neighbourhood hasn’t been this hostile since Canada was founded.”

He continues by saying that Canada will need these high emissions to provide trading partners with “new sources” of energy and to foster further economic independence from the United States.

The prime minister envisions this through an intense “electrification” of the country’s energy sources, through a huge investment in doubling our power grid. Carney cites projections that seven in ten Canadian households will pay less for their total energy by 2050 and put $15 billion “back into the pockets of Canadians,” but no sources were given for these figures.

He also discusses maintaining versatility in our power sources through sources like hydro, gas, and nuclear (emphasizing this one through the government’s Nuclear Energy Strategy).

Further details

Carney discusses that Canada faces an energy crisis “on three levels.” He discusses the current situation as a combination of an affordability, security, and a climate crisis. The “security crisis” refers to the US-Israeli war on Iran, which Carney has previously supported “with regret.”

As for the affordability factor, Carney believes that the previous emission targets set by his predecessor, Trudeau, would put too much economic pressure on the average Canadian.

In the previous Liberal government under Trudeau, Ottawa committed to reducing GHG emissions in 2030 at 35 to 38 percent below 2019 levels, while providing flexibility with compliance to emit up to a level about 20 to 23 percent below 2019 levels.

The previous emissions cap was set with the intention of reaching net zero by 2050, as adopted from the international, legally binding 2015 Paris Agreement. The press statement released in 2024 cited the impacts of the climate crisis, including increased flooding, heatwaves, and wildfires, resulting in severe economic losses and health impacts on everyday Canadians.

With Carney confirming that emissions are now set to rise in the latter part of the 2020s, it is unclear if Canada can still reach net zero by then.

Criticism

Coastal Front received comments from Thomas Green, a senior manager in climate solutions at the David Suzuki Foundation, a large environmental NGO in Canada.

Green cited how, in May, Canada voted in favour of the United Nations General Assembly resolution welcoming the International Court of Justice’s advisory opinion on climate change. This advisory opinion clarified that states have internationally binding legal obligations to protect the climate.

“By doing this, the Carney government endorsed that states have legal obligations to protect the climate and prevent activities that cause climate harm,” said Green.

He continued, “Our message to Carney is this: why make that declaration on the world stage, when at home your government just struck a deal to fast-track a new pipeline and weaken the very environmental protections that uphold those obligations? Why endorse that finding internationally when you know Canada is already off track to meet its own emissions targets?”

Green mentioned that Carney is bankrolling fossil expansion and gutting key Canadian environmental protections in the name of “economic prosperity.” As Carney said himself in the video, “we can’t afford to restrain the growth of an important part of our energy mix, oil and gas, to meet a short-term goal.”

Before this announcement, Carney’s government had previously received criticism for being vague on climate goals inherited from the Trudeau era. Critics cite capitulations by him to the oil lobby and Alberta Premier Danielle Smith on the issues of pipelines. Recent lobbying from the company Capital Power led to Carney allowing gas-powered AI data centres to be built in Alberta, with the company lobbying the government a total of 37 times.

Climate damages cost Canadians billions of dollars. Climate-induced damage projected to slow Canada’s economic growth by $25 billion, equivalent to half of our projected growth last year, according to a report from the Canadian Climate Institute.

Green summarized his criticism of Carney by saying, “True prosperity depends on planetary health and a stable climate. That’s the planet you just told the world you’d protect.”

Want more from Gavin? Subscribe to The DEW Line for his takes on BC jobs, economics, and ideas.

Gavin Dew - The DEW Line

Jobs, Economics, and Ideas from MLA Gavin Dew

In this episode, Gavin Dew, MLA for Kelowna-Mission and BC Conservative Critic for Jobs, Economic Development, Innovation & Artificial Intelligence, joins Coastal Front to discuss the state of BC politics, the provincial economy, and the growing Conservative movement.

We explore party dynamics, the history of BC politics, and the key challenges facing the province today.

Watch the full podcast here: https://youtu.be/2UuvrkimNW8

Canadians with investments are pulling further ahead while those struggling to afford groceries, fuel, and housing are increasingly pessimistic about their future, according to new polling that points to a widening divide in household financial security.

