British Columbia’s executive vehicle leasing program is facing renewed scrutiny after records revealed taxpayers are covering roughly $370,000 annually for leased vehicles used by senior government officials.
Documents obtained through freedom of information requests show the province spends an average of about $1,103 per month on each executive vehicle lease for deputy ministers, associate deputy ministers, and other senior public-sector executives.
The spending has drawn criticism from the Canadian Taxpayers Federation, which argues the costs are difficult to justify—particularly when many luxury and hybrid vehicles are available at significantly lower lease rates. For comparison, some premium SUVs and hybrid sedans can be leased for hundreds of dollars less each month.
Under current provincial policy, deputy ministers and associate deputy ministers are eligible for a government-funded vehicle lease of up to $1,200 per month. Alternatively, they may opt for a $1,000 monthly vehicle allowance instead.
Critics say the policy appears inconsistent with the province’s own travel guidelines, which require government employees to use the most cost-effective and appropriate transportation available when conducting official business.
Questions have also been raised about transparency. While the province disclosed the total cost of the leases, it withheld details about the makes, models, and years of the vehicles, citing security and public safety concerns.
The Canadian Taxpayers Federation is now pursuing legal action in an effort to have those details released, arguing that taxpayers deserve to know exactly how public funds are being spent.
