Aboriginal Affairs

Arranging meeting between an individual and a public office holder for purpose of lobbying

Development, establishment, amendment or termination of any program, policy or decision

1) develop harmonized workable regulatory processes for carrying out consultation with the aboriginal people that will amount to the regulatory schemes referred to in Haida; 2) continue to provide clearer guidelines for the business community with respect to its role (if any) in the consultation process; 3) continue to develop policies around revenue sharing with aboriginal people; and 4) make it clear that it is not an expectation or requirement of either Crown that in the course of permit approval businesses must pay aboriginal groups in order to carry on business on land over which the aboriginal people do not have an established legal right. 5) assist new tenure holders such as First Nations and communities, to facilitate development and harvesting of their tenures and develop mechanisms to put up competitively bid sales on these tenures that could possibly be included as additional evidence of market value in the stumpage system; 6) continue efforts to ensure that all First Nations have these agreements in place, where applicable, and that the agreements facilitate a more efficient consultation and accommodation process; and 7) follow the principles of consultation and accommodation established by the Supreme Court of Canada, and not: 1. implement shared decision making, if that means a veto on land use decisions; or 2. require in legislation or harvesting agreements decisions from government that attract the duty to consult, when the decisions are on issues that should not require government adjudication or at stages late in the process when earlier decisions have already effectively dealt with the issue. 8) work with the First Nations Tax Commission, and other interested parties, to develop legislation that would provide more secure and marketable property rights on reserve lands.

Target Contacts

Agriculture

Arranging meeting between an individual and a public office holder for purpose of lobbying

Development, establishment, amendment or termination of any program, policy or decision

1) live up to the BC Agriculture Plan commitment to invest $2 million per year into an industry-led marketing program that will increase awareness of local BC food products; 2) give high priority to funding for agricultural extension and that the Ministry work with the industry and key stakeholders to identify key priority areas for the agricultural sector; 3) reverse the decision to discontinue funding for the organic extension agent position; and 4) fund the School Fruit and Vegetable Nutritional Program (BCSFVNP) to a level that will meet the objective of ultimately covering all BC schools in the program. 5) acknowledge the importance of the sport fishing tourism industry in fisheries management throughout BC; and 6) support a Province-wide Steelhead Recovery Plan. That the Provincial Government work with the Federal Government to: 1. provide information and resources through the transition of the regulatory authority; 2. provide fair access to tenures for the aquaculture industry; 3. ensure that consultation with First Nations is appropriate and meets the needs to the industry for timely decisions; and That the Federal and Provincial Governments work to: 1. support efforts to build public confidence in aquaculture management and place a focus on science and solution. 1. That the Provincial Government form a committee to review BC's Land Commission Act, specifically to review: 1. that the objectives as specified in the Act are still appropriate; and 2. that the Commission and the administration of the ALR effectively accomplish the objectives of the Act.

Target Contacts

Conservation

Arranging meeting between an individual and a public office holder for purpose of lobbying

Development, establishment, amendment or termination of any program, policy or decision

1. make water conservation a priority and encourage businesses to adopt water conservation as part of their corporate policy; 2. partner with municipal governments, businesses and other stakeholders to implement and develop cost effective strategies and goals for efficient water usage and conservation; 3. where appropriate, as a first step urge the installation of meters on all domestic and industrial water systems provided by municipalities and regional districts; 4. develop a free auditing program to assist businesses in gauging their water usage and once the audit is complete, design a program of measures or actions based on the goals and objectives, and opportunities for water efficiency improvements, costs and benefits, and other criteria specific to each organization; and 5. initiate and fund public awareness and education programs to British Columbia¿s business communities about water conservation practices currently available to them.

Target Contacts

Education

Arranging meeting between an individual and a public office holder for purpose of lobbying

Development, establishment, amendment or termination of any program, policy or decision

1. in conjunction with major stakeholders, create a provincial literacy champion to ensure that the provincial goal of having the highest literacy levels in Canada are met; 2. call for a comprehensive British Columbia literacy strategy with the resources necessary to make a difference; and 3. increase funding levels to community literacy initiatives to ensure long term sustainability for these plans. 1. undertake a fundamental review of the school curriculum in concert with all stakeholders to ensure that students are being adequately prepared for the world of work; 2. designate a place at the education Roundtable for a representative of the small business community; and 3. ensure that small business and industry groups are provided access to schools on a regular basis to educate students to the expectations of the business community through the facilitation of events such as career fairs.

Target Contacts

Employment and Training

Arranging meeting between an individual and a public office holder for purpose of lobbying

Development, establishment, amendment or termination of any program, policy or decision

