Vancouver Island is Short-Changed $766.8 million by the BC Liberals

Victoria, BC, April 12, 2017. For Immediate Release.

“The BC Liberals ‘first time ever’ Vancouver Island platform continues the pattern of provincial governments largely ignoring Vancouver Island since BC joined Confederation in 1871,” says Dr. Robin Richardson, Leader of The Vancouver Island Party. “Unfortunately, we still remain a neglected ‘fringe region’ within British Columbia.”

“With Vancouver Island representing 16.3% of the population of British Columbia, Vancouver Island is only being promised $66.8 million, or 0.15% of the $5.217 billion of infrastructure, transit and post-secondary capital spending promised for BC over the next three years to 2020.” observed Dr. Richardson, a Harvard University-educated economist and former Canadian Member of Parliament. “If we had our fair share at 16.3% by population share, we should expect $766.8 million more in the next 3 years to 2020 for infrastructure, transit and post-secondary capital spending.”

The Vancouver Island Short-Change: 16.3% of $2.557 billion is $416.8 million. Vancouver Island should get $390.5 million more in the next 3 years to 2020 for infrastructure and transit projects.

The Vancouver Island Short-Change: 16.3% of $2.600 billion is $423.8 million. Vancouver Island should get $376.3 million more in the next 3 years to 2020 for post-secondary capital spending.

III The Bottom Line
Vancouver island has been short-changed by $766.8 million in infrastructure, transit and post-secondary capital spending in the next 3 years to 2020 by the BC Liberals.

“The Vancouver Island Party has a number of new ideas, policies and infrastructure proposals which contribute toward our grand, but achievable, vision and plan for Vancouver Island,” observed Dr. Richardson. “Having our ‘fair share‘ of projected BC provincial infrastructure, transit and post-secondary capital spending of $766.3 million in the 3 years to 2020, not to mention ‘catch-up for past decades of neglect‘, would be a good start to achieving our plan for Vancouver Island to becoming a stronger region economically, socially, environmentally and culturally, as the eleventh province of Canada.”

Vancouver Island Party (VIP) infrastructure proposals include:

1. The Original 1871 Confederation Road and Rail Promise to connect Vancouver Island to the BC Interior north of Campbell River via Bute Inlet to Highway 20 east to Williams Lake to connect with the CN Railway to Prince George and to the east.

2. Light Rail Transit (LRT) Systems for Greater Victoria and two mid-island regions.

3. The E&N Railway Upgrade & Extension from Port Alberni to Long Beach with spur lines to Ucluelet and Tofino, from Courtenay to Campbell River and, potentially, to Port Hardy.

4. The West Island Transportation Corridor by road and rail from Lake Cowichan to Bamfield and to Ucluelet by BC ferry. Also, a road and rail connection from Port Alberni to Lake Cowichan.

5. The Port Alberni Container Trans-Shipment Hub (PATH) with a rail connector to the upgraded and extended E&N Railway and the road and rail connector to the BC Interior and to eastern Canada via Bute Inlet, Highway 20, Williams Lake and the CNR.

6. The Malahat Bypass Floating Bridge Project near Mill Bay to the Saanich Peninsula and Victoria International Airport.

7. The Powell River Third Crossing Proposed Fixed Link to Brackendale near the Squamish Airport.

Details of these proposal with maps are found on the Vancouver Island Party website, www.vanisleparty.com.

Contact:
Dr. Robin M. Richardson, Ph.D.
Leader, The Vancouver Island Party
Toll-Free: 1-844-933-4VIP (4847)
robin@vanisleparty.com