Peter Milobar and Todd Stone say there's been no progress announced in 2022 budget on promised cancer care centre for Kamloops (Image Credit: CFJC Today)

By Chad Klassen

CAPITAL SPENDING

Kamloops MLAs feel region left out of B.C.’s record-breaking capital spending plan

Feb 23, 2022 | 3:18 PM

KAMLOOPS — From postponed renovations to the emergency room at Royal Inland Hospital to little progress on the cancer clinic promised for Kamloops, MLAs Todd Stone and Peter Milobar are disappointed projects keep being delayed.

“The cancer centre commitment, there’s barely planning dollars included in this budget,” noted Stone, the MLA for Kamloops-South Thompson. “We were told the cancer centre would be built and open, we’d have patients in receiving treatment in a Kamloops cancer centre before the next election, which is in 2024. That isn’t going to happen.”

Tuesday’s provincial budget was highlighted by $27.4 billion in capital spending over the next three years — with a record-breaking $13.65 billion in capital spending in the coming year.

“Mr. Speaker, more cancer are centres are being planned for Kamloops and Nanaimo,” Finance Minister Selina Robinson said in her speech.

Looped In

LOOPED IN WITH NIKKI OMEN: December 12, 2024

1h ago

One Man's Opinion

COLLINS: North Shore BIA working hard to develop a 'happening place'

7h ago

1000 Ways to Heal

1000 Ways to Heal: Moons

Dec 10, 2024

However, it was the only mention of the cancer care centre on Tuesday.

The local MLAs feel the Interior has been once again left out. Milobar says the lack of action on the cancer care clinic is particularly concerning. He say it’s in the preliminary planning stage and fears it will keep being delayed.

“Why it’s a concern is the Richmond hospital, as an example, was promised by candidates in the last election by the NDP to have shovels in the ground by 2021 with a 2024 completion — same timeline as are cancer centre,” said Milobar. “Then we saw last year’s budget, that project got moved to 2029. This year, that project was moved to 2031.”

Milobar and Stone say planned renovations for RIH’s emergency room — originally promised for a 2024 completion — have now been pushed to 2025.

The pair also noted there is no new capital for School District 73, which Milobar says is one of the fastest growing districts per capita, challenging centres like Surrey.

The one big capital promise by the NDP affecting the Interior is finishing the TransCanada stretch through Chase next year. The government says it needs another $161 million to complete the $220-million improvement in 2023.

Stone, the former Transportation Minister when some of the expansion projects were finished, says the delays have continued to cost taxpayers big time.

“We’re five years into an NDP government and none of these sections have been completed on time. They’ve all been delayed by two, three, four, in some cases five years,” he noted. “We’ve seen significant scope reductions on each and every one of these projects. If you look just out at the section of highway that’s under construction between Hoffman’s Bluff and Jade Mountain in the Chase area, there’s about 4.5 kilometres less of four-laning, but taxpayers get to spend almost $100 million more.”

Premier John Horgan has promised work on the Coquihalla and other key spots like Highway 8 — both highways damaged by flooding in November — will not affect projects like twinning the TransCanada.

Milobar and Stone are going to make sure the Highway 1 expansion isn’t impacted, but there are other projects needed as well.

“I know in my own riding, East Shuswap Road is in desire need of a massive rebuild and certainly Tk’emlups and others would like to see that happen,” he said. “So we’re going to be pressing the minister to find out where those dollars are.”