1. encourage professional bodies to work with education systems to lobby for increased participation and preparation of students in mathematics and science and to inform the students about the many available and future jobs in the field of Technology and Engineering; 2. provide funding for technology and engineering programs and their implementation at Colleges and Universities in all regions of BC where the need and demand of the respective programs has been documented in the very comprehensive ATEEC report on post secondary education; and 3. provide funds to cover capital and operating costs for the extension of facilities where those are absolutely necessary to provide and deliver the much needed programs. 4. overhaul the permanent immigrant system by reviewing the point level required and by restructuring the allocation of points to emphasize the skills required by the economy; 5. enhance the overall training strategy to ensure that visa officers receive sufficient and appropriate training and have the necessary tools and means to assess immigration applications more effectively and efficiently; 6. provide education overseas to better prepare immigrants for integration into Canada; 7. review the connection between HRDC, CIC and business desiring a specific skill and seeking to hire an immigrant due to lack of local talent to ensure the process is driven by a true reflection of supply and demand, rather than process driven; 8. review the permanent and temporary immigration system with a view to enhancing small businesses ability to find and recruit foreign workers; and 9. continue to expand the Expedited LMO Program to include other occupations where a identifiable shortage exists. 10. initiate the development of a fast-track foreign credential assessment and recognition service for BC; 11. work with professional and trade associations, educators, and immigrant service organizations to implement the service; 12. ensure professional associations are assessing and suggesting credential upgrades to balance the need for highly skilled workers with the need to fill skills needs in Canada and BC; 13. act to require professional associations and education institutes to ensure skills upgrade courses are available as needed and testing of skills is available in a timely fashion at a local facility; 14. study the inter-provincial as well as immigration limitations and propose or legislate necessary changes to streamline processes and eliminate unnecessary red tape; and 15. review the mandate of all professional and trades¿ associations to ensure there are no systemic impediments to fulfilling skills needs while maintaining the highest standards of safety and competency. 16. That the Provincial Government work with the Federal Government to enhance the existing capacity for film industry education and training with the goals of maintaining and enhancing the skilled BC workforce, and that encouraging and increasing domestic film production be made a priority for current and future knowledge infrastructure projects. 17. work with the Federal Government to identify future green technologies and industries; 18. work with the Federal Government to identify the workforce needed to support future green technologies and industries; 19. work with the Federal Government to develop training programs to create a future workforce in green technologies and industries; and 20. provide assistance and support for workers to train for jobs in future green technologies and industries. That the Provincial Government amend the Employment Standards Act by: 1. removing the penalty provision entirely, or placing a broad due diligence style defense, and clarity around the circumstances when a penalty may be issued; 2. providing clear statutory direction on the role of the Director in investigating and determining complaints, and in its role and obligation before the BCEST; 3. giving clarity and simplicity to the Averaging Agreements;

Target Contacts

Energy

Arranging meeting between an individual and a public office holder for purpose of lobbying

Development, establishment, amendment or termination of any program, policy or decision

1. through its supervision of BC Hydro and the BC Utilities Commission and the proposed Section 5 Inquiry and or the Integrated Resource Planning process, aimed at providing direction for the 30 year transmission plans for British Columbia, ensure that the transmission planning criteria used includes the objectives of supporting rural economic development and are sufficiently geared to anticipate the economic potential which can be achieved through the provision of higher voltage power supply and access to the higher voltage power grids, including the economic potential available along the Asia Pacific Transportation Corridor 2. exercise its option to purchase the Kemess power line; and maintain the line in place to service future power needs and assist in bringing to production new mines in this part of British Columbia. 3. review the Clean Energy Act 4. increase the $200 million cap on ¿trade income¿ for BC Hydro immediately to $300 million; 5. index the cap on ¿trade income¿ to the BC Hydro rate increase percentages including the rate rider percentages from this year forward; 6. ensure that the commercial customers¿ charges for electrical service in excess of their cost of service after March 31, 2010 are properly redressed over time to eliminate the overcharging; and 7. ensure that commercial customer rate restructuring designs are implemented on a customer revenue neutral basis, within a few percentage points.

Target Contacts

Environment

Arranging meeting between an individual and a public office holder for purpose of lobbying

Development, establishment, amendment or termination of any program, policy or decision

1. urgently examine how to expedite provincially-certified projects through the Federal environmental assessment process, whether covered by the Major Projects Management Office or not; 2. federal officials responsible for the CEAA 5-year review should engage in open consultation with stakeholders to support elimination of duplicative review; 3. when they become available, review the recommendations of the CCME Environmental Assessment Task Group with critical stakeholders to identify promising approaches; and 4. use information from the above to inform a redraft of the legislation and regulation in both jurisdictions to permit a unified process led by the Province with technical participation by Federal regulators in areas of Federal jurisdiction and interest by 2010. 5. freeze the Carbon Tax at its current level of $20 per tonne; 6. take on an immediate review of BC¿s approach to its policy on Greenhouse Gas Emissions; and 7. work with other provinces and with the governments in the US to standardize and harmonize the costs of controlling carbon emissions. 8. convene a stakeholders group, including representatives of the key technical staff at the Ministry (Land Remediation Group), staff from Ministries with related responsibilities, business representatives, municipalities, lenders, consultants to develop concrete, realistic strategies to make the land remediation program in B.C. work for the entire province. 9. authorize its Intergovernmental Relations Secretariat to lead negotiations on the inter-jurisdictional control of BC¿s rivers, with the goal of developing a responsive ¿single window service¿ mechanism to enable communities to create and modify regulations on the shared use of public waterways effectively and efficiently. That the Provincial Government work in co-operation with the Federal Government to: 1. develop financial incentives to induce businesses to make environmental sustainability goals; 2. create long-term policy initiatives to stimulate investment in alternative energy solutions; and 3. calculate the environmental cost of doing business in all sectors and develop economically viable solutions for business to make environmentally sustainable choices. That the Provincial Government work with the Federal Governments to: 1. conduct a study to achieve the following goals; a. a long term Provincial flood prevention plan for flood endangered areas to save jobs, property and allow for further planning and development in flood endangered zones; and b. a dyking and/or dredging analysis for flood endangered zones should be carried out and where identified, dykes should be built as soon as possible and dredging should be allowed to avoid the ever increasing damages to property, loss of production and danger to human life. 2. work with municipal governments to create a working group with terms of reference and governance that will respond to the short and long term flood planning and response issues. This includes forming a committee that will deal with emergency response and long term mitigation and funding of activities dealing with flooding and flood prevention. That the Provincial Government work with the Federal Government to: 1. create a program for regular maintenance of the dykes along the Fraser River estuary, and provide for regular dredging of the main channel of the Fraser River; 2. support funding for permanent dyking; 3. provide sustainable funding for these programs; and 4. establish a permanent fund for the ongoing operation and improvement of the debris trap at Agassiz, and investigate the establishment of an additional trap to be situated on the lower reaches to catch debris from rivers such as the Coquitlam, Pitt and Allouette, i.e., near the Port Mann crossing.

