THE Mayors of the City and District of North Vancouver are standing alongside local business owners and members of the community in support of the Save Transit campaign – urging provincial election candidates to commit to fixing TransLink’s broken funding model and encouraging the community to act by sending a letter to their local candidates.

“We are sounding the alarm. North Shore residents, employers and workers have had enough of traffic congestion and overcrowding on buses,” said Linda Buchanan, Mayor of the City of North Vancouver. “The mayors of the North Shore have worked to ensure rapid transit for our communities is a priority in the Access for Everyone Plan, but instead of moving forward, our transit system is under threat. Without provincial funding, we are facing drastic cuts to service that will immediately put thousands more cars on our roads.”

A recent Mayors’ Council survey revealed that 77 per cent of North Shore residents believe transit is an important election issue and a majority are concerned about possible cuts.

TransLink faces a structural deficit of over $600 million and with no new funding committed to date by government, it is not only preparing to put the Access for Everyone plans on hold, but also preparing to make significant cuts to service that will have catastrophic effects throughout the region. Despite TransLink making significant cost cutting measures, it is still not nearly enough to address the deficit.

“Whether you are driving along the Upper Levels Highway, getting through town on city streets or trying to access either of the bridges, traffic congestion has become a grim reality for the North Shore that is only getting worse as our population grows,” said Mike Little, Mayor of the District of North Vancouver. “We can’t delay better transit infrastructure any longer. We have the plan for transit expansion, and we’re ready to go. The residents of the North Shore deserve to know whether provincial election candidates will commit to ensuring we have the resources available to continue to grow as a region.”

Without a new, sustainable funding model for TransLink, plans for a new Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) line between Park Royal and Metrotown will be shelved. Instead, transit cuts will mean most bus service on the North Shore would be reallocated to higher population areas in the region. The remaining bus service could end at 8 p.m., stranding thousands of commuters.

A recent report by InterVISTAS Consulting Inc. outlining the economic impact of service cuts cited that much of the North Shore would be left with little to no transit access. Across Metro Vancouver, the report notes that congestion would increase by up to 20% with over 200 million additional hours of automobile and truck traffic.

An interruption to the Access for Everyone plan and service cuts will also have a negative impact on the North Shore’s economy. The same economic impact report also cited that congestion from transit cuts could limit mobility for workers and make jobs on the North Shore more difficult to access. Fewer people would be willing to travel in and out of the North Shore for work and those that do would likely have to travel by vehicle, further adding to congestion. This, in turn, would shrink the North Shore job pool and hinder economic growth, productivity and output.

“The North Shore is an invaluable contributor to the regional and national economy,” Buchanan said. “We are home to Canada’s largest port and many other vital employers. If congestion prevents these employers from delivering, the economic ripple effect will be felt well beyond the North Shore.”

“As the election approaches, we need North Shore residents to make their voices heard and for candidates to listen,” said Little. “We have had enough of congestion and delays. It’s time for the next Provincial government to do the right thing, support the Access for Everyone plan and save transit for our community and our region.”
Metro Vancouver residents can visit the website www.accessforeveryone.ca, enter their name, postal code and email, and a letter will be sent to their local candidates and provincial party leaders urging them to invest in public transit and avoid cuts to services.