Next steps in transport pricing need citizens' help

Actions in city climate plan are `game-changers,' write Gil Kelley and

On Nov. 17, Vancouver's mayor and council approved the Climate Emergency Action Plan, an early action in the Vancouver Plan, and our roadmap to reduce the city's carbon pollution by 50 per cent by 2030 and do our fair share in preventing climate breakdown.

To navigate this roadmap, we need residents and businesses to join us. This means choosing to walk, cycle and take transit more frequently, switching from gas to electric vehicles, heating homes and businesses with renewable energy, and using low-carbon building materials. It means helping to shape the actions that comprise the roadmap.

We've referred to four of the actions in the plan as “game-changers” because they do the heavy lifting to reduce carbon pollution. Those four game-changers work with 15 supporting actions.

Transport pricing, also referred to as mobility or congestion pricing, is one of the game-changers and generated the most public debate and council discussion. Based on the experiences of cities around the world, we think transport pricing can encourage the shift to walking, cycling and transit, reduce carbon pollution, improve the air we breathe, make our streets quieter and safer, increase vibrant public spaces, and make our roads more reliable and less congested for the people, goods movement and businesses that need to drive.

Council has asked us to take the next steps in transport pricing, which means analyzing options and engaging with residents, businesses and organizations. We aren't planning to implement anything until there's been consultation, analysis and further reports and decisions by council. We will take the time to design a system to best meet the needs of residents and businesses — including low-income residents. Within the next five years, the Broadway Skytrain will add more rapid transit service, and we'll have added five new dedicated bus lanes to improve travel speed and reliability. Working with Translink and the provincial government will help us advance the regional transport pricing conversation as we explore an approach that starts with Vancouver's metro core.

The other game-changers include a carbon pollution surcharge on parking permits for new, more expensive vehicles; carbon pollution limits for large commercial buildings and detached homes that will phase in over time to give owners time to pick solutions that make sense for them; and rules for new buildings that will require developers to use lower-carbon construction materials.

The plan's actions will support residents and businesses transitioning off fossil fuels. The plan is designed to avoid burdening people who are struggling and to make these changes easier by providing incentives, removing barriers and improving infrastructure. To make it easier to walk, cycle or take transit — especially for people with mobility challenges — we will repair sidewalks, fill gaps in the bike network and support better transit. We'll also plan for complete, walkable neighbourhoods so that more residents live within an easy walk/roll of their daily needs. To help people switch to electric vehicles, we'll add charging stations. To enable upgrades to heat pumps, we'll offer incentives, making it easier to get permits, and supporting more trades training. We'll also work with partners like the provincial government, Metro Vancouver, Translink, B.C. Hydro and Fortis B.C. to move in this direction together.

Equity is woven into the plan to minimize the burden on disproportionately impacted communities. Some of the actions include fees and regulations, and they will be focused on those most able to afford them. An example of this approach is the carbon pollution surcharge on parking permits.

If someone is purchasing a new, more expensive vehicle, the surcharge will apply to gas and diesel vehicles to encourage them to buy an electric vehicle instead. If someone is purchasing a lower-cost vehicle, or driving an older vehicle, the surcharge won't apply.

While these changes may seem big, the benefits are bigger and they extend beyond the fight against climate change. Our streets will be less congested and the shift to electric vehicles will mean quieter streets and cleaner air. Our buildings will waste less energy and have better indoor air quality.

We'll be spending less on energy and carbon tax. We'll create jobs and economic opportunities — especially as we upgrade our buildings and transition to renewable energy.