The BC Conservatives have unveiled their plan to "get BC moving" via investments in infrastructure and transportation across the province.Leader John Rustad slammed Premier David Eby and the BC NDP for failing to deal with bottlenecks in the system, and vowed to ensure British Columbians are able to get where they need to go. "The NDP's approach has been all about bottlenecks, delays, and inefficiencies," he lamented. "British Columbians deserve better. We'll build the infrastructure we need to unlock the potential of this province, and we'll do it without NDP road pricing or NDP tolls."He claimed that after seven years of NDP rule, "aging infrastructure and inadequate public transit are dragging down daily life and our economy," adding, "while demand for all types of infrastructure continues to grow, the NDP has failed to fix the problems that exist today — let alone build what’s needed for tomorrow."The party highlighted nine major infrastructure projects that would be prioritized. They include a building a new bridge across Okanagan Lake, replacing the Taylor Bridge in the Peace region, rebuilding Kamloops' Red Bridge, upgrading Highway 19 in Nanaimo, expanding Highway 1 to six lanes in Chilliwack, revitalizing "outdated" highway exists and interchanges in the Lower Mainland, expanding the new Patullo Bridge to six lanes, and replacing the George Massey Tunnel.Rustad made it clear that despite Eby's claims, the Conservatives would "never implement road pricing or tolls."On the public transportation side of things, he vowed to extend the SkyTrain to Newton and ensure routes in networks across the province are reliable and frequent. He also committed to funding TransLink for two years while "auditing and reforming its financial model" to ensure it remains financially stable going forward."A growing population needs a growing transit network," Rustad concluded. "We will extend SkyTrain to Newton in Surrey, fund key projects in the Transport 2050 plan, and ensure reliable and safe transit for all British Columbians."
