BC Liberal Leader Kevin Falcon on Wednesday cut the ribbon to officially commemorate what he said would have been the grand opening of the George Massey Bridge had the NDP not canceled the Massey Tunnel replacement project and wasted $100 million taxpayer dollars in 2017.

“If the NDP hadn’t cancelled the BC Liberal Massey Bridge project that was already underway in 2017, commuters stuck in one of Canada’s worst gridlocks would instead be using the bridge today,” said Falcon.

“Instead, the NDP have wasted half a decade while further inconveniencing this entire region. Work has not even started on the NDPs alternative plan after more than five years in government, and an opening date for their replacement is more than a decade away. It’s unacceptable.”

The BC Liberals pointed out that the NDP government’s proposed plan is to replace the tunnel with another tunnel. Their project:

• Provides less lanes than the BC Liberal bridge project, while costing billions more;
• Is less environmentally friendly, involving significant disturbance to the Fraser River estuary;
• Does not include provisions for future rapid transit expansion; and
• Will not be open to commuters until 2030 at the earliest, if it even moves forward.

“As is always the case with this NDP government, British Columbians are getting less while paying more. The government’s own modelling shows the NDP project would offer no real time savings for drivers. Plus, there’s a good chance their tunnel would fail to get environmental approvals,” added Ian Paton, BC Liberal MLA for Delta South.

“After five years of NDP inaction, and opposition from the Tsawwassen First Nation, I have no confidence this government will actually get to work on any replacement project.”

The BC Liberals claimed that while the NDP’s tunnel plan may fail to secure environmental certification due to destructive and high impacts on the riverbed and fish habitats, the previous BC Liberal government had secured an environmental assessment certificate for the 10-lane, $2.6 -billion bridge over the Fraser River that was $900 million underbudget and well underway when the NDP cancelled it.

“British Columbians deserve a Massey replacement project that’s designed to meet the needs of the region for years to come and today they would have had that if not for the NDP’s selfish and irresponsible decision to cancel the bridge for petty politics,” said Falcon.

“A 10-lane bridge with no tolls and the capacity for rapid transit is precisely what is needed to accommodate future growth. Instead, NDP failures and inaction will have everyone stuck in gridlock for years and years to come.”