Q&A with Jennifer Whiteside, B.C NDP candidate for New-Westminster-Coquitlam

Candidates were given one week to respond to questions. Candidates were asked to limit answers to approximately 100 words. Aside from minor spelling/grammatical errors, responses have not been altered.

How will you improve patient care at Eagle Ridge Hospital?

The BC NDP is committed to ensuring Eagle Ridge Hospital delivers the best possible care. We’ve hired over 835 new family doctors and 6,300 nurses over the last year, making BC’s nurse workforce the fastest-growing in the country. We’re planning to hire an additional 45,000 healthcare workers in the next five years. At Eagle Ridge, we’ve already expanded the emergency room to ensure residents get the timely, quality care they need and deserve.

How should the next government address the shortage of doctors in BC?

Too many people are struggling to access a family doctor, and I understand how critical it is to fix this. The BC NDP has already added over 800 new family doctors and connected nearly 250,000 people to primary care in just the last year. To keep up with demand, we’re breaking down barriers for internationally trained doctors and nurses to practice here faster. We’re also building a new medical school at SFU Surrey—the first in Western Canada in over 50 years—to ensure we have a steady supply of family doctors trained right here in BC.

How will your party approach negotiations with the Kwikwetlem First Nation regarding the future of Səmiq̓wəʔelə (formerly Riverview Lands)?

I’m proud of the reconciliation-based approach the BC NDP has taken in our ongoing partnership with the Kwikwetlem First Nation. We signed a historic Partnership Agreement in 2021, ensuring that Indigenous voices and cultural priorities are at the heart of planning the future of Səmiq̓wəʔelə.

This collaborative effort is focused on protecting heritage sites, developing community-led plans, and ensuring that this land is used in a way that respects its rich cultural significance.

What will your party do to improve ambulance response times in the Tri-Cities?

The BC NDP has a plan to improve ambulance response times by increasing staffing and resources in emergency services. Part of our commitment to hiring 45,000 healthcare workers includes adding more paramedics and expanding emergency care access. We’re also extending the hours at Urgent and Primary Care Centres (UPCC) to reduce pressure on ambulances and ensure faster care for Tri-Cities residents.

How will you incentivize the construction of more affordable housing?

Housing affordability is a priority for the BC NDP. Our Housing Action Plan aims to build 300,000 new homes in the next decade by cutting red tape and using public land for affordable housing projects. Unlike John Rustad’s Conservatives, who prioritize tax breaks for developers and want to reverse our housing measures, we remain focused on creating homes people can afford through programs like BC Builds and supporting non-market housing initiatives.

Do you believe financialized landlords and outside investors are leading to higher rents in BC? If so, what should be done about it?

Real estate speculation and financialized landlords have significantly driven up housing costs. That’s why the BC NDP has taken action by increasing the Speculation and Vacancy Tax on foreign owners and cracking down on short-term rentals like Airbnb. Unlike John Rustad, who wants to roll back these protections, I’m committed to ensuring housing is for people, not profit.

What will your party do to help low-income people and the disabled?

The BC NDP is dedicated to supporting low-income individuals and people with disabilities, raising income assistance and disability rates multiple times. We’re committed to increasing home share rates through Community Living BC and ensuring individuals retain the full Canada Disability Benefit. We’re also adjusting the spousal rule to help lift more families out of poverty and ensure they get the support they need to thrive.

The City of Coquitlam has been especially critical of the province’s small-scale, multi-unit housing legislation. Should the legislation be altered?

Our priority is ensuring we build the housing families need, such as fourplexes, townhomes, and row houses, while supporting complete communities with necessary infrastructure. In Coquitlam, we’ve invested in projects like the new Mundy Park Pool and announced $10 million for the North East Community Centre. We’ll continue working with local governments to ensure infrastructure grows alongside housing.

Right now, there’s one homeless shelter in the Tri-Cities. Would you support the construction of a second shelter? If so, how and where? How will you help the region’s homeless population?

We’re committed to making sure people struggling with homelessness, mental health, or addiction challenges get the help they need. We’ve invested in almost 6,000 units of supportive housing with another 2,000 on the way. Without those units we would have thousands of more people living on the street without getting the support they need. We’ll continue to work with local government on challenges they face with homelessness.

Do you believe we need to reduce regulations for industry? Why or why not?

While we remain committed to making BC a competitive place for investment, we must ensure that regulations protecting our environment are strong. John Rustad’s denial of climate change and his push to cut environmental protections is a risk we cannot afford. I’m focused on protecting our waterways, forests, and air quality for future generations.

Under what conditions, if any, should an employer be able to require a sick note from an employee?

