THE BC Liberals say that while many non-profit organizations are hanging by a thread, the NDP has chosen to ignore their cry for help and instead approve $645,000 for the City of Vancouver to construct a toilet, a government document shows.

“The only thing comprehensive about the NDP’s recovery program is how comprehensively they have botched it,” said Todd Stone, BC Liberal Critic for Jobs, Economic Recovery and Innovation. “Despite stating otherwise, the Jobs Minister has clearly failed to understand that non-profit organizations like Science World are ineligible for his own Business Recovery Grant program. To add insult to injury, while we all agree that public washrooms are important, the NDP are out of their mind to think allocating more than half a million dollars for Vancouver to build a toilet is an appropriate use of government relief funds — that’s outrageous.”

Through the Community Economic Recovery Infrastructure Program (CERIP) administered by the Ministry of Municipal Affairs, the NDP is providing $645,000 for the City of Vancouver to construct and install a Portland Loo toilet at Coopers Park. This proprietary American toilet normally costs $95,000 US, according to the US-based manufacturer, say the BC Liberals.

“With the CERIP program now closed, many struggling performing arts venues are barely hanging on, while the NDP spent half a million dollars on a toilet. Such spending is reckless and a mismanagement of government recovery grant programs,” said Stone. “The snowball effect of the NDP botching these grants is being felt by numerous businesses and non-profits across B.C.”

Video: MLA Stone questions Minister Kahlon in Question Period