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From YouTube: FEBRUARY 25 2020 Question Period
Description
The Legislative Assembly of British Columbia
5th Session
41st Parliament
B
Now,
thank
you
very
much
mr.
speaker,
British
Columbians
living
in
a
condos,
townhouses
and
duplex
all
over
this
province.
They're
facing
a
crisis
today,
massive
spikes
in
strata,
premiums,
strata,
deductibles
strata,
insurance
costs,
which
are
then
increasing
monthly
strata
fees
are
direct
directly
impacting
people,
but
this
government
has
failed
to
act
with
any
sense
of
urgency.
Today,
I
tabled
a
private
member's
bill
amending
the
strata
strata,
Property
Act,
which
would
provide
achievable
and
sensible
legislative
changes
to
help
bring
this
growing
crisis
under
control.
C
Thank
you
very
much
honorable
speaker
and
thank
you
to
the
member
for
his
interest
in
this
issue.
As
we've
talked
about,
there
is
no
question.
We
have
concerns
for
Strato
owners
for
people
who
own
stratas
and
the
worried
that
they're
having
around
insurance.
This
isn't
an
issue,
as
I
mentioned
before
that's
unique
to
British
Columbia.
In
fact,
this
is
occurring
across
the
country.
We've
been
having
discussions
with
our
provincial
counterparts
as
well
about
the
challenges,
their
whole
range
of
issues
that
are
related
to
this
everything
from
climate
change
and
the
insurance
industry
itself.
C
We
are
engaging
the
minister
of
Housing
and
I
are
engaging
with
strata
associations
with
the
insurance
industry
as
well.
We
have
also
started
discussions
with
the
Financial
Services
Authority
vikon
people
may
have
known
it
as
before
to
look
at
all
ideas
that
are
there.
The
member
just
tabled
the
bill
I'm
happy
to
take
a
look
at
it
and
see
if
there
ideas
that
we
can
incorporate
into
the
discussion
we're
having.
B
You
mr.
speaker,
well,
the
the
minister
committing
to
ongoing
discussions
with
all
of
the
agencies
that
she
just
mentioned
is
cold
comfort
to
the
thousands
of
British
Columbians,
who
really
truly
feel
that
they're
at
risk
of
losing
their
homes.
This
government
has
had
has
had
months
to
I,
consult
with
stakeholders
to
try
and
identify
a
solutions,
yet
they
have
done
absolutely
nothing.
B
To
this
point,
people
who
live
in
strata
units
again
all
over
this
province
are
in
crisis
mode
and
some
some
folks
are
watching
their
their
premiums
skyrocket
by
as
much
as
400
percent
in
one
year.
So
mr.
speaker,
in
addition
to
the
contents
of
the
bill
that
we
introduced
today,
we're
also
the
official
opposition,
is
also
calling
on
the
government's
to
create
a
strata
water
damage
prevention
program.
This
would
be
a
program
that
would
provide
incentives
for
retrofits.
That
would
would
help
mitigate
the
risk
of
extensive
and
costly
water
damage.
B
This
would
both
help
to
prevent
that
water
damage
from
happening
in
the
first
place,
but
it
would
also
have
the
effect
of
being
being
taken
into
account
by
the
insurance,
underwriters
and
insurance
costs
down.
So
again,
my
question
to
the
minister
of
housing
would
be
this.
Will
she
commits
to
bringing
in
some
sort
of
program
similar
to
what
we're
calling
for
here
in
this
strata,
water
damage,
prevention.
C
C
Setup
me
Mr
Speaker.
We
know
the
pressures
that
drivers
are
facing
because
of
the
master
has
left
us,
but
to
come
back
to
the
strata
insurance
issue
and
the
pressures
that
people
are
facing.
That's
exactly
why
we're
having
the
conversations
there
are
a
range
of
opinions
around
what
should
be
done:
differences
of
opinions
with
some
strata
owners,
difference
of
opinions
with
the
insurance
industry
itself.
That's
why
it's
important
to
work
together
to
look
at.
B
B
Time
for
this
government
to
stand
up
and
to
act
on
behalf
of
the
interests
of
the
thousands
of
British
Columbians
who
are
in
strata
units
in
Kamloops,
my
community,
one
strata
corporation,
has
informed
me
that
their
premium
has
gone
up
by
three
hundred
and
thirty
five
percent
year-over-year
their
deductible
for
water
damage
has
gone
from
five
thousand
dollars
to
two
hundred
and
fifty
thousand
dollars.
Mr.
