The B.C. government is looking for feedback from residents as the province continues to recover from the COVID-19 economic downturn.

A six week long online survey has been launched, and Premier John Horgan says it will help guide how the $1.5 billion set aside for recovery should be spent. That money is part of the province’s $5 billion action plan that was announced back in March.

“We’ve had over 1,500 outreach sessions involving business, labour, not for profits, community leaders and others across B.C.,” he said. “Over 20,000 individuals have been talked to, but as we’ve been developing these ideas, there’s been a gap. And that gap involves asking British Columbians what they think.”

People will also be able to email in their suggestions or take part in a virtual town hall later this month.

“We have been successful through the shut down because we’ve worked together. We will be successful in the recovery if we continue on that path,” Horgan added.

“[Now we want to know] how do British Columbians fit in to the recovery that we all want to see? How do British Columbians participate in that recovery, and more importantly how can their family participate in a more meaningful way?”

Finance Minister Carole James says the financial hit the B.C. economy has taken is unlike anything the province has seen before, with B.C. having lost about 314,000 jobs since February, the vast majority in the service sector.

However, she noted it is too early to calculate the full economic consequences of the pandemic.

“Unlike previous recessions, this crisis came on suddenly caused by a health emergency rather than over time within the economy itself,” James said. “We’ve had to close many parts of our economy in order to prevent the spread of the virus, to prevent deaths, and to prevent further economic damage.”

“While we did see a little glimmer of hope in the most recent employment numbers, they don’t come anywhere close to being able to address the job losses.”

James says the lowest wage earners have been the hardest hit, while young people and women have been the most vulnerable.

“The youth unemployment rate is a staggering 29 per cent and women make up more than 60 per cent of the job losses in the hardest hit sector,” she said, noting that rebuilding the economy is going to be a massive task.

Horgan meanwhile disagreed when asked if the province was in a holding pattern by seeking more feedback over six weeks instead of allocating more money to people and businesses that are impacted.

“We have been spending $3.5 billion to this point in time and we have been preparing to spent the $1.5 billion by the engagement processes that we’ve been involved in,” Horgan said. “This is supplementing that in an appropriate way it seems to me by asking British Columbians what they think. I’m unapologetic about that.”

Added James, “we need to be open to new ideas and new approaches. At the same time, core B.C. values like equity, taking care of each other, sustainability, and reconciliation have not changed,” she said.

Liberals Disappointed with Announcement

The opposition B.C. Liberals say the announcement is disappointing  saying the only plan the NDP have is the survey, leaving British Columbians to fend for themselves.

“People are still out of work, businesses are facing bankruptcy, the public health threat from COVID-19 isn’t over, and what does the NDP do? They launch an online survey,” Leader Andrew Wilkinson said in a statement.

“This shows the NDP don’t have any plan at all. We’ve sent 12 letters with over 40 suggestions and ideas to John Horgan and the best they could come up with to help lead our economic recovery is a survey.”

Wilkinson says the impacts of COVID-19 are being felt across the province in every sector of the economy, noting that the government needs to lead as people try to navigate the crisis.

“British Columbians assumed that for the past four months the NDP was working hard behind the scenes on an economic recovery plan, but today we found out that their only plan isn’t actually a plan at all,” Finance Critics Shirley Bond and Stephanie Cadieux added.

“The NDP have had plenty of time to listen and now should have been the time for decisive action and a specific plan.  Instead, we get an announcement about the launch of a survey and needing more time to consult, delaying the help that people need now.”