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| Government of British Columbia (2017–present) | |
|---|---|
| Name | Government of British Columbia (2017–present) |
| Jurisdiction | British Columbia |
| Incumbents | John Horgan; David Eby |
| Formation | 2017 |
| Party | British Columbia New Democratic Party |
| Legislature status | Majority (2020–present) |
| Elections | 2017 provincial election, 2020 provincial election, 2024 provincial election |
Government of British Columbia (2017–present) The administration inaugurated in 2017 following the 2017 British Columbia general election comprises cabinets led initially by John Horgan and subsequently by David Eby; it has governed during overlapping events such as the 2019 Scott Road shooting, the COVID-19 pandemic, and the 2021 Pacific Northwest heat wave. The ministry has navigated relations with the Government of Canada, negotiated with Indigenous governments including the Musqueam Indian Band and Tsilhqot'in Nation, and presided over major provincial statutes like the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act and the CleanBC plan.
The 2017 mandate arose from a minority result in the 2017 British Columbia general election, where the British Columbia Liberal Party under Christy Clark failed to command confidence against a pact between the British Columbia New Democratic Party led by John Horgan and the Green Party of British Columbia led by Andrew Weaver. Lieutenant Governor Judith Guichon invited Horgan to form government, displacing the incumbency associated with Clark and predecessors Gordon Campbell and Christy Clark-era ministers such as Mike de Jong and Coralee Oakes. The transition followed constitutional practice informed by precedents like the King-Byng Affair and debates over confidence conventions in Westminster-style parliaments.
Cabinet composition has evolved from Horgan's inaugural ministry to Eby's portfolios, featuring ministers from diverse regional seats such as Vancouver-Point Grey, Surrey, Victoria (provincial electoral district), and Prince George–Mackenzie. Prominent cabinet figures have included Carole James, Selina Robinson, George Heyman, Josie Osborne, Mitzi Dean, Jennifer Whiteside, and Ravi Kahlon, with responsibilities spanning ministries like Ministry of Finance (British Columbia), Ministry of Health (British Columbia), Ministry of Education (British Columbia), and Ministry of Indigenous Relations and Reconciliation (British Columbia). Cabinet shuffles reflected policy priorities tied to portfolios such as Ministry of Jobs, Economic Development and Innovation (British Columbia) and agencies including BC Hydro and TransLink. The legislature included critics and opposition leaders such as Andrew Wilkinson and Shirley Bond from the Liberals and later Kevin Falcon, while the Greens remained pivotal through figures like Sonia Furstenau.
Key legislative acts enacted include the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act, the Society Act reform, and amendments to the Oil and Gas Activities Act under the CleanBC plan, alongside housing measures tied to the Speculation and Vacancy Tax and the Multiculturalism and Anti-Racism Strategy. The government implemented public health statutes in response to COVID-19 pandemic in British Columbia and advanced transportation projects such as expansion plans for the Massey Tunnel replacement and investments linked to BC Ferries and TransLink. Education reforms involved the K-12 Funding Model and negotiations with unions like the British Columbia Teachers' Federation. The administration also pursued housing initiatives interacting with institutions like the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation and projects in municipalities including Vancouver, Surrey, Burnaby, and Richmond.
Fiscal stewardship occurred amid pressures from global phenomena including the 2019–20 coronavirus pandemic and commodity cycles affecting industries such as forestry and mining, involving corporations like Teck Resources and regulators like the British Columbia Utilities Commission. The provincial budget processes and debt management were overseen by ministers of finance referencing frameworks such as the Balanced Budget Act and fiscal arrangements with the Government of Canada including transfer payments via the Canada Health Transfer and Canada Social Transfer. Economic recovery efforts emphasized sectors tied to Tourism in British Columbia, the technology industry in Vancouver, and supply chains through ports like the Port of Vancouver and Prince Rupert Port Authority.
The government emphasized implementing the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples through provincial legislation and agreements with nations including Tsawwassen First Nation, Haisla Nation, Kitasoo/Xai'xais Nation, and Nisga'a Nation frameworks. Notable initiatives included collaborating on transboundary projects with the BC Oil and Gas Commission and settling claims informed by decisions such as the Tsilhqot'in Nation v British Columbia ruling. Institutional reforms engaged agencies like the First Nations Health Authority and the BC Treaty Commission, and actions intersected with resources disputes involving companies such as Northern Gateway proponents and energy proponents like Coastal GasLink.
Environmental policy advanced under programs including CleanBC, the provincial carbon pricing approach interacting with the Pan-Canadian Framework on Clean Growth and Climate Change, and regulations affecting BC Timber Sales and Old-Growth Strategic Review recommendations. Responses to extreme events referenced emergency management instruments involving Emergency Management BC and intergovernmental coordination with entities like Environment and Climate Change Canada. Conservation initiatives addressed protected areas such as Great Bear Rainforest and fisheries issues involving the Department of Fisheries and Oceans and Indigenous harvest rights adjudicated by courts like the Supreme Court of Canada.
The administration faced controversies including public sector labour disputes with unions like the Canadian Union of Public Employees and Health Sciences Association of BC, legal challenges over resource approvals linked to proponents such as LNG Canada and critics from ForestEthics Advocacy-style groups, and scrutiny over procurement processes involving agencies like BC Hydro and the Insurance Corporation of British Columbia. Electoral outcomes included the 2020 majority in the 2020 British Columbia general election and subsequent performance metrics tracked through polling firms such as Ipsos and Angus Reid Institute, culminating in leadership transition to David Eby and ongoing contestation with opposition parties like the British Columbia Green Party and the Conservative Party of British Columbia.