B
speaker,
what
this
means
for
the
the
folks
who
live
in
this
strata
a
building
is
that
there
is
going
to
be
a
one-time
assessment
of
$1,000
per
strata
unit
owner
and
their
monthly
strata
fees
are
going
to
go
up
$100
per
month.
Mr.
speaker,
that's
a
$3,400
total
cost
over
a
three-year
period
that
the
each
strata
unit
owner
is
going
to
have
to
somehow.
But
I
try
to
come
up
with
the
this
strata
corporation.
Had
this
to
say
mr.
speaker
and
I
quote
through
no
fault
of
their
own.
B
The
strata
owners
in
our
building
must
deal
with
a
major
increase
in
living
expenses
way
beyond
that
which
reasonable
people
would
have
budgeted
for.
We
presume
thousands
of
other
condominium
dwellers
in
BC
face
similar
additional
financial
burdens.
This
is
totally
unfair
and
clearly
discriminatory
and
quote
mr.
speaker
again,
we've
presented
some
sensible
actions
in
our
in
our
bill
this
morning.
We're
calling
for
a
strata,
water
prevention,
damage
program.
B
These
are
sensible,
achievable
actions
that
would
make
a
real
difference
now,
when
will
the
Minister
stand
up
and
an
outline
for
British
Columbians
that
are
impacted
by
these
rising
Stratton
shores,
costs
and
and
tell
them
tell
them?
What
is
your
action
plan
to
address
this
affordability,
crisis
crisis.
C
D
A
E
This
is
an
issue
that
affects
half
of
metro
vancouver,
including
many
in
North
Vancouver,
where
I
live,
Asifa
Lalji
describes
her
situation
and
I
quote:
we
thought
we
were
going
to
get
a
40%
increase,
then
January
rolled
around
and
we
found
out
instead
of
40%.
It's
actually
300%
end
quote:
it
is
time
this
government
acted.
What
does
the
Minister
have
to
say?
Asifa.
C
You
very
much
honorable
speaker
and
as
I
said,
this
is
an
issue
that
strata
corporations
are
facing
across
the
country.
Rising
costs
are
a
challenge.
Increase
prices
when
it
comes
to
real
estate,
create
an
additional
challenge
when
it
comes
to
British
Columbia.
That's
why
we're
working
hard
with
the
Strad
associations
and
the
insurance
industry?
E
C
You
very
much
honorable,
speaker
and
I
will
again
say
to
the
member
that
there
are
a
whole
range
of
ideas
that
are
come
coming
forward
on
this
issue:
ideas
from
the
insurance
companies,
ideas
that
have
come
forward
from
strata
corporations,
ideas
that
have
come
forward
from
individual
owners.
We
are
looking
at
all
of
those.
F
F
Governments
around
the
world
know
this
and
they're
aggressively
positioning
themselves
by
making
strategic
investments
yesterday,
I
asked
a
question
to
try
to
get
a
better
understanding
of
where
British
Columbia
is
at
so
I'll
ask
the
very
important
question
about
innovation
funding
again
in
the
economic
framework,
the
deputy
minister
to
the
premier
cited
an
investment
of
more
quote.
More
than
700
million
to
technology
programming.
End
quote
in
budget
2020.
The
Finance
Minister
introduced
that
was
introduced
last
week
identified
investing
in
technology
and
innovation
as
one
of
its
key
areas
for
sustainable
growth.
Mr.
F
speaker
I'm
trying
to
reconcile
what
this
government
says
it's
doing
with
what
is
really
happening.
So
the
minister
of
jobs,
economic
development
and
competitiveness.
Does
the
700
million
dollars
in
technology
programming
include
the
film
intent
of
BC
tax
credit,
the
production
services,
tax
credit
and
the
interactive
digital
media
tax
credit.
D
D
So
honorable
speaker,
as
everyone
knows
in
British
Columbia,
that
the
tech
industry
is
a
very
important
part
of
our
economy
in
creative
tech,
for
example.
Honourable
speaker,
the
video
games,
the
animations,
the
CGI
that
we
see
in
our
movies
a
lot
of
that's
being
done
in
British
Columbia,
but
that's
not
the
only
place
that
tech
exists
in
our
economy.
Honorable
speaker,
we
have
our
official
intelligence,
we
have
but
life
sciences.
Honorable
speaker,
we
have
clean
tech
tech
like
the
work
that
Salt
Works
is
doing
to
help
reduce
the
environmental
footprint
in
the
mining
world.
