What to Expect
A first ministers’ meeting is set for February 7, with an agenda that includes topics close to the heart of B.C.’s political landscape, namely health care and crime. Given that these are top priorities for the B.C. government, expect attention focused on how preparations unfold for that meeting.
The Week That Was
The province is working to bolster jobs and food security through the recently announced agritech program, B.C. Centre for Agritech Innovation (BCCAI). There are four companies receiving funding from the program, totalling an investment of $540,000, including $122,500 from BCCAI:
- Aeroroot Systems (Surrey);
- Agrotek Industries (Burnaby);
- Bakerview EcoDairy (Abbotsford); and
- Lucent BioSciences (West Vancouver).
The City of Vancouver announced a new tool to help accommodate the cost of hosting international tourism events, with the FIFA World Cup in 2026 as the first model. The City requested the new model to implement a temporary and modest increase to the Municipal and Regional District Tax (MRDT). The province responded with changes to the Provincial Sales Tax Actso “eligible communities can apply for an additional Major Events MRDT for as much as 2.5 [per cent] on short-term accommodation sales.”
