Candidate: Henry Yao
Riding: Richmond Centre
Party: BC NDP
Occupation: MLA in Richmond South Centre from 2020-2024
Where do you live (city)? Richmond
Top priorities for Richmond
David Eby and the BC NDP are taking action to help with costs, make health care better, make our streets safer and build homes that people can afford. As a father of two young children, I want Richmond to continue to be an amazing place to live and raise a family.
Past achievements
We invested in Richmond Lions Manor-Fentiman long-term care home with 150 more beds for seniors, repaired the Richmond Caring Place, and have a newly refurbished and relocated cancer care clinic opening at Richmond Hospital.
We also secured funding for Richmond, including $16.5 million for expanding Samuel Brighouse Elementary School by 150 seats, William Cook Elementary School by 125 seats, $20.7 million for seismic upgrades at Howard Debeck Elementary School, $245,000 for the roof repairs of the Richmond Caring Place, $175,000 for TCM Chinese language examination supports and $1,000,000 to support the Richmond Night Market during COVID-19.
Yes/no questionnaire (candidate can give 150-word answers to three questions)
1. Do you support a provincial carbon tax?
For many years, British Columbians agreed that the carbon tax was a useful tool in fighting climate change. Unfortunately, a series of decisions in Ottawa politicized it - and at the same time, people are being squeezed by global inflation and high interest rates. If Ottawa removes the federal requirement for a carbon tax, we will remove the carbon tax on British Columbians - while ensuring that big polluters pay their fair share. John Rustad has called climate science a “lie” and says “we should not be trying to fight climate change.” The fight against climate change is far bigger than any single tax. David Eby and the BC NDP believe climate change is a real, present threat and won’t stop taking action to reduce emissions and protect biodiversity.
2. Do you support Bill 44/47 to increase density in residential areas and near rapid transit? YES
3. Are you committed to keeping SOGI policies in B.C.’s education system? YES
4. Do you support Truth and Reconciliation with B.C.’s Indigenous population? YES
5. Do you support lower taxes for B.C. businesses? YES
6. Should the provincial government do more protect businesses from vandalism and other crimes? YES
7. Do you think the province should lobby the federal government for bail reform? YES
8. Do you support the privatization of health care in B.C.? NO
9. Should health-care workers who lost their jobs for not being vaccinated be compensated? NO
10. Do you support a safe supply of drugs for people with a severe substance-use disorder? DIDN'T ANSWER
11. Do you support a safe drug injection/consumption site in Richmond?
The BC NDP won't be setting up an overdose prevention site in Richmond. We'll continue to deliver the care people need, including counselling, health services, and more treatment and recovery centres. We also opened the Foundry Centre for youth in Richmond which provides mental health treatment, social services and peer support. As a province, we must help ease the pain of mental illness and addiction and end the tragic deaths from the poisoned drug crisis taking place in our communities. The BC NDP is taking action to get people treatment and keep our communities safe. John Rustad isn't being truthful about OPS sites. First he said they save lives, then he said he would close them - but then they said they won't, they'll keep them open.
12. Do you believe in mandatory (involuntary) care for people with a severe substance-use disorder? YES
13. Do you think there should be more supportive housing in Richmond? YES
14. Should the province be building more subsidized housing to combat the housing crisis? YES
15. Should the market be allowed to determine rents?
Many renters are struggling right now, and David Eby and the BC NDP are taking action to support them. To help renters, we brought in a $400 renters rebate and capped rent increases to inflation, saving a renting family $1,100 per year. We're also preserving existing affordable rental buildings with the Rental Protection Fund. David Eby’s Housing Action Plan also creates 300,000 more middle-income homes, including affordable rentals. John Rustad would rip up our Plan. He would eliminate the rent increase cap, turn the market over to speculators, and drive rents even higher. We can't afford to let John Rustad cancel David Eby's Housing Action Plan. Let's keep taking action on housing and build a future where everyone can afford to live here.
16. Do you support reverting to a bridge plan to replace the George Massey Tunnel? NO
**Editor's note: The News will be publishing profiles of candidates who submitted them before our deadline. They will be published between Monday, Oct. 7 and Thursday, Oct. 10.
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