D
Honorable
speaker,
there
is
so
much
going
on,
and
so
when
we
looked
at
that
700
million
what
fed
into
it
was
the
variety
of
programs
that
tech
throughout
all
of
British
Columbia
is
able
to
access
so
specifically
to
the
members
question
I
mentioned
yesterday
that,
yes,
the
interactive
digital
media,
Tax
Credit,
is
included
in
that
seven
hundred
million
dollars.
Honorable
speaker
that
we
identified,
but
when
he
looks
at
the
budget
there's
a
few
envelopes
that
then
further
break
down
into
a
multiple
of
a
variety
of
tax
credits.
D
F
Thank
you,
Thank
You.
Mr.
speaker,
this
has
been
a
relatively
frustrating
experience
to
get
what
should
be
a
fairly
simple
answer
that
the
reality
that
we're
dealing
with
here
is
that
when
you
say
that
there's
700
million
dollars
going
to
technology
to
include
about
six
hundred
and
thirty,
seven
million
dollars
of
tax
credits,
which
are
really
important
actually,
which
are
critically
important
to
the
respective
sectors,
which
include
thousands
of
jobs
in
the
film
industry
that
we
should
not
be
positioning
ourselves
to
lose.
F
F
A
D
You
very
much
honorable
speaker,
I
would
say
that
it's
prudent
for
government
to
look
at
the
variety
of
programs,
tax
credits
operating
expenditures
that
it
has
to
support
a
sector
of
its
economy.
That's
the
prudent
thing
to
do.
That's
what
we've
done,
honourable
speakers,
so
that
we
know
how
we
are
supporting
technology
and
its
growth
in
this
province.
We
know
what
we're
doing
so
that
we
know
what
we
can
do
to
improve
on
that.
Honourable
speaker,
this
government
is
committed
to
seeing
technology
sector
grow
throughout
this
entire
province.
D
G
Thank
You
mr.
speaker,
well,
the
parliamentary
secretary
for
TransLink
has
had
an
awful
lot
to
say
lately.
Yesterday
she
raised
the
first
possible
actions
we've
heard
from
the
NDP
on
the
strata
insurance
crisis.
She
said:
I
quote
I,
wonder
whether
some
kind
of
public
insurance
could
have
been
a
solution
to
this
serious
problem
with
condo
insurance
in
the
market.
End
quote:
do
the
views
of
the
parliamentary
secretary
for
TransLink
reflect
the
views
of
this
government.
C
Speaker
and
again
through
to
the
member,
the
member
is
welcome
to
put
her
ideas
forward.
Just
as
the
member
beside
her,
we
are
taking
the
ideas
forward
from
the
industry
from
others
who
watch
to
put
forward
ideas.
That's
why
we're
taking
the
time
to
make
sure
that
the
solutions
that
we
come
up
with
work
for
straddlers
work
for
the
insurance
industry
and
work
with
the
people
who
own
in
those
buildings.
G
You
mr.
speaker
and
perhaps
the
minister
missed
the
point
of
the
question
in
the
absence
of
any
direction
from
this
government
pointing
to
actions
on
the
file
we
have
a
member
of
their
government
who's
actually
proposing
something-
and
the
question
is-
is
that
the
position
of
this
government
because
she
certainly
seems
to
think
it
might
be
I?
Think
right
now
we
need
to
hear
if
the
views
of
the
parliamentary
secretary
for
TransLink
are
going
to
be
rejected
for
the
ridiculous
suggestion
that
they
are,
or
is
this
something
that
this
government
is
considering
adopting.
C
Thank
you
very
much,
honourable
speaker,
I
seem
to
remember
a
government
previously
I
think
it
was
that
side
who
actually,
when
they
were
elected,
took
on
a
study
to
look
at
private
versus
public
when
it
came
to
ICBC.
That
was
something
they
wanted
to
look
at.
Should
we
look
at
private
versus
public?
H
Well,
thank
you
very
much
and
the
question
really
related
to
the
position
of
the
government
related
to
another
comment
by
the
parliamentary
secretary
for
TransLink,
but
we
really
want
to
continue
to
raise
with
this
government
the
fact
that
there
are
over
30,000
strata
corporations
in
BC
and
nearly
half
of
all
the
residents.
All
the
residents
in
Metro
Vancouver
live
in
Australia
unit.
Thousands
of
British
Columbians
have
signed
a
petition
and
they've
called
on
this
government
to
immediately
address
what
they
consider
to
be
a
crisis.
H
Michelle
sweet
says
and
I
quote:
I'm
worried
for
my
future.
