NDP House Leader Farnworth says government plans passing 18 bills during fall session

VICTORIA — British Columbia house leader Mike Farnworth said the NDP government plans to pass 18 bills in the fall session of the legislature by the time it ends in late November.

Farnworth said the government will focus on growing the economy, protecting health care and dealing with affordability and good governance issues, adding that most of the bills will be tabled during the session’s first week to give MLAs time to read the legislation.

He said one of the bills would enable BC Hydro’s planned North Coast Transmission Line between Prince George and Terrace.

The house leader said government will not bring back elements pulled from a bill in response to American tariffs, which spurred criticism over powers it would have given government to revise almost every law and regulation in B.C. through orders-in-council.

The act in response to U.S. government tariffs was tabled during the spring session and drew widespread opposition from Opposition Conservatives, former B.C. Liberals, B.C. Greens, business groups and civil libertarians among others.

He said the government will function “as it has done in years’ past” with the opening day of the fall session expected to coincide with a large rally by members of British Columbia General Employees’ Union who are in the fifth week of escalating strike action.

UBC political science lecturer Stewart Prest said the labour dispute only adds to the “pressure” facing the NDP as the legislature resumes.

“It’s always a danger for governments to court significant labour unrest on their watch,” he said, adding that the current situation is unusual for a New Democrat government, which has generally found ways to maintain labour peace.

B.C.’s current financial situation is worse than in the past, which Prest said may stiffen government’s resistance to contract concessions.

“But in so doing, there are going to be stronger pressures for extended strikes, and that is the kind of thing that can really lead to deepening unrest among the population,” he said.

Prest said the Opposition B.C. Conservatives will continue to find themselves in a “two-front war,” with Leader John Rustad attacking the NDP, as he continues to “fight for his political life.”

Just as the Conservatives had badgered the former BC United party, which was more to the centre of the political spectrum, the Conservatives now face pressure from One BC, a party that stands further to the right, Prest said.

That party consists of former Conservative MLAs Dallas Brodie and Tara Armstrong, and Prest said he expects that party to generate a lot of attention.

Farnworth said it is too early to tell how the legislature will work with four official parties, but notes that it’s not the first time the legislature has seen this many parties.

B.C. Green Party House Leader Rob Botterell said his party is looking forward to working with the other parties on the priorities of British Columbians, including affordability.

The party recently elected climate activist Emily Lowan as its new leader, but Lowan won’t join Botterell and Jeremy Valeriote on the house floor, because she lacks a seat in the legislature.

Botterell acknowledged that the party is still sorting out its communication logistics, but he, Valeriote and Lowan will be working toward a consensus.

“I think it is terrific that Emily is the leader of the party,” Botterell said. “We are meeting and working together and building a common view of how we are going to approach the fall,” he said.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 2, 2025.