Image Credit: Canadian Press

By Peter Milobar / Kamloops-North Thompson MLA

SOUND OFF

SOUND OFF: Taxpayers footing the bill for Horgan’s Community Benefits Agreements

Nov 15, 2019 | 2:59 PM

THE PRESSURE IS MOUNTING on John Horgan and the NDP to scrap their Community Benefits Agreement (CBA) framework as more transportation projects continue to go wildly over budget.

The true cost of Horgan’s union benefits deal is becoming apparent as multiple delayed projects grapple with cost overrides. First, the Illecillewaet River highway widening project was first announced in 2015 budgeted to cost $35 million. Now, years later, and after receiving only five bids, government announced a cost overrun of a staggering 143 per cent higher than the initial budget in 2015.

We also recently learned of the significant cost overruns of the already much-delayed Kicking Horse Canyon stretch of Highway 1. British Columbian taxpayers are now on the hook for $150 million more than when the BC Liberals originally announced the project in 2017.

These projects have made increasingly clear the significant costs taxpayers are being burdened with to fund Horgan’s CBA scheme. It’s unfortunate to see the government forfeiting what is the best deal for British Columbians, and instead, paying back Horgan’s friends in the building trades unions who have donated millions to the NDP.

Regrettably, most construction workers in B.C are not part of the NDP’s ‘approved list’ of unions and they have begun to make their voices heard on this unfair and discriminatory new policy. In July, the B.C. Supreme Court agreed to hear a challenge from a coalition of labour groups that oppose the CBA framework, who argue that it infringes on the rights of workers. It is clear that despite their name, CBAs only set out to benefit a small group of hand-picked unions, forcing workers to join a specific union, or get left behind.

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Since being first introduced, the discriminatory policy has not actually served to benefit British Columbians. Projects are being delayed, costs are dramatically increasing, and other infrastructure projects are being put at risk as funding disappears. It’s no doubt residents of the Lower Mainland will be outraged about being on the hook for millions of additional tax dollars for the Pattullo Bridge replacement and a planned Sky Train Extension project when the additional costs piled on by the CBA framework become clear.

Equally, as project costs continue to rise, widespread labour action is taking place, set to affect hundreds of thousands in the Lower Mainland. As Translink has reminded taxpayers, there is only so much money government has to draw from — wage increases and other benefits for workers will inevitably affect money available for projects such as Sky Train.

All this amounts to significant financial pressures rising for John Horgan and the NDP. Despite claims Horgan is acting on affordability, the 19 new or increased taxes, the CBA union payback deals, and mounting strike action all say otherwise. Instead of keeping costs low and using these funds for schools, housing and addictions support, the NDP is saddling B.C. taxpayers with millions of dollars in extra costs – all in an effort to make their union friends happy. As the NDP government backs itself into a corner, the question remains: how is any of this making British Columbia more affordable?

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Editor’s Note: This opinion piece reflects the views of its author, and does not necessarily represent the views of CFJC Today or the Jim Pattison Broadcast Group.