The MLA for Kamloops South is disappointed that no Kamloops area schools were explicitly mentioned in the budget.

Todd Stone says the budget lists numerous schools across the province, but Kamloops, and in particular, Valleyview was nowhere to be mentioned.

“It doesn’t mention the need for a school in Pineview Valley, doesn’t address the need for an expansion at Westmount Elementary,” Stone said. “So, Peter Milobar and I will continue to advocate as strongly as we can down here to ask tough questions of the minister and keep him on the hot seat as best we can.”

All told, the province says they’ll be spending 2.7 billion over three years to maintain, replace, renovate or expand K-12 schools province wide.

Stone added that the 2019 budget is full of big taxes and lots of spending, but with no jobs plan or strategy for economic growth.

As for the four laning of the Trans Canada east of Kamloops, Stone says that project has been delayed yet again.

“The project will now not start until 2022, and it will finish in 2023,” he added. “Only a year ago, the NDP were saying that the project was going to be tendered and would start this year in 2019.”

“That is clearly now no longer the case.”

Stone adds that he had secured funding for that $299-million dollar project back in 2017 from Hoffman’s Bluff east to Chase.

He said he’s acknowledged the investments into supportive housing projects, and the expansions at Royal Inland Hospital in Kamloops but says the budget is lacking is tax relief for British Columbians.