THE Canadian Trucking Association of B.C. says the City of Surrey’s proposal for 150 new spaces in four “parking sites” will not make a meaningful dent in the shortage of truck parking in the city and will not have any meaningful impact on the situation.

Amit Kumar, president of the association, said on Monday: “The need for more than 2,000 spots in Surrey, and 5,000 spots in Metro Vancouver overall, will not be resolved by such a piecemeal approach. The city, Metro Vancouver and the province need to resolve this collectively on a larger priority basis.

“The issue has been left unresolved for more than 20 years and the planners and politicians have never shown any real intention to resolve this issue. They need to get this issue resolved in partnership with the industry before it is too late.”

Surrey Councillor Linda Annis said truckers, city hall, and the provincial government need to sit down and look at realistic options for Surrey and the region.

“We all forget how much the trucking industry means to our economy,” said Annis. “There’s nothing glamorous about truck parking, but without designated parking locations and practical solutions, we are jeopardizing our local industry, and the supply chain we all count on to deliver absolutely everything we need and use every day.”