How will the BC government use their surplus in year ahead?

The provincial government has laid out its broad outline for the upcoming legislative session through the Throne Speech as delivered by Lieutenant governor Janet Austin.

Ahead of the speech, Premier David Eby, who was absent because of first ministers’ healthcare talks with the Prime Minister on Tuesday, said his government would tackle today's biggest challenges and build a stronger, more secure future for everyone who calls B.C. home.

"Despite everything we've gone through over the past few years, British Columbians remain relentlessly optimistic about their province - and with good reason," Eby said.

"After all, it is the people of B.C. who got shots into arms, rebuilt highways after flooding, kept kids learning in schools and businesses thriving in difficult circumstances. Our government will build a stronger, more secure future with British Columbians, because there's nothing we can't accomplish or overcome when we work together."

The speech focused on the issues that matter most to people with measures to help with rising costs, build more affordable homes, improve access to health care and mental-health care, and fight climate change, while training people for good-paying jobs in a cleaner economy, Eby said in a statement.

While British Columbians have built the strongest recovery in the country, leading economists are predicting a global slowdown. The speech emphasized the important choices ahead to ensure security for people and families in the face of the likely economic storm.

Surplus unlikely in year ahead

BC has a projected $5.7 billion surplus, although that will not be the case next year given the projected economic slowdown and possible recession. However, the government said it would use the good financial picture now to bolster the health care system, create affordable housing and help families cope with the rising cost of living.

"Some say we should respond to a downturn by pulling back, reducing services, or by making people pay out of pocket for private health care," Premier Eby said. "But that would only make many of our most serious challenges worse and pass down costs at a time when people can least afford it. There's too much at stake right now to pull the rug out from under British Columbians. We couldn't afford short-term thinking before - and we certainly can't afford it now."

The government said the highlights from the speech include:

* helping people with rising costs by introducing new measures targeted to support people hardest hit, including those with lower incomes and families with children;

* tackling the housing crisis by continuing to get tough on speculators, while launching a refreshed housing plan and increasing homes and services near transit hubs throughout the province;

* strengthening access to public health care after the pandemic by investing in new hospitals, a new medical school, better cancer care, substance treatment and recovery services, and getting internationally trained health professionals into B.C. clinics to provide care;

* making communities safer with actions to get violent offenders off the streets and new laws to crack down on gangs, money laundering and the non-consensual sharing of intimate images; and

* fighting climate change and building an economy for everyone by launching a new job skills plan, expanding low-cost clean-energy solutions, introducing a new pay-transparency law that moves B.C. closer to equal pay for equal work for women, and working in partnership with Indigenous Peoples.

B.C. house leader Ravi Kahlon says the government has plans to introduce more than two dozen pieces of legislation during the session, which is set to conclude in May.