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Vol: VIII  –  Issue: VIII  –  August 2009

LEGISLATURE NEWS:

B.C. Throne Speech Emphasizes Spending Cuts
The 1st session of the 39th Parliament began with the Speech from the Throne on August 25. The cash-strapped B.C. government said that it will review its health authorities, boards of education and Crown corporations in an effort to find cost savings. See the News Story as reported by the CBC.

Busy Session Expected as Budget Introduced
On Sept. 1, the much anticipated September Budget Update was released. According to the published Parliamentary Calendar, it is expected that the session will last until the end of November and will produce a lot of legislation. See News Release. As a reminder, we encourage you to sign up to our new Bill Tracker Alert service to keep informed about important proposed changes before they become law. The Bill Tracker tool is located on the right side of your screen when you login.

QUICKSCRIBE NEWS:

New RSS Alert Tool For Tracking New and
Repealed Legislation

Quickscribe is pleased to announce the introduction of a new RSS feed that will notify you of new and repealed legislation. For those who have already signed up to the Law Tracker, you may want to re-subscribe to this free feature via this link. Be sure to select the box next to "Please notify me of New and Repealed Legislation."

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FEDERAL LEGISLATION — For notification of federal amendments, we recommend you use our RSS feed.

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ENERGY & MINES RELATED

Energy and Mines News:

OHS Regulation Compliance Alert -
Flame Retardant Clothing

Recent discussions with employers in the Drilling and Well Servicing sector have revealed that not all Contractors are adhering to the requirements of the OHS Regulation with regards to providing FRC clothing to their workers. See the Compliance Alert.

Act or Regulation Affected Effective Date Amendment Information
Petroleum and Natural Gas Drilling Licence Regulation (10/82) Aug. 20/09 by Reg 192/2009
Petroleum and Natural Gas Royalty and Freehold Production Tax Regulation (495/92) Aug. 20/09 by Reg 193/2009
FAMILY, WILLS & ESTATES RELATED
Act or Regulation Affected Effective Date Amendment Information
There were no amendments this month.
FOREST AND ENVIRONMENT RELATED

Forest and Environment News:

Logging contractors lose financial backing -
Loans called for up to 35 coast operators after
financier goes into receivership

Up to 35 contract loggers on the B.C. coast are having their loans called now that Nanaimo financier Forest & Marine Group has gone into receivership. "There’s going to be a lot of forced liquidations," said Kevin Mason, investment analyst at Equity Research Associates. "People are going to be scrambling around looking for alternatives." See the News story as reported in the Vancouver Sun.

B.C. budget bites into green programs
Public transit and energy-efficient renovations are two programs that will take a hit from the B.C. budget courtesy of changes due to the new harmonized sales tax. See the News story as reported by the CBC.

Wood Roofing on the Rise In Northern China
The commercial use of B.C. wood for apartment re-roofing has expanded for the first time into northern China. Through a memorandum of understanding with the Province of Hebei, the apartment re-roofing in Shijiazhuang is a two-phase project. The first phase is confirmed, and the second phase is contingent on the results of the first phase. See the News Release.

Federal Court Decision Interpreting Species at Risk Act
May Create Problems for Landowners and
Resource Users

The Federal Court recently issued its first substantive decision interpreting the Species at Risk Act (SARA). The decision, hailed as a victory for the environmental non-governmental organizations (ENGOs) that brought the application, and for the species they are interested in protecting, may prove to be problematic for the government, and for those private property owners or entities operating in areas with habitat for species listed as endangered or threatened in SARA. See the Full Article as published by Janice Walton at Blakes.

Act or Regulation Affected Effective Date Amendment Information
Fish Protection Act Aug. 20/09 c. 21 (SBC 1997) s. 9 now in force by Reg 188/2009
Hill 60 Designated Area No. 2, until April 4, 2011 (189/2009) NEW
Aug. 20/09
see Reg 189/2009
Water Regulation (204/88) Aug. 20/09 by Reg 195/2009
HEALTH RELATED

Health News:

MSP premiums to rise six per cent
Most British Columbians and major employers will face a six-per-cent hike in monthly Medical Services Plan premiums effective Jan. 1, 2010 to match the rise in health care spending this fiscal year. Premiums will go up each year to deal with escalating costs. See the News Story as reported by the Vancouver Sun.

Benefit Process Simplified for Parents
of B.C. Newborns

A new federal-provincial automated benefit service will give B.C. parents the option of applying for all child benefit programs when they register the birth of their newborn. See the News Release.

