Where Does Council Think the Money Is Coming From?
Some members of Nanaimo council are frustrated that the province has not provided funding for a new version of The Hub. But maybe the better question is: where exactly do they think the province is getting this money?
British Columbia is not sitting on a pile of spare cash. The province’s own Budget 2026 numbers forecast deficits of $9.6 billion in 2025-26, $13.3 billion in 2026-27, $12.2 billion in 2027-28, and $11.4 billion in 2028-29. That adds up to $46.5 billion in projected deficits over four years. Taxpayer-supported debt is forecast to rise from $116.5 billion at the end of 2025-26 to $189 billion by 2028-29, while total provincial debt is projected to reach about $234.6 billion.
Just in case anyone at city hall has not been watching what the provincial money handlers have been doing, this is the reality: the province is already borrowing heavily, debt is climbing fast, and even major public projects are being delayed, “re-paced,” or having contracts cancelled. Recent reporting said key contracts tied to Burnaby Hospital’s redevelopment were cancelled, with the province saying the project was not cancelled but its timeline was being “re-paced.”
That should matter when local governments ask Victoria for more money.
This does not mean homelessness, addiction, and mental-health problems can be ignored. They are real problems, and people need help. But residents living near these services also have real problems. Many have dealt with disorder, safety concerns, open drug use, and unpleasant interactions on their own streets. People should not be afraid to walk in their own neighbourhood.
The previous Hub may have provided useful services, but it also created serious impacts for the surrounding community. If council wants to bring back a similar model, it needs to answer basic questions before asking taxpayers for more money.
Where will it go? How will it be managed? How will nearby residents be protected? What security, cleanup, enforcement, and accountability measures will be in place? And most importantly, who is paying for it?
Maybe this is the new reality. Governments may have to start dealing with finances the way average households do. When the bills are piling up, you cannot say yes to everything. You have to set priorities. You have to make trade-offs. Sometimes you have to say no, even to things that sound worthwhile.
Compassion matters. But so does reality. And right now, the reality is that the province is already looking at $46.5 billion in projected deficits and total debt approaching $235 billion.
So when Nanaimo council expresses frustration that the province has not produced funding for The Hub, taxpayers are entitled to ask: from where, exactly?
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