British Columbia.

• Date: 22 December 2020
• Author: Stickle, Katey

Summer Sitting and Dissolution

As noted in the previous issue, on June 22, 2020, the Legislative Assembly adopted two Sessional Orders outlining procedural measures to facilitate hybrid proceedings of the Legislative Assembly and virtual meetings of the Committee of Supply in a summer sitting period that ended on August 14, 2020. During the Fifth Session of the 41st Parliament, 21 bills received Royal Assent, including 15 that passed in the hybrid summer sitting period.

On September 21, 2020, Lieutenant Governor Janet Austin acting on the advice of Premier John Horgan dissolved the Legislative Assembly, pursuant to section 23(1) of the Constitution Act, R.S.B.C. 1996, c. 66, thus ending British Columbia's first minority parliament since 1952. The provincial general election will take place on October 24, approximately one year earlier than the fixed election date scheduled for the third Saturday in October 2021 per section 23(2) of the Constitution Act. Party standings at dissolution were: 41 BC New Democratic Party, 41 BC Liberal Party, two BC Green Party, two Independent Members, and one seat vacant.

Sixteen of 87 Members, including Speaker Darryl Plecas, are not seeking re-election. To assist Members who served in the 41st Parliament, Legislative Assembly staff expedited the preparation of an updated 2020 Transition Guide for Members of the Legislative Assembly which consolidates key policies and procedures relating to the transition period. The document provides guidance and information, including necessary procedures, for Members and their staff and is available on the Assembly's website. Further supports and materials will be made available following general voting day to Members who will take their place as part of the 42nd Parliament.

Elections BC has adopted measures to ensure safe voting during the COVID-19 pandemic. These include physical distancing, capacity limits, protective barriers, and hand sanitizing stations at in-person voting places; and additional advance voting opportunities. Vote-by-mail, which is available to all voters in BC, is also expected to be a popular option. Typically, around one percent of ballots in a provincial election are cast by mail; however, given the COVID-19 pandemic, approximately 30 to 35 percent of ballots, or 800,000, could be cast by mail. As of October 6, Elections BC had received an estimated 597,000 vote-by-mail package requests.

Legislation

Key bills adopted during the hybrid summer sitting period included the following:

Bill 19, COVID-19 Related Measures Act enacts ministerial orders made under section 10 of the Emergency Program Act in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and allows them to be extended beyond the end of...