Premier David Eby and senior cabinet members are in Ottawa for two days to meet with Prime Minister Mark Carney and promote major B.C. projects.
The premier will be joined in Canada’s capital by Finance Minister Brenda Bailey, Jobs and Economic Growth Minister Ravi Kahlon and Forests Minister Ravi Parmar.
The trip comes about a week after Carney revealed a list of five initial major projects to be reviewed for fast-tracking. They include the second phase of construction at LNG Canada’s Kitimat export facility and the expansion of the Red Chris Mine in northwest B.C.
“I’m glad to see that 40 per cent of the federal government’s nation-building projects are located in B.C., a result of our direct push to grow our economy and create good-paying jobs,” said Eby in a statement. “In Ottawa, I will continue discussions about these projects and the tens of billions in additional projects that should be considered in the next round. If the federal government wants private-sector projects that deliver prosperity for all Canadians, look west to British Columbia.”
Speaking at an unrelated event in Vancouver Tuesday, Eby said it’s also important to ensure B.C. is getting its “fair share” of resources from the federal government.
His comments come after Ottawa announced a new housing agency this week, along with several initial sites where it plans to build affordable housing on federal land – but none of those sites are in B.C.
The Premier’s Office said public safety will also be discussed, including key issues like extortion, gun violence and intimate-partner violence. Housing and immigration are also on the agenda.
The premier and his team will wrap up their trip on Thursday.
