oh | UNDAY THE VOICE OF NORTH AND WEST VANCOUVER 29 MILLION FOR HORSESHOE BAY TERMIN udget h trans SEVERAL MAJOR highways ministry projects highlighted in the $13.5 billion provincial budget presented Thursday will have a considerable impact on the North Shore. The most immediate and dramatic of those projects is the $29 million plan to upgrade facili- aes at the Horseshoe Bay ferry terminal, In Highways Minister Neil Vant's estimates for expenditure ia the new fiscal year, which began Saturday, more than $80 million is set aside for highways and ferry terminal improvements that will SOLICITOR GENERAL Angus Ree ... high praise for $13.5 biltion provincial budget. direetly affect North Shore traffic. Budget documents show $20 million for the initial planning for the Cassiar Connector to link the frans-Canada to the Second Nar- rows Bridge. Another $37 million is tudgeted for ferries and ferry landings; and an additional $13 million for the Squamish Sea-to- Sky Highway. There is also another $400 mil- tion or more for the construction of two new ferries as mentioned in Finance and Corporate Relations Minister Mel Couvelier’s third budget. It is not known at this time whether the Horseshoe-Bay-to- Nanaimo run will get one of the vessels. Vant told the North Shore News on Friday the $29 million for Horseshoe Bay to allow better rarting and access was one of three priorities, the others ©. cg Victoria's Swartz Bay and Nanaimo’s Departure Bay. He could give no starting dates for the work, but allowed that the Norih Shore situation im particular was a grave cancer. Vant's ministry will receive $350 million more in the 1989 budget than it did in 1988. North Vancouver/Capilane MLA and Solicitor-General Angus Ree said the budget includes funds for engineering studies for the i By JOHN PIFER From Victoria Westview Drive bypass on the Up per Levels Highway, which will follow the coastruction of the long-delayed $20 million overpass at Lonsdale and the highway. “And with increasing ferry traf- fic and congestion on the Upper levels, the sooner we get another overpass in place, the better,” said Ree. The MLA defended Couvelicr's budget, rejecting Opposition claims that new programs and funding for environmental and social policies were brought in merely fur political expediency, and to bail out an unpopular gov- ernment, “We have always focused on social policy,’” Ree said. ‘Social services is ihe third highest com- ponent of the budget, after health and education. And as for the en. vironment, it is a major issue wih the people. “The oil spill on our coastline early this year showed that, We iave been sensitive to environimen- tal needs, you know it needs even more attention now,”’ said Ree. The solicitor-gencral was also pleased with a $600,000 hike in FENANCE AND Corporate Rela- tions Minister Mcl Couvelier presented hudget Thursday. fundiag for the Provincial Emergency Fund which he oversees: but he rejected sugges- tions that it be moved to environ- ment. “PEP involves public safety -— everything from) earthquake to search and rescue at sea — and puting if to environment would be too narrow a focus,’’ said Ree. ortation projects April 2, 1989 News 985-2531 Classified 986-6222 Distribution 986-1337 48 papes 25¢ “AL ghlights loca NEWS photo Nef Lucente UH-OH ... eight-year-old Brent Fulton locks a bit apprehensive about his beginning g efforts on cross-country skis. Spring skiing is still possible on Hollyburn Ridge where a recent snowfall brought the base up to 305 centimetres.