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VICTORIA – The (PCA) has launched the Fair and Open B.C. voter awareness campaign as British Columbians go to the polls next month.

The campaign aims to raise voter awareness about key issues in the Oct. 19 election, including fairness and affordability, a PCA release said.

“Our goal is to help voters connect the dots. British Columbians should be aware of a regressive NDP labour policy that has contributed to labour shortages and massive cost overruns on several major taxpayer-funded projects. It’s a policy that makes today’s labour and fiscal challenges worse,” PCA B.C. regional director Dan Baxter said in the release.

The Pattullo Bridge Replacement project and construction of the Cowichan District Hospital were cited as two projects that are over budget.

“At the height of a labour shortage, the NDP government’s labour policy shuts 85 per cent of the province’s construction workforce out of key public projects, from the Pattullo Bridge Replacement to construction of the new Cowichan District Hospital, all because workers are not carrying the ‘right’ union card,” the release stated.

“It’s reckless for a government to carry on with such a costly, anti-competitive labour policy when there is a better way. Adopting a fair, open and competitive bidding process on public projects would save tens of millions in public tax dollars to keep emergency rooms open, hire more doctors or help pay down a record deficit. Our goal is to help voters to make an informed choice on election day,” Baxter said.  

Information about the campaign is available at .