Harwinder Sandhu (left) of the BC NDP and Peter Milobar of the BC Liberals agree to disagree over the Growing Communities Fund. (Submitted photos)

By Pete McIntyre

$19 million locally

NDP and Liberals in war of words over community grants

Mar 10, 2023 | 6:00 AM

How best to use the B.C. government’s surplus has created a debate between the governing and opposition parties.

The NDP caucus issued a news release Thursday afternoon, stating “Kevin Falcon’s BC Liberals voted against nearly $20 million in funding that Premier David Eby and the BC NDP provided to Vernon-Monashee through the Growing Communities Fund.”

Vernon-Monashee NDP MLA Harwinder Sandhu said the funding was in response to concerns of local leaders and community members on the need for local projects and to help people.

“I am extremely disappointed that the Liberals don’t think that our communities are a priority,” Sandhu said. “Rural communities need investments, and Kevin Falcon is turning his back on them when he had the opportunity to show his support. Investing in people now helps everyone in the long-run, and the Liberals record of harmful cuts causes more problems down the road.”

The Vernon-Monashee share of just over $19 million is part of $1 billion in grants to 188 local governments for infrastructure and other projects to support the rapid growth of communities.

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Peter Milobar, the BC Liberals shadow finance minister, said his party voted against all of the $2.7 billion in supplemental items brought forward by the Eby government.

“They weren’t able to answer any questions on how its going to be distributed, the parameters of oversight that will be in place, and not just on this billion dollars, but on money for BC Ferries and a wide range of money. So it was really around process and lack of due diligence by the government, more so than voting against the projects or the thought process in general,” Milobar told Vernon Matters.

Milobar, the MLA for Kamloops-North Thompson, called it “a year-end rush to blow money out the door.”

“We knew full well it was still going to pass — the NDP outnumber us two-to-one in the chamber — so there was never a fear of that with our vote. It was more around trying to send a message to government that this is not a responsible way to dole out taxpayers money,” Milobar added.