Latest news with #Helijet
CTV News
13-08-2025
- Business
- CTV News
B.C. government staff spent more than $220K on pricey Helijet flights in 2024, says watchdog
The Canadian Taxpayers Federation is questioning the travel habits of B.C. government staff after finding they spent more than $220,000 on costly Helijet flights last year, instead of using the much more affordable BC Ferries. It argued the trips, which included $93,000 from the Ministry of Tourism, Arts, Culture and Sport alone, amounted to wasteful spending at a time when the province is urging ministries to tighten their belts. 'There's a lot of ways to get between the capital and the Lower Mainland, but taking a luxury helicopter service is literally the most expensive way to do it,' said Carson Binda, with the federation. 'There is no realistic reason why a senior executive at the tourism ministry, for example, should be expensing taxpayers for 27 separate luxury helicopter trips,' he argued. The CTF found the Ministry of Housing and Municipal Affairs billed over $40,000 for Helijet travel, while the Ministry of Jobs, Economic Development and Innovation expensed more than $90,000. In a statement to CTV News, the Ministry of Finance said cost-saving measures are already underway. 'The province is committed to making sure every dollar we spend has the greatest impact on the lives of British Columbians,' it read. 'As directed by the minister of finance earlier this year, all government ministries are cutting back on travel. We're finding savings on contracting, hiring and travel – to safeguard key services like health care and education while investing in jobs and the economy.' The ministry said travel decisions are evaluated based on need, urgency, and available options, and that staff are expected to find the most cost-efficient method given their circumstances.
Winnipeg Free Press
06-05-2025
- Business
- Winnipeg Free Press
Statistics Canada reports $506M merchandise trade deficit for March
OTTAWA – Canada posted a merchandise trade deficit of $506 million in March as exports to the U.S. fell with the implementation of new tariffs, but shipments to other countries climbed. Statistics Canada says the result compared with a deficit of $1.4 billion in February. Overall exports edged down 0.2 per cent to $69.9 billion in March as exports to the U.S. fell 6.6 per cent, but exports to countries other than the U.S. rose 24.8 per cent. A Helijet helicopter preparing to land at the harbour passes by cranes used to load and unload container ships at the DP World marine terminal at Port Metro Vancouver, in Vancouver, B.C., on Friday March 16, 2018. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck Imports fell 1.5 per cent to $70.4 billion as imports of metal and non-metallic mineral products dropped 15.8 per cent and energy products lost 18.8 per cent. Canada's merchandise trade surplus with the U.S. was $8.4 billion in March compared with $10.8 billion in February, while the country's trade deficit with countries other than the U.S. was $9 billion in March compared with $12.2 billion in February. Winnipeg Free Press | Newsletter In volume terms, total exports rose 1.8 per cent in March, while imports ticked down 0.1 per cent. This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 6, 2025.
