Town hall meeting on 4 provincial bills at Drop-In Centre

Some concerned citizens have taken it upon themselves to launch a series of town hall meetings across B.C. to discuss four pieces of new legislation in this province.

The aptly named B.C. TownHall group is set to visit Penticton this coming Tuesday at 6:30 p.m., to the Penticton Seniors’ Drop-In Centre.

The group – which describes itself as “non-partisan, citizen-led, citizen-funded” – has already given presentations on Vancouver Island.

The four pieces of legislation of concern became law in 2023 and are: Bill 36, Health Professions and Occupations Act; Bill 31, Emergency and Disaster Management Act; Bill 44, Housing Statutes (Residential Development) Amendment Act; and Bill 47, Housing Statutes (TransitOriented Areas) Amendment Act.

“Our objective is to provide a neutral and respectful platform to give British Columbians an opportunity to hear all perspectives and form their own opinions based on accurate and understandable information,” said B.C. TownHall in a press release.

“Representatives from each provincial party, including any registered candidates, as well as each city council from Keremeos, Oliver, Penticton and Summerland have been invited to attend this important public event to join our audience, to answer questions and to share their views about these new laws. The opinions of all speakers are their own, and the event will be professionally moderated to stay on topic and maintain a respectful environment.

“As a non-partisan group, we have requested that there be no politicking or political pamphleteering at our events. The networking portion is the opportunity to shake hands and share contact information.”