Premier David Eby has appointed a new cabinet, so sharpen up your advocacy skills for a new round of meetings for getting to know a (mostly) brand-new team. Board Voice will be posting key cabinet ministers’ mandate letters under our Resources link as soon as they’re available. But in the meantime, here’s some broad strokes on what the new government will be focused on.
Here are some highlights from the appointment letter that Premier Eby gave to his new cabinet. Everyone got the same basic letter, emphasizing the overarching issues that this government wants to tackle most.
- Reduce costs for families by helping people access affordable housing, including support for first-time homebuyers and stronger measures to crack down on housing speculation. Additionally, we will implement a middle-class income tax cut that will put $1,000 back into the pockets of BC households, every year.
- Strengthen healthcare by expanding access to family doctors and recruiting and training more health professionals, ensuring that every British Columbian can access the care they need, no matter where they live. We will also increase access to addictions treatment and provide help for people whose struggles require intensive supports.
- Make our neighbourhoods and communities safer by working with law enforcement to keep guns off our streets, crack down on organized crime, and address repeat offenders. We will reduce street disorder by getting people access to the services and resources they need.
- Build a sustainable, clean economy with good jobs across BC by working closely with business, workers and communities to attract global investments, bring certainty for business and ensuring that all British Columbians benefit from economic growth – not just those at the top.
“Essential to our path towards a more prosperous future is continuing as a leader on tackling climate change,” states the letter. “The cost of inaction is not just environmental, it’s also economic. The transition to a low-carbon future represents a generational opportunity we must seize, not abandon.
“This work will be enabled and accelerated by advancing true, lasting, and meaningful reconciliation with Indigenous peoples. Reconciliation is not just a priority—it is foundational to our collective future. Our government will strengthen our relationships with Indigenous communities in tangible, measurable ways that benefit all communities across the province.”
Find the list of new cabinet members here. Meanwhile, BC Conservative Leader John Rustad has named his party’s own shadow cabinet – one that gives a leadership position to every one of the 44 Conservatives elected this month.
And here’s The Tyee’s take on Premier Eby’s cabinet picks.