THE NDP on Tuesday said that as transportation minister, BC Liberal Leader Kevin Falcon imposed tolls on the Port Mann and Golden Ears bridges, costing families $1,500 per year.
The party said that on Monday, Falcon repeated his criticism of the BC NDP for eliminating those tolls: “Yes, they took tolls off the Port Mann Bridge, and yes traffic growth grew by 30% within a number of weeks and that we now have, basically, Los Angeles on that corridor.” (May 2, 2022, CKNW) .
NDP MLA Garry Begg said: “Kevin Falcon created these unfair tolls and he continues to support them today. At the same time he was handing tax giveaways to the top 1%, his tolls cost hardworking families $1,500 a year.”
The NDP said that in the last 18 months, Falcon has defended his bridge tolls on at least six other occasions. He:
- Said eliminating tolls was “terrible public policy” (February 4, 2022, CBC);
- Called removing tolls “a short-sighted move” (October 1, 2021, RED FM);
- Said his past decision to implement tolls was “the right thing to do” (May 18, 2021, CKNW);
- Said “traffic grew 30 percent after they took off tolls” (May 19, 2021, BIV News);
- Wrote that removing tolls was “really bad public policy” (October 20, 2020, Daily Hive);
- Has consistently supported the tolled BC Liberal Massey replacement project and promised to cancel the tunnel.
The NDP noted that studies have shown that removing tolls on the Port Mann and Golden Ears eased congestion on other crossings, including the Pattullo Bridge.