B.C. budget hits record level of spending on capital construction projects: NDP

VICTORIA – The B.C. government says its capital spending program will reach its highest level ever in 2019-20, with $20.1 billion being spent on construction projects.

The amount includes $4.4 billion for previously announced health projects such as the redevelopment of the Royal Columbia Hospital in New Westminster, a new patient-care centre at the Royal Inland Hospital in Kamloops and funding for the new St. Paul’s Hospital in Vancouver.

Another $6.6 billion is to be spent on transportation, including the Pattullo Bridge replacement in Metro Vancouver, the Broadway subway extension in Vancouver and making the Trans-Canada Highway four lanes through Kicking Horse Canyon.

A total of $2.7 billion is to be spent to maintain and replace kindergarten to Grade 12 schools.

And $3.3 billion is budgeted to fund construction projects at post-secondary schools, including a new sustainable energy building at Simon Fraser University in Surrey, a health sciences centre at Camosun College in Victoria and an expanded trades training centre at Selkirk College in Nelson.

Finance Minister Carole James says the capital budget also includes a continuing focus on seismic upgrades for schools.