THE BC Liberals said on Monday that the NDP have acted swiftly to keep public information hidden and have already started charging the public for Freedom of Information (FOI) requests.

“It appears Minister Lisa Beare misled the House when she insisted they were listening and it would be some time before cabinet would eventually determine the fee for filing an FOI request,” said Bruce Banman, Opposition Critic for Citizens’ Services. “The fact this $10 fee has been put in place hours after the legislation was passed — before the ink is even dry — shows the NDP made up its mind well before that. The Minister knew what the fee would be the entire time, despite suggesting otherwise.”

The move also speaks to the NDP government’s misguided priorities, the BC Liberals said.

“From the impacts of COVID-19 to the devastating fires and floods B.C. has endured, the Opposition has spent the entire session pushing this government to respond more quickly to emergencies and get support into the hands of those who need it,” said Todd Stone, Opposition Critic for Jobs, Economic Development and Innovation. “All they have done is dither and delay — yet when it comes to slapping a fee on FOI requests, suddenly the NDP is capable of acting swiftly. It’s a slap in the face to those British Columbians who continue to wonder where they will live and how they will support themselves this winter and beyond.”

Stone adds the NDP voted against proactively releasing wildfire information, and are now imposing fees on information that should be readily available.