The B.C. Liberals’ claim that the B.C. Place roof is “on budget” is hardly credible, when you take a hard look at the facts. The B.C. Liberals told British Columbians one thing about the cost of the B.C. Place roof throughout the election campaign, only to turn around and jack up the budget by 58 per cent:  

• Before last year’s election, the B.C. Liberal government pledged that the B.C. Place project would cost $365 million. The Treasury Board approved that $365 million budget figure based on a financing plan that the B.C. Liberal government claimed was solid.

• On October 23, 2009, the B.C. Liberal government admitted the bill had ballooned to $458 million.

• On October 29, 2009, under questioning in the legislature, the B.C. Liberal government was forced to admit that the full bill for the B.C. Place roof project would be $563 million, including the retractable roof, the revitalization and the refurbishment and the maintenance costs.

• Later that day, Minister of Tourism, Sport and the Arts admitted that the $563 million cost didn’t include the price for upgrading Empire Stadium so it could be used while B.C. Place is being renovated, which the government later admitted would amount to $14 million.

• The total cost for the B.C. Place roof project now sits at $577 million, a 58 per cent increase in just one year.

This is just the latest budget deception from a government that can’t be trusted.

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