B.C. hopes federal budget will fund transit, housing
B.C. is hoping to pick up new money for transit, housing, public safety and child care when the federal budget is introduced today.
Community Minister Peter Fassbender said B.C. has “a great relationship” with the federal Liberal government of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, and is optimistic new money will flow to the province.
“There’s no question we’re all anticipating some significant investment in transportation,” Fassbender, who is also the minister responsible for TransLink, said in an interview Tuesday.
“In the Metro area, there is speculation of upwards of $2 billion that the federal government would invest in the mayors’ 10-year vision.”
Mayors have said Ottawa could fund up to 40 per cent of the capital costs for the next phase of regional transit, which includes billions for Surrey light rail, the Broadway subway line in Vancouver and a replacement for the Pattullo Bridge. B.C. has promised one-third fund- ing for those three projects, with regional municipalities responsible for the rest.
Fassbender’s B.C. Liberal government left the door open Tuesday to additional funding from the province for the rest of the mayor’s larger 10-year transportation plan, if Ottawa is at the table.
The B.C. NDP has promised to boost the province’s share of major Metro transit projects to 40 per cent, should that party win the May 9 election. The additional funding is billed as a way to lessen the financial burden on local governments and more quickly get transit projects under construction.
B.C. Housing is forecasting federal contribution toward affordable housing projects will be roughly $233 million, said Fassbender. The province would like Ottawa to offer both more money and partnerships on affordable housing projects, and follow through on calls for a national housing strategy, he said.
Child care advocates are also reportedly expecting long-term funding from Ottawa of up to $500 million a year over 10 years, as the federal government tries to encourage the provinces to negotiate a national framework on early learning and child care.
The B.C. Liberal budget in February promised $20 million more toward child-care spaces in 2017-18, for a total of $352.5 million, which the province said will add 5,000 spaces to the 113,000 licensed spaces already funded.
Fassbender is also hoping for more federal money for public safety to combat guns and gangs. Those comments come a day after NDP Leader John Horgan took his pre-election campaign to Fassbender’s Surrey-Fleetwood riding to announce $500,000 for a school anti-gang education program.
Premier Christy Clark wants Ottawa to help B.C.’s forest-dependent communities, which will be hit hard by a developing trade dispute with the United States over softwood lumber.