Provincial debt rises

The deterioration is due in part to a onetime $3.5 billion reclassification from self-supported debt to taxpayer-support debt related to the government’s decision to cancel tolls on the Port Mann bridge.

It also partly reflects stronger expected capital investment throughout the fiscal plan.

Total provincial debt is now forecasted to rise from $65.9 billion at the end of 2016-17 to $72.8 billion by 2019-20.