My
strata
fees
are
already
over
$600
a
month,
and
this
increase
is
ridiculous.
Please
help
end
quote
so.
Will
the
Minister
get
up
today?
Michelle
can't
wait
for
consultations
for
discussions
for
random
policy
thoughts
from
the
parliamentary
secretary
for
translate.
The
government
needs
to
take
action
now.
Will
the
Minister
provide
the
help
that
Michelle
and
thousands
of
other
strata
on
earth
are
looking
for.
C
You
very
much
honorable
speaker,
I,
have
already
talked
about
the
concerns
that
have
come
forward
and
we
recognise
those
concerns.
We
recognise
the
pressures
that
Stratos
are
facing.
We
recognize
the
urgency
that
they're
facing
ideas
have
come
forward
from
the
insurance
industry.
Ideas
have
come
forward
from
the
strata
corporation.
That's
why
we're
working
with
the
BC
Financial
Services
Authority,
to
come
up
with
solutions
that
work
for
the
people
who
are
facing
the
pressure.
H
In
fact,
we
appreciate
the
fact
that
the
Minister
says
she's
going
to
take
a
look
at
the
what
the
Official
Opposition
has
tabled.
It
makes
it
very
easy
for
the
minister
and
the
government
to
actually
do
something.
Ron
de
Wynter
writes
and
I
quote:
I
am
a
strata
president
of
six
hundred
and
eight
units.
This
increase
came
out
of
nowhere
with
no
chance
to
budget
and
it
is
devastating
to
many
people.
This
will
devastate
the
condo
economy
and
way
of
life.
H
C
You
very
much
honourable
speaker,
I
know.
The
other
side
doesn't
want
to
hear
that
this
issue
is
being
worked
on.
I
know
the
other
side
isn't
interested
in
hearing
that
discussion,
but
I
will
say
again
as
I've
been
saying
to
the
people
that
I've
been
talking
to
that
we
have
concerns.
We
recognize
the
pressure
that
Stratos
are
facing.
We
recognize
the
urgency
of
this
issue.
That's
why
we're
doing
the
work
that
needs
to
occur.
That's
why
we're
taking
the
information?
That's
come
forward
from
the
strata.
That's
why
we're
taking
the
information?
C
That's
come
forward
from
the
insurance
industry.
It's
why
we're
working
with
the
BC
Financial
Services
Authority,
who
is
also
responsible
for
the
strata,
and
that's
why
we
will
take
some
time
to
take
a
look
at
the
members
bill
as
well
to
see
whether
they're
any
ideas
that
come
forward
I
know
the
other
side
doesn't
like
to
work
together.
I
know
they
don't
like
to
have
discussions
from
people
together.
That's
in
fact
what
we're
doing
to
make
sure
we
look
at
a
solution
that
works
for
strata
owners.
I
Thank
you,
mr.speaker
Marco
and
his
partner
are
first-time
buyers.
Looking
at
an
older
condo
in
Sri,
he
says,
and
I
quote
the
building,
just
posted
a
notice
that
they
could
not
purchase
insurance.
As
of
January
31st,
we
put
down
a
$10,000
deposit
that
we
can't
afford
to
lose.
We've
been
advised
by
our
bank
that
it
cannot
provide
a
mortgage.
What
are
we
supposed
to
do
next
and
quote
now?
I
appreciate
that
the
minister
is
going
to
take
her
time
and
think
about
this
and
monitor
the
situation.
Well,
Marco
can't
wait
for
another
NDP
consultation.
C
You
very
much
honorable
speaker
and
again
I
say
to
the
member
as
I've
been
saying
in
the
discussions
I've
been
having
with
folks
who
are
facing
pressures
that
we
are
taking
a
look
at
the
ideas
that
are
coming
forward.
We
are
looking
at
the
urgency
of
the
situation
for
people
who
live
in
condos.
It's
a
very
difficult
situation
for
those
individuals
and,
as
I
said,
the
insurance
companies
have
come
forward
with
some
ideas.
C
There
are
differing
opinions
around
what
works
and
what
would
work
for
Stratos
and
what
would
work
to
ensure
that
they
can
be
protected
not
only
in
the
short
term,
but
the
long
term
is.
This
is
not
an
issue.
That's
unique
to
British
Columbia.
This
is,
in
fact,
an
issue
that
is
happening
across
the
country,
we're
having
those
discussions
as
well
with
our
provincial
counterparts,
to
look
at
at
what
kind
of
solutions
they're
taking
a
look
at.
