The BC Ministry of Tourism, Arts, Culture and Sport is under pressure to explain why staff spent nearly $100,000 on helicopter travel in 2024, according to documents obtained by the Canadian Taxpayers Federation.The CTF says ministry staff billed taxpayers for 250 helicopter rides between Vancouver and Victoria, averaging more than five trips per week. Each one-way flight cost about $370 per person—compared to $20 for the same route on B.C. Ferries."Bureaucrats from one ministry alone spent nearly $100,000 on luxury helicopter travel between Vancouver and Victoria," said CTF BC Director Carson Binda. "Have these bureaucrats never heard of BC Ferries?".The CTF says the spending is out of touch with what regular residents can afford."Normal British Columbians are struggling to afford the basics while bureaucrats blow big money on helicopter rides," Binda added.Among the frequent fliers was Amy Schneider, a senior ministry official who billed taxpayers for 27 helicopter trips in a single year at a total cost of more than $14,900. Three other senior officials — Assistant Deputy Ministers Claire Avison and Kim Lacharite, along with former deputy minister Neilane Mayhew — also billed for 20 or more helicopter rides each..The government has not yet explained why the helicopter travel was necessary. Critics point out the provincial ferry system is publicly owned and significantly cheaper.In a mandate letter, Premier David Eby told Tourism Minister Spencer Chandra Herbert to "reduce costs for families" and to review ministry spending in light of "budget constraints.""It's hard to imagine how $93,000 worth of luxury helicopter rides for bureaucrats helps keep costs low for struggling families," said Binda. "The government needs to ground wasteful luxury travel for bureaucrats."
