British Columbia Cycling Coalition: Support Funding for the Evergreen Line and Cycling

The Metro Vancouver Council of Mayors has recommended a 2 cent gas tax to fund the Evergreen Line. In addition, they are also looking at other options with the Province including a graduated vehicle levy and a road pricing transportation improvement fee to fund further transit and cycling improvements. Cycling funding would increase from $3 million per year to $6 million per year. While the $3 million per year increase to the current $3 million in cycling funding is most welcome, it is still leaves the region $17 million short of the $23 million per year needed to complete a network of high quality bicycle routes throughout the region, it is a very important step forward.

TransLink will present the Moving Forward plan for public consultation over the next two weeks. As both the increase in gas taxes and the vehicle levy require provincial legislation, it is critical to show strong support across the province for increases in gas, vehicle levies, road pricing and carbon taxes to pay for transit and transit. According to the news report Premier sounding skeptical about proposed gas tax, the gas tax increase might be in trouble already. It is disappointing that the media in general has taken such a narrow view on the issue.

Better transit can dramatically decrease the cost of getting around the region by providing people with more choices and decreasing the need for expensive highway expansion. The cost to drivers of the gas tax increase will be much less than the $6 a day it will cost drivers travelling over the new Port Mann Bridge. With hundreds of thousands of people expected to move to the region over the next few decades, improved transit and cycling facilities are really the only affordable options. It is critical that people who support cycling and rapid transit contact the Premier and other politicians in support of cycling, transit and gas tax increases.

As well, send letters to the editor and phone into radio shows. All the info is below.

Hon. Christy Clark Premier@gov.bc.ca

Please cc your MLA. You can find their email address at: http://www.leg.bc.ca/mla/3-1-1.htm

As well, cc:

blair.lekstrom.mla@leg.bc.ca, kevin.falcon.mla@leg.bc.ca, mike.dejong.mla@leg.bc.ca, ida.chong.mla@leg.bc.ca, terry.lake.mla@leg.bc.ca, pat.bell.mla@leg.bc.ca,dawn.black.mla@leg.bc.ca, adrian.dix.MLA@leg.bc.ca, harry.bains.mla@leg.bc.ca, lana.popham.mla@leg.bc.ca

Radio Station Call in Shows

CKNW - 980 AM

Open Line: (604) 280-9898, Toll Free: 1 (877) 399-9898

7:30-8:30am - Phillip Till

8:30-9:30am - Bill Good

12:30 - 3:00pm - Christy Clark's Replacement

3:00-7:00pm - John McComb

Comment Line: (604) 331-2784

CBC - 690 AM

7:30-8:30am - Early Edition - 604-662-6690

12:00-2:00pm - BC Almanac - Open Line: (604) 669-3733, Talk Back Line: 604-662-6104

3:00-6:00pm - Stephen Quinn - (604) 662-6979