Target Contacts

Finances and Budgets

Arranging meeting between an individual and a public office holder for purpose of lobbying

Development, establishment, amendment or termination of any program, policy or decision

1. adopt a Smart Spending Program that: a ) introduces a coordinated approach to government spending by ensuring increases are within the range of growth in real GDP across all government spending; b) continue to review all direct program spending and operating costs on a four- year cycle that does not coincide with an election year to determine the cost- effectiveness of government spending; 2. introduce a taxpayer lens which would allow government to review, on a cycle that is in keeping with the fundamental planning of the crown corporation, all Crown holdings to see whether taxpayers interests are better served by transferring control, in whole or in part, of a publicly owned and operated enterprise to the private sector; 3. Once balanced budgets are achieved, legislate a requirement that the provincial budget dedicate at least 50% of surpluses directly to debt repayment; 4. Maintain this requirement until the total provincial taxpayer supported debt-to-GDP ratio is reduced to 10%;

Target Contacts

Financial Institutions

Arranging meeting between an individual and a public office holder for purpose of lobbying

Development, establishment, amendment or termination of any program, policy or decision

in the same way the Progress Board gives a grade and makes recommendations, this Board would do the same and provide recommendations for improving the system ensuring that BC creates and maintains a competitive business climate for investment and project development

Target Contacts

Fisheries

Arranging meeting between an individual and a public office holder for purpose of lobbying

Development, establishment, amendment or termination of any program, policy or decision

1. continue to work towards better harmonization of the Department of Fisheries and Oceans with provincial fish and fish habitat management activities;

Target Contacts

Forestry

Arranging meeting between an individual and a public office holder for purpose of lobbying

Development, establishment, amendment or termination of any program, policy or decision

12) as its second priority, be a reliable and consistent supply of timber under all market conditions through open and competitive auctions, subject to meeting key requirement of being the reference for cost and price. 13) include as key components of its commercial forest reserve initiative: a) Improved regulation of government staff decisions under the Government Actions Regulation and the Land Use Objectives Regulation to bring those decisions within government¿s impact targets; b) Implementation of the reserve to enhance the protection of the commercial forest landbase generally, not for the purpose of favouring certain new licenses over others, including those portions of the landbase subject to existing forest tenures; and 14) bring the 9 year policy development period to an end by implementing this new policy as soon as practicable. 15) encourage innovative secondary forest products industries such as bioenergy and engineered wood products through commercially based arrangements with primary producers and timber harvesters; 16) where it opts to provide direct tenure opportunities to secondary producers that overlap existing tenures, ensure forest management obligations are fairly and reasonably apportioned between the new and the existing tenures; 17) enhance the competitiveness of all forest products manufacturing facilities through improved taxation and revenue sharing arrangements at all levels of government; 18) promote labour force and skills training applicable to the forest industry; 19) enhance the competitiveness of secondary industries through training targeted at the value-added industries in business and financial planning and similar skills for entrepreneurs; 20) continue market development and market access policies in co-operation with the Federal Government and the forest industry, and improve co-ordination of market development programs among these three key players to maximize the value of investment in these programs and encourage the use of BC forest products in the province, in Canada and in international markets, including ongoing promotion and expansion of the Wood First program; and 21) continue to work co-operatively with industry and the Federal Government to address tariff and non-tariff trade barriers against BC forest products and, in particular, monitor the effects of the SLA and act expeditiously where problems arise in its application. 22) work with the Federal Government to develop policies and program initiatives that facilitate skills development meeting future value-added manufacturing industry needs through wood product industry learning at high schools and post-secondary education institutions; 23) promote fast-tracking initiatives to develop standards for the value-added wood products industry; 24) promote recognition and use of current reputable standards programs for trades training and quality control training; 25) work with the Federal and local governments to identify successful value-added wood products industries and assist them in promoting apprenticeship training through university under-graduate programs, with emphasis on transferability of credits and mobility between these two education programs; 26) work with Federal and local governments to identify leading edge research, development, technology and innovation initiatives and link those initiatives to educational institutions for training purposes; and 27) work with Federal and local governments in collaboration with industry organizations to develop marketing strategies to attract future workforces to the value-added wood products industry.

Target Contacts

Forestry

Arranging meeting between an individual and a public office holder for purpose of lobbying

Development, establishment, amendment or termination of any program, policy or decision

1) maintain the competitiveness of the lumber Sector. Policies should facilitate the efficient and economic use of the affected timber through: a) a continuing effort to streamline regulatory systems and approval processes; b) further enhance market-driven industry rationalization; and c) ensuring the stumpage system reflects and responds to the market, and to updated and moderated projections regarding the extent and timing of the decline in the quantity and value of this timber and the products that can be produced from it; 2) encourage alternative forest product uses. Policies should encourage uses for residual chips and other by-products that are being generated from pine beetle harvesting and lumber production, which could include energy generation and alternative wood products as well as ongoing supply for the pulp and paper sector. Similarly, after taking into account that opportunities for lumber production will continue for a longer period than previously forecast, policies should encourage alternative uses for timber that can¿t be converted to lumber. In both cases, the primary target for these policies and new uses should be roadside debris and standing dead timber, as these are significant sources of fibre that, if used in alternative products, should not adversely affect supply for existing forest products; 3) address forest protection. Policies should continue to address forest fire hazards that will increase to the extent that affected timber cannot be utilized; 4) encourage and facilitate new forest investment. In light of the increased harvest levels, policies should, through innovative tenure arrangements, as well as through encouraging more traditional investment, enable the massive silviculture effort and new forest management initiatives that will be required to generate a new, healthy forest that will be economically viable in the long term; 5) revise timber supply projections. Previously projected severe reductions in short and medium term allowable annual harvests in MPB attacked areas should be revised to reflect the evidence of increased shelf life of this timber, which will avoid unnecessary economic hardship to communities and enable mills to financially justify investment in innovative technologies that will allow them to utilize the damaged timber over a longer time frame; and 6) promote new opportunities without undermining existing rights. The foregoing polices should promote new opportunities, uses and investment without undermining existing rights by, in part, encouraging private sector solutions that do not require new rights to be issued by Government or, where new rights are issued by Government, by avoiding the creation of overlapping tenures on the same land base. 7) create incentives for new entrants and existing firms to invest capital in manufacturing facilities aimed at making products from second growth timber. Such incentives would include investment tax credits on plant and equipment purchases, employment incentives, lower municipal taxation, and reduced logging tax rates; 8) apply similar incentives to the harvesting sector, in an effort to encourage innovation to reduce the high cost of getting fibre/logs to market; and 9) foster diversification and increased markets for logs through competitive bids and new tenure opportunities or diversification. Encourage the extraction of lower value timber from cut blocks through stumpage rates that reflect the market value of lower value timber or other incentives to fully utilize the coastal timber profile. 10) not subsume the BC Timber Sales Program into the Government¿s regulatory and policy arm but, rather, must as an independent enterprise, provide: 11) as its first priority, a credible reference point for costs and pricing of timber harvested from public land in BC;

