Image Credit: CFJC Today

By Adam Donnelly

BC RESTART PLAN

Kamloops-North Thompson MLA hopeful more supports for business on the way as part of restart plan

May 8, 2020 | 4:30 PM

KAMLOOPS — This week has been a milestone in British Columbia’s battle against COVID-19. On Wednesday, Premier John Horgan unveiled the province’s four-phase plan to reopen BC. However, one of the criticisms is that the program lacks detail. On Friday, CFJC Today caught up with Peter Milobar to hear what the opposition MLA had to say about the blueprint to restart B.C.

“What people are saying to me is that they’re anxious to get to the next phase, but they’re also anxious not to give up the ground that we’ve made,” Premier John Horgan said at a news conference on Wednesday (May 6).

At that news conference, the Province of B.C. announced its plan to restart B.C.’s economy. However, for many, including Milobar, the plan lacked specifics on how businesses will reopen.

“Very little detail,” Milobar said of the plan. “Hopefully the provincial government will come to the table and actually help small business owners be able to weather this storm so they can actually get people back into the workforce.”

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Talk of jobs was at the forefront on Friday, as Statistics Canada announced the country lost close to two million jobs in April, which drove the unemployment rate to 13 per cent. That number is just slightly higher than the provincial unemployment rate.

“During the month of April, BC”s unemployment rate was 11.5 per cent,” Finance Minister Carole James said during a media conference earlier Friday. “That’s the result of 264,100 jobs being lost.”

Milobar was quick to give credit to the federal government for the supports they’ve announced for workers and employers but believes the province could do more to get British Columbians back to work.

“It was good to see help and support for individuals to come out so quickly from the federal government. The provincial government has been far behind in that regard, and now we see the same happen with businesses,” Milobar said. “It’s really about trying to get these businesses open and try to make sure they have the supports so they can be open so that at least a good portion of those who are going through these unemployment challenges right now can get back into the workforce and be gainfully employed again.”

James acknowledged the province has a “challenging road ahead” to get B.C.’s economy back to where it once was. However, she remains confident that recovery will occur promptly.

“With the work we see around the restart, and the way businesses are stepping up to the plate in sectors, I’m confident we’re going to see some very strong work and start to see the recovery occur,” James said.