Energy and Mines News:

New oil and gas legislation enhances stewardship — The Province is creating a new regulatory framework for oil and gas by establishing the Oil and Gas Activities Act (Bill 20), it was recently announced. See News Release.

Oil and gas landowner notification program launched — The Ministry of Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources has launched the Landowner Notification Program to provide registered surface owners in northeast B.C. with information about upcoming provincial petroleum and natural gas rights sales, it was recently announced. See News Release.

Consumer Tax Notice to the Natural Gas and Propane Industry – Carbon Tax Update — This notice from the Consumer Tax Branch advises of changes to the proposed point of taxation for carbon tax on sales of natural gas and propane in British Columbia, and to the remittance date for self-assessing carbon tax on fuel used by businesses in their operations. See Consumer Tax Information.

Family, Wills, Estates and Law Enforcement News:

Program launched to help prevent shaken baby syndrome — Government is investing $1.4 million in an education and prevention program that will give every new parent in B.C. resources and information to better understand inconsolable crying in infants and help lower the incidence of Shaken Baby Syndrome it was recently announced. See News Release.

Prime-BC strengthens law enforcement with one province-wide system — B.C. has achieved a North American milestone in police intelligence-gathering and information-sharing, linking its 13 independent policing agencies and 110 RCMP detachments through one system. See News Release.

Forest and Environment News:

GREENHOUSE GAS REDUCTION —

• The Greenhouse Gas Reduction (Renewable and Low Carbon Fuel Requirements) Act (Bill 16), will assist the Province in reducing greenhouse gas emissions. The act creates a regulatory framework that enables the Province to set benchmarks for the amount of renewable fuel in B.C.’s transportation fuel blends, reduce the carbon intensity of transportation fuels and meet its commitment to adopt a low-carbon fuel standard similar to California's. See News Release.
• The Greenhouse Gas Reduction (Cap and Trade) Act (Bill 18), was recently introduced, moving the government of British Columbia forward in the fight against climate change. Cap and trade regulatory systems establish an overall cap or limit on emissions, while the "trade" part of the system allows regulated emitters to buy and sell emissions allowances or buy offset units. See News Release.
• The Greenhouse Gas Reduction (Emissions Standards) Statutes Amendment Act (Bill 31), was recently introduced which is designed to address some of the key commitments outlined in the 2008 throne speech and the 2007 Energy Plan. The Act has a focus on reducing greenhouse gas emissions from certain types of industrial operations while opening opportunities in the bio-energy sector. See News Release.
• The Greenhouse Gas Reduction (Vehicle Emissions Standards) Act (Bill 39), was recently introduced which will save consumers money while reducing emissions. The new legislation will put into law the 2008 throne speech commitment to set vehicle greenhouse gas (GHG) emission standards equivalent to those laid out in California's 2004 regulation. See News Release.

Changes to Part 26 of the Occupational Health and Safety Regulations — On May 1, 2008 changes to the forestry section of the Occupational Health and Safety Regulation will take effect. WorkSafeBC officers told Williams Lake truckers recently that there will be a 2 month "soft enforcement" period (May & June) for "education and communication" about the changes. The WSBC will be focusing on information and education during that time. Some examples are changes to log book requirements and around climbing on trailers. For more information see the information from the BC. Forest Safety Council.

Industrial use of resource roads — A comprehensive Resource Road Act (Bill 30), was recently introduced which will enhance safety and provide a more consistent, fair and flexible approach to regulating industrial use of resource roads. The Act will set out the standards that operators will be required to meet, and will hold them accountable for their performance. See News Release.

$25M for forest health and marketing — At the Council of Forest Industries annual meeting, it was announced that almost $25 million will be committed for reforestation, forest health initiatives and to market British Columbia’s forest products in B.C., across Canada and around the world. See News Release.

