Affordable housing, the new employer health tax, wild salmon in B.C. and proportional representation will be among the topics discussed by two Green Party MLAs and the local NDP MLA at an upcoming Sechelt and District Chamber of Commerce luncheon.

Nicholas Simons, NDP MLA for Powell River-Sunshine Coast, Sonia Furstenau, Green MLA for Cowichan Valley and Adam Olsen, Green MLA for Saanich North and the Islands were invited to speak at the event, slated for Aug. 23 at the Sunshine Coast Golf and Country Club.

article continues below

Theressa Logan, the Chamber’s executive director, said affordable housing and the new employer health tax are major topics of concern for local residents and business and said the health tax in particular “could be devastating for local businesses.” The BC Chamber has put a resolution forward asking the government to eliminate the tax.

Olsen will be discussing salmon, tanker traffic, marine wildlife and other topics related to the marine environment. The Chamber has also asked the MLAs to discuss the pros and cons of the proportional representation system.

A Q&A will also be held.

The event was organized after Green Party members contacted the Chamber on Friday, Aug. 10 and asked them to host the discussion as part of an outreach tour to engage with British Columbians, Logan said. “They had asked if we could host the lunch and have them join us as they are doing their circuit around the Sunshine Coast.”

She said the Chamber then invited Simons, since he represents the Coast. Logan also invited Jordan Sturdy, Liberal MLA for West Vancouver-Sea-to-Sky, to join. If he is unable to attend, Logan said he has been invited to a luncheon at a later date.

Pender Harbour, Sechelt and Gibsons chambers are also planning a panel discussion on proportional representation in the fall. They plan to invite representatives from the provincial Liberal Party, Green Party and NDP in addition to non-partisan experts, with a date and guests to be confirmed. She said the panel had been planned prior to the event because of the need for increased public engagement, which the BC Chamber has been championing as the provincial referendum approaches.

Tickets are $30 for members, $35 for non-members. RSVP by Aug. 17 to exec@secheltchamber.bc.ca.