David Suzuki Foundation hails transit plan

A prominent environmental non-profit is urging the provincial government to move quickly to support transit investment in Metro Vancouver by making sure longterm regional funding is available.

Failing to do so would be “one of the most costly blunders in the region’s history,” said Ian Bruce, director of science and policy for the David Suzuki Foundation.

Bruce penned a letter to Transportation Minister Claire Trevena and Municipal Affairs Minister Selina Robinson, saying the foundation is “keenly interested” in a 10-year transit and transportation plan for the region to go ahead.

The plan has three phases and involves some major investments, including the replacement of the Pattullo Bridge, a light rail line south of the Fraser, extending the Millennium SkyTrain line down Broadway in Vancouver and upgrades to the existing SkyTrain system.

The first phase of the plan was approved in November 2016. The second phase is expected to be approved early next year, however it has not yet been fully funded.

The federal government committed to covering about 30 per cent of capital costs and the province has said it will pay for 40 per cent, which leaves TransLink on the hook for the rest of the capital costs and all of the operational costs.

After fare revenue, property sales and operational savings there will be a $60-million to $80-million-peryear regional funding gap.

During 2018 provincial budget consultations, TransLink asked that a portion of future carbon tax revenue be allocated to cover that gap, but has not received a response.

“It’s an incredible opportunity and I don’t think that the B.C. government can afford to let this go,” said Bruce.

“It’s up to the province to come forward with the investment they’ve committed to, as well as provide the tools for the region to secure this small amount of investment left that is needed. It really is only the province that has those legislative levers to do so.”

At a TransLink board of directors meeting last week, vice-president of policy and planning Geoff Cross said the goal is to get final funding agreements with the province for the capital projects in the second phase of the mayors’ plan in January.

TransLink submitted its draft business cases to the province in September and had hoped to get the agreements done before the holidays, but that deadline won’t be met.

“It is really with the province to work through and to get back to us on what the exact nature of their commitment will be,” said Cross.

Despite the fact that negotiations with the province are taking longer than expected, Cross said the original schedule is intact.

TransLink hopes to have an investment plan in February and do public consultations on the second phase of the plan in March. Next, requests for quotations for the major projects will be issued by April for major projects.

New Westminster Mayor Jonathan Coté, who co-chairs the joint funding and planning committee at TransLink, said he is, as always, cautiously optimistic that everything will go ahead as planned.

However, having groups outside of TransLink put pressure on the provincial government helps because if there is no resolution on the funding gap within the first quarter of 2018, progress on the 10-year plan will likely have to be paused.

“The reality is this is a transportation plan for the entire region and I think our chances of being successful definitely do improve when we have larger community groups and important stakeholders really stressing how important these investments in transportation in our region are,” he said.