---
title: "Doerkson asks outgoing NDP to stop new Massey tunnel contracts before he takes office"
description: "Premier-designate Lorne Doerkson has written to the outgoing NDP government asking it to issue no new contracts, change orders or approvals on the Massey tunnel replacement before his government is sworn in on November 20."
canonical_url: "https://voche.me/bc/provincial-2026/news/doerkson-massey-tunnel-halt-request-november-2026"
last_updated: "2026-11-12T21:10:55.970Z"
---

Premier-designate Lorne Doerkson has written to the outgoing NDP government asking it to make no new contracts, change orders or approvals on the Massey tunnel replacement project before his cabinet is sworn in on November 20, 2026. The Nanaimo News Bulletin reported the request on November 12, with the story also carried by the Vernon Morning Star, Abbotsford News, Chilliwack Progress and Oak Bay News.

Doerkson said he is asking for a pause on new commitments, not a full work stop. "We are not asking for all work to stop," Doerkson said, as reported by the Nanaimo News Bulletin. "Work that is necessary should continue until cabinet is in a position to finalize the project's direction. We should not be spending more money or making new commitments that lock British Columbians into the tunnel option before the incoming government has completed its review."

Doerkson called the situation "disheartening" but acknowledged he has no authority to direct government until after the swearing-in.

## What the platform promises

The Conservative Party of BC's platform, page 11, commits to building a new 10-lane George Massey Bridge and dropping the tunnel project. Page 57 says the bridge will be built within the $8.5 billion already set aside for the crossing, and that the government will publish the bridge's budget and schedule before construction begins. Page 57 also commits to asking Ottawa to apply its contribution of up to $3 billion toward the bridge rather than the tunnel.

Those are the party's own figures. No independent cost estimate comparing the bridge and tunnel options has been published.

Construction on the tunnel replacement began in January 2026 under the NDP government. Ottawa has committed up to $3 billion toward the project. The Nanaimo News Bulletin reports Doerkson said he has had "good conversations" with the federal government about redirecting that money toward a bridge. No formal announcement of a redirect has been made.

## What Doerkson is asking to be stopped

Doerkson's request covers new contracts, contract amendments, change orders, procurement decisions, approvals and any other commitments on the Massey crossing that would go beyond work already in progress. He says the incoming government needs time to review the project before any new binding decisions are made.

The NDP government had not publicly responded to the request as of the time the Nanaimo News Bulletin published its report.

## What the platform tracker shows

The Conservative platform includes three Massey-related promises tracked on this site: build a 10-lane George Massey Bridge, publish the bridge's budget and schedule before construction begins, and ask Ottawa to apply its contribution toward the bridge. This request is the first public action taken toward those promises before the government takes office.

You can follow the status of these promises at [/bc/provincial-2026/tracker#gov-promise-george-massey-bridge](/bc/provincial-2026/tracker#gov-promise-george-massey-bridge).

[Lorne Doerkson](/bc/provincial-2026/candidates/lorne-doerkson) won the Cariboo-Chilcotin district on October 24 and will be sworn in as premier on November 20.

## Sitemap

See the full [sitemap](/bc/provincial-2026/sitemap.md) for all pages.