PCA Applauds BC Conservative Commitment to Build B.C.

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The Progressive Contractors Association of Canada (PCA) applauds the Conservative Party of BC’s commitment to get needed infrastructure built in B.C.

 “Every corner of B.C. is in desperate need to get something built to keep people and goods moving whether it’s a road or a bridge,” said Dan Baxter, Regional Director B.C. at PCA. “British Columbians need a government in Victoria that is laser-focused on getting vital infrastructure built and not one that is bogged down by advancing ideological labour policies that exacerbate labour shortages and lead to massive cost overruns on major taxpayer-funded projects. The Conservative plan is simple, straightforward and recognizes the ongoing infrastructure needs facing our province.”

 The platform released by the BC NDP today only adds to the challenges facing British Columbia, with no commitment to reverse NDP policies that have added to project delays, cost overruns, and significant uncertainty for workers and employers.

 Under the current NDP government, infrastructure delays and cost overruns have become a consistent feature in every major public project from the Pattullo Bridge to the new Cowichan District Hospital. While the Conservative Party of BC attributes this to the NDP not liking to build things, the root of the problem rests on the fact the NDP supports a restrictive labour policy that shuts out 85 percent of the province’s construction workforce on key public projects because workers are not carrying the “right” union card.

 When contractors and workers are restricted access to work, the result is less competition which in turn leads to a project going over budget, less infrastructure being built or both. Today’s Conservative plan includes building grade separation on the Vancouver Island Inland Highway 19 in Nanaimo and expanding the Patullo Bridge to 6 lanes. Both these projects have been subject to restrictive NDP labour policies that excluded good companies and workers, unless they affiliate with the NDP government’s favoured unions. With competition restricted, the result was less infrastructure being built that the Conservative plan looks to rectify.

 “It’s reckless for a government to carry on with such a costly, anti-competitive CBA labour policy when there is so much work to be done,” added Baxter. “Adopting a fair, open and competitive bidding process on public projects would get everyone working and save taxpayers tens of millions of dollars which in turn can help build more infrastructure.”

 To learn more about the Fair and Open B.C. campaign, go to: fairandopenbc.ca.