Redactions to business cases are made independently to protect the interests of taxpayers.
That’s B.C. Transportation and Infrastructure Minister Rob Fleming’s response to Delta South MLA Ian Paton’s recent criticism about the government’s business case for the George Massey Tunnel replacement project, a new eight-lane immersed tunnel which will cost more than $4 billion.
Paton noted elements of the business case, including value calculations, had been redacted.
“This government nixed the plan for a 10-lane bridge to replace the aging tunnel, and is proceeding with an eight-lane tunnel — but John Horgan and the NDP refuse to release the full business case which will show taxpayers exactly why they’re paying more and getting less. Our former government already spent $100 million to get the bridge project going, which is now going to waste thanks to the NDP. The original total cost of the bridge was going to be $2.6 billion, and this new tunnel project will be $4.2 billion with fewer lanes,” Paton said.
“People want to know why the tunnel is preferred over a bridge. They want to see the risk analysis and the value-for-money analysis. They’re wondering whether this project has any chance of getting through the federal environmental assessment process. But thanks to the NDP, the information is blacked out and is being hidden from the public.”
Noting commuters will continue to sit in gridlock for another decade, Paton asked what the government is trying to hide.
Fleming told the Optimist people want to see congestion relief at the George Massey Tunnel without having to pay unfair tolls, and that is what his government is doing.
“The new toll-free, eight-lane tunnel is the right project for the region, and is supported by local mayors and First Nations, and is actually less expensive than an eight-lane bridge. It will get people and goods where they need to go faster and safer and, for the first time ever, will provide opportunities for those who cycle or walk,” said Fleming.
“Redactions to the business case are made independently by the professional public service to protect the interests of taxpayers. By redacting sensitive information that could influence bids, government is ensuring integrity in the procurement process and the best value for money for the people of B.C. This is the same process that has been in place for previous major projects like Evergreen and Broadway. As with all major projects, at the end of construction, full details of final costs will also be released.
“Our government’s approach differs from the previous government who publicly announced they would be building an unwanted bridge, without any business case. Only afterwards did they do a business case to back up the political decision they’d already made which, when released two years later, contained the same redactions as the current business case.”
Paton countered Fleming’s claim the Liberal government didn’t have a business case for the previous 10-lane bridge project is untrue.
The NDP government this summer announced that a new eight-lane immersed tunnel is to replace the current tunnel, a project that has a 2030 completion schedule.
The George Massey Tunnel is to be decommissioned once the new tunnel opens.
