BCBC Statement on Amendments to Bill 7
The Business Council of British Columbia (BCBC) welcomes the government’s decision to remove Part 4 from Bill 7, the Economic Stabilization (Tariff Response) Act. Part 4 would have granted Cabinet the authority to override almost any provincial law and regulation, without legislative approval, until May 2027. We appreciate the government’s readiness to heed the concerns raised by the business community and others to remove Part 4 from the bill.
Canada’s reputation as a stable and reliable place for investment depends on the stability and accountability embedded in our institutions, including our system of parliamentary democracy. Now is not the time to weaken them. While we recognize the challenges posed by President Trump’s executive orders, governing by executive order is not our tradition. Our federal and provincial legislatures already have all the necessary tools to respond to the challenges raised by President Trump and can be reconvened at any point.
Removing Part 4 from the bill is an important step in maintaining democratic oversight and preserving the institutional stability that underpins investor confidence in our province. We appreciate the government’s willingness to listen and act on our concerns.
However, we remain concerned about the broad powers over procurement and infrastructure pricing introduced in Parts 2 and 3. Part 2 allows the Cabinet to issue procurement directives that are arbitrary, without legislative scrutiny, bypassing financial controls, and shielding officials from liability. Part 3 enables Cabinet to impose new tolls, fees, and charges on provincial infrastructure without debate or consultation. These broad powers raise concerns about transparency, oversight, and the potential for unintended financial impacts on businesses, workers, and consumers.
We continue to support the interprovincial trade measures in Part 1 of Bill 7, which takes a much-needed step toward enabling trade within Canada. Any good or service that can be supplied in other provinces may now be supplied in B.C., subject to a negative list of specified exemptions. No province has yet gone this far in liberalizing interprovincial trade. This is a welcomed move that aligns with long-standing recommendations from the business community.
We look forward to continuing to work together to respond to U.S. trade actions and help create the conditions supporting private-sector investment and long-term prosperity for British Columbians.