A new Angus Reid Institute survey found seven in 10 Canadians describe their household finances as good or very good, while more than one-quarter say they are in poor or very poor shape.

The gap is especially clear when it comes to investments. Nearly all Canadians who consider themselves in very good financial shape hold some form of investment, while more than half of those in very poor financial circumstances do not.

As investment values have climbed, many households with assets have been better positioned to absorb years of higher prices. Angus Reid noted that $100 invested in the TSX in early 2020 would be worth roughly $261 by the second quarter of 2026, compared with about $122 needed to keep pace with inflation over the same period.

For those without investments, the picture is much bleaker.

Canadians who describe their finances as poor are three times as likely to say they expect to be worse off a year from now as they are to expect improvement. Among those in very poor financial circumstances, two-thirds expect further decline.

Cost of living remains the country’s dominant concern, chosen by 61 percent of Canadians as the issue they care about most. The concern grows more acute among those already under financial strain.

The pressure is changing household behaviour. More than half of Canadians say they are cutting back on dining out, takeout or coffee shops, while others report reducing spending on entertainment, travel and savings. More than one-third say they are trying to spend less on food at home.

For households in poor or very poor financial condition, groceries, housing payments, fuel and the inability to save rank among the most significant sources of stress.

The survey arrives as federal leaders continue to point to easing inflation and improving labour market conditions as signs of economic resilience. Yet the findings suggest many Canadians remain unconvinced that those gains are reaching them.

While headline economic indicators have stabilized, the poll points to a growing divide between Canadians building wealth through investments and those still struggling to keep up with everyday costs — a gap that appears to be shaping both economic confidence and political sentiment.

Editor’s note: On June 25, Carney held a press conference where he estimated that the condo conversion costs around $1.4 billion, claiming that developers did not approach him “directly” for this idea. He also said, “I don't think we've done, self included, a particularly good job of rolling this out and explaining exactly what it is.”

Prime Minister Mark Carney and BC Premier David Eby made a joint announcement on June 18 on the launch of the new Canada-British Columbia Partnership on Condo Conversion. This partnership between governments seeks to “leverage innovative financing tools to convert more than 2,200 vacant condo units in priority growth areas into affordable homes.”

During a press conference announcing the initiative, Carney said, “With higher interest rates, weaker investment demand, developers are stuck. They don’t want to sell at a loss. They can’t afford to hold those empty units indefinitely.”

He continued, “And the problem is that those empty homes don’t just sit idle. They also disincentivize new construction. Unsettled lenders and investors create a housing market that, in effect, feels frozen. The result: too many British Columbians still can’t find the homes that they can afford.”

Premier Eby backed up Carney’s remarks, stating that “this is a commitment of the federal government, $5 billion over 10 years, [as well as] a commitment from the provincial government on matching funding.”

The federal and provincial governments have also separately agreed to launch the new Canada-British Columbia Partnership on Condo Conversion. This is planned to convert more than 2,200 vacant condo units from private developers into “affordable housing,” which is vaguely defined by both of the government’s press releases.

Build Canada Homes is upholding this initiative, a federal agency under the Minister of Housing and Infrastructure, and the former mayor of Vancouver, Gregor Robertson. They are doing so in collaboration with BC Housing, which is overseen by the provincial Minister of Housing and Municipal Affairs, Christine Boyle.

Eby’s comment about the $5 billion is for the overall commitment of the federal government to BC’s local infrastructure, which is through their Build Communites Strong Fund. Committed by the federal government for housing is $1.6 billion over 10 years. The provincial government will match this, potentially resulting in a total of up to $3.2 billion. By both governments’ estimation, the development charges for multi-unit housing would be lowered by up to 50 percent in priority communities, saving up to $40,000 per unit.

This is separate from the Condo Conversion partnership, which does not have public information on the amount used to buy the empty units from developers by either government.

The Government of Canada has also introduced legislation that would provide a one-time transfer of $284 million to British Columbia to reduce barriers to new construction. Other infrastructure projects that are being approached by the partnership include a possible total of $1.2 billion to health infrastructure, up to $50 million over five years to support community infrastructure projects in coastal communities, and $2.5 billion over 10 years to build new transit projects.

