British Columbia’s Infrastructure Minister, Bowinn Ma, has responded to criticism from the town of View Royal over the province’s new Infrastructure Projects Act, also known as Bill 15. The town raised concerns about the bill in an open letter on May 14, claiming it could reduce local decision-making and public accountability.
Bill 15 aims to speed up approvals for major public-sector projects, including schools, hospitals, and post-secondary facilities, by streamlining permitting and environmental assessments. The legislation also covers “provincially significant” private-sector projects.
View Royal’s council warned that the bill could centralize power in Victoria, weakening the influence of municipal governments and limiting public oversight. In contrast, Ma defended the legislation as a necessary step to meet the growing needs of British Columbia’s population.
“Between June 2023 and June 2024, our population grew by 188,000 people,” Ma said on May 16. “With this growth comes the need for more schools, more hospitals, and more essential infrastructure.”
She emphasized that delays often occur even for fully funded projects ready to start, citing slow or outdated bureaucratic processes. “We’ve seen projects ready to go – schools for communities, hospitals for regions – held up by permitting issues that don’t match today’s needs,” Ma added.
Premier David Eby echoed these points, noting that the bill aims to speed up approvals and get construction started faster. In a May 1 news release, Eby stated that faster infrastructure development could help create jobs and boost the economy, especially during uncertain times affected by global trade challenges.
The Infrastructure Minister also highlighted a three-step process to collaborate with local governments before the province intervenes. If consultations fail, the province could take responsibility for certain decisions to keep projects moving.
“We don’t want to take over every local decision,” Ma explained. “The three-step process allows both the provincial government and municipalities to work together to find creative solutions when existing processes fall short.”
Bill 15 has drawn attention beyond View Royal, with other municipalities and community groups questioning its potential impact on local governance. While supporters see it as a tool to accelerate urgently needed infrastructure, critics argue it could shift too much authority to the provincial level.
The legislation marks a key effort by B.C.’s government to address population growth and regional infrastructure demands quickly. By streamlining approvals, officials aim to reduce delays that have historically slowed school openings, hospital expansions, and other public projects.
As debate continues, both supporters and critics agree on one point: B.C. faces mounting pressure to provide facilities and services to meet its growing population. Bill 15 may be the province’s attempt to balance timely delivery with local input, but how effectively it does so remains closely watched.
