The BC Conservatives have called on the BC NDP to come clean about what officials knew in the lead up to Small Business BC declaring bankruptcy.In a letter to Premier David Eby, former minister of jobs, economic development, and innovation Brenda Bailey, and current JEDI minister Diana Gibson, Kelowna-Mission MLA and JEDI Shadow Minister Gavin Dew demanded that the government provide answers."This collapse is not just a reflection of government oversight — or lack thereof," Dew wrote. "It also raises significant questions about SBBC's governance and operational sustainability. SBBC has played a crucial role for over four decades in supporting tens of thousands of businesses across the province. However, its status as a semi-autonomous organization, heavily reliant on government funding and both formal and informal direction, means that both its internal management and the provincial government’s oversight deserve scrutiny. Entrepreneurs and taxpayers deserve clear answers about what went wrong, who knew what when, and how this was allowed to happen."He proceeded to outline nine questions he would like to have answer, including when the JEDI ministry was first made aware of SBBC's financial state, whether there were any oversight mechanisms that could have been utilized by the JEDI representatives on the board, and whether any steps are being taken to ensure that the services provided by SBBC will be available for small business going forward.Dew also requested information regarding whether the collapse stemmed from "a withdrawal of government funding or fiscal mismanagement," and whether a forensic audit has been initiated."Bankruptcy does not happen overnight," he noted. "The government had direct representation on SBBC's board to steward its investments and provide oversight. How, then, did this situation escalate to the point of no return without intervention? If the government was aware, why did it fail to act? And if it was not aware, this raises further concerns about its ability to effectively oversee organizations it funds and influences.".Cons say Small Business BC bankruptcy evidence NDP failing private sector.SBBC announced that it had gone under on December 5, just a month after new funding was promised.
