Victoria Viewpoints: Tuesday-Wednesday, February 22-23, 2022

Our compilation of some of the stories of note from the day, reviewing the political developments from the Provincial scene for  Tuesday-Wednesday,  February 22-23, 2022  
   

BC Budget 2022

'We'll work with the numbers': Mixed reaction from Indigenous advocates to BC budget 

Stay the course BC budget offers few big measures

Greens and BC Liberals agree Budget is Disappointing

BC Budget focuses on response and rebuilding after climate disasters 

BC budget promises response to climate disasters, but banks on uncertain economic recovery

BC budget leaves questions about its disaster recovery plan

Five key points from BC's 2022 budget  

Proposed year-round BC Wildfire Service a good way to retain firefighters, expert says

Affordability questions loom in the background of an uninspiring 2022 BC Budget

BC child care budget template 'not quite what was promised' advocates say

BC budget underscores job and revenue losses of old growth logging deferrals

It's downhill from here for deficits under the BC NDP

BC Government sees need to spend big; $71 billion budget, $5.5 billion deficit

After weather disasters, emergency budget jumps to $436 million from $36 million

BC budget's tax increases affect used vehicle sales, tobacco 

Province Braces for shrinking forest industry, new lands ministry

Wildfire service going year round to reduce risk

Deficits to rise as COVID-19, rebuilding costs continue 

Coronavirus response in BC

Free COVID-19 rapid tests to be made available in BC for 70 and up starting Friday 

Cases in BC hospitals fall again, 1 death, as BC moves to sustainable COVID-19 management

Rapid tests available for those 70+ on Friday at pharmacies across BC

British Columbia to offer free rapid test kits to people 70 and older 

Free rapid COVID-19 tests coming to BC pharmacies, health officials announce 

BC reports 35 fewer people in hospital with COVID-19 and 1 more death

Free rapid tests to be made available to all British Columbians 

Freed COVID test kits for people 70 and up as early as Friday; wider distribution as supply increases

Globe and Mail

Hudson's Bay plan to redevelop historic downtown Vancouver building 

UN report says catastrophic wildfires to increase, calls for shift to prevention

CBC

Police watchdog recommends charges against RCMP officers in Prince George arrest 

Safe drug inhalation site in Vancouver to be evicted from Downtown Eastside location 

Music legend David Foster wins Governor General's Award

Ottawa investing over $11M to support First Nations commercial fisheries in BC

New office building planned for flagship Hudson's Bay building in downtown Vancouver

City of Prince George violated court order in destroying homeless people's belongings, judge rules

BC doctor to face disciplinary panel over 'misleading, incorrect or inflammatory' claims about COVID-19

RCMP release video of alleged attacks at Coastal GasLink Pipeline worksite

Vancouver Sun 

Prominent BC Hells Angel arrested in luxury Ottawa home

Airy, glass box addition proposed atop Vancouver's Hudson's Bay store

Some violation tickets dropped in BC, many more go unpaid

BC doctor gets misconduct warning over 'misleading' social media posts

Developers build housing to maximize profits, not to help affordability

Victoria Times-Colonist 

As expense rise, more homeowners embrace program that defers payment of property taxes

Songhees Nation questions trustees' suspension, calls for school board's resignation  

Local tax dollars should not be spent on things like this

       

Victoria  News

BC tourism industry hoping spring COVID-19 thaw continues 

Highway 14 improvements to be 'significantly complete' by fall: Province

Warming centre, overnight shelter spaces open in Victoria amid freezing temperatures

MV Jim Kingston's lost cargo containers still a deep concern for Vancouver Island 

Draft budget in North Saanich calls for a property tax hike of 3.95 per cent

Canada declares Victoria councillor a noteworthy historical figure

Langford public hearings look at proposal to transform residential lots  

Langford considers several lower density rezonings 

Oak Bay meeting start an hour earlier come fall

Global

Mission parents say biracial child was singled out in slavery lessons 

BC mulls overriding local governments to promote more housing development 

Iconic Hudson's Bay building in downtown Vancouver to undergo redevelopment

Still no leads after release of video from attack on Coastal GasLink site, says Mountie 

Police release brief videos showing alleged attack on northern BC gas pipeline camp

Ottawa allocates close to $12 million for Indigenous commercial fisheries in BC

Second judge to take BC old-growth logging protesters' case

60 assaults in Vancouver over long weekend, 22 of them random: Police

BC physician facing disciplinary hearing unapologetic for 'misleading' COVID-19 comments

Georgia Straight

Always excited about new experiences, ground breaking Sam Mizrahi looks to build a new legacy on the West Coast  

The Tyee

Greens and BC Liberals agree Budget is Disappointing 

Why the TMX will endlessly spill taxpayers' money

Vancouver Overdose prevention site could lose its space

Amidst Drug Crisis, Calls for Bold Safe Supply go unheeded

Stay the course BC budget offers few big measures

Miscellaneous

Ottawa allocates close to $12 million for Indigenous commercial fisheries in BC

British Columbia cabinet ministers in line for 10 per cent pay hike: Opposition

Budget funding for BC Wildfire Service garners mixed reaction from experts 

New office tower planned for the Bay building in downtown Vancouver 

Metrolinx decision to destroy Don Valley park land shrouded in secrecy