B.C. Greens to support NDP on confidence votes, work together on shared priorities

The mace of the B.C. legislature is seen in an image from the government's website.

The B.C. New Democratic and Green parties have reached an "agreement in principle" on a "co-operation and responsible government accord" that will see the smaller party support the government on confidence matters.

The parties will also work together to achieve specific legislative goals in the coming session.

In a statement Friday announcing the agreement, NDP Premier David Eby said the shared priorities are "strengthening health care, building affordable housing, creating livable communities and growing a strong sustainable economy."

Although Eby released the statement announcing the deal, it was Attorney General Niki Sharma who took questions from reporters later in the morning.

Asked why the leader of her party – and the premier of the province – was not participating in such an important announcement about the future stability of the NDP’s slim majority government, Sharma said reaching the deal was a team effort.

“Well, my role now does include also deputy premier. And the premier has been very much involved in this process,” Sharma said. “And, I'm happy to answer questions specifically about the work that we did and how we arrived at that agreement.” 

While the agreement announced Friday and published on the provincial government website is not the final accord between the two parties, it does note that the policies and budget commitments outlined in the agreement "are not subject to change." 

The final version of the accord will be executed in January, according to the agreement.

The agreement lists 11 specific policy initiatives that the parties agree to pursue, under the headings "health care," "mental health care," "housing," "renters protection," "homelessness," "transit," "climate," "environment," "social and economic justice," "taxation," and "democratic and electoral reform."

This last heading includes a commitment to create a special legislative all-party committee to recommend policies to be pursued in 2026 around the issues of democratic engagement and voter participation, "increasing political polarization," and improving "the representativeness of government."

"The committee will review and consider preferred methods of proportional representation as part of its deliberations," the agreement reads.

Three times since 2005, B.C. voters have rejected electoral reform in referendums, most recently in 2018.

While the NDP committed to exploring proportional representation, Sharma stopped well short of endorsing any changes to the way voters choose the government.

“We have different perspectives as parties on where we're at with proportional representation,” she said. “But what we focused on in this agreement in these discussions is (to) find areas where we could come together, through key initiatives despite those differences.” 

Other key commitments in the agreement include a pledge from the government to complete a review of its CleanBC program in 2025, one year earlier than scheduled, and to support the growth of the "Community Health Centre" model for primary care facilities in the province.

The agreement includes $50 million for expanding access to psychologists.

It says nothing about involuntary care, which is something the NDP promised to enact and the Greens were staunchly opposed to during the election campaign.

“We focused on the areas where we have a shared agreement on things that can move forward, and you’ll see that there’s provisions around psychologists, provisions around the village model,” said Rob Botterell, BC Green MLA for Saanich North and the Islands.

“Those are areas where we have agreement and those were the areas where we worked really hard to chart a path forward.”  

According to the document, the Green Party agrees to support the government on "all confidence votes," as well as "agreed-upon motions and government bills."

"We are two distinct parties with two distinct identities, and we won't always agree," Eby said in his statement.

"We also have many shared values. The agreement lays out specific areas of action we will work together to achieve. This agreement will strengthen the stability of government and help deliver on the priorities of British Columbians. We will continue to work with all MLAs who want to make the legislature work for people." 

The October provincial election left the NDP with 47 seats, the slimmest possible majority in B.C.'s 93-seat legislature.

Opposition Leader John Rustad of the B.C. Conservatives spoke out against the agreement on Friday, accusing the NDP and Greens of moving backwards.

“What I find very interesting is on election night David Eby, in a very solemn statement, talked about the fact that he heard a message loud and clear from voters that he needed to do better, that he needed to change,” Rustad told CTV News.

“And what we have seen here is doubling down on the failed policies that have caused so much destruction of B.C., through this agreement with the Green Party.”

Although opposed to any sort of electoral reform, Rustad did say the Conservatives would participate in the all-party committee meetings to make sure their thoughts on the matter are well-known and documented.  

Working with the Greens, who won two seats, will give the New Democrats more breathing room when attempting to pass legislation and survive confidence votes.

The NDP and B.C. Greens last formally worked together during former premier John Horgan's first term, when he and former Green leader Andrew Weaver reached a confidence and supply agreement allowing the two parties to unseat Christy Clark's B.C. Liberals after the 2017 election.

The agreement lasted until 2020, when Horgan called a snap election and was re-elected to a majority government.