Wednesday, September 12, 2012

Port Mann Bridge Tolls, and the HST

April 2013  is being claimed by the BC Liberals that their HST will be replaced by the greatly revised PST.

One month later, the BC Provincial election takes place in May 2013.

Meanwhile, back at the ranch (Victoria) the new Transportation manager is still putting the finishing touches on the tolls for the new bridge.  The new tolls will, from early December 2012, include the HATED HST.... until April 2013.   Talk about a dumb provincial government trying to turn the cattle around and have them head for the voting booth slaughterhouse that will somehow provide a fourth term....with Christy Clark riding herd overall.

Back in the early days, where W.A.C. Bennett was at the helm, a tax on gas was always used for highways.  The tax was collected on automobiles, therefore it was logical that the taxes raised were used to increase the moving of the said vehicles.

Wiley old W.A.C. was the politician who REMOVED the tolls from the bridges and tunnels, because....... he wanted to see the North Shore of Vancouver......developed......   He wanted to see Surrey .......  developed.  He wanted to see Richmond developed.   W.A.C. wanted to see his home town of Kelowna ....... developed.  What better way to get the economy moving?    He REMOVED the tolls....... with much fanfare.

Somewhere near the place where Gordon Campbell and Rich Coleman planted their Six Billionth tree, old W.A.C. fired an arrow from his bow, onto a barge full of DEBT documents owed, thereby proclaiming that the Government of BC was ..... Debt Free.   One kicker though, in that instance, he created Crown Corporations.

Along comes the BC Liberals in 2001, and with the future star witness in the BC Rail Trial (and was saved by an Indemnity clause for Basi and Virk), the former Finance Minister introduces their PPP3 projects, making sure that our Children's Children will be in debt until 2052.

As you can see from the BC Government's own graph, that 2014 is going to be killer of a year.  If you think that the BC Finance Minister is going to look "good" by balancing his books by 2013, what about the next four years?   The Debt Load per year doesn't hit a "low" point until 2018, and even that will be higher than in 2013.  Then it sky rockets up to 2022!

If only the Campbellites had held onto BC Rail until 2017......

In a joint announcement between the Feds and BC Government Highway Ministers, Lebel and Lekstrom claim that we are working together...... (pdf version with TWO extra pages including the benefits of LNG)

British Columbia's long-term vision of being the preferred gateway for Asia-Pacific trade, with the most competitive supply chain on the west coast of the Americas, was made possible through the collaboration of all levels of government and industry partners, including funding under the Government of Canada's Asia-Pacific Gateway and Corridor Initiative.

Today, Canada's Pacific Gateway is a world-class transportation network. Its integrated, seamless supply chain includes airports, seaports, railways, roadways and border crossings – connecting Canada and the North American market with Asia and the world. Major public-private investments will increase capacity, eliminate congestion, and streamline operations. Projects to expand and enhance port, rail, road and airport infrastructure currently planned or underway total more than $22 billion. (bottom of article Federal Government)


The South Fraser Perimeter Road is one of the province's most important infrastructure projects. This new four-lane expressway will connect Deltaport and the Tsawwassen Ferry Terminal to other port facilities along the Fraser River, rail intermodal yards and the major crossings of the Fraser River including the Massey Tunnel and the Alex Fraser, Pattullo, Port Mann and Golden Ears bridges. The project will benefit commuters, the trucking industry and tourists.

How is it that there is a toll on the Port Mann Bridge?

What happened to the $22 Billion?

And like other past Ministers of the BC Government, who received Free Passes on BC Ferries upon "retirement" from politics, will the current bunch be in receipt of motor vehicle Transponders that register NULL eg. Free Passes?

How is that Lekstrom can say, with a straight face: "........I recognize the path to our success begins with our principle strengths – a unique geographical location, strong partnerships and a world-class transportation network. Going forward, the Province remains committed to investing in public infrastructure to build sustainable communities and to make British Columbia a better place to live, work and play."

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