Criticism

While there have been some in the housing and development sector who have praised this collaborative effort from the governments, others have been highly critical of the move. The common thread amongst many critics is that this Condo Conversion is “bailing out” private developers after years of failure to accommodate the market demand for affordable housing.

“Carney and Eby are handing developers $3.2 billion to bail them out for building luxury shoeboxes nobody wants,” said former BC Conservative leader and MLA, John Rustad, in a post.

“This is subsidizing incompetence, pure and simple,” he continued. “‘Too big to fail’ corporate welfare while families get crushed out of the market. The NDP-Liberals won’t let the market fix their mess.”

Emily Lowan, leader of the BC Greens, also made her own post criticizing the move. “The BC NDP axed their $3 billion affordable housing program & left thousands of low-income units half-built,” she said. “Then they announce a $3 billion handout to the corporations who profit off the housing crisis. We need social housing that working families can afford, not this corporate bait-and-switch.”

Jill Atkey, CEO of the BC Non-Profit Housing Association, stated that “purchasing these units for affordable housing may create some immediate opportunities for a lucky few, but it also raises legitimate questions about whether governments are stepping in to absorb market risk rather than addressing the underlying affordability challenge.”

She summarized this by asking the question: “Are we privatizing profit while socializing risk, and is that what British Columbians expect of public investment?”

Some are more pleased with this move than others. The British Columbia Construction Association released a statement saying that “These investments will help support the infrastructure needed to enable new housing and strengthen communities across the province. Continued investment is critical to supporting a growing population and ensuring that communities have the services and facilities they need.”

As of this writing, no further benchmarks for what is defined as “affordable” or the overall cost for purchasing the vacant condos have been released by either government.

Federal personnel expenses are projected to increase by more than $10 billion this fiscal year, according to new projections from the Parliamentary Budget Officer, despite government commitments to exercise greater fiscal restraint.

The PBO’s latest economic and fiscal outlook projects personnel expenses will rise to $79.4 billion in 2026-27 from $69.2 billion the previous year, an increase of approximately $10.2 billion. The watchdog projects those costs will continue growing, reaching $86 billion by 2030-31.

The same report projects the federal deficit will climb to $72 billion in 2025-26, up from $36.3 billion the previous year.

The figures come as Ottawa continues expanding administrative programs, including plans to broaden automatic tax filing for lower-income Canadians with simple tax situations. Finance Canada says the initiative will begin with approximately one million people for the 2026 tax year before expanding to roughly 5.5 million people by 2028.

The government says the measure is intended to ensure more Canadians receive benefits and tax credits for which they qualify.

The projected increase in personnel expenses has renewed scrutiny of federal spending at a time when Canadians continue to face affordability pressures and the government is running large deficits.

At the same time, Ottawa continues to make significant spending commitments overseas. In May, Prime Minister Mark Carney announced an additional $270 million in military assistance for Ukraine during a European Political Community summit in Armenia.

The funding, intended to help Ukraine acquire military equipment identified through NATO priorities, brought Canada’s total monetary support for Ukraine since Russia’s 2022 invasion to approximately $25.8 billion.

Carney has defended the support as part of Canada’s commitment to Ukraine and the broader international security framework.

As Ottawa expands programs at home and commits billions abroad, the latest PBO projections indicate the federal payroll is moving in one direction: up.

As Vancouver continues to host the ongoing seven scheduled games for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, over 700 outside workers from the Greater Vancouver Regional District Employees’ Union (GVRDEU) began a full-scale strike on June 15. This strike is the result of a collective agreement that expired 17 months ago.

Meanwhile, members of Unifor Locals 111 and 2200 have voted 99 percent in favour of strike action at Coast Mountain Bus Company (CMBC), signalling a readiness to escalate protest after months of bargaining for a contract they believe to be fair.

In a statement to Coastal Front, Metro Vancouver representative Jillian Glover confirmed that as of Monday, they are prepared to enter mediation with the GVRDEU through the Labour Relations Board. Glover also claimed that Metro Vancouver has been willing to enter mediation since January.