Target Contacts

Gaming and Lotteries

Arranging meeting between an individual and a public office holder for purpose of lobbying

Development, establishment, amendment or termination of any program, policy or decision

1. revisit eligibility criteria for community gaming grants; and consider reinstating grants for three years to provide stability, predictability and consistency; 2. honour the 1999 Memorandum of Agreement between BCACG and the Province, which allocated 33% of gaming profits to the charitable sector; 3. request that funding levels be returned to those previously established by the government as of 2008 ¿ that is $156 million since 2008; and 4. that the responsibility for establishing eligibility for gaming funding to charities and non-profit organizations be reviewed at arm¿s length from government.

Target Contacts

Health

Arranging meeting between an individual and a public office holder for purpose of lobbying

Development, establishment, amendment or termination of any program, policy or decision

1. continue to support a comprehensive chronic disease management strategy that encourages a shift in the balance of care from episodic to integrated, continuous care; 2. as part of this comprehensive strategy, allocate funds for education relating to disease prevention (diabetes, etc.); and 3. amend the formulary to include newer drugs and approaches to the treatment of chronic diseases such as diabetes, and to include newfound/improved drugs that can provide measurable benefits. 4. That the Federal and Provincial Government work together to create a Fitness Tax Credit Program to a maximum of $500 per person that encourages all Canadians, irrespective of age, to participate in sport and fitness programs. 5. endorse and act upon the recommendations of The Chamber¿s 2005 report: A New Vision for Health Care... Striving for Excellence. 6. in ongoing reviews of the regional health plans, ensure they contain strategies to advocate, and ultimately ensure accessibility of services to all communities in BC; 7. work with the regional health authorities to allow individual communities the flexibility to incorporate ¿made at home¿ solutions to health problems; 8. continue to fully support the programming and infrastructure needs of the five regional health authorities and the provincial health services authority, in particular, the Northern and Island medical programs; 9. continue to investigate and implement better use of communications technology to improve quality and accessibility in health services as per BC¿s e-health strategy; 10. continue to investigate options to enhance the utilization of existing community pharmacies to play a greater role in making fundamental primary care available to the residents of BC (examples include the Pharmacist Line, BC Nurse Line and the Northern Health Authority EPIC Program); 11. improve primary care and chronic disease management strategies as a means to improve outcomes; and 12. work in co-operation with the Federal Government to set the priorities for addressing rural health issues as per the recommendations addressed in the rural health study. 13. work with associations, professional bodies, colleges and universities to develop, implement, continually update and publicly report on progress on a comprehensive human resource strategic plan for the health industry in this province that, in particular, includes a recognition of the need to recruit from outside BC and train within BC additional physicians in specialty disciplines; 14. ensure that a key component of a comprehensive human resource strategic plan addresses the rural health issue of skilled workforce training in rural communities; 15. work with the Federal Government and professional associations to amend immigration and licensing policies to support its physician supply measure initiative, and to facilitate the retention of physicians in rural areas; 16. act with the Federal Government and the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons to implement a competency model for licensure of specialists, rather than one based on the origins of the specialist; 17. expand enrolment at the University of BC¿s faculty of pharmacy; and 18. continue to take steps to address the shortage of nurses and other health service providers, including but not limited to, expansion of educational seats in all universities and colleges as outlined in the most recent Ministry of Health Service Plan. 19. in concert with health authorities, community healthcare providers and individual school boards, continue to work with parent and/or social groups to expand significantly its wellness education programs on sexual practices, nutrition, exercise, accident prevention, and habitual use of alcohol, drugs and tobacco ¿ ACT NOW is a great example; 20. ensure that there is accessible, province-wide screening particularly for high-risk populations;

Target Contacts

Health

Arranging meeting between an individual and a public office holder for purpose of lobbying

Development, establishment, amendment or termination of any program, policy or decision

