B.C. releases 37-point anti-racism action plan

British Columbia released a 37-point Anti-Racism Action Plan on Monday with a two-year implementation timeline, targeting systemic racism across 17 core government ministries and agencies.

Attorney General Niki Sharma announced the plan during a press conference in Surrey, joined by parliamentary secretary Amna Shah and Hasan Alam, chair of the Provincial Committee on Anti-Racism. The commitments split into two tracks: 15 addressing racism affecting First Nations, Métis and Inuit peoples, and 22 addressing racism affecting racialized communities, including Muslim and Jewish people.

The plan runs from June 2026 to May 2028, with another action plan due in 2028. It builds on the 2022 Anti-Racism Data Act, which identified gaps in how provincial services reach marginalized populations.

Key areas include worker exploitation — Sharma highlighted how temporary foreign workers, international students, newcomers, and gig workers face elevated risks of abuse. The plan commits to strengthening oversight of immigration consultants and reviewing employment standards for temporary foreign and gig workers.

Another major focus is ethical AI use. Sharma emphasized that AI is becoming "increasingly present" in government operations but risks embedding racist biases that worsen existing disparities. The province will establish standards for ethical AI deployment and explore how the technology can counter historical marginalization of Indigenous and racialized communities.

The plan also addresses racism in healthcare — a priority informed by the 2020 In Plain Sight report — along with commitments spanning public safety, education, labour, children and family services, the legal system, climate response, finance, and municipal affairs.

Sharma stressed that "they were concrete actions that could be done and should be done, and that they had the buy-in of all the leaders." Each ministry will develop its own delivery and accountability plan.