Health News:

NEW HEALTH STATUTES INTRODUCED —

• New B.C. legislation opens door to more foreign-trained doctors — British Columbia is making it easier for out-of-province and foreign-trained health professionals to work in the province. The Health Professions (Regulatory Reform) Amendment Act, 2008 (Bill 25), will expand patients' choice of health professionals and also their access to such people. It will enable qualified physicians working in other provinces and countries to practise in British Columbia with a restricted licence in their specific areas of qualification. Pharmacists will be permitted to authorize routine prescription renewals. Nurses will have an enhanced scope of practice. See News Release.
• The Health Statutes Amendment Act, 2008 (Bill 26), was recently introduced which will make a number of changes to existing legislation, including greater transparency in the work of the Medical Services Commission. The legislation will also amend sections of the Health and Social Services Delivery Improvement Act, in accordance with the agreements reached between the government and health unions in January 2008, to address issues arising from a 2007 Supreme Court of Canada decision. See News Release.
• A new e-Health (Personal Health Information Access and Protection of Privacy) Act (Bill 24), introduced recently moves British Columbia a step closer to the goal of giving citizens access to their health records and medical information, while strengthening privacy protection. British Columbia is the first province in Canada to create a specific legislative framework governing access and privacy for electronic health information databases.
• The Health Care Costs Recovery Act (Bill 22). This Bill applies if a person is injured by a wrongful act or omission of a wrongdoer, and allows the government to recover from the wrongdoer the costs and expenses incurred by the government in providing to the injured person health care relating to that injury.
• The Public Health Act (Bill 23) replaces the Health Act, the Public Toilet Act and the Venereal Disease Act.

Labour and Company News:

TILMA moves closer to implementation — Legislation has been introduced to implement the Trade, Investment and Labour Mobility Agreement (TILMA) between British Columbia and Alberta. The Trade, Investment and Labour Mobility Implementation Act (Bill 32) will enable B.C. to exercise its rights and fulfil its commitments under the groundbreaking trade agreement. By providing effective dispute resolution procedures and establishing a right of appeal, including judicial review of panel decisions, the legislation will help the TILMA become a powerful instrument to support and sustain economic growth in Canada’s two westernmost provinces. See News Release.

Consumer Taxation Branch — For the latest from the Consumer Taxation Branch, see What's New.

Local Government News:

'Green' legislation supports local governments — The Local Government (Green Communities) Statutes Amendment Act, 2008 (Bill 27), legislation to help municipalities and regional districts create more compact, sustainable and greener communities was recently introduced. See News Release.

Energy savings in BC communities during Earth Hour — On Sat. March 29 from 8-9 p.m. (Earth Hour), British Columbians saved 125 megawatts of electricity, the equivalent of turning off 2.5 million lights. See BC Hydro Release.

Community projects are supported with additional "measuring up" funding — The Province is adding $620,000 to 2010 Legacies Now's Measuring Up Accessibility and Inclusion Fund to support more community projects aimed at improving accessibility for people with disabilities it was recently announced. See News Release.

$5.5 million to improve community safety and reduce interface fire risk — The Province is investing an additional $5.5 million to improve community safety and reduce the risk of interface fires by supporting local governments' community wildfire protection efforts it was recently announced. See News Release.

Motor Vehicle News:

Legislation introduced to cut vehicle emissions — The Greenhouse Gas Reduction (Vehicle Emissions Standards) Act, (Bill 39) was recently introduced which will save consumers money while reducing emissions. The new legislation will put into law the 2008 throne speech commitment to set vehicle greenhouse gas (GHG) emission standards equivalent to those laid out in California’s 2004 regulation. See News Release.

Government slams the brakes on high-polluting trucks — The Ministry of Transportation’s AirCare On-Road (ACOR) Program is moving from an educational system to an enforcement system by introducing fines to drivers of high-polluting commercial diesel trucks, it was recently announced. Two mobile testing units will conduct spot checks on the road and periodic enforcement at inspection stations across the province. If the vehicle exceeds legislated emission standards, the driver will be issued a $95 fine and a warning to obtain mechanical repairs within 14 days. See News Release.