John Rustad says he’s worried about the long term impacts of a $10 billion swing in the province’s financial picture.
From a budget surplus of approximately $6 billion in the provincial fiscal year finishing at the end of this month, the new budget year beginning April 1 is forecast to have a deficit of $4.2 billion on spending of $80 billion, the B.C. Conservative Party of B.C. MLA for Nechako Lakes said last week.
And while the forecast is for the annual deficit to decrease over the next three years, the three-year projected deficit total of $10 billion will be added to the overall provincial debt, he said.
“This is a massive increase in the public sector,” Rustad said of spending plans for the coming year. “There’s going to be an ongoing cost.”
He also focused on the continuing increases in the provincial carbon tax, beginning with another hike in April so that the tax’s share on a litre of gas by 2030 will be more than triple the 11 cents it is today.
“By 2030 it will be $170 a ton or $10 billion a year. That’s unbelievable when you consider that personal income taxes now take in $16 billion,” Rustad said.
“Will you be happy paying this amount of carbon tax? This is going to affect everyone’s affordability and quality of life,” he said.
Rustad’s disappointed the new budget doesn’t specifically address the forestry sector which has been hit by layoffs, particularly in the north where Canfor is closing its Houston sawmill in April as well as its pulp line in Prince George and a sawmill and adjoining pellet plant in Chetwynd.
“As a matter of fact, if you look at the forecast for the next three years, the province is forecasting a one-third decline in all resource revenues — not just forestry, but also mining,” he said.
Rustad’s also taken aback by construction cost increases of the Stuart Lake Hospital replacement project in Fort St. James, saying the current price tag of $158 million far and away exceeds an original anticipated cost of $60 million.
“My big concern is how are we going to staff it. Is there going to be a staffing plan in place. Right now I’m being told they’re going to open it gradually, a little bit at a time. I really don’t think that’s a plan,” he said.
Rustad did welcome the plan to spend $230 million over the next three years to hire 256 RCMP officers to work in mainly rural, remote and Indigenous communities. They’re to work in units to support general duty officers at smaller detachments.
“But my worry is if they can find them,” said Rustad of an ongoing challenge the federal police force has in recruiting officers.
And he’s in full support of the $1 billion commitment to improve mental health and addictions services.
“This is something that is clearly needed,” said Rustad