Flu Vaccine Plan Will Be Too Slow: CMAJ
Canada's approach to vaccinating people against swine flu is too slow to protect the most vulnerable, an editorial in the Canadian Medical Association Journal says. See the News story as reported by the CBC.

Act or Regulation Affected Effective Date Amendment Information
There were no amendments this month.
LABOUR & COMPANY RELATED

Labour and Company News:

Consumer Taxation Branch
For the latest Bulletins from the Consumer Taxation Branch, see What's New.

Act or Regulation Affected Effective Date Amendment Information
College Pension Plan Post Retirement Group Benefit Regulation (490/2003) Sept. 1/09 by Reg. 10/2009
College Pension Plan Regulation (95/2000) Sept. 1/09 by Regs 299/2008 and 11/2009
Health Care Employers Regulation (427/94) Aug. 20/09 by Reg 194/2009
Industry Training Regulation (324/2003) Aug. 5/09 by Reg. 185/2009
Occupational Health and Safety Regulation (296/97) Sept. 1/09 by Reg 258/2008
Security Services Regulation (207/2008) Sept. 1/09 by Reg. 207/2008 as amended by Reg 161/2009
LOCAL GOVERNMENT RELATED

Local Government News:

B.C. First Nations Leaders Declare Reconciliation Act
Officially Dead - Watershed Legislation Fails Over
Provincial Rights And Powers

British Columbia's proposed Recognition and Reconciliation Act, which would have recognized aboriginal land claims throughout the province, was recently declared officially dead. See the News story as reported by the Vancouver Sun.

LoGo Notebook
Staples McDannold Stewart has posted the Summer 2009 issue of their LoGo NoteBook which includes articles on "Damages for Digging" and "Awarding Costs in Public Interest Cases" among others. See the LoGo Notebook.

Act or Regulation Affected Effective Date Amendment Information
City of Coquitlam Regulation (187/2009) NEW
Aug. 20/09
see Reg 187/2009
Electrical Safety Regulation (100/2004) Aug. 6/09 by Reg 186/2009
Gaming Control Regulation (208/2002) Aug. 20/09 by Reg 190/2009
Liquor Control and Licensing Regulation (244/2002) Aug. 20/09 by Reg 191/2009
Vancouver Olympic and Paralympic Facilities Regulation (430/2008) Aug. 27/09 by Reg 196/2009
MISCELLANEOUS
Act or Regulation Affected Effective Date Amendment Information
Election Act Sept. 1/09 by 2008 Bill 42 s. 11 only Election Amendment Act, 2008
Exemption Regulation (27/2002) Sept. 1/09 by Reg 199/2009
Ministers of State Expected Results for the 2009/2010 Fiscal Year Regulation (26/2009) Sept. 1/09 by Reg 198/2009
MOTOR VEHICLE RELATED

Motor Vehicle News:

B.C. to Ban Talking, Texting While Driving
During the Speech from the Throne, the B.C. government announced that it plans to ban texting while driving. The new law will also prohibit new drivers from talking on their cellphones, while experienced drivers would be limited to the use of hands-free telephones. See the News story as reported by the Vancouver Sun.

Act or Regulation Affected Effective Date Amendment Information
There were no amendments this month.
REAL ESTATE & BUILDERS LIEN RELATED

Real Estate and Builders Lien News:

Privacy Commissioner's Office Releases
Strata Corporation Guidelines

B.C.'s Privacy Commissioner's office this month released "Privacy Guidelines for Strata Corporations and Strata Agents". These new guidelines support B.C.'s strata corporations in meeting their privacy obligations under the Personal Information Protection Act and the Strata Property Act. Noting that strata corporations are run by condo owners who volunteer their time, Information and Privacy Commissioner David Loukidelis said, "We know those who volunteer their time to help with condo management need support in complying with the privacy law, which is why we created this tool." See the Guidelines.

No More Leaky Condo Repair Loans: Minister
The Homeowner Protection Program abruptly stopped accepting applications at the end of July. In protest, when the Legislature opened some angry condo owners gathered on the lawn, demanding the interest-free loans be continued. B.C. Housing Minister Rich Coleman has rejected the protesters' demands to reinstate the loans for leaky condos. See the News Story as reported by the CBC.

Act or Regulation Affected Effective Date Amendment Information
There were no amendments this month.
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