More than halfway through mandate, Premier John Horgan pledges stay-the-course agenda

B.C. Premier John Horgan said "billion-dollar surpluses aren't coming around anymore," but added that balancing the budget in February is a priority for his government.

"We've had challenges at ICBC. We've had unprecedented fire seasons," Horgan said in a year-end interview with CBC.

"We've been fortunate that we've been able to balance the budget over the past two years and we have a plan to continue to balance over the next two. [But] we always have to be careful to balance the needs of the community with the revenue that's coming in."

Slower economic growth and continued financial issues with ICBCaretwo reasons why Horgan isn't making any big new spending promises in his series of year-end interviews.

But he did offer a few hints at what might be a priority in the third full year of his government.

Gas price regulation

Take the always thorny issue of high gas prices.

After a government-orderedinquiry by the B.C. Utilities Commission found a "significant unexplained difference" of about 13 cents per litre between prices in the Lower Mainland and other parts of the Pacific Northwest, gas companiesprovided a defence of their actions to the commission.

The commission was unsatisfied with the response and the government introduced legislation that would force gas companies to make supply and pricing data public, but Horgan said more action might be coming.

"[We wanted] to send a message to the oil and gas industry that you've got to tell the public why you're taking so much profit," he said.

"If they're not prepared to answer the question of why have we got this unexplained 13 cents then regulation might well be an opportunity for us."

However, while Horganwascritical of oil and gas companies, he seemedmore accepting of the controversial Trans Mountain pipeline expansion, which is expected to ramp up construction next year.

"We would prefer to see less diluted bitumen [in the pipeline], which is purely for export and more refined products. If we have more gasoline coming into the market, that's going to bring down prices," Horgan said, addinghe had spoken to Alberta Premier Jason Kenney and Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland about the issue.

"We need to figure out a way to bring more supply, and Canadian supply preferably, to meet the needs of the travelling public."

Can't we all just get along?

On most issues though, Horganwashappy to defend the actions of his government without hinting at a huge change in strategy,including the inability two years after his attorney general called ICBC a "dumpster fire" to put out the financial flames.

"I believe that the public delivery of insurance is the best way forward. I don't think that when you introduce a profit motive," he said, adding "everything's on the table" for further reforms.

It was much the same on several unions threatening or taking strike action in recent months without the government interfering.

"I believe the best ways to come to agreements is at the bargaining table with the employer and the employees finding a way forward that meets the needs of the company and meets the needs of workers," he said.

And one of the few big promisesthe government hasn't moved on a $400 renters' rebate shows no sign of happening.

"Well certainly the rent tax rebate is not supported by our Green partners, it's not supported by the Liberals, so I can't see that happening in a minority situation," he said.

Given all that, it might not be surprising that one of Horgan's hopes for the upcoming session is more camaraderie between the political parties.

"I think that if we can start changing those bad habits that we see at Question Period then we're going tobe better people, we're going to get better outcomes for the people that sent us here, and that's why every member of the legislature comes to work every day," he said.

"They don't want us to be punching each other in the face. They want us to figure out how we can make their lives better."

With files from Tanya Fletcher