VICTORIA – The B.C. Liberals have let down British Columbians by sending hundreds of jobs from the B.C. Place roof project out of the province, the New Democrats said today.

“It is shameful that the B.C. Liberal government has failed to use this opportunity to createRaj Chouhan more jobs in B.C. While B.C. taxpayers are providing the millions in infrastructure dollars, hundreds of jobs are being exported out of this province,” said New Democrat labour critic Raj Chouhan .

Chouhan was responding to news that the over $100 million steel fabrication portion of the B.C. Place roof replacement project has been awarded to Canam Group, which will contract the work to shops in Washington State and Quebec.

“This is yet another example of mismanagement from the B.C. Liberals. The government should be using this opportunity to invest in our province and provide maximum benefit to B.C.’s workers,” said Chouhan.

Spencer HerbertAfter telling British Columbians that the retractable roof portion of B.C. Place renovation would cost $290 million, last week the B.C. Liberals admitted the bill has ballooned to $458 million.

“The B.C. Place roof project has gone hundreds of millions of dollars over budget before a single shovel hits the ground. Now, to make matters worse, B.C. workers won’t be seeing the benefits they deserve,” said New Democrat tourism critic Spencer Herbert .

Herbert raised the B.C. Place renovations earlier this week in budget estimates, where the government confirmed the B.C. Place replacement roof and renovation will now cost taxpayers over half a billion dollars, including 65 million for interior renovations and another $40 million in deferred maintenance.

Carole James and the New Democrats are strongly committed to supporting sports in B.C. while protecting taxpayers from the long-term risks associated with B.C. Liberal cost-overruns.

Under the Liberal government, B.C. has had the worst rate of full-time job losses, the second-worst performing economy, and highest level of child poverty in the country.