21. ensure province-wide immunization implementation plans for children and the elderly as per the 2007 Ministry of Health Service Plan; and 22. improve the community-based healthcare initiatives for people below the poverty level in the province by, for instance, encouraging the development of adequate and affordable housing facilities and programs for the poor. 23. provide further funding for research and services for the study of gerontology in order to address the problems, and opportunities, arising from the increasing numbers of elderly citizens; 24. encourage the University of BC medical faculty to place more emphasis and funding on teaching and research of geriatrics and to provide post-graduate work in that speciality area; 25. continue to support chronic disease management programs to ensure appropriate care and keep people from needing to use emergency services; 26. initiate additional policies to enable the aged to remain in their homes as long as possible through, for example, the use of senior citizens¿ centres and outreach programs; 27. develop more home care and adult day care programs and facilities such as will result in a decrease in use of residential and hospital beds; 28. optimize the utilization of acute-care hospital facilities, extending further encouragement and support to non-government and voluntary agencies involved with adult day services and home care programs; 29. work with municipal governments to continue and expand the provision of congregate-life facilities, providing low-rental housing accommodation with access to medical and nursing monitoring, dietary and housekeeping services and social, recreational and spiritual opportunities; 30. encourage further development and construction of day hospitals and short-stay assessment units as a method of reducing admissions to expensive hospital beds and services; 31. expedite construction of multi-level care facilities and encourage greater use of facilities operated by the private sector; 32. ensure that all multilevel care facilities and community agencies be accredited to ensure that quality standards are being met. An inspection process is not sufficient because it addresses minimum, rather than optimum standards; 33. continue to promote greater co-ordination and communication between governments and institutions on research, studies and services being offered across Canada; and 34. work with healthcare and community counsellors to investigate ways to educate British Columbians with regard to end-of-life decisions that focus on less intervention wishes expressed in advance by the critically ill. 35. either directly, or through delegated authority, ensure the appropriateness and effectiveness of healthcare expenditures; 36. commit to any further increases in labour costs being tied directly to corresponding increases in productivity within the health industry; 37. conduct a cost-benefit analysis to determine the true cost of de-insured services and, where a clear benefit is found, return services to insured status; and 38. treat the health system as a whole so that expenditures which benefit other parts of the system can be credited for savings in other parts of the ministry; known as cross-silo accounting. That the Provincial work with the Federal Governments to: 1. actively work towards increasing the number of physicians in Canada and finding solutions to the doctor shortage; 2. to implement incentives to keep Canadian trained doctors in Canada after their residencies and encourage those doctors to locate to areas with a need for doctors. 3. clear the backlog of IMGs waiting to be licensed to practice and that Canada work towards establishing international licensing standards and reduce the red tape currently required for provincial licensing; and 4. work to repatriate Canadian trained doctors working outside the country.

Target Contacts

Housing

Arranging meeting between an individual and a public office holder for purpose of lobbying

Development, establishment, amendment or termination of any program, policy or decision

1. work with the federal government to designate the residential rental housing industry as zero-rated; and 2. amend the current rent calculations formula to reflect current actual cost increases that impact the rental housing industry. 3. give urgent attention to the reform of British Columbia¿s commercial tenancy laws immediately upon the release of the final report of the Commercial Tenancy Act Reform Committee, scheduled for June, 2009, with a view to the prompt and timely replacement of the present Commercial Tenancy Actwith a new statute. 4. amend the Residential Tenancy Act to allow use of the true flow through cost of operations, rather than CPI plus 2%, when actual operational costs are in excess of CPI plus 2%.

Target Contacts

Infrastructure

Arranging meeting between an individual and a public office holder for purpose of lobbying

Development, establishment, amendment or termination of any program, policy or decision

1. reinstate BCGS¿s annual funding to at least the $5 million level, plus additional funds to cover expensive field costs and the costs to attract expertise in today¿s competitive market; and 2. reinvest another $20 million in Geoscience BC with the mandate, as before, to leverage these funds with funds from industry and other government agencies. 3. invest funding to develop a carbon neutral - fossil fuel research and development stream that will deliver technology that can be deployed on a domestic and international basis. 4. work with the Federal Government and airports around the province to develop a long term strategic plan to guide future investments in the province¿s airport infrastructure with guidelines and criteria established for spending on airport infrastructure. 5. to identify and allocate a consistent and predictable annual funding model for British Columbia¿s International Airports. 6. provide monetary support for the extension of the Victoria International Airport.

Target Contacts

Justice and Law Enforcement

Arranging meeting between an individual and a public office holder for purpose of lobbying

Development, establishment, amendment or termination of any program, policy or decision

1. establishing provincial standards for the integrated delivery of police services by police forces where municipal boundaries are immediately adjacent; and 2. where necessary, legislating amalgamation of police services in areas where established standards are not being met and where uniformity would benefit service delivery and public safety. 3. restructure social assistance payments to build in incentives to work based on a formula allowing recipients to retain earned income and diminish reliance on social assistance over time. 4. amend its contract with the Human Rights Clinic so that complainants must meet a means and merits test in order to receive free legal aid; 5. create a legal aid clinic or system for human rights respondents; 6. amend the Human Rights Code to give the Tribunal more vetting power for marginal complaints on their own, prior to sending the complaint to the respondent; 7. strike a committee to consider ways in which hearings may be streamlined and conducted in a much more economical and fair manner; 8. consider the creation of a Unified Workplace Tribunal; 9. amend the Human Rights Code to specifically preclude the Human Rights Tribunal from awarding complainants costs including legal costs; 10. implement a regulation system to ensure BC regulations are followed by out of province firms conducting work in BC by: 11. establishing a very active presence of Commercial Vehicle/Law enforcement on the highways between the Alberta and British Columbia border; and, 12. That the Provincial Government not entertain or sign a new contract with the RCMP for policing in the Province of BC that creates inequity in policing throughout the province. 13. assign ministry staff to work with representatives in sectors currently feeling the brunt of metal theft, with the goal to developing a comprehensive strategy, including draft legislation, to coordinate a comprehensive approach to combat this problem. That the Provincial Government work with the Federal Government to: 1. urgently address the issue of equitable police funding by developing an equitable funding program for all BC municipalities; 2. have senior levels of government provide the same cost sharing to those communities using a municipal police force as to those contracting the services of the RCMP.

Target Contacts

Labour/Labour Relations

Arranging meeting between an individual and a public office holder for purpose of lobbying

Development, establishment, amendment or termination of any program, policy or decision

