The Canadian Taxpayers Federation is blasting Surrey city hall for refusing to disclose the price tag of a proposed 10,000-seat arena, warning taxpayers are being pushed into a massive project with no financial details.“Surrey taxpayers deserve transparency and accountability whenever the government spends their money,” said Carson Binda, the CTF’s B.C. director. “Surrey city hall is asking taxpayers to bankroll a mega project while refusing to release the numbers that taxpayers need to decide if this is a good deal.”The CTF filed freedom of information requests seeking cost estimates and business cases for the arena proposal. The city responded with a heavily redacted report prepared by Chicago-based consultancy Hunden Partners.Key financial data — including construction costs, operating projections and tax-revenue estimates — were fully removed. .Whole tables and forecasting pages were censored, along with information on potential anchor tenants.“If city hall wants Surrey taxpayers to pay for a stadium and entertainment district, it shouldn’t be hiding behind redactions,” Binda said. “When entire pages are blocked by black ink, taxpayers start to wonder what the city is trying to hide.”Surrey councillors, including opposition Coun. Linda Annis, have warned the project could run as high as $600 million.
