Harman Bhangu, Shadow Minister for Transportation, said the NDP government is spending more on the Massey Tunnel replacement to deliver less for British Columbians.NDP Minister of Transportation Mike Farnworth announced yesterday that the George Massey Tunnel replacement is now expected to cost $8.5 billion, more than double the government’s previous estimate of $4.1 billion.Mr. Bhangu said good transportation planning is about building infrastructure that moves people and goods safely, reliably and for decades to come, adding that the NDP has failed that test at every stage of this costly project.“The NDP government has shown an inability to stick to the budget and respect taxpayers,” said Misty Van Popta, Shadow Minister for Infrastructure. “Major infrastructure projects under Premier David Eby have become synonymous with soaring costs, missed timelines and broken promises. British Columbians can ill-afford one multi-billion-dollar mistake after another, especially as families continue to struggle with rising cost of living.”"The Minister of Transportation must explain himself to British Columbians for this astronomical cost," said John Rustad, Shadow Minister for Treasury Board. “In less than a decade, the NDP have taken this project from a $2.6-billion bridge that would have been completed by now to an $8.5-billion tunnel. Most recently, the price tag for a new tunnel was set at $4.1 billion. But while the NDP assured us that it wasn’t going to get any worse, it was obvious to anyone paying attention that the project was spiralling even further out of control. Now, the truth has come out, and taxpayers will be on the hook for at least $8.5 billion. The NDP government clearly has no idea how to complete a project, and their incompetence is condemning this province to financial ruin.”“This project should have been delivering relief to Richmond and Delta by now, not setting new records for cost overruns,” said Steve Kooner, MLA for Richmond-Queensborough. “Local families and businesses have been waiting for years for real relief from the daily traffic congestion, but all the NDP has delivered is more delays and an even higher price tag. When will British Columbians get straight answers from the Minister about why costs keep exploding and the Massey Tunnel replacement keeps getting pushed further into the future?”“How can the NDP government look British Columbians in the eye after this and say that they are on their side?” said Hon. Kerry-Lynne Findlay, Leader of the Conservative Party of B.C. “After nearly a decade in power, the NDP still clearly do not care about using taxpayer dollars responsibly. If it weren’t for their incompetence, the bridge would have already been finished, and billions of dollars could have been saved for other projects that B.C. needs. And now the timeline for completion has been moved back another year to 2031. But based on the NDP’s track record, I sincerely doubt that they will be able to meet even this outrageous cost and schedule. It’s time for a government that treats British Columbians and their tax dollars with respect.”