July 17, 2025
Parteek Singh Mahal
British Columbia Premier David Eby announced a significant cabinet reshuffle Thursday morning, strategically repositioning his government less than a year out from the provincial election. The move aims to fortify B.C.’s economy and protect jobs in the face of escalating threats from the U.S. President Donald Trump and his administration.
“The world has changed since the election and since the swearing-in of our first cabinet,” Eby stated at the ceremony at Government House in Victoria. “We’ve seen escalating threats matched with actions from the president of the U.S. attacking our economy. The challenges we face, the skills that our team has, are why I’ve made the decision to strategically match members of our caucus with different roles to ensure that we’re meeting the moment for British Columbians to protect jobs and the economy.”
Key Cabinet Changes and New Roles
Two veteran MLAs, Public Safety Minister Garry Begg of Surrey-Guildford and Citizens’ Services Minister George Chow of Vancouver-Fraserview, have been moved out of cabinet.
Taking their places are two newcomers, Surrey-Newton MLA Jessie Sunner will step into the role of Minister of Post-Secondary Education and Future Skills. Victoria-Swan Lake MLA Nina Krieger is appointed Minister of Public Safety and Solicitor General.
“We need to be responsive to the changing needs of our province by growing our economy, seizing new opportunities, and making our essential services more resilient,” Premier Eby said. “We have the skills and determination both at the cabinet table and in caucus to stand up for British Columbians. I want to thank two of our veterans, Garry Begg and George Chow, for their hard work and exceptional service to British Columbians. I know they will bring the same enthusiasm to their new roles.”
Five other ministers have been shuffled into new portfolios:
Delta North MLA Ravi Kahlon returns to the Jobs portfolio, a role he previously held from November 2020 to December 2022, moving from Housing.
Indigenous Relations and Reconciliation Minister Christine Boyle, MLA for Vancouver-Little Mountain, will now head the Housing ministry.
Vancouver-West End MLA Spencer Chandra Herbert, formerly in Tourism, will take over as Minister of Indigenous Relations and Reconciliation.
Burnaby Centre MLA Anne Kang moves from Post-Secondary Education to Tourism.
Diana Gibson will take up the Citizens’ Services position, vacated by George Chow.
Additionally, Rick Glumac of Port Moody-Burquitlam has seen his Minister of State portfolio shift from Trade to AI and New Technologies.
At the parliamentary secretary level, the government has also made strategic reassignments. Garry Begg will now oversee Surrey infrastructure and George Chow will lead the province’s efforts in the Downtown Eastside and Chinatown.
Amna Shah of Surrey City Centre will add anti-racism initiatives to her existing responsibilities for mental health and addictions.
Burnaby South-Metrotown MLA Paul Choi will see his parliamentary secretary role broadened to trade writ large from a previous focus on Asia-Pacific trade.
The government’s objective with these changes is to accelerate the delivery of election promises from less than a year ago and to better navigate the ongoing tariff disputes with the United States. Premier Eby acknowledged the financial constraints brought on by Trump’s election in November and subsequent threats, which forced a re-evaluation of signature campaign promises like the $1,000 grocery rebate.
Despite these challenges, Eby has also pushed forward with legislation to expedite environmental assessment processes for major projects, including highways, wind farms, and critical mineral mines. This initiative is part of a broader strategy to diversify B.C.’s economy and reduce its reliance on the U.S., as President Trump recently threatened to impose 35 percent tariffs on Canadian goods not compliant with the CUSMA trade agreement.
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