B.C. Liberals slam NDP plan for new $789M Royal B.C. Museum
The B.C. Liberal party is criticizing the NDP government's plans to redevelop the Royal B.C. Museum at a cost of $789 million.
The recently sworn-in leader of the B.C. Liberal party, Kevin Falcon, says the announcement was "tone deaf."
"Life has never been more expensive than it is today under this two-term NDP government — but instead of providing people with relief from skyrocketing grocery costs and gas prices hitting $2.34 a litre, the premier has launched a pricey vanity project in his own backyard," said Falcon in a press release on Tuesday.
Falcon says he believes renovations and seismic safety upgrades could be completed at the site for around $100 million, though it's unclear without a business case.
A portion of the First Peoples gallery is shown: (Royal BC Museum)
"I would love to see the [museum] CEO release the full un-redacted business case," said Falcon while speaking on CFAX 1070 on Tuesday.
The B.C. Liberal leader says the province released what he calls a heavily redacted business case for its plans to build a new and expanded Massey Tunnel in Vancouver, which he fears will happen again for this project.
"They redacted all the important information that would tell you if it made financial sense or not," he said of the tunnel.
Falcon said that if he were the premier, he would "100 per cent" cancel the museum project as it stands.
On Friday, the NDP government said the museum redevelopment was necessary to bring the museum up to modern safety and accessibility standards.
The redevelopment plan also includes the safe transfer of the museum's seven million artifacts, and design work with local First Nations and other experts.
AFFORDABILITY IN B.C.
As the province faces the highest fuel costs in the country, and hundreds of thousands of residents struggle to find a family doctor, Falcon says he'd take more immediate steps to address the problems than the current government is.
The B.C. Liberal leader says he'd "waive all provincial taxes" on gas for then next three months to offer some relief at the pumps.
"That would result in a typical minivan fill up being $36 less than it is today," he said.
Falcon says he'd also streamline doctor certification for physicians who are trained outside of Canada, and change the model for family doctor funding in B.C. – though he didn't specify what that would look like while speaking with CFAX on Tuesday.
COMMUNITY OPINION
Most people who spoke with CTV News in Victoria on Monday said the funds for the museum could be better spent elsewhere, such as on the healthcare system, education system, or on infrastructure.
Others, however, said they approved of the project so long as it could stay on budget.
"The response that I've heard from this announcement Friday has been that the government is either not hearing British Columbians and the problems they have, or they're just focused on their own agenda and are choosing to ignore it," said Adam Olsen, MLA for Saanich North and the Islands on Monday.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'Still so much love between us,' Sophie Gregoire Trudeau says of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau says there is 'still so much love' between her and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, as they navigate their post-separation relationship co-parenting their three children.
What to know about avian influenza in dairy cows and the risk to humans
Why is H5N1, or bird flu, a concern, how does it spread, and is there a vaccine? Here are the answers to some frequently asked questions about avian influenza.
'I was scared': Ontario man's car repossessed after missing two repair loan payments
An Ontario man who took out a loan to pay for auto repairs said his car was repossessed after he missed two payments.
opinion The special relationship between King Charles and the Princess of Wales
Royal commentator Afua Hagan writes that when King Charles recently admitted Catherine to the Order of the Companions of Honour, it not only made history, but it reinforced the strong bond between the King and his beloved daughter-in-law.
Pro-plastic lobbyist presence at UN talks is 'troubling,' say advocates
Environmentalist groups are sounding the alarm about a steep increase in the number of pro-plastic lobbyists at the UN pollution talks taking place this week.
'Too young to have breast cancer': Rates among young Canadian women rising
Breast cancer rates are rising in Canada among women in their 20s, 30s and 40s, according to research by the University of Ottawa (uOttawa).
Charlie Woods, son of Tiger, shoots 81 in U.S. Open qualifier
Charlie Woods failed to advance in a U.S. Open local qualifying event Thursday, shooting a 9-over 81 at Legacy Golf & Tennis Club.
$70M Lotto Max winners kept prize a secret from family for 2 months
During a special winner celebration near their hometown, Doug and Enid shared the story of how they discovered they were holding a Lotto Max ticket worth $70 million and how they kept this huge secret for so long.
Trump's lawyers grill ex-tabloid publisher as 1st week of hush money trial testimony nears a close
After prosecutors' lead witness painted a tawdry portrait of “catch-and-kill” tabloid schemes, defence lawyers in Donald Trump's criminal trial on Friday sought to dig into an account of the former publisher of the National Enquirer and his efforts to protect Trump from negative stories during the 2016 election.