The following column was submitted to the Tri-City News from Selina Robinson, MLA for Coquitlam-Maillardville.
The past year was a difficult one for all of us.
Not only did we endure another year of the [COVID-19] pandemic, but we also dealt with unprecedented weather events from flooding, to heat waves and forest fires.
As hard as 2021 was, it has shown us that we’re stronger when we work together and look out for each other. I look forward to seeing what we can accomplish in 2022 by working together as a community and a province.
COVID-19 continues to be part of our daily lives, but we are well equipped to get through it. Vaccines continue to be the best way to protect yourself and your loved ones from serious illness or hospitalization due to COVID-19.
Whether you’re receiving your first dose or your booster, each and every vaccination keeps us all safer and healthier.
No matter what comes our way, our provincial government will continue to put people first and ensure that B.C. is a place where everyone can grow and thrive.
As Minister of Finance, I am eager to share our upcoming 2022 provincial budget, which will be released on Feb. 22.
Budget 2022 will lay out our plan to tackle the current challenges facing people in B.C., from affordability to the climate crisis.
Our goal is to help people now and create the right conditions for a strong economic recovery.
I want British Columbians to know that we will always have their back, just as we have since the beginning of the pandemic and indeed since we took office in 2017.
We know that our recovery won’t happen overnight, but by focusing in on the things that matter most to people we’ll be able to get through this year even stronger than before. There’s so much more to look forward to this year as well.
Families across the province will benefit from an expansion of $10-a-day-childcare, and we’re working to reduce the average childcare fees for children under six by as much as 50 per cent by the end of 2022.
We’re also introducing legislation that will require a cooling-off period on home sales, helping to protect buyers and cool down our overheated real estate market.
I’m excited and optimistic to see what 2022 holds for our community and all of B.C.
The new year will bring its own challenges, but as long as we work together, we can build a stronger province for everyone.
