B.C. government staff spent more than $220K on pricey Helijet flights in 2024, says watchdog

A Helijet helicopter is seen in this file photo.

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.