1. work with the Federal Government to re-open a northern immigration office; and 2. place greater emphasis on labour market information and integration by informing immigrants of labour opportunities throughout the province through the Welcome BC program. 3. revise the current Occupational Health and Safety regulations to introduce a goal-based model that will allow the employer the flexibility to achieve the required safety targets, and emphasize a preventative and proactive approach that encourages education for employers and workers about their rights and responsibilities; 4. continue to rescind the provisions that create unnecessary bureaucracy such as requiring health and safety committees, and the appointment of safety representatives for small, low risk workplaces; 5. continue to implement the Commission recommendation to fine workers who knowingly breach safety rules to recognize that both employers and employees are responsible for workplace health and safety; 6. implement the Commission recommendation to complete a regulatory review every three years to reflect the constant pace of change in the workplace; and 7. ensuresthat WorkSafeBC do a better job of educating employers about their rights and responsibilities by ensuring that communications are in plain, simple language. 8. That WorkSafeBC encourage timely return to work for injured employees by improving the practices of the compensation division and the delivery of vocational rehabilitation services. That the Provincial Government act on the recommendations included in the Chamber submission of April 10th, 2002, and furthermore: 1. consider legislation emanating from the report of the Labour Relations Code Section 3 Committee; 2. that Section 5(2)(a) be eliminated, leaving it in the LRB's discretion to schedule expedited unfair labour practice hearings as it deems appropriate, considering the interests of the parties and the Board's available resources; 3. restore the limitations of Section 5.1 of the former Industrial Relations Act such that trade unions be prohibited from forcing employers to dismiss employees who have been expelled or suspended from membership in a trade union, or who have been denied membership in a trade union; 4. that Section 68 be eliminated; 5. that Section 14(4)(f) on remedial certification be repealed; and 6. that the Labour Relations Board be directed to set essential services at higher levels to minimize disruption to the public.

Target Contacts

Liquor Control/Alcohol

Arranging meeting between an individual and a public office holder for purpose of lobbying

Development, establishment, amendment or termination of any program, policy or decision

1. amend the Liquor Distribution Act to allow private businesses to purchase and warehouse liquor at wholesale prices directly from producers, in equal retail competition with GLS locations; 2. focus the role of the Liquor Distribution Branch on security issues such as underage consumption, public safety, regulation, revenue collection and promoting a viable and stable BC liquor industry; and 3. ensure that any new liquor tax on purchases from producers places no constraints on future industry growth and allows the retail industry to use price as a competitive tool. 4. review the legislative and regulatory structure with respect to alcoholic beverage manufacture, distribution and sale in BC to ensure fairness and balance among components of the industry, including the Artisan Distillers 5. consider introducing a new model, or reforming the current model, for liquor distribution and retail in the province that recognizes the efficiencies of a competitive free-market. Analyze and clearly communicate if it costs government more to sell liquor itself than having liquor sold through private liquor outlets; 6. address the conflicting motives between distribution (revenue) and control (regulation) which currently exist by separating them under different Ministries; 7. work towards reducing the distortion in price advantage that the Liquor Distribution Branch (LDB) can avail itself of. For instance, the BC Government must make a major commitment to regulating the LDB¿s price-making power, in order to achieve more competitive pricing; 8. consider the elimination of unnecessary limitations and practices such as ¿cross-docking¿ and the limit against retailers transferring between locations. Private retailers should also have a more robust review and appeal mechanism for complaints against the LDB; 9. ensure full governance and operational transparency so that the public in British Columbia can be assured that the entity is well governed, well managed and that issues such as pricing models accurately reflect true costs; and 10. review the social reference pricing (SRP) initiative and consider whether it is actually meeting government objectives. Based on the review, the BC Government should determine the future of SRP.

Target Contacts

Mining

Arranging meeting between an individual and a public office holder for purpose of lobbying

Development, establishment, amendment or termination of any program, policy or decision

1. conduct a full and comprehensive mineral potential analysis of land under consideration for withdrawal from mineral exploration and development, including a full socio-economic impact analysis of lost resource values and opportunities before any additional lands are closed to mineral exploration; 2. provide increased staff and funding resources to the mineral exploration and mine permitting administrations of provincial ministries, and ensure consistency across the province; and 3. work with the mineral industry to develop ¿user friendly¿ Best Management Practices; 4. develop faster, more stream-lined approval procedures for mineral exploration projects, coordinated by the Ministry of Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources; 5. reconfirm and continue to actively implement the Two-Zone land use system for mining; 6. educate the public regarding the enormous benefits of the mining industry and its miniscule ¿footprint¿; 7. better coordinate activities of MOE with MEMPR and the mineral sector to ensure there is active and early consultation with the mineral sector when actions and government Action Orders which may affect it are being considered; 8. add mineral potential and mine development as key factors for any GAR order being considered by the Minister; and 9. return the authority for No Registration Reserve decision-making to Minister of Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources. 10. Develop a clearer direction in its mandate and purpose regarding the mineral resource with measurable goals of resource delineation, mineral production and mine openings in the Ministries Service Plan. 11. expanding flow-through eligibility to include both surface and underground greenfield and brownfield exploration and development expenditure on a temporary two-year basis; 12. making the super flow-through share program a permanent feature of the tax system. In addition, the Government should implement a temporary increase in the deduction gross-up to 125% for development spending and 150% for exploration spending to flow-through share financing, and increase the BC Mining Flow-Through Share Tax Credit of eligible costs from 20 to 30% 13. BC has an excellent Mining Exploration Tax Credit (METC) program that provides a 20% refundable tax credit for resource companies through January 2017, and an enhanced rate of 30% for companies exploring areas affected by the mountain pine beetle. The Chamber¿s recommendation is to implement the BC Mining Flow-Through Share (BC-MFTS) program permanently. 14. rescind its ban on uranium mining; 15. consult meaningfully and effectively with industry on an appropriate regulatory regime to ensure that any mining of uranium is conducted safely and responsibly; 16. abandon any intention of not providing fair compensation for rights it no longer intends to honour; 17. recognize the damage done to investor confidence by this misguided ban, and take steps to redress and restore that confidence; 18. provide fair compensation for damages to claim holders affected by the uranium ban; 19. institute an assessment work holiday for affected claims, until compensation is provided; 20. establish clear and practical policy and regulations with respect to low level, incidental radioactive mineral concentrations (e.g. in coal, rare metal deposits, etc.); and 21. educate the public about natural sources of radioactivity, the geology of such deposits, and technical mitigation strategies; 22. provide increased, adequate and sustained funding for the BC Geological Survey, to ensure this agency is able to continue their work of providing a foundation of information around our mineral resources for future revenue generation in BC; and, 23. immediately inject $2.5 million funding into the BC Geological Survey to stop the present erosion of their capacity to fulfill their role in developing BC¿s economic future.

