THE BC United said on Thursday that despite being elected by the people of Vancouver-West End — and running for re-election in that riding in the 2020 election — NDP MLA Spencer Chandra Herbert has been living at a waterfront property in a Victoria suburb for the past three years while generating rental income from his former residence in Vancouver.

“By all accounts, he seems to be very engaged in his new community and fitting in nicely with his neighbours — even participating in Colwood City Council meetings to discuss his concerns about local sidewalks,” says Trevor Halford, BC United MLA for Surrey-White Rock. “But rest assured, he hasn’t completely abandoned his constituents in the West End. Taxpayers have been footing the bill for him to take day trips between Vancouver Island and the mainland to visit the community that elected him.”

Since making Colwood his primary residence in 2020, Chandra Herbert has hit taxpayers with more than $70,000 in travel expenses, including thousands of dollars in round-trip travel from his Capital Region property to Vancouver, added Halford.

“While it’s commonplace for MLAs to expense travel between their constituency and the Legislature, this situation is quite different. The fact that MLA Chandra Herbert feels he is entitled to spend taxpayer money to ‘visit’ his riding, be seen by his constituents, and pick up some rent cheques while he’s there is a bad look for the guy hand-picked by the Premier to be the government’s Liaison for Renters,” continues Halford. “MLA Chandra Herbert needs to come clean with his constituents and explain this debacle immediately.”