Provincial Finance Minister Carole James says it 害羞草研究所渇eels like a lifetime害羞草研究所� since she tabled the 2020 provincial budget in February, just four months ago.

She observed the economy had already been slowing down, with 害羞草研究所渕oderation害羞草研究所� in economic growth across the globe, and so took that into account in building the budget.

害羞草研究所淲e made sure we had a strong, resilient economic foundation to be able to build from,害羞草研究所� James said. 害羞草研究所淲e certainly knew there were going to be challenges ahead, when it came to moderation, but I don害羞草研究所檛 think any of us could imagine the kind of situation that we害羞草研究所檙e all living through now.

害羞草研究所淭his is unlike any challenge that we害羞草研究所檝e faced,害羞草研究所� James said. 害羞草研究所淐OVID-19 has impacted every sector, every family, every community, every part of our community.害羞草研究所�

害羞草研究所淲hen we害羞草研究所檙e talking about businesses being hit, that害羞草研究所檚 individuals and families as well, not only the business owners but in fact the employees.害羞草研究所�

James noted that more than 300,000 jobs have been lost in British Columbia because of the pandemic.

She was the guest speaker in a Surrey Board of Trade 害羞草研究所渄igital town hall害羞草研究所� via Zoom. Monday害羞草研究所檚 topic was 害羞草研究所淐OVID-19: Relief, Restart and Recovery for Surrey and B.C.害羞草研究所�

The finance minister said while she knows people are 害羞草研究所渒een害羞草研究所� to get back to work, 害羞草研究所渨e need to do that in a very planned, and a very careful, and a very measured approach.害羞草研究所�

害羞草研究所淲e don害羞草研究所檛 want to get ahead of ourselves,害羞草研究所� she said.

James said $1.5 billion of B.C.害羞草研究所檚 $5 billion COVID plan has been earmarked for economic recovery. 害羞草研究所淥nce again, I think it害羞草研究所檚 critical to note that we did that from the start.害羞草研究所�

害羞草研究所淭hat害羞草研究所檚 one-time money,害羞草研究所� she said. 害羞草研究所淲e will be gathering the feedback, as we are doing now, through ministries meeting with their sectors, through the premiers table and through other areas. Individual business ideas have been coming forward as well. We害羞草研究所檒l be making a determination around where those dollars can best be used.

James said while she 害羞草研究所渄oesn害羞草研究所檛 want to pre-determine any processes,害羞草研究所� she expects education will be 害羞草研究所渁 big discussion害羞草研究所� when it comes to how that money will be allocated.

害羞草研究所淒o we look at further training, and skills training for the kinds of youth who are having to re-tool for new kinds of jobs, perhaps, or new industries?害羞草研究所�

James said the government is tracking the impact the pandemic has had on particular sectors and age groups. For example, Stats Canada released employment-related figures last week, she noted, that show 害羞草研究所渢he youth are particularly impacted, particularly facing challenges, 18 to 24-year-olds. And that害羞草研究所檚 no surprise when you look at the sectors that are most impacted 害羞草研究所� retail, restaurants, bars.害羞草研究所�

On rent assistance for business owners, she said, last week the government brought in an emergency order to ensure that if a business is able to apply for the program and fit the criteria, but their landlord isn害羞草研究所檛 interested in applying, there will not be an eviction. 害羞草研究所淎nd that will stay in place as long as the federal program is in place and the emergency order害羞草研究所檚 in place.害羞草研究所�

The provincial government also brought in a $1,000 emergency benefit for workers and in July it will 害羞草研究所渂oost害羞草研究所� the climate action tax credit. 害羞草研究所淲e害羞草研究所檙e increasing that payment.害羞草研究所�

害羞草研究所淲e害羞草研究所檝e deferred everything from the employers health tax to the PST to the hotel tax, to the carbon tax,害羞草研究所� James said. 害羞草研究所淲e also cut property taxes. The school portion, which id the provincial portion of property taxes, we have cut by on the average about 20 per cent, which again gives that immediate relief.害羞草研究所�

She said that while we have a 害羞草研究所渃hallenge害羞草研究所� ahead, 害羞草研究所淚 do feel optimistic about our recovery.害羞草研究所�

James said the largest capital budget in B.C.害羞草研究所檚 history is contained in Budget 2020.

害羞草研究所淪o we have built in there the kind of infrastructure that also will assist as we look ahead, in to creating jobs. We have a large amount of infrastructure, for everything from hospitals to roads to bridges to transit, and that is in every corner of British Columbia, which will again provide us with a very good base to be able to provide that infrastructure spending and get those jobs going in British Columbia as well,害羞草研究所� she said.

害羞草研究所淲e害羞草研究所檙e not leaving people behind.害羞草研究所�

tom.zytaruk@surreynowleader.com
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