Enacted in 1995 and consolidated in 1996, the Recall and Initiative Act, 1996, provides for a process that allows registered voters to use petitions to propose new laws, change existing laws, or remove a sitting MLA from office. A suggested law must be within the jurisdiction of the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia. Recall and initiative petitions represent opportunities for British Columbians to participate directly in politics and the legislative process. These petitions are unique to B.C. - no other province in Canada has such legislation.
Recall is a process through which a registered voter can petition to remove a Member of the Legislative Assembly from office. A voter can only petition to recall the Member for the electoral district in which they are registered to vote. The voter must collect signatures from more than 40 percent of voters eligible to sign the petition within that electoral district.
Initiative is a process through which a registered voter can propose either a new law or changes to an existing law on matters over which the province has authority. The voter must collect signatures from 10 percent of the registered voters in each of the province's electoral districts for an initiative petition to succeed. The only petition to be successful was the 2010 initiative petition to end the Harmonized Sales Tax.
To learn more about recall and initiative petitions, visit the Elections B.C. website.
