SHOW ME THE MONEY! Billions are coming to British Columbia from the tobacco settlement. Where is the money trail?

 SHOW ME THE MONEY: Where is B.C.’s Tobacco Settlement Money Going?

British Columbia is expected to receive approximately $3.5 billion from tobacco companies to recover health-care costs caused by smoking.

This is public money. The people of B.C. deserve clear answers:

Where is the money?
• How much has actually been received so far?
• Where is it being held?
• Who has authority over decisions about it?
• What programs and services are being funded?
• Can every dollar be tracked from the moment it arrives to where it is spent?

The public should not have to dig through hundreds of pages of government documents to follow billions of dollars.

Who is responsible for oversight?

Brenda Bailey — B.C. Minister of Finance
Responsible for the provincial budget and financial reporting.

The B.C. Ministry of Finance
Responsible for tracking government revenue, spending, and the Public Accounts, which report government finances.

The Auditor General of British Columbia
An independent watchdog that audits government finances and reports to the Legislature.

Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs), including the Public Accounts Committee
Responsible for reviewing financial reports and questioning government spending decisions.

But here are the questions citizens are asking:

If B.C. receives billions of dollars, will the public get a clear, easy-to-understand accounting of where it goes?

Will this money truly strengthen health care and prevention — the purpose for which it was intended?

And why are communities constantly told there is not enough money for schools, education, arts, museums, culture, housing, and community programs, while governments continue to find money for major resource projects and infrastructure?

This is not only about money.

It is about priorities.

A province’s future is built not only with pipelines and resource projects, but with education, creativity, history, science, health, and strong communities.

Journalists, researchers, financial watchdogs, and concerned citizens: please follow the money.
The public deserves transparency.

Every dollar of public money should be traceable.

SHOW ME THE MONEY.

Official records to follow:

📌 B.C. Public Accounts — audited government financial records
https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/governments/finances/public-accounts

📌 B.C. Budget Fiscal Plan
https://www.bcbudget.gov.bc.ca/

📌 Office of the Auditor General of British Columbia
https://www.oag.bc.ca/