The BC Government’s Standing Committee on Finance and Government Services has set out on their annual pre-budget consultation tour of B.C., hearing from stakeholder groups about what they want to see in the 2016-17 BC Budget. Spoiler alert: most groups want to see a lot more of your money spent.

Many of these causes and ideas are wonderful, but governing is about priorities. Fiscal restraint is absolutely vital. Over the next few weeks, we will post a running tab of the amount of requests this committee receives. Some cost estimates will come from the groups themselves; others will be guestimates.

Your CTF, by the way, is scheduled to present to this committee at 11:50 a.m., Tuesday, October 13, at the Sheraton Guildford Hotel in Surrey. Rest assured we WON’T be asking government to spend more money.

• After 8 days, the grand total: $10,796,296,000   
• NEW! On Day 8, they received $273,291,000 in requests.
• In the second half of their meetings on Day 7, they received $245,080,000 in requests.
• In the first half of their meetings on Day 7, they received $133,100,000 in requests.
• On Day 6, they received $205,400,000 in requests.
• On Day 5, they received $70,200,000 in requests.
• On Day 4, they received $6,288,000,000 in requests.
• In the second half of their meetings on Day 3, they received $719,425,000 in requests.
• In the first half of their meetings on Day 3, they received $384,500,000 in requests.
• In the second half of their meetings on Day 2, they received $937,500,000 in requests.
• In the first half of their meetings on Day 2, they received $1,234,800,000 in requests.
• On Day 1, the committee had already received $305,000,000 in funding requests.

Here’s the Day 8 breakdown:

Day 8 - Wednesday, October 7, Fort St. John, Fort Nelson, Quesnel and Cranbrook

• Big Brothers Big Sisters wants more funding for their programs, especially around mental health. Guesstimated pricetag: $500,000.
• The Save Our Northern Seniors Society wants another 60 beds for long term care. No pricetag attached, but let’s put this at $5 million.
• The Fort Nelson and District Chamber of Commerce wants Highway 97 improved. No estimate given, let’s put it at $10 million. They also wanted a carbon tax offset for rural tourism operators. Let’s put that at $7 million.
• Quesnel Mayor Bob Simpson wants help for cities suffering from the effects of the mountain pine beetle, a new high school building, and economic development funding. Let’s put this at $50 million.
• The Columbia Basin Alliance for Literacy wants literacy funding restored. Already costed.
• The Peace River North school district wants transportation funding restored. $541,000.
• The College of the Rockies wants more provincial funding – 2% was suggested. $250,000.
• The BC Healthy Living Alliance wants a food tax. They also want $175 million in new physical activity funding.
• The Quesnel and District Chamber of Commerce wants more money for local forestry, more investment in local health care, more skills training, and more highway improvements. Let’s ballpark the total ask at $25 million.