SURREY - Lorne Doerkson is hiding from people in Surrey as he refuses to provide basic answers on his plans that mean delays for commuters and cuts to healthcare.

Doerkson wouldn’t even appear in Surrey to make his announcement today - making it via a radio broadcast, with no opportunity for questions.

He’s hiding and not answering questions because he knows his plans don’t add up:

• Doerkson’s Massey announcement will halt the construction that’s underway, and set the project back years.
• His so-called hospital plan comes with no land, no location and no budget.
• He’s refusing to say how he is going to pay for his $5 billion in promises, because he knows he’s going to have to pay for it with healthcare cuts in Surrey

David Eby had this to say when he stood with people in Surrey and took questions from reporters today:

“Right now, as I stand here there are 200 workers on the site of the [Massey] tunnel beginning construction. When you drive past, you can see the big metal structures going up. That's the tunnel construction that's underway. Now, here we have the Conservative leader again: No plan. He's going to cancel that. Send all those workers home. Start from scratch with a new plan, new environmental assessment, new procurement, new contractors. I don't know, years? Two years, more years that the drivers are stranded? This plan is lunacy. [...] We have a $3 billion financing commitment from the federal government to help pay for it. We'll lose that. [...] Well, how long is it gonna take? How much is it going to cost? Are we gonna lose the federal funding? Are you gonna put tolls on it like that was the original plan? None of those questions get asked because [Doerkson is] in hiding.”

“We have a fully costed platform. Mr. Doerkson, on his proposed hospital in Surrey, has no land, no money, no plan. Nothing. And that's also why he won't take any follow-up questions.

“...it's not that [the Interim Conservative Leader] doesn't have the answers. He has the answers to all of these questions. He just knows that you will not like those answers at home. The five billion dollars will be paid for by cuts to services that you and your family depend on. Your car insurance will double, just like in Alberta and Ontario that have those models. And he will tolerate extremism in his caucus with his campaign director [...] it explains why the Conservative Leader has hidden for the last six days. He's in a bunker somewhere. He did a broadcast this morning, took no questions. He hasn't taken a follow-up question for six days, hasn't appeared in a scrum in front of the media organized by the Conservatives for six days. He has the answers. He just doesn't want to give them to the people of British Columbia.”

The Massey replacement project is under construction right now, with over 200 workers on site.

David Eby and the BC NDP are building the second Surrey hospital in Cloverdale and have committed to working municipal leaders who have offered land to the province to build a new healthcare facility in Surrey.

David Eby’s plan for Surrey:

• Building the Massey Tunnel replacement
• Building the second hospital in Cloverdale, expanding services at Surrey Memorial
• Work with municipal leaders who have offered land to the province to build a new healthcare facility in Surrey.
• Give Surrey its own local charter to ensure that the city can thrive amidst rapid growth and has more autonomy and flexibility to meet the needs of Surrey residents.
• Deliver bus rapid transit in Surrey along King George Boulevard, from Surrey to White Rock, working in partnership with TransLink.
• Building the new Surrey Langley Skytrain, opening in 2029