“We want to reassure residents that essential services are continuing without disruption under our essential services agreement with the GVRDEU,” she said in the statement. “This includes critical services such as drinking water, wastewater treatment, solid waste management, air quality monitoring, regional parks access, and housing.”

While the mediation talks are back on and much of the strikers have resumed their duties, GVRDEU has stated that its members are still removed from the following capacities: “Acting Roles, No Standby, No Overtime.” Coastal Front reached out to the GVRDEU for comment, but could not find a functioning communication channel.

TransLink Strike Mandate

The strike mandate from Unifor covers transit operators, maintenance workers, SeaBus crews, Community Transit operators, and Spareboard members across the Metro Vancouver region. The mandate doesn’t guarantee job action, but gives the aforementioned members the option to strike with a 72-hour notice.

Bargaining between the unions and the CMBC has been ongoing since February, but workers have been without a contract since March 31.

CMBC told Coastal Front in a statement, “Coast Mountain Bus Company and Unifor Locals 111 and 2200 have agreed to continue discussions with the assistance of mediation. CMBC remains committed to reaching a fair agreement and will not be commenting further at this time.”

The Unifor Local 333 in Victoria also voted 97 percent in favour of strike action, with their collective agreement expiring on March 31 as well.

“Transit workers are not asking for the world. They are asking for a fair contract that keeps pace with the cost of living in one of the most expensive cities in the country,” said Gavin McGarrigle, Unifor Western Regional Director, in a statement. “The sooner the employer recognizes that, the sooner we get a deal.”

FIFA In Progress

Meanwhile, the provincial BC government has updated its cost projections for the 2026 FIFA World Cup games being hosted in Vancouver.

The projected overall net core and essential provincial costs of hosting the matches have been reduced by $31 million compared to 2025 estimates, from a high of $145 million to a high of $114 million. The province also estimates approximately $1 billion in GDP supporting B.C.’s economy and more than $200 million in direct, indirect, and other related provincial tax revenues.

However, it is essential to note that the provincial government considers taxpayer funding from the federal government as part of the “revenue stream” that offsets the projected costs.

The lower end of the projected costs falls into the $685 million range, while the lowest possible projected revenue will be around $595 million, which gives us the lowest possible cost of $90 million for provincial taxpayers to bear. This is assuming the lowest figures for both estimates can be maintained.

Next spring, a final accounting of World Cup costs and revenues is expected to be publicly unveiled, which will allow the people of this province to determine the worth of hosting seven soccer games.

(Image: CBC)

A pair of new polls suggest British Columbia's political landscape has tightened, with the BC Conservatives either tied with or narrowly ahead of the governing New Democrats as voters focus on housing affordability, healthcare and the economy.

A Research Co. survey conducted June 3 to 5 found the BC Conservatives and BC NDP tied at 42 percent among decided voters. A separate Leger poll conducted June 1 and 2 placed the Conservatives ahead at 45 percent, compared with 41 percent for the NDP.

The results mark a significant improvement for the Conservatives compared with last fall and come days after Kerry-Lynne Findlay was selected as the party's new leader.

Research Co. found the Conservatives have increased their support by four points since October 2025, while the NDP slipped two points. The party also posted a voter retention rate of 89 percent among its 2024 supporters, compared with 84 percent for the governing New Democrats.

The polling comes as voters continue to rank housing affordability, the economy, and healthcare among the province's top issues.

Leger found housing prices and affordability were the most important issue for 31 percent of British Columbians, followed by healthcare at 29 percent and the economy at 24 percent. Research Co. found housing, poverty and homelessness ranked first at 29 percent, followed by the economy and jobs at 26 percent and healthcare at 21 percent.

(Visual: Leger)

The polling comes alongside other reports pointing to economic strain in the province.

A report released this month by the Business Council of British Columbia found youth employment in the province has fallen 14 percent since 2019, the largest decline of any province in Canada. The report said youth employment has dropped back to levels last seen in 2017 despite strong population growth, while labour-force participation among young people has fallen to 58.5 percent, the lowest level in the country.

Separate polling from Research Co. released in late May found only 33 percent of British Columbians rated the provincial economy positively, while 62 percent described economic conditions as bad or very bad. More than four in 10 respondents said they expect the economy to worsen over the next six months.

