Documents obtained exclusively by the Canadian Taxpayers Federation (CTF) show that B.C.’s Ministry of Tourism, Arts, Culture and Sport spent nearly $100,000 in taxpayer funds on helicopter rides in 2024.

The shocking figures were provided by the ministry through over 250 receipts of luxury helicopter travel after a freedom of information request submitted by the CTF.

The helicopter rides were reportedly between Vancouver and Victoria, with the average cost of a one-way flight for one bureaucrat coming in at $370.

News Release: The B.C. Ministry of Tourism must explain why staff billed taxpayers nearly $100,000 for helicopter trips in 2024, according to new documents exclusively obtained by @taxpayerDOTcom

“Have these bureaucrats never heard of B.C. Ferries?"https://t.co/5deC9cIyxH pic.twitter.com/du5pULNd0X

— Carson Binda (@BindaCarson) July 17, 2025

Carson Binda, B.C. Director for the CTF, condemned bureaucrats for opting to take the expensive flights while significantly cheaper options were available, including $20 trips with BC Ferries.

“The Ministry of Tourism could have saved taxpayers tens of thousands of dollars by using the ferry service the government already owns, instead of a luxury helicopter service,” she said.

One senior bureaucrat at the ministry named Amy Schneider billed taxpayers over $14,000 in 2024 through 27 separate helicopter rides, according to the CTF.

The receipts also show that three other bureaucrats from the ministry billed taxpayers for at least 20 helicopter flights in 2024. These include Assistant Deputy Minister Kim Lacharite, former deputy minister Neilane Mayhew, and Assistant Deputy Minister Claire Avison.

B.C. Premier David Eby called on the current Minister of Tourism, Anne Kang, to "reduce costs for families" while considering current "provincial budget restraints," in his most recent mandate letter.

The CTF is calling on B.C.'s Ministry of Tourism to explain the exorbitant costs to taxpayers. “The government needs to ground wasteful luxury travel for bureaucrats," Binda said.

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