MEDIA RELEASE
November 13, 2015
Legislative Assembly - Province of British Columbia
VICTORIA – The Select Standing Committee on Finance and Government Services released its report today on the public consultations for Budget 2016. The report contains the results of the consultations on the next provincial budget, which began on Sept. 15, 2015, with the release of the budget consultation paper by the minister of finance.
The committee held in-person public hearings in eight communities throughout the province. To accommodate the fall sitting of the Legislative Assembly, which began on Sept. 28, the schedule of community public hearings was adapted through the expanded use of teleconference and videoconference facilities, including Skype. The committee hosted five of these virtual public hearings to connect with presenters in communities around B.C. The committee also invited written, video, and audio submissions, as well as responses to an online survey. In total, 572 submissions were received by the Oct. 15, 2015 deadline for public input.
“The consultation aspect of the budget process is an important opportunity to engage with British Columbians,” said committee chair Wm. Scott Hamilton. “Today’s report summarizes what the committee heard and makes a number of recommendations for the provincial government to consider for Budget 2016.”
“The committee gave careful consideration to all of the input and unanimously agreed to these recommendations,” added deputy chair Carole James. “We would like to thank the many individuals and organizations that came forward to present to the committee, prepared written submissions or filled out the online survey.”
Recommendations support the goal of a balanced budget and propose ways to review taxation, address the high cost of housing, facilitate natural resource development, encourage green energy initiatives, and improve K-12 and advanced education outcomes. Other recommendations focus on social services, transportation, arts and culture, and literacy programs. The committee’s report is available at:
https://www.leg.bc.ca/parliamentary-business/committees/40thparliament-4thsessionfgs
The members of the Select Standing Committee on Finance and Government Services are:
Wm. Scott Hamilton, MLA Delta North (chair);
Carole James, MLA Victoria-Beacon Hill (deputy chair);
Dan Ashton, MLA Penticton;
Spencer Chandra Herbert, MLA Vancouver-West End;
Eric Foster, MLA Vernon-Monashee
Simon Gibson, MLA Abbotsford-Mission
George Heyman, MLA Vancouver-Fairview
Mike Morris, MLA Prince George-Mackenzie
Claire Trevena, MLA North Island
John Yap, MLA Richmond-Steveston
Susan Sourial
Committee Clerk
Room 224, Parliament Buildings
Victoria, B.C. V8V 1X4
Telephone: 250 356-2933
Toll-free: 1-877-428-8337
Fax: 250 356-8172
E-mail:
FinanceCommittee@leg.bc.ca
