Premier David Eby's NDP government is under fire after newly obtained internal records reveal taxpayers were billed $55,000 for the creation of three prototype “wood-leather” soccer balls — a project officials hoped would become a showpiece at international events.

According to emails, briefing notes, and project board minutes released under freedom-of-information law, the province's Ministry of Tourism, Arts, Culture and Sport approved the spending during a FIFA-related planning meeting on Sept. 20, 2024, instructing the Ministry of Forests to fast-track the work through an existing research agreement with UBC.

One document bluntly lists the item: “Wood-leather soccer ball — $55K.”

The correspondence shows bureaucrats scrambling to resolve ownership, branding, and procurement questions. Government officials debated whether the province could legally own the balls without triggering a full contracting process — ultimately deciding UBC would maintain ownership while the province would borrow the prototypes for marketing and display.

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The plan wasn’t just to stitch together the balls. Staff requested a filmed “story of wood-leather,” complete with documentation, photos, and promotional material that could be showcased at the WoodRise Congress, Expo 2025 in Osaka, and potentially Science World through 2026.

Despite the promotional push, the documents show the project was riding on shaky ground: the ministry supplying the wood fiber is warning of possible closure due to regulatory pressure.

Premier Eby and Agriculture Minister Lana Popham were photographed with one of the prototypes in Osaka — while every other premier was meeting in Saskatoon.

Eby later posted that the quirky object “represents B.C.’s creativity,” though the records also note that government staff couldn’t guarantee a logo would even adhere to the material long enough for events.

BUSTED!

B.C. Premier David Eby billed taxpayers $190,000 for three "wood-leather," soccer balls. That's $63,000 per ball.

Eby and Minister Lana Popham then hopped on a plane and flew to Japan for a photo op with their soccer balls. pic.twitter.com/NBKYmy6qzK

— Carson Binda (@BindaCarson) November 24, 2025

The $55,000 soccer balls join a growing list of eyebrow-raising expenses under Eby’s government, including:

• a $118,000 taxpayer-funded party featuring luxury snacks and cocktails

• $3,600 in dining expenses billed by Popham — including 19 glasses of sparkling wine

• Finance Minister Brenda Bailey’s $6,600 limousine service

All of this while B.C. borrows roughly $60 million per day, pushing annual interest costs to more than $930 per resident.