Dear AFP Greater Vancouver Members,
Your Government Relations Committee is pleased to share with you an update about recent advocacy work on behalf of the membership base.
We are days away from a provincial election, with British Columbians going to the polls on Saturday October 19th to elect members of the Legislative Assembly to serve in the 43rd parliament. As a non-partisan organization, our committee has reached out to all three parties to ask them how they plan to support the non-profit sector after the election.
The Green Party of British Columbia provided the following statement in response to the question:
The BC Greens recognize the critical role that charities and non-profits play in addressing some of our province’s biggest challenges, including climate change, cost of living, affordability, and job creation. We believe that non-profit organizations successfully delivering services in BC should have stable, predictable funding from the provincial government, alleviating the need for constant grant applications and allowing them to focus on their important work.
We acknowledge the significant contributions of the non-profit sector in British Columbia, employing 331,000 individuals and contributing $24.3 billion to the province’s GDP. We are committed to creating a more sustainable and supportive environment for non-profits, enabling them to continue their vital work without the burden of uncertain funding.
Further, we recognize the current challenges faced by the sector, including increased demand for services and financial pressures on supporters limiting their ability to donate. We are committed to addressing these issues and exploring innovative solutions to ensure the long-term sustainability of non-profits in British Columbia.
By supporting the non-profit sector, we aim to strengthen the community and ensure that essential services continue to be delivered effectively and efficiently.
While the likelihood of the BC Greens forming government is close to nil, they may potentially end up playing a role in supporting a minority government, traditionally known as a kingmaker role. Their statement seems to suggest that they will be attentive to the needs of the sector moving forward.
The New Democratic Party of BC acknowledged the question but as of publication did not provide a response (note: the NDP have since replied, and you can read their full response here). However, having led government for the past seven years, they have shown continued support for our sector with investment in the form of $60M to the Community Prosperity Fund and Lighthouse Organizations Fund, creation of the BC Non-Profit Network and perhaps most importantly the creation of the Parliamentary Secretary for Community Development and Non-Profits role launched in November 2020. The committee expects that if the NDP form government after October 19th that they will continue this support.
The unknown factor in this election is the Conservative Party of British Columbia. As of publication they have neither responded to our inquiry nor released a platform. The only mention we could find relating to the non-profit sector in any capacity, is from a 2020 policy document which suggests that they will employ a hands-on approach to “valuable” not-for-profit organizations and move away from a “cash give-a-way” approach. In the opinion of this author, this is an outdated approach to a sector which support those affected by important challenges that the government aims to tackle.
Moving forward, this committee looks forward to engaging with members of the 43rd Parliament of British Columbia after October 19th to continue advocating on behalf of our members and the sector.