B.C. Legislative Wrap-Up and 2023 Innovation Policy Outlook

By Dana O’Born, CCI Vice-President of Strategy and Advocacy

The British Columbia legislature has wrapped up its fall session, and when MLAs return in 2023, the provincial budget will be looming large.

This fall, it wasn’t the legislature that dominated B.C. politics. It was the handover from retiring Premier John Horgan, to incoming Premier David Eby, who has been attorney general in the NDP government for the past five years.

On the day he was sworn-in, Premier Eby announced new affordability measures to help citizens struggle with the rising cost of living.

These are difficult economic times, with rising interest rates, high inflation, and a looming recession.

To help British Columbia to weather the economic storm, Premier Eby would do well to engage closely with the province’s tech sector. As engines of growth, B.C.’s technology companies stand to maintain the high paying jobs and economic activity that can help support valuable social programs.

The province can help with operating capital, and policies to support tech companies seeking to recruit and retain skilled talent.

In the past few years, we have also been working closely with the province on developing a provincial IP strategy, modernizing the province’s privacy legislation, and exploring the idea of a provincial data authority.

CCI has also proposed specific ideas in our 2023 budget submission for how to drive innovation in B.C. You can read our full budget submission here.

As we look ahead to the 2023 legislative calendar, and the upcoming provincial budget we hope that Premier Eby will tackle these files with a sense of urgency.

To learn more about CCI’s public policy advocacy, email Dana O’Born, Vice-President of Strategy and Advocacy for the Council of Canadian Innovators.