'Disappointing' federal budget leaves several B.C. asks unfilled
Provincial politicians are expressing disappointment the federal budget didn't allocate specific dollars for key infrastructure projects, and that a more robust plan for housing wasn't detailed.
Housing Minister Ravi Kahlon, who is developing a "housing refresh strategy" for B.C., said he had impressed upon the federal government the importance of housing.
"We are building our strategy regardless of what the federal government was going to do. Certainly was hopeful they would recognize that housing is one of the (top) issues," added Kahlon.
He said the new policy would be made available soon.
Housing is a big priority for Premier David Eby connecting to issues like homelessness, public safety and mental health and addictions. Yet, ministers here say they didn't see anything that would expedite and fund more homes.
Finance Minister Katrine Conroy said that was disappointing.
"We wanted a partnership. It's very hard to do everything we want to do without partnerships, so it's very important," Conroy said.
Also missing was any reference to the George Massey Tunnel replacement, and the Belleville terminal in Victoria. Not only is the Massey key to cross-border trade, it's the biggest traffic bottleneck in the province.
When the NDP formed government, it scrapped a BC Liberal plan for a bridge, opting for another tunnel instead. The Liberals are criticising the government for not acting fast enough, as Transportation and Infrastructure Minister Rob Fleming said a deal wasn't necessarily off the table.
"We wish that it was explicit in the budget but it doesn't mean there isn't funding consideration there. We heard the importance heard by (Dominic LeBlanc, federal infrastructure minister) and on two occasions the important expressed by Prime Minister Trudeau," he added.
There is excitement for a robust plan to get Canadians off their fossil fuel dependency.
The federal budget has funding to allow small businesses to get money to start clean energy projects. Plus, Crown corporations like BC Hydro will be eligible for tax credits, allowing them to build up a renewable source of energy.
Evan Pivnick, a policy manager for Clean Energy Canada said the money is a significant step towards renewables.
"We're going to talk wind, we're going to be talking solar, and I think we're going to even hear BC Hydro start to talk about that a lot more. I think there's also going to be a big conversation around Indigenous nations and the role they play in this. It's going to be hard to see in B.C. any project really going forward that doesn't have a substantial share, or in fact, full ownership by an Indigenous nation," Pivnick added.
Electrification, exploring hydrogen power, and mining for materials used in batteries are all industries that can get a boost as demand for power is expected to grow.
"We're trying to do the system we built in the last 100 years. We're trying to double or triple it in size in the next 20 to 30 years. It's a monumental undertaking, this starts to at least put those serious resources on the table to grasp that," explained Pivnick.
The next challenge will be where to get the workers.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Which Canadian cities have the highest and lowest grocery prices?
Where you live plays a big factor in what you pay at the grocery store. And while it's no secret the same item may have a different price depending on the store, city or province, we wanted to see just how big the differences are, and why.
U.S. says Israel's use of U.S. arms likely violated international law, but evidence is incomplete
The Biden administration said Friday that Israel's use of U.S.-provided weapons in Gaza likely violated international humanitarian law but wartime conditions prevented U.S. officials from determining that for certain in specific airstrikes.
Swarm of 20,000 bees gather around woman’s car west of Toronto
A swarm of roughly 20,000 bees gathered around a woman’s car in the parking lot of Burlington Centre.
'State or state-sponsored actor' believed to be behind B.C. government hacks
The head of British Columbia’s civil service has revealed that a “state or state-sponsored actor” is behind multiple cyber-security incidents against provincial government networks.
Mother assaulted by stranger while breastfeeding baby in her car: Vancouver police
A person was arrested in East Vancouver Thursday after allegedly entering a car while a mother was breastfeeding her four-month-old boy.
More than half the Canadians once detained in Syrian camps for suspected ISIS family members have returned home
A total of 29 Canadians have been freed from detention camps in northeast Syria and brought back to Canada since human rights advocates began lobbying for their release years ago.
Rare severe solar storm Friday could bring spectacular aurora light show across Canada
A rare and severe solar storm is expected to bring spectacular displays of the northern lights, also known as aurora borealis, across much of Canada and parts of the United States on Friday night.
Canada abstains from Palestinian UN membership vote but supports two-state solution
Canada was one of 25 countries that abstained from a United Nations vote on Palestinian membership that passed with overwhelming support on Friday.
Amish youth experience a rite of passage called Rumspringa. It’s not what you might think
The idea of “Rumspringa” has a specific spot in the American imagination. A rite of passage for young people in some Amish communities, Rumspringa is seen by most outsiders as a wild time away from strict Amish rules, when teenagers can experiment with the modern vices of the world.