Message from the Chair

I am pleased to continue serving as your Board Chair for the year 2022-23. It is my belief that 2023 will be an exciting and eventful year, built on the extensive groundwork laid over the past few years. With new collective agreements expected to be negotiated, members will have direction and certainty in the coming years, while British Columbians can rest assured that the most vulnerable members of our communities will continue to receive the vital services they require. This round of collective bargaining has involved over a year of behind-the-scenes preparation, consultation with members and negotiations with the unions. On behalf of the Board, I thank CSSEA’s Employer Bargaining Committee members, Mark Slobin and Gentil Mateus for giving so much of their time and expertise to get the collective agreement past the finish line.

Members can also expect a new strategic plan in 2023. CSSEA’s Board and Panel members are preparing to convene this spring to draft a new plan that will set CSSEA’s strategic direction, likely into 2026. While the membership anticipates a formalized plan to be released later this year, we have a loose framework of overall member objectives, obtained through the BlueSky Strategic Planning Consultation Session that took place at CSSEA’s 2022 AGM and Conference, from which to draw direction. The next strategic plan is our opportunity to clearly define and work towards CSSEA’s roles and responsibilities to its members, the sector and the province of BC. I believe the next strategic plan will more expressly define CSSEA’s role in the context of its responsibilities to both members and government. I look forward to engaging with my colleagues, government and CSSEA staff to strengthen CSSEA’s strategic role as we look towards the next few years. I will be reporting back on our progress at the 2023 AGM and Conference, taking place October 25-27 in Kelowna, and invite you to send any questions or comments to:  This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.