By Cheryl Jahn

Throne Speech 2020

2020 Throne Speech

Feb 11, 2020 | 4:28 PM

PRINCE GEORGE – It was a Throne Speech lean on promises and heavy on highlighting what the government sees as achievements of the past two and a half years.

“In its first year, government rolled up its sleeves and took on the bigger problems – problems that were years in the making,” noted Lieutenant Government Janet Austen noted early.

From there, it proceeding to highlight programs that were launched and are set to continue throughout the next session of the Legislature.

While it noted the significance of the resource sector to the BC economy is did little to open the doors for advancement in any sector and was particularly bleak when referencing forestry.

“A wave of mill closures and curtailments driven by changes in global markets, reduced supply, wildfire losses and the mountain pine beetle, has left many people hurting,” said Austen. “There is no overnight fix for problems created by years of neglect. These solutions will help forestry – a foundational B.C. industry – get back on the right track.”

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However, it did promise 114,000 new homes built over ten years and plans to act on the recommendations of the Rental Housing Task Force.

It also noted, “…government will release a plastics action to reduce plastic pollution and keep it out of BC’s landfills and waterways.”

The BC Liberals blasted the Throne Speech, calling it a failure.”

“The NDP’s habit of re-announcements and walk-backs of the promises they made British Columbians in 2017 is totally empty,” said MLA Andrew Wilkinson, BC Liberal Leader. “Vancouver has the second least affordable housing market in the world, drivers are paying more for car insurance than the rest of Canada, and our forestry industry is in total shambles but the NDP are pretending that everything is just fine.”

The Throne speech is a preamble to the budget, which will be delivered next Tuesday.