B.C. Premier David Eby Wednesday (Aug. 14) acknowledged concerns about the pace and rising costs of Highway 1 improvements through the Fraser Valley, but also used the occasion to criticize the provincial opposition and Ottawa.
"I feel the frustration of everybody, who sits in the traffic, who wants to be moving faster, who wants to get this road open as quickly as possible," Eby said. "That is what I want too."
He made these comments alongside Dan Coulter, MLA for Chilliwack and minister of state for infrastructure and transit, while announcing what government billed as the approval of $2.64 billion toward the Fraser Valley Highway 1 Corridor Improvement Program. The funding -- which is part of this year's budget -- will improve Highway 1 between Mt. Lehman Road and Highway 11 in Abbotsford. Elements of the work include highway widening to add HOV/electric-vehicle lanes in each direction, a new Highway 11 interchange and replacement of a crossing at Peardonville Road. The overall project will eventually see the highway expanded through the Sumas Prairie in Abbotsford toward Chilliwack.
A chorus of voices consisting of local municipal politicians, business leaders and local residents have long raised concerns about that stretch specifically and Highway 1 generally. It sees frequent traffic jams, yet those voices have accused government of not moving fast enough. At the same time, costs have increased.
Preparations along the stretch of Highway 1 between Mt. Lehman Road and Highway 11 are currently underway. Procurement will start in 2025, followed by major construction starting in 2026. Completion is scheduled for 2031.
When asked about the timing of today's announcement some 60 days before this fall's provincial election, Eby said the traffic volume means the entire project cannot be done at the same time.
"We have to do it in phases," he said, adding that the disruption caused by doing the work all at once would be quite awful. He also blamed the flooding in Sumas Prairie in 2021 for causing delays.
"So major construction is underway on (the stretch between) 216th (Street) and 264th (Street)," he said. "(As) that major construction is happening, the pre-works are happening on (the stretch between) 264th and Mt. Lehman (Road), so that the major contracting crews can just transition over to the next phase. It's important for us to have this done, announced and out to tender within a certain schedule, so that work, if we are fortunate enough to form government again, can continue."
Eby added that both B.C. United and the Conservative Party of B.C. "have been very clear that their plan is to cut billions of dollars" from the provincial budget. "They have been very critical of us for the capital spending we have been doing in this province, whether it is hospitals or roads or schools." He added that those parties voted against the budget that included this money.
Eby added his government is "committed" to delivering this project.
"(Today's) announcement – the process, the tendering, the fact that it is in Budget 2024 – allows us to continue that seamless work down the highway, so that we are able to get this work done as efficiently as possible for taxpayers, but also for people who depend on this road to get from and to work and want to be with their families."
Falcon also announced plans for a major tax cut Tuesday, which New Democrats have said would lead to budget cuts. Falcon said he plans to offset the tax cut through contingencies, cuts to wasteful bureaucracy, increased economic growth and better management of capital projects as part of a broader fiscal plan to balance the budget within four years.
The provincial deficit currently sits at almost $8 billion -- an historic high.
"I want to be clear – any capital projects that have started, we are not going to stop them," Falcon said Tuesday (Aug. 13) in Victoria. "I'm not going to be irresponsible with money, but I can tell you any others that are in the planning stage, I will absolutely put a freeze (on) until I make sure they are procured in a manner that is making sure, that we maximize the taxpayers' investment."
Responding to concerns about rising costs for the highway improvements, Eby blamed global inflation for rising material costs. "We have to pay the price that the market is demanding for these things," he said, adding construction costs and materials are up about 80 per cent across North America.
"But we are not backing off and we will not back off, because this has to be done ... it's cheaper now than it will be five years from now."
Working on this project now will also see B.C. reap its benefits faster, he said.
Eby also used the occasion to renew his criticism of Ottawa's decision not to fund steps to protect the area against flooding.
"That's why I was so devastated, and frankly, a little bit pissed off, that the federal government gave us zero dollars on the funding that was going to go to flood mitigation on the other side of Highway 11," he said.
Eby added that the province will continue to lobby Ottawa for additional funding, noting Highway 1's role as a national trading corridor.
