6 New Laws That Are Now In Effect In BC & The Changes Impact Everyone

There are some new laws and regulations for B.C. that are starting in the new year, and you definitely will want to know about them.

Changes ranging from environmental policies to sick day laws are going to be coming in 2022. A lot of the new rules — like the single-use plastic ban — will probably impact your everyday life, so it's important to know all the details about them.

Here are six new laws and regulations that will affect people in B.C. this coming year.

Single-use plastic ban

Vancouver is banning single-use plastic bags and putting fines on paper bags and some beverage cups.

There will be a fee of 25 cents for single-use beverage cups, and a 15-cent fee for paper bags, which must be made out of at least 40% recycled content.

The changes will start on January 1, 2022, so remember to start bringing your reusable bag to the store!

Paid sick leave

As of January 1, 2022, most workers in B.C. are going to have five paid sick days.

It will be the new minimum amount required for jobs under the Employment Standards Act and includes part-time workers.

We all know how it's super important to stay home if you're feeling sick, and now you can actually do that without losing out on pay.

Protection of customers

Starting May 1, 2022, people who use certain high-cost credit products to make ends meet are going to have more protection under new regulations.

A press release from the B.C. government said that there will be more oversight under this new framework on things like "high-interest instalment loans and lines of credit above 32% interest."

These high-cost products will need annual licensing and will face more rules around their fees and practices. There will also be requirements set for credit agreements, aimed to help protect customers.

With these changes also comes a fund, paid for by the industry, that will help educate customers on finances.

Emergency management

After a year of intense weather, with historic flooding and extreme heat, new emergency management legislation is expected to be introduced in the fall of 2022.

The details are not released yet, but we can expect to see some new laws.

Homebuyer protection

The province is introducing legislation that will give homebuyers in B.C. a cooling-off period. Under this legislation, which is targeted for introduction in spring 2022, you'll have a short period in which you can back out of the purchase of a home without serious consequences.

With house prices being super high in some areas, this is great news for buyers.

Climate preparedness

According to the B.C. environmental plan, CleanBC Roadmap to 2030, regulations will be changed in 2022.

The plan does not specify what exactly will change, but it does say that the Climate Preparedness and Adaptation Strategy will be released in 2022, and the CleanBC Program for Industry will be redesigned to "align with new federal carbon pricing rules," in the new year.

This article's cover image was used for illustrative purposes only.