More than 10,000 British Columbians are urging the provincial government to scrap proposed changes to freedom-of-information laws, warning that new legislation will make it easier for officials to delay or deny public records requests.The Canadian Taxpayers Federation delivered the petition to the B.C. legislature, targeting Bill 9, which critics say would weaken the province’s access-to-information rules and reduce government transparency.“The B.C. NDP is rolling back the public’s right to know,” said Carson Binda, B.C. Director for the Canadian Taxpayers Federation. “Politicians from all parties need to show they’re accountable to taxpayers by opposing Bill 9.”Under the proposed changes, government bodies would no longer be required to respond to freedom-of-information requests “without delay” and would instead only have to respond “without reasonable delay,” a shift critics say effectively gives officials discretion to set their own timelines. The bill also expands the ability of public bodies to refuse requests.“Premier David Eby is attacking the public’s right to know because he keeps getting caught wasting taxpayers’ money,” Binda said. “Now 10,000 B.C. taxpayers are calling on Eby to stop his attack on the public’s right to know.”The petition comes amid a series of spending controversies exposed through freedom-of-information requests in recent years, which have fueled criticism of government transparency and accountability..Among them, senior bureaucrats were found billing taxpayers for vehicle leases costing about $1,200 per month. By comparison, a 2026 Range Rover Evoque S lease is reported at about $926 per month.Finance Minister Brenda Bailey also faced scrutiny after billing $6,600 for an SUV-limousine during a four-day trip to Boston that she described as a “junket.”In another case, the province spent $164,000 on 1,000 cups of coffee as part of a public relations campaign in Seattle.B.C. Conservative Citizens’ Services critic Jody Toor accepted the petition on behalf of the opposition in the legislature. Citizens’ Services Minister Diana Gibson did not attend the petition presentation.“It’s disappointing that the provincial government is trying to strip away the public’s right to know,” Binda said. “Toor and the opposition stepped up and showed leadership by listening to taxpayers who want accountable government.”
