As part of a look back at 2025 and look ahead to 2026, we’re talking with some key West Kootenay newsmakers, including Kootenay-Monashee MLA Steve Morissette.
What was the highlight of 2025 for you?
I was so excited about being the voice for our area. I’m really thankful for this role and I don’t take the responsibility lightly. I’m committed to doing my best to serve our region and British Columbia. It’s been such an eventful year in our region with housing and daycare groundbreaking, a new elementary school in Trail, a new community healthcare facility. We opened affordable housing in Fruitvale as well as Kalesnikoff’s grand opening of their new modular construction factory that’s going to provide another 100 jobs, which is just fantastic. So it’s been a great year.
The other thing about this first year for me, it’s been all about listening, learning, and building connections with constituents, with British Columbians, other MLAs and staff. I’ve been entrusted with some pretty important roles that I’m thankful for, such as parliamentary secretary of rural development, a member of the finance committee, also a member of the Treasury Board, and one of three BC representatives on the Pacific Northwest Economic Region, which includes five states and five provinces. I’ve had the chance to hear from folks all over British Columbia and our neighboring states. So it’s been a huge learning curve, but fun and great to learn of the challenges throughout British Columbia.
What are you looking forward to most in 2026?
Now that I’m getting into the groove of the legislature, I’m planning to use the bit of knowledge that I’ve picked up and the relationships I’ve built to push for improvements in rural BC around healthcare, transportation, substance use, homelessness, daycare, small businesses, forestry.
My focus this coming year will be on supporting our rural colleges, which are the foundation of everything we do. They train everyone from trades to forestry, daycare staff, healthcare workers, high-tech workforce. Federal immigration restrictions in the last couple of years have really impacted the finances of rural colleges. So we’ve got to find a way to sustain them. Colleges like Selkirk College are crucial to our area and to all the areas of BC.
Yes, it was a devastating year for Selkirk, which announced the impending closure of the Kootenay Studio Arts and then to be losing jobs and programs. What can be done if the federal government isn’t interested in bringing in international students as before?
We have to find new ways of financially sustaining the colleges. Colleges have lots of great ideas, and we as government need to work with them to find ways to sustain them, to make them viable. They’re so important to rural areas. They’re a bridge to higher education. They’re the bridge to trades and so on. They’re a good stepping stone for local kids who maybe aren’t ready to move away and and live on their own. It’s a nice bridge for our kids. So we’ve got to keep them viable.
Will be your greatest challenge in 2026 or what else might consume a lot of your time?
The colleges for sure is going to be a focus, but I’m heavily involved on finance committee and Treasury Board. Our biggest challenge is making sure we can continue to provide the services people need while keeping our budget and our deficit in check. It’s going to be challenging, but it’s going to be fun to work through solutions.
Anything else that you’d like to add about the year coming to a close or the year coming up?
There’s a lot of work to do, and I’m honoured and energized to do this work going forward. I truly respect the responsibility giving to me, and I will work hard in 2026.