The province's fiscal outlook has also become a growing political issue. The government's latest budget projects a $13.3-billion deficit for 2026-27, followed by projected deficits of $12.2 billion and $11.4 billion in the next two fiscal years.

(Visual: Coastal Front)

Both polls suggest the Conservatives may have room to grow. Leger found only 26 percent of British Columbians were familiar with the new Conservative leader, while 61 percent reported either a neutral opinion or no opinion of her.

Research Co. found Premier David Eby's approval rating has fallen below 50 percent to 48 percent. Leger's preferred-premier measure showed Eby leading Findlay by three points, 30 percent to 27 percent.

The surveys also point to continued interest in a centre-right alternative. Research Co. found 47 percent of British Columbians believe there is room for another centre-right party, while 41 percent said it may be time to revive the BC Liberal brand. In a hypothetical ballot test that included the BC Liberals, the party captured 15 percent support, while the NDP led with 35 percent and the Conservatives followed closely at 34 percent.

On June 2, U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) Jamieson Greer announced that the U.S. government planned to implement dozens of new tariffs on trading partner nations, including Canada. This was announced following a meeting with Canada-U.S. Trade Minister Dominic LeBlanc in Washington, the same day. 

The additional 10 percent tariff was towards countries that allegedly have goods produced by forced labour in their own supply chains. “The failure of our most important trading partners to address the importation of goods made with forced labor is unacceptable.  This creates a dynamic where American workers are forced to compete globally on an unlevel playing field,” said Ambassador Greer, “We will no longer tolerate this disparity.” 

The day before, on his platform Truth Social, President Donald Trump shared an article on the recent news that Canada has entered a “technical recession,” with the addition of a controversial “51st state” comment. 

Canada’s response

These tariffs follow a 6-3 decision in February by the U.S. Supreme Court to strike down the Trump administration’s tariffs imposed under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA). This included a 35 percent tariff on certain Canadian goods imposed last year. 

However, it's of note to know that the ruling didn’t apply to sectoral tariffs like steel, aluminium, softwood lumber, and automobiles, those are still imposed on the Canadian economy. They now have an additional 10 percent on top of them as a result of the new tariffs. 

Prime Minister Mark Carney responded on June 3 that “this was not a surprise, it's something the US has been planning for a few months,” and that Canada “has a very strong legislative regime against forced labour.” He also highlighted the fact that the tariffs don’t apply to those that fall under the Canada-U.S-Mexico Agreement on trade (CUSMA). Carney used this to reinforce his claim that Canada is still getting the best deal out of all the U.S’s trading partners. 

Carney downplayed Trump’s “51st state” comment by describing the U.S. President as an “exceptionally active user of social media.” 

The week prior, Carney told a group of American investors in a “more divided and dangerous” world, a stronger, independent Canada would help “make America great again.” This address was held at the Economic Club of New York. 

The details 

Trump has implemented this worldwide tariff using Section 122 of the U.S’s 1974 Trade Act. These duties will, however, expire after 150 days unless the American Congress votes to extend them. 

Canada has prohibited the import of goods “that are mined, manufactured or produced wholly or in part by forced labor” since July 1, 2020, as a result of amendments that were implemented along with CUSMA.

The USTR disputed this in their recent report on trading patterns with forced labour goods, stating that “the information available indicates that Canada is failing to effectively enforce its forced labour import prohibition.” They also accuse Canada of being a “dumping ground” for forced labour product exports that are barred from the U.S. This report coincided with the news of the tariffs that were announced by Ambassador Greer. 

In a report on the U.S. from the international human rights group Walk Free, they noted that the “U.S – like other G20 countries – is exposed to the risk of modern slavery through the products it imports.” A figure cited is that nearly two-thirds of all forced labour cases are in fact linked to global supply chains. 

Some examples of these forced labour products exported to the U.S. include electronics and garments from countries like China, Malaysia, and Bangladesh. 

