BC Green Caucus

08/26/2026

B.C.’s New Health Minister is Choosing Politics Over Public Health.

The BC Greens have released a statement in response to the B.C. government’s decision to cancel a planned overdose prevention site in Downtown Vancouver, as new data from the BC Coroners Service shows that 138 people died from suspected unregulated drug toxicity in June—an average of approximately 4.6 deaths every day.

Read it here: https://bcgreencaucus.ca/vancouver-overdose-prevention-cancelled-august-2026/

08/25/2026

08/20/2026

MLA Botterell led the team that wrote BC’s FOI Act in the 1990s.

Cybersecurity and privacy concerns must be taken seriously. But the government’s solution must be proportionate, and balance the public’s right to transparent government & access to information.

08/19/2026

Is it too late to hop on this trend?

08/17/2026

We're still learning the details about changes to supports for children and youth with support needs, including those diagnosed with autism. The Ministry of Children and Family Development has now provided a response to the questions I raised in July, and I believe it’s important to share that information with you.

I appreciate the Minister’s response, and her stated goal of broadening access to services. It’s critical that funding is increased, that more families receive the services they need, and all children have the supports they deserve.

Questions about the program remain:

👥Are consultations being conducted in good faith, and how is new input being implemented?
📊What is the Ministry’s underlying strategy, and how does it ensure their approach supports youth, families and British Columbia in the long term?
🤝How will the Ministry proactively address support needs, to avoid creating more intensive health issues and service requirements later in life?
❤️‍🩹How do these changes provide adequate, flexible support systems that respond to the unpredictable challenges that all families face?

What do you think of the Minister’s response?

FULL TEXT OF LETTER:

Dear MLA Botterell:

Thank you for your letter of June 24, 2026, regarding the implementation of the new Children and Youth with Support Needs (CYSN) service model and the BC Children and Youth Disability Benefit.

I appreciate your recognition of the government's commitment to increasing supports for children and youth with disabilities and your acknowledgement that extending direct funding beyond autism addresses a longstanding inequity. Like you, I believe children and youth with disabilities and their families deserve a system that is more equitable, more responsive to their needs, and better able to provide support throughout British Columbia.

(continued in comments)

08/16/2026

N95 respiratory masks are now available for free in communities in the Interior Health region to help people protect themselves from impacts of wildfire smoke. List of communities where masks are available:

N95 respirators masks are effective at reducing exposure to particulate pollution, such as wildfire smoke and smog, as well as respiratory illnesses. N95 respirator masks may be available for free, while supplies last. People can visit the following locations to get masks:

Community Futures Sun Country
Address: 203 Railway Ave., Ashcroft
Hours: 8 a.m. to 4p.m., Monday to Friday.

Kamloops Downtown Business Improvement Area Association
Address: 202-246 Second Ave., Kamloops
Hours: 8 a.m. to 4p.m., Monday to Friday.

Kamloops North Shore BIA
Address: 115 Tranquille Rd., Kamloops
Hours: 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday to Friday.

The Salvation Army
Address: 344 Poplar St. N, Kamloops
Hours: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday to Thursday. Ask staff for masks.

University of British Columbia – Okanagan campus
Address: 3287 University Way, Kelowna
Masks are available at the Campus Security Dispatch Office.

Lake Country Health Planning Society
Address: 10080 Main St. N, Lake Country
Hours: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday to Friday. Available at the front desk.

Nicola Valley Community Justice Services Society
Address: 1999 Garcia St., Merritt
Hours: 8:30 a.m.to 4:30 p.m., Monday to Friday. Available at the front desk.

District of Peachland
Address: 4450 6th St., Peachland
Hours: 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday to Friday. Available at the front desk.

Parm Bains Constituency Office
Address: Unit 230, 11331 Coppersmith Way, Richmond
Hours: 10 a.m. to 4p.m., Monday to Friday.

Cariboo Friendship Society
Address: 99 3rd Avenue S, Williams Lake
Hours: 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday to Friday. Available at the front desk.

Neskonlith Indian Band
Address: 705 Chief Neskonlith Dr., Chase

Free N95 and medical masks are available from the Canadian Red Cross, a helpful resource as wildfire smoke continues across the province.

- N95 masks reduce exposure to wildfire smoke and airborne particles
- Medical masks help reduce the spread of respiratory viruses and droplets
- Orders processed by the case (440–500 masks); larger bulk orders available too

If you run a non-profit, school, or community organization in our riding, consider requesting masks to help get them into the hands of people who need them.

Request masks: www.redcross.ca/maskdistributionorderform
Guidance & tip sheets: www.redcross.ca/masksdistribution

08/16/2026

Happy Pride from Pender Island! A great day celebrating with neighbours, friends and community. Thank you to the Pender Island Pride Society for organizing today’s events and for creating such a welcoming space to come together, connect and celebrate. Proud to stand with the 2SLGBTQIA+ community today and always.

08/14/2026

We are encouraged to hear that Minister Brenda Bailey’s cancer diagnosis is treatable, and we wish her strength and a full recovery in the months ahead.

Today’s cabinet shuffle comes at a challenging time for British Columbia. We hope both Minister Kahlon and Osbourne will embrace practical Green solutions that improve people’s lives and strengthen public services. This means investing in preventative health care, implementing a tax on the ultra-wealthy, addressing emergency room closures, and ensuring that public dollars are directed toward building healthier and more resilient communities.

Read my full statement at bcgreencaucus.ca.

08/14/2026

I'm looking forward to moderating this community forum, co-hosted with CFUW Saanich Peninsula, on a topic I hear about often from folks in Saanich North and the Islands: how do we help seniors stay in the communities they know and love, rather than being uprooted when long-term care beds aren't available or moved somewhere unfamiliar? At a time when we're seeing serious cuts to long-term care and other seniors' services, this conversation matters more than ever.

I'll be moderating a discussion with three people who bring real expertise to this issue: Dan Levitt, B.C.'s Seniors Advocate; Tricia Sexton-Earl, CEO of Beacon Community Services; and Dr. Jonas Bambi from UVic's School of Health Information Science.

Just as important, I want to hear from local seniors and caregivers about what support really looks like day to day, and what would make the biggest difference.

📅 Thursday, September 10, 2026
🕧 Doors at 12:30 pm, forum runs 1:00–3:00 pm, coffee and conversation to follow
📍 Mary Winspear Centre, Charlie White Theatre — Sidney, BC

FREE and open to everyone. I hope you'll join us and please share with anyone you think might be interested in attending!

https://cfuwsaanichpeninsula.org/advocacy-community-support/aging-in-the-right-place/