Just over $2 million spent to study mobility pricing
Independent commission remained under budget provided by TransLink
An independent commission that studied how to pay for transit and transportation improvements in Metro Vancouver spent just over $2 million in its 10 months of existence.
The 14-member commission began meeting in July 2017 and launched public consultation and research projects in October. The commission disbanded after making its final report in May.
The commission’s budget, which came from TransLink, was $2.31 million.
Its expenses, which are detailed in records obtained through a freedom of information request, include business meetings, food and beverages, local and out-of-town travel, office equipment, payroll, phones and internet, professional consulting fees, feasibility studies, subscriptions, training and education.
They added up to $2.06 million. “Overall, I think the commission did a really good job in completing the mandate that the Mayors’ Council had given them to examine the really complex issue of mobility pricing,” said New Westminster Mayor Jonathan Coté, who is co-chair of the mobility pricing steering committee. “I think the budget was necessary and I was pleased to see that the commission was able to stay within budget, and actually be under budget, through that process.”
The commission’s biggest expense was professional fees and consulting, which came in at $1.8 million. The commission also spent $141,352 on payroll. Almost $8,000 was used for local and outof-town travel.
According to TransLink, commission members, some staff and contractors participated in five trips.
Three trips were to Victoria to brief provincial elected officials and staff. These trips were attended by executive director Daniel Firth, chair Allan Seckel, vicechair Joy MacPhail and staff from contractor Fleishman-Hillard.
One staff member went to Oregon to attend a conference looking at mobility pricing hosted by the state’s Department of Transportation.
Firth took the fifth trip, which was to Chicago for a National Association of City Transportation Officials conference.
“I think the expenses are in line with what the Mayors’ Council would have expected with the budget,” Coté said. “I think the mayors wanted to make sure there was a significant amount of public consultation and engagement, and a large portion of the budget was dedicated to those activities.”
The commission was asked to explore mobility pricing as a way to pay for transit and transportation improvements in the region, replace the declining gas tax and deal with traffic gridlock.
The commission looked at two options for charges intended to reduce congestion by 20 to 25 per cent.
One was congestion point charges, which involve charging people when they pass a certain point or location. Based on early analysis, a regional congestion point charge would cost the average paying household $5 to $8 per day, or $1,800 to $2,700 per year. This option would leave the regional gas tax, which is 17 cents a litre, in place so people who don’t cross tolled points would still contribute to paying for transportation.
The other option was distancebased charges that vary by time and location, meaning drivers would be charged for each kilometre they drive, but the amount would vary depending on where they go and at what time.
The analysis shows that a multizone distance-based charge could cost the average paying household $3 to $5 a day, or $1,000 to $1,700 a year. The fuel tax could be eliminated under this option.
Coté said the report is now with TransLink staff for further analysis. There is no deadline, but he does not expect the topic will come before the TransLink board or Mayors’ Council again until after the municipal election in October.
“A topic as big and controversial as mobility pricing will require (study) postelection to have a fresh mandate of the Mayors’ Council to say the commission did great work and what are the next steps,” Coté said.