NDP candidates Jinny Sims (Surrey-Panorama), Baltej Dhillon (Surrey-Serpentine River) and Garry Begg (Surrey-Guildford) on Wednesday highlighted what they said was the risk BC Conservative Leader John Rustad and his party pose to Surrey following the release of the BC Conservative platform on Tuesday.

“John Rustad’s platform contains no new health spending. His only promise on capital funding was to launch a full review of the Capital plan, putting projects like the new Surrey hospital at risk,” said Sims. “His plan will mean cancelled projects in Surrey, fewer doctors and longer waits for families here – just like he did before.”

The NDP said that despite promises of new investments, projects at risk of being delayed or cancelled under Rustad include the new Surrey Hospital, Skytrain to Langley, the new patient tower at Surrey Memorial, and the new medical school in Surrey.

It added that in yet another example of empty promises from the BC Conservatives, the City of Surrey has not agreed to provide the land for their new Children’s Hospital, which was announced earlier this week. Surrey Councillor Pardeep Kooner said on Tuesday, “I would never give away the land for free. I am not giving this land to anyone,” she said and also added that this is taxpayer’s land and we (Surrey) respect the Surrey tax payer. (translated, RedFM, October 15).

“We heard Councillor Pardeep Kooner say clearly that the City won’t be giving the land where they made the announcement to the BC Conservatives,” said Dhillon. “So where is John Rustad planning to build this new hospital? With no money and no land, it doesn’t seem like Rustad’s got a real plan for that either.”

The NDP said that Rustad’s platform also promises a “core service review,” which means cuts to services like healthcare and seniors care, and includes bringing in two-tier American-style privatization, putting the future of healthcare in Surrey at risk. David Eby and the BC NDP are making sure the projects that Surrey needs – a new Surrey hospital, a new patient tower at Surrey Memorial, Skytrain to Langley and a new medical school in Surrey – move forward.

“Last time John Rustad was in government, he promised a new Surrey Hospital – then sold off the land and cancelled the project. We can’t trust him to deliver for Surrey,” said Begg. “We need a government that will invest in our health care and lower everyday costs, not one that cuts services and makes it harder to pay the bills.”

According to the NDP, the BC Conservative platform leaves Surrey behind:

• No capital funding for new schools in Surrey;

• No land and no capital funding for their claim that they will build a new children’s hospital;

• No capital funding for their promised Skytrain to Newton;

• A “spending review” that means cuts to services;

• A “capital project review” that means delays and cancelled projects.