Target Contacts

Municipal Affairs

Arranging meeting between an individual and a public office holder for purpose of lobbying

Development, establishment, amendment or termination of any program, policy or decision

1. establish a Premier¿s Council on Municipal Infrastructure to advise on: a. The accumulated infrastructure debt and projected deficits; b. The net revenue required to pay down the accumulated debt and address future deficits, and; c. The establishment of benchmarks for debt reduction and enhanced accountability 2. collaborate with the proposed PCMI to undertake a comprehensive environmental scan to review best practices in municipal infrastructure finance, including appropriate funding vehicles and enabling legislation. 3. work with UBCM and the Chamber to develop; benchmarking system that outlines core services that are applicable across municipalities of every size, of every economic base and of all regions of the province; and core metrics based on appropriate measures (per population, per dollar expended etc) that allow for cross-municipal comparisons; 4. reviews its concept of regional districts and their roles and the manner in which representatives are selected. 5. allow business a greater say in municipal elections through the introduction of a business vote that allocates one vote to every business with a business number paying business class municipal property tax to be exercised by a designated individual 6. embark upon a larger examination of the sustainability of our method of municipal funding with the goal of developing a more sustainable structure related to the tax-payers ability to pay; 7. provide control and oversight on the level of property taxation levied to all taxpayer groups to ensure fair and equitable taxation practices; 8. while introducing immediate relief to class four tax levels, provide equity to class four, six and one; 9. introduce a structured, clear and consistent annual reporting system to taxpayers that outlines the total cost of municipal taxes, fees and levies as well as the cost of taxes collected for other authorities by municipal governments; 10. establish a mechanism, such as a Provincial Municipal Auditor General, that allows for the continual review of local government taxation to ensure accountability and our continued competitiveness; and 11. introduce changes with definitive timetables that provide certainty for taxpayers while allowing municipalities time to adjust and to ensure a smooth transition for the taxpayers. 12. recognize that Mobile Business Licence programs are an interim step and that the provincial government develop a plan, including timelines, for the introduction of a Single Provincial Business Licence program; 13. develop clear timeframes for defined regions to introduce Mobile Business Licence programs; 14. ensure that should any regions fail to meet these timeframes, a mandatory Mobile Business Licence will be introduced by the Provincial Government; and 15. work with local municipal governments to standardize terminology and procedures used when implementing Mobile Business Licence Programs. 16. amend section 279 of the Community Charter to include a third option for instigating municipal amalgamation; that being amalgamation by order of the province. 17. amend the Local Government Act to: a. establish reasonable timelines and focused guidelines for the approval of development permits by local government; b. provide standard requirements for the submission of development permits to local government such as specific drawing requirements, traffic surveys, etc; c. provide standard criteria for local government on which to approve development permit applications; and d. specify all costs which a local government may specifically attribute to a project; and 18. ensure that should a local government fail to meet the requirements as specified in the Act, the applicant should have a right of appeal through an independent tribunal.

Target Contacts

Science and Technology

Arranging meeting between an individual and a public office holder for purpose of lobbying

Development, establishment, amendment or termination of any program, policy or decision

1. with the Federal Government develop coherent strategies to bring the innovation and technology sector first to our local market then to the global market; 2. with the Federal Government develop incentives for collaborations between the innovation and technology sectors and the marketing and business sectors; 3. provide streamlined processes with the Federal Government for the innovation and technology sectors to access government funding and/or venture capital; 4. work on behalf of the innovation and technology sectors to avail them access to affordable credit; 5. work with the Federal Government to develop an infrastructure to bring the results of research and development in the innovation and technology sectors to the current market, and; 6. provide solutions to retrain the existing workforce in the new technologies of future markets while retaining their jobs in the current market. 7. undertake initiatives to encourage the scientific discovery of technologies that allow BC¿s vast carbon based energy resources, in particular coal and coal bed methane, to be used in an environmentally responsible manner.

Target Contacts

Small Business

Arranging meeting between an individual and a public office holder for purpose of lobbying

Development, establishment, amendment or termination of any program, policy or decision

develop a short-term program to ensure access to credit through existing financial institutions for established small businesses in British Columbia.

Target Contacts

Taxation and Finance

Arranging meeting between an individual and a public office holder for purpose of lobbying

Development, establishment, amendment or termination of any program, policy or decision

1. give business and the public access to information that is readily available and current regarding the cost and impact of regulations by publishing regulations on its website; 2. must be proactive in developing a mechanism for providing qualitative analysis through the publication of regulatory indicators to better measure the cumulative administrative and compliance cost on business, and SME¿s in particular, from regulation; 3. ensure that all government departments strengthen their programs that review existing legislation and regulations pertaining to business and eliminate those measures which result in an unnecessary cost to small business (and, ultimately, the consumer); 4. continue to provide ample notice of intention to modify its laws, regulations and policies, not just to interest groups, but to the public generally as a matter of practice; and 5. introduce a risk-based approach to regulation that ensures scarce resources are not used to inspect, request or access data from companies that are low risk or operating in a safe regulatory regime. 6. Continue with their plans to make BC one of the most tax competitive regions in the world by implement the plans laid in Budget 2010 to further reduce personal and corporate income tax and to the rates set for 2012.

Target Contacts

Tourism

Arranging meeting between an individual and a public office holder for purpose of lobbying

Development, establishment, amendment or termination of any program, policy or decision

1. set funding for the provincial and regional destination marketing organizations at a minimum funding level as per previous amounts allocated to TBC; 2. protect the performance-based formula through legislation; 3. ensure that the executive leadership of the PDMO be comprised of a majority of independent tourism professionals; 4. ensure strategic goals flow from independent market research and provide flexible program development to meet market demands; and 5. establish measurable performance targets for the PDMO and conduct regular performance reviews in a comprehensive and transparent manner.

