British Columbians invited to have their say on recovery

Courtesy of the Government of BC:

British Columbians are invited to share their feedback as the Province continues to build a strong economic recovery that works for people.

“The pandemic has been challenging, but our province has already accomplished so much in this fight, thanks to British Columbians. We are at our best when we work together, and that’s how we’re going to move forward,” BC Premier John Horgan said.

“Throughout the pandemic we’ve been meeting with businesses, labour, First Nations, not-for-profits and more to get their perspective. We’ve heard lots of good ideas, and we are taking action. We want to hear directly from British Columbians to make sure the recovery works for them.”

There are three main ways for people to share their ideas, experiences and priorities:

• An online survey is the fastest and easiest way to provide answers to some important questions and give advice. Visit: http://gov.bc.ca/recoveryideas
• Respond to the paper, Building B.C.’s Recovery, Together: Have Your Say, which was released on Wednesday, June 17, 2020. Ideas and responses can be submitted to: recoveryideas@gov.bc.ca
• Participate in virtual town halls. British Columbians can learn more about the virtual town halls here: http://gov.bc.ca/recoveryideas

Building B.C.’s Recovery, Together describes the values the government considers foundational for economic policy-making in the months ahead. It also details the economic effects that COVID-19 has had on B.C., in particular the job losses, and how those losses have been felt across different communities. Nearly half of all jobs lost due to COVID-19 have been in accommodations, food services and retail. Women, young adults and low-wage workers have all experienced relatively greater job losses.

“The recovery is going to be a tough task, and we need to be open to new ideas and new approaches. At the same time, core B.C. values like equity, taking care of each other, sustainability and reconciliation have not changed,” said the Hon. Carole James, BC's Minister of Finance and Deputy Premier. “In practice, those values will take the form of more good-paying jobs, advancing reconciliation and meeting climate goals, and growing an innovative, resilient economy that works for people.”

When the pandemic hit, government acted immediately, focusing on three main priorities: protecting people’s health; providing income, rental and other supports for families and businesses; and ensuring things like groceries, public transit and child care for essential workers remained available.

Essential businesses remained open safely during the pandemic, and starting last month the province began a process of restarting safely.

Learn More:

Learn more about B.C.’s economic recovery planning: http://gov.bc.ca/recoveryideas

For information about B.C.’s Restart Plan, visit: http://gov.bc.ca/restartbc

For the latest medical updates, including case counts, prevention, risks and testing, visit: http://bccdc.ca/
Or follow the BCCDC on Twitter @CDCofBC.

For the provincial health officer's orders, notices and guidance, visit: http://gov.bc.ca/phoguidance

For non-health related information, including financial, child care and education supports, travel, transportation and essential service information, call (toll-free) 1 888 COVID19 (1 888 268-4319) between 7:30 a.m. and 8 p.m. (Pacific time), seven days a week, or visit: http://gov.bc.ca/Covid19