Our government believes in protecting workers’ rights, and we’ve introduced five days of paid sick leave to ensure workers can recover without undue burden. Requiring sick notes can be unnecessary and places an extra strain on the healthcare system. We’re focused on making sure workers can take the time they need to recover while protecting public health.

Do we need to hire more teachers and/or counsellors in schools? Why or why not?

Yes, we need to continue hiring more teachers and counsellors. We’ve already hired over 5,700 new teachers, but as our population grows and the mental health needs of students increase, we must ensure schools are equipped to provide both quality education and adequate support. We are making sure every school has a mental health counsellor. Smaller class sizes and access to counsellors are key to student success.

John Rustad wants to increase classroom sizes, and return our education system to the way it was while he was with the BC Liberals, straining teachers, students, and families with his budget cuts.

Some independent BC schools receive up to 50 percent of the funding given to public schools. Should BC continue to subsidize private and faith-based schools?

Every child deserves a strong start, and investing in K-12 education is how we build a brighter future for our kids and our communities. We will continue to listen to teachers, parents, students, and school boards to ensure we are providing the best education possible for kids in this province.

Since the BC NDP formed government we’ve hired 5,700 new teachers and reduced class sizes to their lowest level in a decade. John Rustad has said classrooms would be fine with 40 students per teacher. Our plan is to support our education system with more teachers and education assistants.

Should BC bring back letter grades on report cards?

We want each student in BC to receive high-quality education that prepares them to succeed after graduation. This new reporting system helps students achieve their full potential by focusing on providing timely, specific, and meaningful feedback about their strengths and areas of improvements. Just like the feedback they would receive in a workplace.

All students will still get assessed on tests and assignments. Grades 10 – 12 will receive the new feedback & letter grades to prepare them for post-secondary. We are working to prepare kids for the future. You do not get a letter grade when you submit an assignment at work. We need to help our students learn the skills they need to thrive after graduation.

What should be done with the Burrard Thermal site?

BC Hydro is developing a remediation plan for the Burrard Thermal site, which has tremendous potential for clean energy and tech sector innovation. We’ll work with BC Hydro to ensure the site’s future aligns with our clean energy goals and fosters sustainable economic development.

How will you improve government transparency?

David Eby and the BC NDP are committed to transparency of government. We believe in the role the media plays in keeping government accountable and commit to being transparent on the decisions being made.

We have a fully costed platform, released earlier in the campaign so people can know what our priorities. John Rustad refuses to release a costed platform because he wants to hide the services that he would cut.

We’ve also made important changes to make government more accountable:

• We amended the Information Management Act to formalize public servants’ obligation to
  document decisions.
• We’ve increased proactive disclosures by 88 percent and added seven additional
  categories.

We’re going to keep being transparent and making sure the system works for people.

Given the recent news of RCMP officers facing discipline for racist comments in a group chat, what will you do to ensure police officers can be trusted to enforce laws equitably?

Racism and discrimination have no place in our police forces or anywhere else. We are working on reforms to improve oversight, and we will continue working to ensure that police officers enforce laws equitably and build trust with the communities they serve.

David Eby is taking action, working with communities to fight racism and hate and build a province where everyone feels welcome and safe. This includes introducing the Anti-Racism Act, working with community partners to launch the Racist Incident Helpline, bringing back the Human Rights Commission, fighting racism in our schools with a new K-12 Anti-Racism Action Plan, and passing the New Anti-Racism Data Act.

Do you accept the scientific consensus that human actions contribute to climate change? How will you ensure we reduce our emissions?

Absolutely. We’ve seen the devastating impacts of climate change in BC, from wildfires to flooding. That’s why we’re investing in renewable energy, expanding EV rebates, and supporting firefighters.

John Rustad and the BC Conservatives refusing to acknowledge the existence of climate change is a risk our province can’t afford. Our province can’t afford the kinds of cuts to wildfire service and investments in clean energy we saw the last time John Rustad was in government.

What steps should the next government take to balance BC’s budget?

We’re focused on investing in critical services like hospitals, schools, and healthcare workers while putting money back in people’s pockets through a $1,000 middle-class tax cut. The BC NDP is on the path to a balanced budget, but now is not the time to cut critical services that British Columbians rely on. We saw the impacts of budget cuts when John Rustad was last in government—overcrowded classrooms and sold-off hospital land.

Regarding TransLink, do you believe the current funding model is broken? If so, how will your government rectify the situation?

The BC NDP is committed to improving public transit, working closely with the Mayor’s Council to expand services. Our plan includes doubling bus service and adding nine Bus Rapid Transit lines, ensuring transit remains accessible and efficient for all residents. We’ll continue collaborating with local governments to ensure sustainable funding for these vital services.