Urge Premier Clark to Approve Funding for Transit and Cycling

Unfortunately, it looks like Premier Clark may be getting cold feet regarding funding for transit and cycling. The Metro Vancouver mayors have requested that the province give the region the authority to implement funding measures for transit and cycling including a vehicle levy, road pricing or a carbon tax. This is in spite of promises to work with the region's mayors to fund funding solutions.

With by-elections just announced and the provincial election just a year away, it seems like Premier Clark may be greatly overestimating the political risk of supporting funding for transit. Sure, there is a very vocal anti-tax minority who clog the airways and Internet but it certainly appears as if the average voter supports transit. The large majority of mayors who championed funding for transit just before the elections won by landslides.

The last Premier who rejected a vehicle levy approved by regional politicians, Ujjal Dosanjh, faired very poorly, losing by a landslide. Rejecting transit funding certainly appears to be a bad political move.

Giving people transportation choices by improving transit and cycling is good for everyone. Reductions in motor vehicle traffic reduces collisions and the associated health care and insurance costs. The economic cost of motor vehicle collisions is around 3% of GDP costing the regional economy billions of dollars a year. Congestion is also reduced meaning drivers can get where they need to go faster. For only $30 dollars a year, it seems a bargain.

Cycling and transit are also affordable transportation options that help cushion the high cost of housing in the region.

In addition to increasing the funding for cycling from $3 to $6 million a year, according to TransLink this funding will significantly improve transit around the region. "By 2014, annual bus and SeaBus service will increase by 415,000 hours, or 7%, providing more service around the region toimprove reliability, reduce crowding and serve new demand frompopulation growth and the expanded U-Pass BC program."

Email Premier Clark
Please email Premier Clark and urge her to support the vehicle levy, carbon tax and other funding for transit:
Hon. Christy Clark Premier@gov.bc.ca and cc: adrian.dix.MLA@leg.bc.ca

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