TORONTO - NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh has pledged $30 million annually for ferry services in British Columbia if his party wins the federal election.
Singh travelled on a ferry from Vancouver Island to the B.C. mainland Saturday morning, where he announced his latest policy plans focusing on coastal B.C.
He claimed the cash injection will increase services and lower costs.
鈥淭his is exactly what families need,鈥 Singh said.
鈥淲e鈥檝e committed to real action to improve the lives of British Columbians, with real investments in housing, defending the coastline and in the ferry.鈥
He said a ferry ticket was $90 for two people and a car, which is 鈥渄ifficult for a lot of families.鈥
鈥淚t's quite costly and for people on the island, the ferries aren鈥檛 just the ferry,鈥 Singh told reporters.
鈥淭his is the way to get to communities where they need access to the things that they need in their lives.鈥
Singh, a former MPP in Ontario and a sitting MP in B.C., was asked why he still hasn鈥檛 been to four provinces on his campaign.
鈥淏.C. is also a province that feels neglected, being on the West Coast,鈥 he said.
鈥淲e're running a national campaign and looking forward to being in every part of Canada. And in B.C., we know the specific issues that are impacting the coastline. But I care about all of Canada and you'll see us in every province.鈥
He also added that he would address money laundering, calling it a 鈥減rominent problem鈥 in B.C.
Lydia Miljan, political science professor at the University of Windsor, said Singh鈥檚 campaign so far has been 鈥渕icro-targetting鈥 regions.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a very competitive race in coastal B.C. and Jagmeet Singh thinks if they have a policy with respect to putting more money towards the B.C. ferry system that they might be able to pick up those seats in Vancouver and the islands,鈥 she told CTV News Channel.
The NDP are cash-strapped, Miljan said, forcing them to focus on areas where they think they will make the most in-roads.
鈥淗e did acknowledge that he had much more close ties with Ontario鈥.I鈥檓 not sure that鈥檚 the best messaging for him right now,鈥 Miljan added.
鈥淗e really needs to say what he鈥檚 going to do for jobs in Alberta, what about Saskatchewan and Manitoba and even a lot of the Atlantic provinces.鈥
Miljan added that Singh is hoping B.C. residents remember his announcements.
