The B.C. Liberals managed to balance the latest budget, but the NDP’s Kathy Corrigan was not impressed with the provincial presentation on Tuesday.
“I would say the budget shows absolutely no vision for leadership and developing the province,” said the Burnaby-Deer Lake MLA. “I think families in Burnaby are going to be hurt again by a Liberal budget. If you look at the numbers, British Columbians are going to pay an average of $900 per year more for hydro increases and medical premium increases.”
Corrigan said families and students will be hit by the rising costs.
“These are regressive taxes. They are not putting costs on the rich, they are putting costs on the average family,” she said.
According to Corrigan, hydro rates will cost the average family an extra $477 per year, while medical premiums will costs an extra $400.
Burnaby’s BCIT and SFU, along with post secondary institutions around the province, will also struggle with cuts, according to Corrigan.
“And nothing to cover the costs of the provincial government’s loss in court with the teachers,” she said, referring to the recent court decision demanding that the province reinstate 2002 class sizes, something that’s expected to cost hundreds of millions. “There’s nothing in the budget for that.”
On the contrary, Liberal MLA Richard Lee, the only elected politician in Burnaby who sits with the ruling party, was very pleased with the budget.
"Thanks to the fiscal discipline exercised by our government, for the second year in a row B.C.’s budget is balanced," he stated in an email to the NOW. "This is what British Columbians elected us to do – control spending and balance the budget. And the budget presented today indicates that we are keeping that promise. Balancing the budget is the first step to making sure we are able to make sustainable investments into the programs that matter to British Columbians – like health care, education, and people who require additional supports, such as those served by the Burnaby Association for Community Inclusion through Community Living B.C."
Lee said the government is committed to spending less than the what taxpayers are providing, and the B.C. still has a triple-A credit rating, which gives the province more money to "advance key priorities," including job growth, skills training, education and helping families.