A key feature of Trump’s administration is to impose punitive tariffs on trading partners whom they perceive to be in unbalanced and unfair deals with. Exports to the United States in October accounted for 67.3 percent of all exports, the lowest non-pandemic level ever recorded. In the past, nearly 75 percent of Canadian exports went to the U.S, and a daily average of $3.6 billion of trade goods was exchanged between the two North American countries.

The Canadian-American relationship has become increasingly strained with the election of Donald Trump in 2025 and the further enactment of tariffs on the Canadian economy, along with the President’s continuous comments about Canada becoming the “51st” state. 

Kerry-Lynne Findlay won a heavily contested leadership race for the BC Conservative Party on Saturday night, with 51 percent of the vote. Findlay has taken the leadership position from interim leader Trevor Halford, who himself took over in December after former leader John Rustad resigned. 

Findlay’s platform, according to her website, seeks to combat not only Premier David Eby’s NDP government but also the “BC Liberal insiders” within the Conservatives. In fact, the word “Liberal” is used ten times versus the more meagre use of “NDP” only three times. This reflects Findlay’s intentions to pull the party’s politics closer to the right-wing of the spectrum.  Many BC Liberal MLAs defected to the provincial Conservatives after the party rebranded to BC United in 2023, including Rustad himself. 

Angelo Isidorou, Executive Director of the BC Conservatives, told Coastal Front that Findlay has a “robust” plan for the province’s economy. “Whether it is cutting taxes, creating a western alliance of provinces, or keeping our streets safe, Conservatives under her leadership have a clear plan,” he said. “I am certain she will have more to share in the days to come.”

Findlay has faced allegations of corruption while campaigning for the federal Conservatives in the 2025 election. This led the Office of the Commissioner of Canada Elections to open an investigation into her. The BC Conservatives’ Leadership Election Organizing Committee also considered disqualifying her for the leadership race she just won. The investigation is still ongoing at the time of this writing. 

Findlay has also been accused of using divisive, racist rhetoric in her politics by rival  Conservative candidate Iain Black. NDP Labour Minister Jennifer Whiteside said, “Kerry-Lynne Findlay and her supporters in caucus have more in common with Donald Trump’s Republicans than they do with Canadian Conservatives.” She also brought up a moment from the leadership debate where Findlay accused Conservative rival, Peter Milobar, of being in a conflict of interest on DRIPA due to the Indigenous background of his wife and children. 

In a media scrum on Tuesday, Premier David Eby said, “from my perspective, the job that she’s applying for right now looks a lot more like MAGA regional manager than the premier of British Columbia. But I’ll stay tuned and hear what her plans are.”

Platform

Findlay’s platform also has highlights such as “Get woke ideology out of our schools,” “Put freedom first,” and “Cut taxes.” On her more specific “Policy” section, Findlay doubles down on schools, completely targeting the Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity (SOGI) “ideology” in BC public schools. As of this writing, no other policies are elaborated or featured on her website. 

Findlay has stepped into the role of BC Conservative leader during a period of intense internal strife within the party.  In the past year, six MLAs have been ousted from the party and have turned into Independents. Five out of the six were for reasons related to Rustad’s leadership, with the sixth, Hon Chan, removed after being charged with assault, assault by choking, and uttering threats.

There is a strong tension in the party between the centre-leaning, former BC Liberal segment in the party and the farther right, “populist” section who backs Findlay. Even ousted MLAs Jordan Kealy and Tara Armstrong threw their support behind Findlay for her leadership campaign, which could open doors for their future reintegration into the caucus. 

Findlay was formerly a federal  Conservative MP for Delta-Richmond East from 2011-2015, also representing South Surrey-White Rock from 2019-2025, before being unseated by current Liberal MP Ernie Klassen. During her most recent tenure, she was the Chief Opposition Whip under federal Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre. 

Throughout her entire federal career, Findlay has sponsored only one bill (C-391), which sought to amend the Criminal Code and the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act (possession of weapons and drugs in hospitals). The bill has yet to have a second reading in the House of Commons since 2024. 

She is also married to MLA Brent Chapman, a BC Conservative who represents the district of Surrey South. As Findlay does not officially have an electoral seat, Chapman told Sitka Media he was open to the idea of stepping down to let her run in a by-election, but nothing has been confirmed yet. 

