Monday, January 6, 2020

Sick of the ICBC? Ever Heard of the New BCIB?

By Jim Oostenbrink, Regional Director

If you have not yet heard of BCIB, you are not the only one.

When I ask people if they have heard of this new NDP Crown corporation, invariably, the answer is, “What is BCIB?”

BCIB stands for BC Infrastructure Benefits Inc. Its mandate is to help contractors get to work with the community benefits agreement. It sounds nice and helpful until you dig deeper. BC’s NDP government says it wants to partner on the successful delivery of public infrastructure projects and mobilize to grow a safe, diverse, skilled workforce. In other words, the government somehow wants to partner with the private sector to build these projects. The private sector has been building infrastructure projects for decades, and now another Crown corporation (BCIB) is created to “help” the private sector.

Sounds like another ICBC trying to “help” out the car insurance industry!

Who does the BCIB really benefit? Will it be for the benefit of all BC taxpayers who fund these infrastructure projects? The BC workforce? Or will it benefit a select group who stands to gain millions from NDP kickbacks? And just who are those select groups?

Let’s start with the select group of unions in BC who are the only ones allowed on these public projects. They are part of the Building Trades Unions (BTU) who have contributed significant amounts of money to the NDP in their quest to win an election. The BTU have contributed over four million dollars over the last four years to the NDP, and these contributions have paid off handsomely. The NDP have assured the BTU that only their workers will be permitted on public projects. This means that 85 percent of all BC construction workers are now excluded from these projects unless they join a union from the NDP-approved list.

Private contractors are free to bid on these projects; however, their workforce must join the approved union. Consequently, this has resulted in fewer contractors bidding with higher associated project costs. For example, the Pattullo Bridge Project is more than 110 million dollars over budget with only two companies bidding. The contractors also have to pay an extra $640 per worker on an annual basis (2,000 hours x 0.32/hour) to cover the costs of the BCIB.

This is only the beginning of the NDP kickbacks to the BTU. They have promised over $20 billion (not a typo) of potential public infrastructure projects! The NDP wants you to believe in “community benefits,” but the only community benefiting from this arrangement is a large NDP benefactor called the BTU. It is blatant bribery and kickbacks. The BCIB is an unnecessary and costly Crown corporation.

Quite frankly, the BCIB tramples on individual rights. There is currently a Supreme Court challenge, which will focus on protecting these rights. On February 3-7, 2020, the Supreme Court will conduct hearings on the question of whether or not the BC government may force unionization of workers. Recently, the Manitoba government introduced legislation that makes it illegal to require forced unionization of workers on publicly owned construction projects. It is clear that the BC government is violating the Charter of Rights and a direct assault on our freedoms.

The NDP government claims it is adding benefits. It sure does—but only to those who support them. In reality, the BCIB will add costs to taxpayers in the hundreds of millions. It will mean less money for schools and hospitals, which are badly needed in BC. For example, the Pattullo Bridge Project cost overrun ($110 million) would have paid for two new schools.

The negative economic impact will be felt for years in BC. Speak out and let your voice be heard. Go to www.fairandopenbc.ca and send Horgan a petition letter to let him know that all British Columbians should be able to work on public projects—not just his friends.

Sick of the ICBC? Ever Heard of the New BCIB?

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