Museum controversy continues to dominate B.C. politics
Is it a pathway to reconciliation or a vanity project in the premier's backyard?
That's the conversation dominating B.C.'s capital, days after the NDP government announced a controversial upgrade to the Royal B.C. Museum. Now, the government is on the defensive over what the Liberals say will be the most expensive museum project in Canadian history.
For a third day, Opposition leader Kevin Falcon hammered John Horgan's government for a Royal B.C. Museum project that will take eight years and cost taxpayers $789 million.
"What's mammoth is the stupidity of the NDP government spending a billion dollars on a new vanity museum that nobody asked for or wants," said Falcon during question period Wednesday.
In response, Horgan outlined all the capital spending happening around the province.
"We're building a hospital in Dawson Creek. We're building a hospital in Fort St. James. We're building a hospital in Terrace. We're building a hospital in Williams Lake. We're building a hospital in Cowichan Valley," Horgan said.
A business case for the museum project has not been made public, prompting questions about the cost. Melanie Mark, the provincial Minister of Tourism, Arts, Culture and Sport said two floors are underwater, the building is seismically unsafe and it's a complex problem.
"There are over six hectares of land across the street, we are talking about six buildings, we're talking about seven million artifacts and objects," Mark added.
CTV News looked at a variety of museum expansions and builds across Canada. While a direct comparison isn't available at this point, it shows that major museum undertakings can reach the hundreds of millions of dollars.
The Qaumajuq expansion – which hosts Inuit art at the Winnipeg Art Gallery – is a 40,000-square-foot facility that opened in 2021 at a cost of $65 million.
The Canadian Museum for Human Rights – also in Winnipeg – was finished in 2014 with a pricetag of $351 million. Funding came from three levels of government and private donations.
The Royal Ontario Museum, which was a major revamp in downtown Toronto, came in at $270 million.
The funding for the Royal B.C. Museum will come from the provincial capital budget, which is where roads, hospitals and schools are funded. Wednesday, the Opposition asked what else could've been built with the money earmarked for the museum.
"There are hospitals in the province that need to be seismically upgraded, there are dozens of schools ... that require seismic upgrades," said Opposition house leader Todd Stone.
Jennifer Whiteside, the Education Minister, pointed out the government is spending unprecedented amounts to build and expand schools.
"In this next three-year plan, we'll be spending nearly $800 million to seismically upgrade schools, and that's in the context of a $2.65-billion capital plan," she told reporters.
An update from the province shows that, as of May 2022, more than 200 schools are earthquake-proof, with another 44 in progress and 250 remaining.
Asked whether most of the remaining schools will be upgraded by 2030, which is when the museum will be complete, Whiteside replied she didn't have that information.
"Again, that's work that we do in the capital planning process with the districts, I can't give you a number on that today," she added.
In the coming days, the Liberals are expected to keep up the heat about what could be the most expensive museum in B.C. history, and what is already the most debated one.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Three dead, two hospitalized, following collision in Fredericton: police
Three people have died and two have been hospitalized after a speeding car struck a tree and landed on another vehicle in Fredericton Sunday morning.
Amid climate change warnings, Canadians lukewarm on electric vehicles
Amid scientists' warnings that nations need to transition away from fossil fuels to limit climate change, Canadians are still lukewarm on electric vehicles, according to a study conducted by Nanos Research for CTV News.
Montreal man on the hook for thousands of dollars after a feature on his Tesla caused an accident
A Montreal man is warning Tesla drivers about using the Smart Summon feature after his vehicle hit another in a parking lot.
Madonna's biggest-ever concert transforms Rio's Copacabana beach into a massive dance floor
Madonna put on a free concert on Copacabana beach Saturday night, turning Rio de Janeiro's vast stretch of sand into an enormous dance floor teeming with a multitude of her fans.
1 person killed and 23 injured in a bus crash in northern Maryland, police say
One person was killed and 23 others were injured when a bus crashed early Sunday on Interstate 95 in northern Maryland, police said.
Nylander defends Leafs' core after playoff exit, Toronto again picks up the pieces
The Maple Leafs battled back from a 3-1 series deficit against the Boston Bruins with consecutive 2-1 victories - including one that required extra time - in their first-round playoff series to push the club's Original Six rival to the limit before suffering a devastating Game 7 overtime loss.
El Nino weakening doesn't mean cooler temperatures this summer, forecasters say
As Canadians brace themselves for summer temperatures, forecasters say a weakening El Nino cycle doesn’t mean relief from the heat.
‘Love has no boundaries’: Sask. couple in their 90s and 80s get married
Eighty-two-year-old Susan Neufeldt and 90-year-old Ulrich Richter are no spring chickens, but their love blossomed over the weekend with their wedding at Pine View Manor just outside of Rosthern.
Video shows gaggle of geese stopping traffic on Highway 1 near Vancouver
A mother goose and her goslings caused a bit of a traffic jam on a busy stretch of the Trans-Canada Highway near Vancouver Saturday.