THE Union of BC Municipalities (UBCM) Annual Convention on Tuesday, the Mayors’ Council on Regional Transportation was joined by various community and business organizations to launch a letter-writing campaign aimed at the main political parties running in the October 19 provincial election.
“We are here today to remind all political parties that our region needs transit now more than ever,” said Mayor Brad West, Chair of the Mayors’ Council. “The transit funding model is broken, and we are facing drastic cuts to service that will devastate our region if new funding is not identified. That is why we are asking the public to reach out to their local candidates and tell them to do the right thing and save transit in Metro Vancouver.”
Metro Vancouver residents can visit the website www.accessforeveryone.ca/call-
A new survey shows that over 70% of Metro Vancouver residents believe transit is an important issue in the upcoming provincial election. The poll, commissioned by the Mayors’ Council in August 2024, also confirms residents believe the provincial government has the greatest responsibility among all levels of government to fund transit. 84% of respondents agree that investing in public transit is essential to keep up with Metro Vancouver’s growing population.
TransLink currently faces a structural deficit of over $600 million and with no new funding committed to date by government, TransLink is preparing to make significant cuts to service that will have catastrophic effects throughout the region, if new funding is not committed. This includes potentially shutting down all bus service after 8 p.m., cutting most bus service in communities such as Langley, the North Shore, Maple Ridge and Delta, as well as reducing SkyTrain service by 30%. Despite TransLink making significant cost cutting measures, it is still not nearly enough to address the deficit.
In the survey, 71% of respondents were concerned about these potential cuts, including 31% who are “very concerned.” 72% of respondents would be somewhat or very upset if the provincial government failed to save transit. Concerns were expressed by supporters of all political parties.
“Every political party needs to recognize that if we want a healthy, livable and more affordable region, we need to invest in public transit,” said Mayors’ Council Vice Chair Malcolm Brodie. “We cannot afford cuts to service, more overcrowded buses, more delays and more congested roads. The public understands this, now it’s time for the parties to listen.”
“There is so much at stake for our region this provincial election,” said West. “If public transit is not a priority for the next government of B.C., we will not be able to sustain our already-overcrowded transit system, let alone make the crucial expansion of services our communities desperately need through the Access for Everyone Plan.”
Recently, the Mayors’ Council sent an open letter to B.C. political party leaders calling for them to commit to immediate funding for TransLink post-election in order to roll out the first phase of the Access for Everyone transit expansion plan starting in April 2025, and to create a permanent $3.4-billion-per-year transit fund indexed to population growth and inflation.
The Access for Everyone Plan includes doubling bus service over the next decade, building nine new Bus Rapid Transit lines, investing in vital new projects such as extending SkyTrain to UBC, and improving the region’s major road network.
Organizations from around the region have joined the Mayors’ Council in calling for transit investment, emphasizing how important transit is to the region.