The next provincial election will be held no later than October 21, 2028, but there is always a possibility it will be called earlier.

British Columbia's youth labour market has deteriorated more than any other province in Canada, with employment among people aged 15 to 24 falling 14 percent since 2019 even as the province's young population surged, according to a new report from the Business Council of British Columbia (BCBC).

The report paints a picture of a labour market increasingly out of reach for young workers, with fewer young people employed, more unable to find work and a growing number no longer participating in the labour market.

"Youth employment in March 2026 fell back to where it was in mid-2017, erasing roughly eight years of gains," the report said, noting that BC's youth population is now near an all-time high.

The findings place BC at odds with much of the rest of the country. According to the council's analysis of Statistics Canada data, youth employment has grown in every province except BC and Nova Scotia since January 2019. BC recorded the largest decline, while Ontario was essentially unchanged and Nova Scotia posted a slight decline.

The report argues the province's weakening position cannot be understood through unemployment figures alone.

While the youth unemployment rate has climbed to about 14 percent — matching levels last seen during the global financial crisis outside the pandemic period — the council says the figure understates the problem because it does not include young people who have stopped looking for work.

Between January 2019 and March 2026, youth employment in BC fell by roughly 51,000 workers while the number of unemployed youth increased by 23,000. Over the same period, the number of young people classified as not participating in the labour force grew by approximately 85,000.

The council said many of those individuals may be what economists describe as "discouraged workers" — people who have stopped looking for jobs because they do not believe work is available.

That trend has pushed BC's youth labour force participation rate to 58.5 percent, the lowest of any province in Canada and down from 68.7 percent in 2019. At the beginning of that period, BC ranked third nationally.

The report identifies three primary factors behind the decline: weak private-sector hiring, a rapid increase in the supply of entry-level workers, and rising costs for employers.

Private-sector employment in BC has grown by just two percent since 2019, according to the council. Because many young workers begin their careers in private-sector industries such as retail and food services, prolonged weakness in hiring has had an outsized impact on younger job seekers.

The report also points to an increase in the youth population, driven largely by growth in temporary residents and international students. That increase, it argues, expanded the supply of entry-level workers at the same time demand for labour weakened, particularly in retail trade and accommodation and food services.

The decline in BC youth employment was concentrated in retail trade and accommodation and food services, sectors that have traditionally provided first jobs for many young workers.

Between 2019 and 2025, accommodation and food services lost 20,600 youth workers in BC, while retail employment among young people declined by 9,600. Combined, the sectors recorded a 17 percent drop in youth employment, the steepest decline of any province.

The council also argues that rising labour costs are making it more difficult for employers to create entry-level positions. BC's minimum wage stands at $17.85 per hour, the highest in Canada and nearly 30 percent above its 2019 level. The report says the Employer Health Tax, WorkSafeBC premiums and other business costs further increase the cost of hiring inexperienced workers.

Taken together, the report argues, those pressures have left many young British Columbians struggling to gain a foothold in the workforce.

The council warned that prolonged detachment from the labour market can have lasting consequences. Young people who miss opportunities to gain early work experience may face lower lifetime earnings, weaker employment prospects, and greater reliance on government income support later in life.

The findings also raise broader questions about the province's economic outlook. With fewer young people working and contributing taxes, the report argues BC risks a narrower future tax base at a time when it is already dealing with a deteriorating fiscal situation and multiple credit-rating downgrades.

The BCBC said reversing the trend will require policies that encourage private-sector investment and hiring, including easing regulatory burdens in industries that traditionally employ young workers.

The new report comes one week after polling from Research Co. showed only one-third of British Columbians view the province’s economy positively.

Government support for Canada’s role in hosting the 2026 FIFA Men’s World Cup is estimated at $1.066 billion, while British Columbia’s NDP government has delayed releasing updated costs for Vancouver’s share until after the spring legislative session ends.

A Parliamentary Budget Officer report estimates federal support at $473 million, with provincial and municipal governments covering another $593 million. Across 13 Canadian matches, that works out to roughly $82 million per game.

For BC, projections hover around $578 million for seven games at BC Place Stadium in Vancouver. That is far above the province’s 2022 estimate of $240 million to $260 million.

