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MLA Report: Fall legislative session delivers results for people

Lana Popham is the MLA for Saanich South
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Minister of Agriculture Lana Popham, Saanich South MLA, at her Glanford office in Saanich. (Travis Paterson/News Staff )

The fall session of the BC Legislature finished recently, capping off a busy few months for our new government.

Making life better for people across British Columbia is what drives us every single day, and this session we continued to deliver on important promises we’ve made.

This session we passed laws that will eliminate unfair MSP premiums, tackle speculation in the housing market, promote and protect human rights in BC – and more!

As Minister of Agriculture, I’m especially proud of Bill 52. This new law bans mega mansions on ALR land, prohibits the dumping of fill and construction debris that’s ruined some of our best soil, and strengthens protections for the ALR to ensure that British Columbians can continue to access healthy, local produce for decades to come.

Our government has also made historic investments to tackle the housing crisis. We announced 4,900 new affordable mixed income rental homes across the province, including a $7.2 million investment for a new project in Saanich by Carey Road.

Back in 2016 I wrote in this paper about the prohibitive cost of childcare in our region. I’m pleased that our government has listened to the needs of parents and invested in affordable, quality child care. Over 400 new licensed child care spots were just announced on the South Island as part of our government’s Child Care BC New Spaces Fund, and we’re investing $1 billion over the next three years to move BC towards a universal childcare system.

This session, we also announced new urgent care centers across B.C., including one in Langford, to improve access to primary care. And we’re delivering better care and services for seniors by increasing staffing levels in residential care homes and adding 7,400 new adult day program spaces on the Island.

Our province’s finances are in excellent shape. Finance Minister Carole James recently reported that BC is operating debt-free for the first time in more than 40 years, and that private sector economists project BC to lead all provinces in 2019 gross domestic product growth.

While there is a lot of important work left to be done, I am proud of our government’s accomplishments this fall and believe they are making a real difference in the lives of Saanich residents.

As always, please do not hesitate to contact me with for assistance when dealing with the Provincial Government and its branches – I’m always happy to help! It is an honour to serve as your representative and MLA for Saanich South. As we head into this busy holiday season I wish you and your family and friends all the best. I’m looking forward to seeing you soon.

Lana Popham is the MLA for Saanich South. She can be reached at (250) 479 4154 or at Lana.Popham.MLA@leg.bc.ca. Her community office is open Monday to Thursday from 9 to 4.