MLA Anderson talks health care, environment at Nakusp, Kaslo councils

Both Nakusp and Kaslo councils were treated to presentations from Nelson-Creston NDP MLA Brittny Anderson during their council meetings on June 24 and 25, respectively. 

Anderson is also the Parliamentary Secretary for Tourism to the Minister of Arts, Culture and Sport, and the Premier’s Special Advisor on Youth.

Currently, Anderson is Kaslo’s MLA, but not Nakusp’s. However, provincial riding boundaries will change for this fall’s election, and both Kaslo and Nakusp will be in the new Kootenay Central riding along with Nelson and Creston.

Health care

Anderson co-chairs the provincial government’s rural caucus, which is made up of 10 NDP MLAs that represent and serve rural communities. 

“Our goal is to use our collective voice to maximize our impact for our rural constituents,” she said.

A few years ago, Anderson said the rural caucus identified three issues it believed were impacting rural communities in a unique way – transportation, health care, and transportation to health care. 

“There are [government] incentives for doctors and nurses to attract them to rural areas … we’re incentivizing people to stay [in rural areas] so that there is equitable access to healthcare,” she said. 

Anderson said the province has also provided funding for eligible people to have their transportation to health-care appointments costs covered. One initiative is Hope Air, a national medical travel assistance program. Another is through the BC Cancer Society, which offers funding for cancer patients’ transportation to appointments. 

And the transportation to health care piece is not just about the “big stuff” like flights and accommodations, said Anderson, but also for rides to and from more local appointments, if someone isn’t able to drive home on their own after a treatment.

Nakusp Mayor Tom Zeleznik said Hope Air isn’t able to use Nakusp’s airport because the runway is too short. Anderson replied that the Ministry of Transportation is providing funding for rural community airports, and that she’d look into whether this would be available to Nakusp. 

Kaslo Mayor Suzan Hewat wondered if Anderson could look into lobbying for more funding from health authorities and the Ministry of Health, to help BC Transit provide medical transportation. She also put in a request for more extended care beds at the Victorian Community Health Centre because “the need has only grown.” Anderson added it to her notes. 

Kaslo Councillor Erika Bird brought up the continued need for a dialysis unit at Kootenay Lake Hospital in Nelson. Anderson said she has had positive conversations with Minister of Health Adrian Dix that “gave her a lot of hope.”

Environment

Anderson touched on the environment by speaking about a few initiatives and actions by the government.

First up was 30 by 30. 

In 2023, the governments of Canada and B.C., and the First Nations Leadership Council, signed a tripartite framework agreement to protect and conserve 30 per cent of B.C.’s land and water by 2030.

“This is really a one-of-a-kind agreement in this province,” she said. “And we’re really leading the way in North America in terms of the work that we’re doing with this.”

Anderson also talked about the draft BC Biodiversity and Ecosystem Health Framework, which aims to prioritize conservation and management of ecosystems, including species at risk. 

The draft went out for public feedback earlier this year, said Anderson, with a final draft release delayed due to such overwhelming public response.

“There were over 7,000 people that responded … it’s really important that we are able to go through all those responses and incorporate that feedback into the what the final draft will look like so it’s taking a little longer.”

2023 saw another step for the environment when the B.C. government removed the ‘unduly’ clause from the Forest Practices and Planning Regulation. The clause meant that setting aside land for habitat and species protection could not ‘unduly’ affect timber supply – even if the logging was happening in sensitive ecosystems, said Anderson. 

“[The clause] basically said, you should protect these things, unless it’s too inconvenient.”

Without the clause, timber doesn’t take precedence over habitat protection, she said. 

Anderson did note that this is a big decision, since forestry is a huge economic driver in B.C. Mills in the area are feeling challenged, and many community members work in forestry. 

“I want to get us to a place where we’re really proud of our forestry industry,” she said. 

Anderson said she would love to see community forests expanded. Bird noted that community forests become a challenge when international trade comes into the picture.

Both Nakusp and Kaslo have community forests.