Parliamentary Committees

Parliamentary committees are appointed by the Legislative Assembly to undertake business on behalf of the Assembly. They are comprised of small groups of MLAs from government and opposition. Committees obtain their powers from the Legislative Assembly and must report their findings back to the Assembly.

The parliamentary committee system allows for a more detailed examination of policy and other matters than is possible in the larger Assembly. At times, the committee system provides members of the public with an opportunity to have direct input into the parliamentary process by participating in a public consultation. Committees may travel throughout British Columbia to seek input and fulfill their mandate.

There are two types of parliamentary committees: Select Standing Committees and Special Committees.

Select Standing Committees

• Select Standing Committees are permanent committees and are set out in Standing Order 68(1). Select Standing Committees, while permanent, are only active if they receive a terms of reference from the Assembly.

Special Committees

• Special Committees are temporary committees that may be created by the Legislative Assembly to undertake a specific task. These committees cease to exist after they have completed their work and have presented a final report to the Assembly. Special committees are also involved in recommending candidates for statutory officer positions.

Once MLAs have been appointed to a committee, a Chair and Deputy Chair are elected at its first meeting. The Chair is typically a member of government and the Deputy Chair is typically a member of the Official Opposition, although this may vary by committee.  As an example, the Select Standing Committee on Public Accounts is traditionally chaired by an Official Opposition MLA).

For more information on parliamentary committees, visit the Parliamentary Committees website.