Thank you, Mr. Small.
Thank you for being here, Minister.
Minister, your department was a funding partner of B.C.'s invasive mussel defence program that inspects watercraft at B.C.'s borders, but you allowed that funding to lapse last year, and that decision has directly weakened the most effective protection of B.C.'s waters against aquatic invasive species, especially zebra mussels and quagga mussels.
In 2022, your government supported the B.C. mussel defence program with $475,000. This was completely cut in 2023, and for 2024 you've announced only $90,000 for the program, a reduction of over 80%.
Why has your government abandoned B.C.'s invasive mussel defence program?