PREMIER David Eby said on Thursday said that the final legislative session for the 42nd parliament delivered action to help people in B.C. with new laws and measures aimed at easing cost-of-living pressures, delivering more homes for people with middle incomes and improving public health care.

“Everyone has been through a lot in the last four years here in B.C. Through it all, our team has been working to support people and make sure they can build a good life,” said Eby. “When times are tough, it’s more important than ever that government has your back and takes action to make life better rather than leaving you to fend for yourself against powerful interests, like speculators and wealthy investors.”

Sixteen pieces of legislation were passed this session, with nine additional bills expected to be passed on May 16, 2024, including laws to crack down on bad-faith evictions, curb speculation through a house-flipping tax, provide safe access to schools from disruptive protests and historic recognition of the Haida Aboriginal title throughout Haida Gwaii. Building on the transformational laws passed in fall 2023, the spring session once again focused on changes to deliver more homes for people with middle incomes.

“Safe and affordable housing is essential for British Columbians and that’s why we passed legislation and introduced new initiatives to spur housing creation in the province,” said Ravi Kahlon, Government House Leader and Minister of Housing. “The significant actions we took this spring build on the historic housing legislation we passed in fall 2023 and further strengthen our actions to ensure that communities are supported in the delivery of homes faster.”

Key actions to help people taken during the spring legislative session include:

* Action on affordable homes: Launched BC Builds to fast-track housing for people earning middle incomes, strengthened protections for tenants and landlords, launched the secondary-suite incentive program, brought new short-term rental rules into force and introduced a house-flipping tax to crack down on speculation.

* Strengthening health care: Opened new urgent and primary care centres across the province, made key progress on new hospital projects in growing communities, such as Surrey and Richmond, welcomed 700 doctors to family practice and 6,300 nurses to B.C. in the past year.

* Easing cost-of-living pressures: Provided a $110 ICBC rebate to drivers, who have now saved an average of $2,000 over six years, boosted and expanded the B.C family benefit, introduced a new BC electricity credit that will save people an average of $100 on bills this year, and starting next year, one round of IVF will be free.

* Keeping kids and communities safe: Banned illegal drug use in public spaces, protected kids and teachers from disruptive protests at schools, reached an agreement with social media giants to keep children safe when they’re online and passed anti-racism legislation.

* Building a stronger economy that works better for people: Launched an industrial blueprint to drive investment and create jobs, cut taxes for more small businesses by doubling the Employer Health Tax exemption and started an unprecedented expansion of B.C.’s clean electricity system.

The government said that B.C. is building 2.5 times more housing per capita than Ontario according to the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation.