Dear Friend,

Wasn’t it a wonderful start to the day to learn that the miners at Red Chris Mine were rescued last night? All three are safe and uninjured. I don’t know if it is because I come from a mining town (Nanaimo) or if it is the many Lyn Bowen local history books I read (“Boss Whistle” anyone?) but I have always seen mining as a quintessentially BC activity. Now even more so with the rise of critical minerals and their role in electrification.  I am so thankful for the teams that worked tirelessly to bring these men to safety. We’ve come a long way in mining safety since the bad old days of losing loved ones in mining disasters – thanks in large part to the labour movement and also to improvements in mining technology.

Tomorrow night marks the last night of this year’s Celebration of Light, and I heard that the team from Nova Scotia will be featuring an all-Indigenous artist soundtrack. I’m really looking forward to both the show and the music.

I’m also excited for next Wednesday and the events my team has organized! We’ll start the day with Coffee with Brenda at 10:00 a.m. in Leg-in-Boot Square, with coffee generously provided by Convivial Café. Then, in the afternoon, we’ll head to Kitsilano Neighbourhood House for Summer Sips with Brenda from 2:00-4:00 p.m. With warm weather in the forecast, we’ve opted for lemonade and tea to help keep us cool down.

I’m looking forward to being able to connect informally with many of you. To help us plan appropriately, please RSVP and let us know which event you’ll be attending so we can avoid over- or under-buying supplies. As a reminder, these chats are informal opportunities to connect with several people at once. If you have a more pressing concern that requires focused time, please reach out to my office to schedule a private meeting.

Finally, I want to give you a quick update about our newsletters. In the coming weeks, we’ll be shifting from weekly updates to a monthly message from me, along with bi-weekly news and events. We’re still finalizing the format and frequency of the non-monthly newsletters, but this change is due to a couple of key factors: first, my new portfolio keeps me very busy and leaves me with less time to write weekly updates; and second, with the riding change, my staff are dealing with a much higher volume of constituent matters that need urgent attention. We still want to stay connected but are looking for the best ways of doing so while not compromising our ability to address the most pressing issues.

As always, my team and I are here to support you. Please don’t hesitate to reach out if there are any provincial matters we can assist with.

All my best,

Brenda

Trade Barriers Lifted With Ontario, Manitoba, Yukon

British Columbia shoppers will have more choice, while workers and professionals will have greater freedom to move between provinces after the signing of three internal trade agreements at the Council of the Federation.

Premier David Eby signed separate agreements with Ontario Premier Doug Ford, Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew and Yukon Premier Mike Pemberton. All have agreed to continue working to remove trade barriers between provinces and territories

The agreement with Ontario makes it easier for people in regulated trades and professions to work in either province. The two provinces also agreed to work on a framework for a direct-to-consumer system for alcoholic beverages, so producers will have easier access to markets, while consumers will get more choice.The Manitoba agreement includes measures to increase the mobility of regulated workers and professionals. B.C. will also endeavour to allow alcoholic beverages from Manitoba to be sold directly to B.C. consumers. B.C. and Yukon agreed to collaborate on removing barriers to trade. Both will also align standards for regulated occupations and registration processes.

Practice Water Safety in Open Water

In recognition of National Drowning Prevention Week, the BC Coroners Service, together with the Lifesaving Society and B.C. Emergency Health Services (BCEHS), is sharing helpful reminders and promoting water safety awareness. It is crucial that parents and caregivers properly supervise children at the lake, beach, pool or in the bathtub at home, keep young children within arm’s reach, wear a lifejacket or PFD while boating no matter your age or ability, and stay sober on the water

The data collected found most deaths occurred in rivers and creeks (33%) and lakes and ponds (24%), with the most common circumstances involving an unintentional fall into water (22%), swimming (18%) and bathing (14%).

Community Projects Will Strengthen Evacuation Planning and Notification

The Province is funding local community projects throughout B.C. to improve planning for evacuation routes and public notifications to keep people safe and informed when emergencies occur.

Through the Community Emergency Preparedness Fund (CEPF), $2 million will be provided to local governments and First Nations. This funding will support 51 communities to develop and update their plans through 42 public notification and evacuation route planning projects. Projects include mapping routes, improving evacuation and public notification plans, and running training exercises to test plans before an emergency occurs.

Filipino Cultural Centre

A recently released What We Heard report highlights that B.C.’s Filipino community shares a vision for a provincial cultural centre dedicated to community spirit, recognition and representation, and programming that supports people in British Columbia to learn about Filipino culture and heritage.

The contributions of the Filipino Canadian community in B.C. are an important part of the province’s history, culture and success. That’s why government launched a public engagement survey. As part of the engagement and to ensure meaningful collaboration, the Province hosted roundtable discussions with key representatives from Filipino community organizations. These roundtables provided an open forum for community leaders to discuss government’s commitment, the engagement process and the steps needed to advance the development of a cultural centre.

Community Lost and Found

Have you lost something and would like a wider network to keep an eye out for it? Feel free to submit to us and we will highlight it in our newsletter. This week we have a few items to highlight. If you have any information on any of these, please e-mail us and we will get in touch with the constituents. 

New BC Cancer Centre in Kamloops

Construction has begun on a new BC Cancer centre in Kamloops that will provide people in the Thompson-Cariboo-Shuswap region with better access to cancer care closer to home.

The centre is being built at the Westlands site at Royal Inland Hospital in Kamloops. Chemotherapy is available at Royal Inland’s community oncology network clinic in Kamloops. Currently, patients travel to Kelowna or the Lower Mainland for radiation treatment. Once the cancer centre opens to patients in 2028, it is expected to host 7,500 patient radiation consults and follow-up appointments annually. In its opening year, the centre is expected to provide approximately 16,500 treatments for up to 1,200 patients. This will save patients and their families time, stress and the burden of long-distance travel during care.

Protecting Our Diabetes Drug Supply

The Province is limiting sales of the drugs tirzepatide and dulaglutide, commonly known by the brand names Mounjaro and Trulicity, to preserve the supply for people with diabetes who really need it.

In April 2023, the provincial government added a “limits on sale” regulation to the Pharmacy Operations and Drug Scheduling Act to prevent sales of semaglutide (Ozempic, Wegovy, Rybelsus) to non-Canadian residents, to limit the impact of a supply shortage. Drugs in the regulation, which now include tirzepatide and dulaglutide, can be bought with a prescription from B.C. pharmacies, online or in-person, by B.C. residents, Canadian citizens and permanent residents.

Public Input on the Lobbyist Transparency Act

A special committee of the Legislative Assembly is holding a public consultation on the Lobbyists Transparency Act as part of its review of the law that regulates lobbying activities in British Columbia. The Special Committee to Review the Lobbyists Transparency Act is accepting written submissions until September 19 at 2:00 p.m. (Pacific).

To participate and for details on the consultation, visit bcleg.ca/consultations or contact the Parliamentary Committees Office by email at LTA2025@leg.bc.ca or by phone at 250-356-2933 or 1-877-428- 8337 (toll-free in BC).

Enhancing AgriStability Program

The governments of B.C. and Canada are making changes to the AgriStability program to provide more financial support to B.C. farmers, following a virtual meeting of the federal, provincial and territorial ministers of agriculture.

Effective Friday, July 25, 2025, there are several enhancements for the 2025 AgriStability program year, including:

• increasing the compensation rate from 80% to 90%, meaning producers will receive 90 cents for every dollar of eligible income decline;
• doubling the compensation cap from $3 million to $6 million to offer more equitable protection for larger farms and ranches; and
• advancing interest-free payments to farmers for up to 75% of their anticipated final claim

B.C. farmers have until Thursday, July 31, 2025, to enrol in AgriStability for the 2025 program year. Application details are available here: https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/industry/agriculture-seafood/programs/agriculture-insurance-and-income-protection-programs/agristability

Connect with me!

Next week we have 2 community events on Wednesday! We will be doing a coffee meetup in the morning and a fun lemonade/tea get together in the afternoon. I hope to see you at one of these. For logistic purposes, please RSVP at the link below! 

Events in Vancouver-South Granville

Baroque in Motion on Granville Island

• When: Jul 26th 12PM and 1PM
• Where:  Chain and Forge Plaza, Granville Island (1425 Anderson St.)
• Admission: Free

Experience the refined steps of 17th- and 18th-century dances brought to life through live music at this free outdoor concert that brings the rhythms of history to life.

