BC Liberals Reject New NDP Labor Model Say Taxpayers Will Pay the Price

WATCH: BC Liberals say a new work model that requires workers to join a union for public infrastructure projects is a return to the '90s and to the expensive expansion of the Island Highway. Tess van Straaten's reports

The expansion of the Island Highway has changed the game for Vancouver Island.

"Our new highway has been in preparation for 70 years," said a resident of Campbell River at CHEK Part of the Inland Island Highway was unveiled. "The road between Campbell River and Courtenay has always been a very dangerous road and many people have lost their lives."

But a report by the Vancouver Board of Trade of 1994 estimates that the price of the project has increased by more than The labor agreements of the NDP that forced workers to join unions

"When you look at the island's highway, it's a significant increase, "said Liberal MP Jas Johal. "This has led to increased costs for these projects and studies in Manitoba and Ontario, where these similar agreements have seen an increase of 20 to 30 percent. (19659003) They were called "collective labor agreements" or PLAs in the 1990s during the construction of the island road, but the rising costs meant that the scope of this project had to be reduced.

Several interchanges, including the McKenzie viaduct that is finally under construction more than two decades later, were to be demolished. and now, critics worry that this will happen again with the NDP's new "Community Benefit Agreements" (ABCs).

"New Democrats learned from the 1990s rather than talk about collective agreements. benefit contract for the community, "says Johal. "It's a different name, but it's the same bull." In the end, it will cost taxpayers more money. "

But Prime Minister John Horgan disputes this by saying that work can actually save money

"The benefit we have seen historically about partnership agreements We have built projects, provincial projects, on time and within budget," explains Horgan

The Liberals, who eliminated union building, say several major projects – including the Port Mann Bridge – have exceeded the budget by hundreds of millions of dollars.

With this new model, non-union contractors will be able to bid for billions of dollars in public infrastructure expiring, but all workers will have to join the union within 30 days of being hired.

All details on The operation of the new collective agreements is expected later this week.