We get a lot of questions from supporters and critics in our email inbox. Recently, there seems to be a run on Crown Corporation questions, so I thought I'd post a few answers here.

Q. Do we know what percentage of the Port Mann tolls goes to the administration of the tolls and to the company managing it?

A. TREO isn't a private company, it's a Crown Corporation - taxpayers own it. We're not sure what administration costs are yet, as they haven't been collecting for a full year; frankly, it would be unfair to fully judge them until 3 to 5 years down the road as they carry debt for all the upfront costs. 

Q. Does the Liquor Distribution Branch and or the stores pay taxes or give money to the provincial government as Hydro and ICBC do?

A. LDB profits flow back to government - an estimated $862 million in this year's budget. For interest's sake, ICBC remits $160m/yr to government, Hydro $410m/yr, Lotteries $1.2 billion.

Q. Do ICBC and Hydro give money to the Province because it’s a “deal” they cut in lieu of paying income tax?

A. Hydro and ICBC don't "cut" deals. We own them. Some have argued that kickbacks to government are in lieu of profit or income taxes, but it's really a philosophical argument. Should ICBC ratepayers (paying to a publicly owned Crown Corporation) be overpaying in order to subsidize government spending? Why should drivers subsidize health care or education at a higher rate than other taxpayers? Many of Hydro's problems today flow from government taking money out of the corporation that should have been reinvested in Hydro infrastructure over the past 40 years.

For anyone looking for our specific suggestions for Crown Corporations, check out our BC Budget submission from last year.