The B.C. government is trying to weaken access to information with a bill that’s now before the legislature, say opposition parties and advocates.
Citizens’ Services Minister Diana Gibson says the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Amendment Act, 2026, makes minor changes that will make the system work better.
But MLAs with both the Conservative Party of BC and the BC Greens say the bill is part of a long-term erosion of access rights and will make it even harder for people trying to get information from the government.
B.C. Conservative MLA for Langley-Willowbrook Jody Toor said during debate that at first glance the bill seems to make small administrative amendments.
The government is focusing on transparency and much has changed in the more than 30 years since the legislation was created, Gibson said. “Anybody who has email right now knows how much volume there is of information. Email, texts, different services, things like WhatsApp and Signal, there’s so much information.”
The average response has grown to 500 pages, and they often include sensitive information about third parties that needs to be reviewed before release, she said.