Target Contacts

Transportation

Arranging meeting between an individual and a public office holder for purpose of lobbying

Development, establishment, amendment or termination of any program, policy or decision

1. work with the Federal Government to cooperate and work together to upgrade Trans Canada Highway #1 by widening and straightening from Kamloops to the BC/Alberta border; 2. that safety features such as increased highway lighting and snow sheds be installed thereby improving the Trans Canada Highway to a standard that is safe, efficient and mitigates closures; and 3. acknowledge the importance and urgency of this project by publicly announcing an action plan detailing immediate steps to improve and enhance this essential transportation link. 4. commit to funding transportation infrastructure investment through mechanisms that are equitable, efficient and reflect basic traffic demand management principles; 5. make as a prerequisite of these visions the need for investment in public transit to provide viable alternatives to single passenger vehicle travel; 6. request that the Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure direct an appropriate agency within the province to accept responsibility for the management of operation of its highway system. 7. ensure that protocols are developed which require agencies that respond in the management of highway and road incidents have definitive operational plans to rapidly clear incident areas or when appropriate invoke alternate traffic management situation plans to effectively offset the effects of major roadway blockages. 8. ensure that major roadway incident management plans include the rapid deployment of suitable heavy rescue and recovery equipment to mitigate the term of the incident and the subsequent effects on regional traffic flows. 9. develop, through the responsible agency, highway and road incident management exercises, involving all appropriate agencies dedicated to implementing the management plan, to ensure a high standard of real life execution. 10. commence planning immediately for the designation, development/confirmation of the alignment for a southern east-west connector between Abbotsford Airport and Highway 99. Such planning should identify a desirable timeframe for completion of portions or all of this corridor; and 11. following completion of the alignment selection, commence protection and/or purchase of the required right-of-way in conjunction with affected municipalities. 12. commission an Island-wide transportation study, identifying service gaps and opportunities for economic advancement through transportation development. 13. in conjunction with other bodies who have responsibilities for public transit, consult and engage with such stakeholders in the communities that are targeted for transit infrastructure upgrades, including the ones enumerated in the January 2008 and February 2009 announcement, so that, at a sufficiently early phase in the project work, the Government and stakeholders can devise the best plan that can reasonably accommodate and ease local stakeholder concerns; 14. in the event that significant changes to the design, structure and/or construction process is considered, those proposed changes must go through the same consultation process with all stakeholders prior to implementation of those proposed changes; and 15. prior to moving forward with any rapid transit infrastructure projects conduct a study to determine a fair and adequate mitigation plan and/or compensation structure for businesses who are negatively affected. 16. develop a fully costed and funded rural transport plan to look into the creation of partnerships with private companies/organizations that will financially contribute to the success of the plan; 17. ensure that the plan include provision for both capital and operating funds for transit service where a definable need exists that cannot be supported under a user pay model; and 18. undertake an aggressive public relations campaign to highlight the availability and benefit of public transit in all communities in BC.

Target Contacts

Transportation

Arranging meeting between an individual and a public office holder for purpose of lobbying

Development, establishment, amendment or termination of any program, policy or decision

19. develop a plan and timeline to twin the route along Highway 2 and Highway 97 from Fort St. John to the Alberta Border within the next 5 to 10 years and begin immediate improvements to the most serious spots. 20. that priority be placed by the provincial government on timely completion of the proposed economic impact study; 21. that the provincial government continue aggressively investing in Highway 3 improvements both to facilitate economic growth, and to improve transportation safety in southern BC, and; 22. that the provincial government accept the Highway 3 Coalition¿s recommendations to improve Highway 3 safety and traffic flow, and give priority to their implementation. 23. review and take immediate action to update the Okanagan Valley Transportation Corridor ¿ An Assessment of Select Projects and Initiatives report; 24. develop an integrated, multi-modal transportation vision for the Southern Interior region that builds on the Okanagan Valley Transportation Corridor ¿ An Assessment of Select Projects and Initiatives report; and 25. develop this vision by working with municipalities and regional districts to include the tributary highways of the Southern Interior of British Columbia. 26. develop a comprehensive transportation plan that will align with the USA North Spokane HWY 395 infrastructure investment; and 27. work in collaboration with economic development offices and local government in the North South Corridor area to explore economic development opportunities that would be created through the completion of the North South Corridor. 28. partner with the Federal Government to develop the Victoria marine pre-clearance site at Belleville International Terminal in collaboration with the municipality as a model for future marine facilities in Canada. 29. ensure that the BC Ferries governance and financing model continues to promote operational effectiveness and efficiency, while recognizing the Corporation as an extension of the BC public highway system, thus enhancing the Corporations mandate as a key driver of coastal community economic development, from a net gain viewpoint; and 30. make amendments to the coastal ferries act to allow for enhanced transfers which: 31. result in average fares that are comparable with those established in the first performance term (PT1) plus inflation and that are firmly set 18-24 months in advance; 32. provide the Corporation with resources to continue with fleet development plans without adding the full burden of rebuild costs on the user rate structure; and 33. maintain an annual schedule fixed date of September 1 for the coming 12 months. 34. immediately institute the registration of motorized recreational off-road vehicles and explore the options to implement the remainder of the recommendation developed and submitted by the Coalition for Licensing and Registration of Off-Highway Vehicle in British Columbia. That the Provincial and Federal Government: 1. Review the legislative and regulatory structure with respect to the licensing and enforcement of taxi companies to ; a. Grant the Passenger Transportation Board the jurisdiction to monitor and enforce quality of service guidelines and conditions of license. b. Increase minimum operating standards for taxi operators, including fleet, customer service and mechanical standards and maintenance guidelines. c. Adopt the ¿Taxi Bill of Rights¿ program that is in place in Metro Vancouver across the Province. 2. Expedite the process for processing Chauffeur¿s Permits 3. Establish measurable performance targets and minimum standards for taxi operators and conduct regular performance reviews about their adherence in a comprehensive and transparent manner that allows the public to review the records of taxi operators.

Target Contacts