Posts by Marc Lee

About Marc Lee

Marc Lee is a Senior Economist at the CCPA’s BC Office. In addition to tracking federal and provincial budgets and economic trends, Marc has published on a range of topics from poverty and inequality to globalization and international trade to public services and regulation. Marc is Co-Director of the Climate Justice Project, a research partnership with UBC's School of Community and Regional Planning that examines the links between climate change policies and social justice. Follow Marc on Twitter

Reading the policy tea leaves: What BC’s new cabinet appointments tell us about the government’s priorities

Nov 28, 2024

By Marc Lee

In the absence of mandate letters, let’s take a look at what the new cabinet picks and the reorganization of some key ministries tell us, in light of NDP and Green election promises…. View Article

This election we need a conversation about phasing out fossil fuels

Oct 1, 2024

By Marc Lee

In this BC election, we need to have a real conversation about upping our climate game. That means phasing out the production and consumption of the fossil fuels that are causing climate change. Here’s how. … View Article

Building equity: lessons for affordable housing in BC

Sep 18, 2024

By Marc Lee and Alex Hemingway

No topic has dominated the headlines in recent years more than housing, or the growing lack of affordable options in Metro Vancouver and other cities in British Columbia. Scarce and expensive housing is eroding the province’s liveability and economy and large price rises have become a source of enormous wealth inequality. Our new report… View Article

Time to get on board with free public transit

Sep 12, 2024

By Marc Lee

The BC Green Party made the first big splash of the 2024 provincial election campaign with a major commitment to expand public transit, including a promise of “free public transit, province-wide” that has been widely criticized as being too costly. While shifting to free transit for everyone, everywhere could be fiscally and logistically challenging in… View Article

Cedar LNG: Chronicles of a petro-state in the age of climate change

Jul 31, 2024

By Marc Lee

A final investment decision in June 2024 by Cedar LNG highlights the challenges and contradictions of BC’s climate and energy policies. For the BC government, this is the model industrial project: it creates jobs and development in the North, has a major Indigenous partner in the Haisla Nation and will meet the low-emissions target established… View Article

How BC’s oil and gas industry sidestepped carbon pricing

Jun 27, 2024

By Marc Lee

When BC first introduced a carbon tax in 2008 the point was to apply it to all emissions causing climate change, but start at a low rate and increase it over time. Yet, as the carbon tax has increased for households at the gas pump and to heat homes, large industrial players—including the oil and… View Article

Bolder moves needed for taxing the rich

May 1, 2024

By Marc Lee and DT Cochrane

Even with the 2024 change, the income from buying and selling assets will be taxed less than from working. … View Article

Time for a new public transit investment plan

Mar 28, 2024

By Marc Lee

Imagine being able to get from almost anywhere in BC to anywhere else on public transit, as one might in Europe or Asia. Or visitors landing at Vancouver airport and being able to get seamlessly around the province without the need to rent a car. Whether it’s dealing with bumper-to-bumper congestion in Metro Vancouver or… View Article