So
we
can
assure
this
works
for
strata
owners
in
British.
Columbia.
I
I
Thirty
thousand
stratas
in
BC,
half
of
Metro
Vancouver
residents
living
in
strata,
housing
premiums
going
up
by
four
hundred
percent
deductibles,
going
up
by
two
thousand
percent
and
all
of
my
wonderful
friends
on
that
side.
The
Surrey
NDP
members
are
all
silent
about
it
as
well.
Nothing
is
happening.
Action
is
needed
now
these
people
are
losing
their
money.
How
is
this.
C
C
A
J
B
J
Nearly
2,000
stratas
renew
their
insurance
every
single
month,
mr.
speaker
and
they're,
facing
skyrocketing
increases
to
premiums,
deductibles
and
monthly
fees.
Missus
teen
rates
quotes
I,
live
paycheck
to
paycheck
and
cannot
afford
the
spike
in
strata
fees
due
to
the
insurance
cost.
We
need
the
government
to
step
in
and
remedy
this
problem
or
I
will
end
up
having
to
move
from
my
home
end
quote:
what
does
the
minister
have
to
say
it
Anissa
and
the
thousands
of
British
Columbians
calling
on
her
to
act
now,
Minister.
C
You
very
much
honorable
speaker
and
once
again
to
the
member.
We
in
fact
are
working
now
with
strata
owners
with
the
insurance
industry,
with
the
BC
Financial
Services
Authority,
who
is
also
responsible
for
insurance
them
for
the
registering
of
insurance
in
British
Columbia.
We
are
looking
at
those
issues
with
working
with
the
communities
to
be
able
to
come
up
with
a
solution.
C
If
the
members
have
ideas,
as
the
member
who
says
he
has
an
idea
and
the
private
member's
bill,
we're
happy
to
take
a
look
at
those
ideas
as
well,
but
we
need
to
make
sure
that
we
find
a
solution
that
works
for
the
parties
involved
as
people
who
own
Stratos
are
facing
great
pressures.
As
I
said,
we
have
concerns
for
those
individuals.
We
have
concerns
for
what's
working,
that's
why
we
have
to
make
sure
that
we
come
up
with
a
solution
that
fits
their
needs.
J
You,
mr.
speaker,
you
know
the
minister
does
raise
important
issue.
There
is
a
certain
urgency
to
this
every
MLA
here
and
on
your
side
on
our
side
is
getting
calls
on
a
daily
basis
on
this
issue.
One
of
them
is
Sheila
Falconer
and
she
says
quote:
the
huge
increases
many
owners
are
facing
are
way
too
high.
It's
not
right
that
this
is
happening
and
we're
asking
the
government
to
intervene
on
our
behalf
in
court.
Will
the
minister
explain
to
Sheila
why
she
refuses
to
act
today?
Then.
C
You
very
much
honorable
speaker
and
in
fact
we
have
been
acting.
That's
why
we've
been
listening
and
working
with
the
Strad
owners.
That's
why
we've
been
working
and
listening
with
the
insurance
industry.
That's
why
the
ideas
that
have
come
forward
are
ideas
that
we're
taking
a
look
at
that's
why
we're
working
with
the
BC
Financial,
Services
Authority?
That's
why
the
minister
of
Housing
and
I
are
working
on
this
file
together,
because
we
recognize
the
pressure.
We
recognize
the
concerns
that
are
there.
Housing
is
a
big
issue
in
British
Columbia.
C
We
have
taken
on
the
issue
of
housing,
whether
it's
supply,
whether
it's
demand,
whether
it's
purpose-built
rentals,
whether
it's
bringing
in
the
issues
to
address
it.
This
is
now
a
challenge
that's
being
faced
across
this
country.
This
is
not
an
issue
that
is
unique,
as
I
said,
to
British
Columbia.
This
is
an
issue
that
is
being
raised
by
other
provinces
as
well.
The
issue
of
climate
action
and
climate
change
and
the
pressures
that
insurance
companies
are
facing
has
caused
some
of
the
challenge.
There
are
other
issues
that
are
being
faced
in
British
Columbia.
C
It's
exactly
why
we
are
bringing
together
and
again
I
understand
the
other
side,
doesn't
understand.
The
concept
of
working
together.
I
understand
that.
But
in
fact
we
are
working
with
the
Strad
owners.
We
are
working
with
the
insurance
companies.
We
are
working
with
the
BC
Financial
Services
Authority
to
address
the
urgent
issue
facing
strata
owners
today,.