PREMIER Christy Clark’s government has been quick to get in on the Next Big Thing when it comes to public sector spending.
And that’s climate change, the catch phrase incorporating anything that has to do with reducing the use of fossil fuels.
In this particular circumstance it’s the release of a four-page “green infrastructure” wish list amounting to billions of dollars. It was released just after the premiers met with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, a deliberate act of timing to note that if the federal government really wants climate change action, it’s going to have to cut some serious dollar figure cheques to the provinces.
The wish list is impressive but heavily weighted to the Lower Mainland with calls for more mass transit to take more carbon emitting vehicles off the road and making it easier for those drivers who persist in using their vehicles to get around, a benefit that would also reduce emissions.
This may not be a total surprise because climate change is about politics as much as anything else and provincial elections are won or lost on the Lower Mainland.
Missing, however, was anything specific to northern and rural areas other than general measures for increased home and building energy efficiency, something that would apply right across the province.
If climate change is a serious matter, Clark needs to expand her geographic scope.
