B.C. premier John Horgan has kept his campaign promise to eliminate tolls on the Port Mann and Golden Ears bridges.

The tolls were eliminated earlier this month, with Horgan saying that it would make life more affordable for many people in the Lower Mainland. However, the burden of paying off the bridges鈥� debt will now be shared by all taxpayers in B.C.

Horgan has told reporters that the debt from the Port Mann Bridge will be transferred onto the taxpayer-supported debt of the province.

鈥淔or taxpayers in the rest of B.C., this is a huge slap in the face,鈥� said John Rustad, MLA for Nechako Lakes. 鈥淩emoving the bridge tolls means that the debt and maintenance is no longer paid by users but rather is absorbed into taxpayer debt and servicing.鈥�

According to Rustad, people in rural areas of B.C. 鈥減ay for far more鈥� than the people in the Lower Mainland. He was referring to a deal made in 1998 in which regional hospital districts outside of the Lower Mainland would have to contribute to capital costs of health facilities. The rationale for doing so was that Metro Vancouver would instead pay a greater share of transit and transportation infrastructure costs.

鈥淣ow, with the removal of bridge tolls, that deal from the 1990s is likely not required,鈥� said Rustad. 鈥淲hat should happen is a removal of the requirement [for people in rural areas] to pay for the share of health infrastructure so that all people in British Columbia are treated equal.鈥� 

With the Lakes District Hospital and Health Centre, the Stuart-Nechako Regional Hospital District funded approximately 20 per cent of the total overall cost.

鈥淲ith what the NDP have done, people in Rural B.C. and in the north are treated as second class citizens paying more than their fair share of taxes for the political benefit of the NDP,鈥� added Rustad.

Green party leader Andrew Weaver, whose party formed an alliance with the NDP to defeat Christy Clark and the Liberals after this past May鈥檚 provincial election, said it鈥檚 鈥渞eckless鈥� to remove tolls.

鈥淭here is no question that the affordability crisis facing so many British Columbians is a significant concern. However, this policy is high cost and low impact. It is disappointing that the first major measure that this government has taken to make life more affordable for British Columbians will add billions of dollars to taxpayer-supported debt,鈥� said Weaver.

鈥淢oreover, making such a massive addition to our debt risks raising interest on all debt, which ultimately prevents government from being able to invest more in important social programs,鈥� he continued.

鈥淭olls are an excellent policy tool to manage transport demand,鈥� added Weaver. 鈥淭ransport demand management reduces pollution and emissions, alleviates congestion and helps pay for costly infrastructure.鈥�

- With files from Mike Hall