Wilkinson sold Surrey hospital land to BC Liberal donor at a discount
BC Liberal Leader Andrew Wilkinson delayed the construction of a much-needed Surrey hospital by selling off its potential site.
Land in Surrey was acquired by the BC NDP government in the 1990s as a potential location for a new hospital. (Surrey Now Leader)
Before the 2005 election, Premier Gordon Campbell held a campaign event at the site, promising to fast track a new hospital.
The BC Liberals never built a second hospital. And in 2014, Citizens’ Services Minister Andrew Wilkinson abandoned the promise permanently by selling the lot to developer Fairborne Lands at a $3 million discount. (FOI)
The lot sold for $20.5 million despite being recently appraised at $23.5 million. (FOI, Vancouver Sun: April 20, 2015)
Christopher Philips, the company’s owner, later donated $25,000 to the BC Liberals the day after Christy Clark’s Clone Speech. (Elections BC)
The sale was part of Wilkinson’s aggressive land sale program that eventually sold-off 164 parcels of land for over $1 billion, often under appraised value and often to BC Liberal donors. (FOI)
5750 Panorama Drive in 2014:
