(VICTORIA) Earlier today, Kevin Falcon’s BC Liberals, including local MLAs Renee Merrifield, Ben Stewart and Norm Letnick, voted against $26.2 million that Premier David Eby and the BC NDP provided to Kelowna through the Growing Communities Fund.

In addition, the Central Okanagan Regional District received $6.95 million, which Merrifield, Stewart and Kevin Falcon also voted against.

“This investment will help the community build the infrastructure they need as they grow,” said Aman Singh, MLA for Richmond-Queensborough “I’m shocked and disappointed that Kevin Falcon opposes these investments in Kelowna.

While the BC NDP government is using BC’s fiscal surplus to support people across B.C., Falcon told Global News that he opposes this investment:

“Instead of using some of that to responsibly pay down debt or deal with other things, what did the NDP do with the surplus they had last year, a one-time surplus? They are trying to spend all of it,” said Falcon.

Last week, the Premier announced that all 188 local governments will share $1 billion in funding for the construction of infrastructure that is needed to support the rapid growth of our communities. Kelowna’s share is $26.2 million and the Central Okanagan Regional District received $6.95 million.

“Now is the time to invest in communities, not to underfund them and cut services like the BC Liberals did for 16 years,” said Henry Yao, MLA for Richmond South Centre. “Kevin Falcon’s decision to oppose these investments shows he’s not looking out for regular people in Kelowna.