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B.C. cancels plans to build $800-million museum

Jun 22, 2022 | 2:11 PM

VICTORIA — British Columbia Premier John Horgan has announced his government is stopping the $800-million replacement of the Royal B.C. Museum. 

Horgan says he made the “wrong call” at a time when British Columbians were thinking about other concerns. 

The premier says he has heard the people of B.C. quite clearly that it was the wrong time for the construction and they’ll go back to the drawing board to find a project that all residents can get behind. 

Just last month, the government released thousands of pages of documents supporting its decision to build a new museumafter it considered renovating and repairing the current building in Victoria at a cost of $300 million more than the cost of replacement. 

The Opposition Liberals have been critical of the replacement plan, saying that money is being spent while almost a million people in B.C. don’t have a family doctor and many are struggling to pay their housing and fuel costs. 

Tourism Minister Melanie Mark said at news conference last month the building is not seismically sound and is at risk from floods, which could wipe out B.C.’s culture and history. 

This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 22, 2022. 

The Canadian Press