The TransLink Mayors’ Council is asking voters to help the fight to “save transit” in Metro Vancouver.
On day two of the 2024 Union of BC Municipalities (UBCM) Annual Convention, Port Coquitlam Mayor Brad West led a group of municipal and provincial leaders in raising the alarm about the potential future of transit in the region if urgent work isn’t done.
“Metro Vancouver’s transit system is under threat due to a lack of long-term funding,” West said.
“We are facing drastic cuts to service that will devastate our region.”
Amir Ali/Daily Hive
Daily Hive Urbanized has published stories on TransLink’s financial deficit, and the UBCM media availability reiterated that it’s over $600 million with no new funding committed by the government.
The council is pushing for the Access for Everyone plan, which would double bus service over the next decade and build new Bus Rapid Transit lines. The council sent an open letter to BC political party leaders, asking for a commitment to immediate funding for TransLink following this October’s election and to create a “permanent $3.4-billion-per-year transit fund.”
The biggest question is where the money will come from. In response to a reporter’s question about funding, West did not rule out the potential for further fare increases to help address the gap, adding that transit riders would understand.
“I’ve always believed that people are willing to pay their fair share, and they understand these services cost money,” West said.
A reporter asked the council if it was prepared to endorse a party ahead of the provincial election, but West and others stated that this was not a partisan issue. West called upon BC Premier David Eby and BC Conservative Party leader John Rustad to hear their concerns.
West went out of his way to say, “This is not a bluff.”
A survey that took the pulse of Metro Vancouver transit riders revealed that a huge majority (71%) are concerned about cuts to service, and 72% of respondents would be “somewhat or very upset” if the provincial government didn’t save transit.