Step back in time with the dance steps of Marie-Nathalie Lacoursière, Alexander Weimann on harpsichord, Chloe Meyers on violin; Diederik van Dijk on cello, and Grégoire Jeay on flute.

Thai Festival Vancouver 2025

• When: Jul 26th and Jul 27th 11AM – 7PM
• Where: Vancouver Art Gallery (750 Hornby St.)
• Admission:  Free

Get ready for a cultural explosion of flavours, sights, and sounds at Thai Festival Vancouver 2025! This free two-day event brings the beauty of Thailand straight to downtown Vancouver.

Presented by Thai Festival Vancouver, this vibrant community-driven celebration showcases the richness of Thai heritage through authentic food, traditional music and dance performances, Muay Thai demonstrations, cultural exhibits, small business showcases, and interactive experiences for all ages.

Thai Festival Vancouver is more than a food fair—it's a meaningful cultural initiative. The event promotes cultural pride, local economic growth, and cross-cultural connection through music, food, and art. It’s a chance for Thai Canadians and the broader community to connect, celebrate, and educate others about the vibrancy of Thai life.

Whether you’re Thai, Thai-curious, or simply a fan of delicious food and cultural celebration, this event offers something unforgettable.

Vancouver Hot Sauce Fest! Hot in the City!

• When: Jul 26th 2PM – 10PM
• Where: 250 W 3rd Ave. 
• Admission:  Free

We are so excited to present to you Vancouvers Hot Sauce Festival with LOCAL producers of hot sauce, spice enthusiasts, venders, chefs, bartenders & DJs to be a part of this amazing day of events!

Along with hot sauce tasting, we will have a “Hot Ones” Hot sauce eating contest, more games, Food Venders, A bar, and then end it with a DJ Dance Party ringing in the sunset over Vancouver’s vibrant & trendy Olympic Village!

Van Vogue Jam – Vancouver Ballroom Weekend

• When: Jul 25th to Jul 27th
• Where:  Various venues on Granville Island and Downtown Vancouver
• Admission: Varies

Van Vogue Jam is a Vancouver based non-profit organization helping to support, build, and nurture the Vogue/Ballroom scene within Vancouver, BC, Canada. By facilitating pay-what-you-can and open-to-all-levels Ballroom education and Vogue classes, VVJ seeks to help contribute towards building a culture of Ballroom with the accessibility and safety of the LGBTQIA2S+ BIPOC community at its core.

Vancouver Ballroom Weekend is an event for vogue performers and enthusiasts of all abilities, featuring awards, balls, workshops and a potluck.

Medicine in the Park 公園裡的草藥體驗

• When: Jul 26th 1PM – 4PM
• Where: MacLean Park Field House (710 Keefer St.)
• Admission: Free (registration required)

Chinatown Together, in collaboration with Growing Together in Community and Yarrow Society, is excited to partner with Jill Ratcliff, rooted in Red River and of Métis ancestry through her father’s family, to bring you an Indigenous plant education and salve-making workshop!

Medicine in the Park offers a moment for the public to learn and engage in the continued legacy of nurturing Indigenous-Chinese connections that the neighbourhood has historically taken part in.

The workshop will take place at MacLean Park Field House and be composed of the following parts:

A short walk to identify some of the plant medicines growing in the park including yarrow, plantain and mullein An educational portion on how and when to harvest these medicines, and how to dry and process them for salves and teas A hands on workshop making plantain oil together. Then use plantain, yarrow, and calendula that have been infused in grapeseed oil to make a topical salve.

True North Variations - O Canada Reimagined

• When: Jul 27th 2PM
• Where: The Annex (823 Seymour St.)
• Admission: Varies

“Weimann, by all accounts a musician of wide and varied interests and experiences,… plays with the utmost passion, vigour and virtuosity.” – Early Music

Alexander Weimann delivers a humorous, pocket-sized tour of music history using  “O Canada” – the Canadian national anthem – as the theme for his variations in the style of various composers including J.S. Bach, C.P.E. Bach, Beethoven, Chopin, Scriabin and Messiaen.

The hour will start with a talk with Alex hosted by Suzie to discuss the project. It will then be followed by the 35 minute performance and it will end with a Q&A with the audience.