The BC Budget Pushes Environment Off the Podium
Tuesday, March 02, 2010
The provincial Budget offered little relief to British Columbia’s beleaguered environment.
Further budget cuts to the Ministry of Environment, combined with ongoing staff reductions and massive cuts to the Ministry of Forests indicates the environment portfolio is no longer a priority for the provincial government.
“We were hoping that the government’s green rhetoric would be matched with a gold medal commitment to the environment. Instead we are seeing further cuts, and right now they aren’t cutting fat: they are cutting to the bone. Our province markets our natural environment to the world, but when it comes to actual protection, our government turns its back,” said Gwen Barlee, Policy Director with the Wilderness Committee.
The Ministry of Environment was cut by an additional 2.4% and employees who retire are not being replaced: leading to an attrition of the MOE work force of approximately 4-5 per cent a year. The BC Budget also assumes a projected revenue increase in coal and carbon intensive resource activity. The Parks budget took another hit, which could see additional cuts to park rangers and further service cuts.
“The Minister of Finance talked a lot about investing in the future for the next generation in today’s budget speech, but this budget is more of the same old fossil fuel intensive industry with a green-washing varnish. Burning trees and garbage, and potentially damming hundreds of rivers and calling it green is like fanning on a slap shot and calling it a goal,” said Ben West, Healthy Communities Campaigner with the Wilderness Committee.
The one bright spot in the budget is a recommitment to the Live Smart, energy efficiency program, which had previously been axed. Meanwhile the government has budgeted $274 million for the controversial Highway 37 project that would enable the development of numerous mines including two open pit coal mines.
“The BC government deserves a gold medal in green rhetoric with this budget, but when it comes to real action on the environment they have veered far off course,” said Barlee.
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For more information please contact:
Gwen Barlee, Policy Director, Wilderness Committee, 604-202-0322
Ben West, Healthy Communities Campaigner, Wilderness Committee, 604-710-5340
“We were hoping that the government’s green rhetoric would be matched with a gold medal commitment to the environment. Instead we are seeing further cuts, and right now they aren’t cutting fat: they are cutting to the bone. Our province markets our natural environment to the world, but when it comes to actual protection, our government turns its back,” said Gwen Barlee, Policy Director with the Wilderness Committee.
The Ministry of Environment was cut by an additional 2.4% and employees who retire are not being replaced: leading to an attrition of the MOE work force of approximately 4-5 per cent a year. The BC Budget also assumes a projected revenue increase in coal and carbon intensive resource activity. The Parks budget took another hit, which could see additional cuts to park rangers and further service cuts.
“The Minister of Finance talked a lot about investing in the future for the next generation in today’s budget speech, but this budget is more of the same old fossil fuel intensive industry with a green-washing varnish. Burning trees and garbage, and potentially damming hundreds of rivers and calling it green is like fanning on a slap shot and calling it a goal,” said Ben West, Healthy Communities Campaigner with the Wilderness Committee.
The one bright spot in the budget is a recommitment to the Live Smart, energy efficiency program, which had previously been axed. Meanwhile the government has budgeted $274 million for the controversial Highway 37 project that would enable the development of numerous mines including two open pit coal mines.
“The BC government deserves a gold medal in green rhetoric with this budget, but when it comes to real action on the environment they have veered far off course,” said Barlee.
-30-
For more information please contact:
Gwen Barlee, Policy Director, Wilderness Committee, 604-202-0322
Ben West, Healthy Communities Campaigner, Wilderness Committee, 604-710-5340
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