Museum price tag a concern as hospitals, towns struggle

Re: Cost of new Royal B.C. Museum set at $789 million (May 15):

I read two stories in the May 15 Province that speak volumes about our current government's financial priorities. The story on Page 6 was easily in the hundreds of words about the new Royal B.C. Museum to be constructed in Victoria and quoted Premier John Horgan that it would be “the most significant cultural investment in B.C's history.” Well, I should certainly hope so with a price tag of a billion dollars! (Ed. note: The estimated overall project cost is $1 billion.)

Then there was the story on page 8 (ER shut for weekend), only 50 words tucked in the bottom right-hand corner. In this story it is reported Port McNeill's ER was to be shut down until Monday due to a nurses shortage. We have a staffing crisis in our health-care system, communities devastated by floods and wildfires, and we are still trying to recover from COVID; then there's the housing crisis, overdose crisis and fuel prices are going through the roof.

There is no doubt the construction of the new museum will create jobs for years to come, but this project should be put on hold until our hospitals are properly funded, the Fraser Valley is properly protected and communities are rebuilt. The museum may be old, but at least it is still functioning, unlike many areas directly under government control.

Stu Orpen, North Vancouver

DARREN STONE/TIMES COLONIST FILES Premier John Horgan, with Tourism Minister Melanie Mark (left) and Royal B.C. Museum board director Carole James, gather at last Friday's museum funding announcement in Victoria.