The province's minister of transportation says it's disappointing what MLA Vicki Huntington is saying about the analysis that's gone into the decision to build a bridge over the Fraser River.
Outside the legislature Wednesday, Todd Stone responded to media questions regarding the Delta South MLA's assertion this week the government won't provide documents supporting the plan to construct the multibillion dollar crossing to replace the George Massey Tunnel.
According to Huntington, a freedom of information request, filed last year by Delta South constituent and Optimist columnist Ian Robertson, requested "materials such as documents, data, analysis prepared for the premier to allow her to determine and to announce that the Massey Tunnel would be replaced by a bridge over the Fraser River." No records were found, she said.
Huntington said the lack of information highlights a trend in the way government handles FOI requests.
"Government information is becoming an endangered species in this province," she said. "Replacing the Massey Tunnel with a bridge will cost at least $3 billion and should be based on detailed documentation and analysis. Instead, we find 'no records.'"
Huntington said her office also made an FOI request to the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure for 10 years of records preceding phase two of the public consultation period on the George Massey Tunnel Replacement Project, which also returned no results.
A separate FOI request by Huntington asked for the business case, along with other technical documentation, for the five crossing options to replace the tunnel.
Noting information from the public engagement has been available online for a couple of years, Stone said, "I'm quite disappointed, actually, that she made the statements that she did. All the material related to George Massey (tunnel replacement) has been developed where there is technical analysis, engineering work, the public engagement material has been provided to Miss Huntington in one form or another.
"Staff have met with her on a regular basis. In fact, we meet quarterly as a matter of courtesy to her to bring her up to speed on the project, answer all of the questions that she has, point her to the resources that are on the website and are available, so the suggestion there is no material and that we haven't provided her specifically with material is simply inaccurate and I think the public needs to know that."
As far as the business case, Stone noted that "sound decision making when it comes to major infrastructure projects" has always involved government announcing its political intentions, setting a vision and proceeding with the necessary public engagement to work on details. Part of that process includes development of a business case, something that was also done when it came to such projects as the new Port Mann Bridge and South Fraser Perimeter Road.
"I could rattle off the millions... billions of dollars we've invested in infrastructure, and this is how we've done it," he said.
Stone noted the province is now in the final stages of a project definition report, which will include the business case and technical details.
