Letter to Minister of Finance Brenda Bailey
PEA Executive Director Melissa Moroz wrote to BC Minister of Finance Brenda Bailey to offer congratulations on her appointment and request a meeting to discuss ways to strengthen the public service. Text of the letter can be seen below.
A meeting date has been set for February 2025.
January 23, 2025
To the Honourable Minister Bailey,
On behalf of the Professional Employees Association (PEA), I would like to extend our sincere congratulations on your appointment as the Minister of Finance for British Columbia. We look forward to working with you to advance the province’s priorities and strengthen the public service.
The PEA represents 1,750 highly skilled, licensed professionals working across various sectors of the BC Public Service. Our members include agrologists, engineers, foresters, geoscientists, lawyers, pharmacists, psychologists and veterinarians who provide essential services to British Columbians. These professionals play a critical role in ensuring public safety and managing natural resources. Whether advising on land-use planning, providing expert legal counsel, or managing our roads, bridges and dams, PEA members are integral to the effective functioning of our province.
We are eager to work collaboratively with you to help strengthen the public service, ensuring it continues to meet the evolving needs of British Columbians. We are encouraged by the commitment in your mandate letter to advancing reconciliation and fully implementing the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act, and we are likewise eager to work with you to accomplish these goals. To that end, we respectfully request a meeting with you to discuss the important contributions of government licensed professionals and how we can bolster this critical workforce.
One of the key issues we would like to address is the ongoing challenge of recruiting and retaining qualified professionals. Despite the crucial roles they play, compensation levels for licensed professionals are not competitive, nor are they aligned with the cost of living in the province. This compensation gap is a significant barrier to attracting and retaining top talent.
We are concerned that the recent announcement of a temporary pause on external hiring will exacerbate these challenges. Professionals are already in short supply, and limiting recruitment efforts will further strain the ability of the government to deliver services and meet its policy goals. We would also like to discuss the limit to capital spending that hinders our members from having the necessary tools required to do their jobs. The capital spending limit must be increased to avoid costly delays or mistakes caused by substandard equipment.
We look forward to a response to our request for a meeting with you. In the interim, please do not hesitate to contact us with any questions.Sincerely,
Melissa Moroz
Executive Director
CC:
Dwayne Anderson, Chair of the PEA’s Government Licensed Professionals Chapter, dwayne.anderson@gov.b.ca
Andrea Mears, PEA Labour Relations Officer, amears@pea.org
