Premier Christy Clark looks on as British Columbia Finance Minister Mike de Jong leaves the Legislature after tabling the budget in Victoria, Tuesday, Feb. 19, 2013.Jonathan Hayward/The Canadian Press
The B.C. Liberal government forecast a slim $197-million surplus with a big assist from property asset sales.
Sixteen properties are earmarked for sale to provide proceeds of $260-million in the 2013-14 fiscal year. But that figure does not include the previously announced $300-million sale of the province's Little Mountain property in Vancouver, nor $30-million from divesting a Liquor Distribution Branch warehouse.
All told, the gross asset sales could amount to more than $800-million.
The 16 assets to be sold include North Saanich Middle School, vacant land near Victoria General Hospital, a parking lot near the B.C. legislative buildings and two vacant lots in Surrey.
"We have about 100 surplus properties and assets, and we are continuing a process to turn them into economic generators – providing amenities such as housing, health care and long-term residential care on what are now, for the most part, vacant or underutilized lands," B.C. Finance Minister Michael de Jong said Tuesday.