Premier John Horgan
Premier John Horgan
Premier John Horgan

Victoria: British Columbia is bursting with talent and ingenuity. From the rich natural resources that built our province, to the job-creating tech sector and the people who deliver the quality public services we all count on, there is no limit to our potential. Yet throughout the province people face common struggles.

For more than a decade, affordability spiralled out of control. People worked harder, but still fell further behind. The opportunity to succeed was pushed out of reach for too many. And the neglect of basic services and failure to invest in hospitals, training and education over the past decade has hurt communities.

Over the past few weeks I’ve been travelling around the province, listening to people, and sharing the steps our government is taking to make life better and more affordable for people in B.C.

We met with students in Terrace, workers in Kitimat, and young entrepreneurs in the Tri-Cities.

In Prince Rupert, we met with people making the Port thrive as a gateway for Asia-Pacific trade and a driver for creating good jobs around the province. In Burnaby, we celebrated the launch of a new state-of-the-art canning line with Steamworks Brewpub. In Oliver, we toasted B.C. wine month at Tinhorn Creek Vineyards. In Kamloops, we met with entrepreneurs growing the tech sector in Kamloops and developing innovative products that marry traditional sectors like forestry with digital innovation.

I am grateful to every British Columbian who reached out to us to share their stories, hopes and dreams for a better future.

Our government is working hard every day to fix the problems holding people back, and create opportunities for British Columbians to get ahead.

Budget 2018 started with historic investments to make child care and housing more affordable, and support for a strong, sustainable economy that puts people first and creates good jobs in every corner of the province. And that’s just the beginning.

We’re building schools and hospitals to better serve our communities, we’re investing in education and skills training to build the skilled labour force we need, and we’re working to strengthen traditional industries like forestry, energy and mining, while supporting small business, tourism, film and television, agriculture, manufacturing, innovation, tech and the digital economy.

Our strength is our people. That’s why our government is working every day to put people first, so you have access to the services you rely on, housing you can afford, and the opportunity you need to succeed.

We’re going to keep working hard to make life in B.C. better and more affordable in every community, with more opportunity for the people who live here.