98% of B.C. Business Leaders Say DRIPA Failing to Deliver Investment Certainty
BCBC survey shows 98% of business leaders say DRIPA fails to deliver investment certainty, with 74% cutting B.C. investment plans and 73% facing increased permitting complexity.
Thursday, May 7, 2026· By Jason York
A sweeping 98 per cent of business leaders say British Columbia's Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People's Act (DRIPA) isn't living up to its original promise of creating greater investment certainty in the province, according to a new survey released May 6, 2026, by the Business Council of British Columbia (BCBC). The same share of respondents—98 per cent—reported being "very concerned" about DRIPA applying to all laws in the province, marking a stark reversal from 2019 when the Act was introduced with broad support as a tool for reconciliation and economic certainty.
Business impacts from DRIPA implementation show overwhelmingly negative effects, with decreased investment and increased permitting complexity leading concerns among B.C. business leaders surveyed in April 2026.
The economic impacts are hitting hard across multiple fronts. When asked what effects they're seeing from DRIPA's implementation, 74 per cent of respondents said they're decreasing investment plans in B.C., while 73 per cent reported more time, cost, complexity, or uncertainty in obtaining permits.
The challenges extend beyond permitting delays: 41 per cent said it's harder to obtain external finance, 36 per cent reported slower or negative sales growth, and one in three said they're decreasing hiring plans in B.C. Another 32 per cent cited negative impacts on cash flow or balance sheets. On the positive side, only 3 per cent said DRIPA was reducing time, cost, complexity, or uncertainty in obtaining permits, while zero respondents reported increasing investment plans or hiring plans in B.C. Just 4 per cent said there was no direct impact on their operations.
The frustration reflects a dramatic shift from the Act's introduction. According to BCBC President and CEO Laura Jones, "There's been a huge shift since 2019, when the vast majority of people supported DRIPA as a way to advance reconciliation and create the certainty investors need". Jones emphasized that "the desire to work with Indigenous communities to create prosperity for all remains strong, but the message from business leaders is clear: DRIPA isn't working".
The findings stand in sharp contrast to the provincial government's 2019 statement that the legislation would "create further certainty for investment" and provide "rules, transparency, and accountability" when working with Indigenous governing bodies. The survey also found that 83 per cent of respondents strongly disagree that the provincial government has clearly articulated its vision for reconciliation.
The disconnect between DRIPA's stated goals and its real-world impact has created what Jones describes as a certainty crisis. The report explains that while "over 80% of respondents agree that finding a path forward on reconciliation with First Nations is important", the current implementation is achieving the opposite of its intended effect—creating uncertainty instead of reducing it.
This helps explain why 59 per cent of respondents favour repealing DRIPA, 31 per cent support amending it, and only 2 per cent back keeping it unchanged. The business community's concern isn't about reconciliation itself but about execution: 100 per cent of respondents expressed either "very concerned" (98%) or "somewhat concerned" (2%) about DRIPA's current implementation. The permitting delays and increased complexity are particularly damaging because they cascade into financing difficulties—lenders grow wary when project timelines become unpredictable—which then forces companies to cut investment and hiring.
Jones framed the path forward clearly: "What is in question is how to achieve that when the only certainty many investors see in British Columbia right now is uncertainty. It's up to the government to find a better path forward and to explain how it will work for all British Columbians". The report states that BCBC "is committed to being part of the solution by bringing people together, supporting constructive conversations, and contributing data, analysis, and real-world perspectives to inform better decision-making".
The survey, conducted April 21-28, 2026, captured views from 88 senior decision-makers shortly after the province announced it wouldn't introduce a bill to amend or suspend DRIPA in the spring 2026 legislative session. For an economy built on resource development and major projects, the message is unambiguous: reconciliation matters, but the current approach is driving investment away.