Premier David Eby has said the province will release updated figures by the end of the month, after the legislature’s spring session ends May 28. The tournament begins June 11.

Eby has defended the spending by pointing to projected economic benefits, claiming the event will generate more than $1 billion for BC’s economy. But his government has not yet released an updated detailed cost estimate, citing ongoing talks with Ottawa over security funding and final arrangements with stakeholders.

(Courtesy Angus Reid)

The delay leaves taxpayers without a full accounting of the province’s FIFA obligations only weeks before the tournament begins.

The issue is politically awkward for Eby, who previously criticized the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics while serving as executive director of the BC Civil Liberties Association. At the time, he raised concerns about civil liberties, security measures, displacement of vulnerable people, free expression, and the costs of hosting major international events.

Now, as premier, Eby is defending another major international sporting event despite escalating cost projections and unresolved questions around security, operations, and possible overruns.

Toronto is also facing a steep increase. The city is expected to spend about $380 million to host six games, compared with earlier estimates of $30 million to $45 million in 2018. Ontario is also spending $97 million toward Toronto’s matches.

Polling from Leger cited in the provided material suggests many Ontarians and British Columbians are skeptical of the spending, with half of Ontarians opposed to hundreds of millions in World Cup costs and 50 percent of British Columbians opposed to spending more than $500 million.

Until the province releases its updated numbers, British Columbians are being asked to accept the promise of economic benefit without a clear final bill.

Only one-third of British Columbians view the province’s economy positively, while many expect conditions to worsen over the next six months, according to a new Research Co. poll released May 28.

The survey found 33 percent of respondents rated BC’s economic conditions as “very good” or “good,” while 62 percent described them as “bad” or “very bad.”

Views on household finances were nearly split. Forty-nine percent said their own finances were “very good” or “good,” while 48 percent described them as “bad” or “very bad.”

Economic pessimism was especially pronounced among BC Conservative voters. Just 17 percent of respondents who supported the party in the 2024 provincial election viewed the provincial economy positively, compared with 43 percent of BC NDP voters and 47 percent of BC Green voters.

Looking ahead, 41 percent of respondents said they expect BC’s economy to decline over the next six months. Thirty-eight percent expect no change, while 14 percent predict improvement.

The poll also found significant support for reducing bureaucracy and speeding up permitting processes. Sixty-four percent of respondents said the provincial government should devote more resources to expediting permits and dealing with bureaucracy and red tape. Among BC Conservative voters, that figure rises to 75 percent.

The findings were released as debate continues over the province’s fiscal outlook. In a statement issued May 28, BC Conservative Interim Leader Trevor Halford criticized the NDP government’s fiscal record, pointing to projected deficits, rising debt levels and pressures within the healthcare system.

The provincial government’s latest budget projects a $13.3-billion deficit for the 2026-27 fiscal year, followed by deficits of $12.2 billion and $11.4 billion in the following two years. Total provincial debt is forecast to rise from $154 billion to $234 billion over the fiscal plan period.

The Research Co. poll found British Columbians are divided on how the province should address the budget deficit. Forty-five percent favour cuts to programs, 33 percent support raising taxes and 21 percent are undecided.

“There is a significant political divide when British Columbians ponder the budget deficit,” said Research Co. President Mario Canseco. “Almost half of those who voted for the New Democrats in 2024 (46%) would raise taxes, while more than two thirds of those who supported the BC Conservatives (68%) would cut programs.”

The survey also found that 50 percent of respondents expect BC’s economy to improve because of the way the federal government under Mark Carney is treating the province, while 61 percent agree that many of the setbacks experienced by BC’s economy can be blamed on Donald Trump being president of the United States.

What does it take to build a beloved Canadian brand while staying true to family values, quality, and purpose?

In this episode, Karen Flavelle and Scott McTavish of Purdys Chocolatier join us for a candid conversation about leadership, legacy, and growing one of Canada’s most iconic chocolate companies in a rapidly changing retail landscape.

From navigating generational business transitions to maintaining craftsmanship at scale, they share insights on entrepreneurship, company culture, sustainability, and what it means to build a brand that Canadians genuinely love.