As we begin to prepare for an additional one million people predicted to migrate into Metro Vancouver over the next 30 years*, the Mayors’ Council has developed an ambitious Transportation and Transit Plan — summarized in the document, Regional Transportation Investments – a Vision for Metro Vancouver. Recognizing that our current system will not be able to keep up with the anticipated growth, this plan enables smart expansion through an economically sustainable model.
The Mayors’ Council Transportation and Transit Plan is a $75 billion dollar proposal that will include increasing bus services, building new infrastructure and maintaining existing infrastructure. The aim of the plan is to create less congestion and cleaner air for the Metro Vancouver area. If the plan is approved, there are 4 key areas of infrastructure improvement that will be implemented:
- Two new rapid transit systems will be added. One will connect Surrey Centre with Guildford, Newton and Langley with a later expansion to Langley Centre;
- The other will be an underground extension of the Millennium Line along Broadway connecting VCC-Clark to Arbutus Street;
- A third notable part of the Transportation and Transit Plan is to rebuild the Pattullo Bridge to make a safer four lane structure;
- The plan also allows for the expansion of B-Line rapid bus routes.
In order to realize the Transportation and Transit Plan, a new Metro Vancouver Congestion Improvement Tax — a 0.5% Government Sales Tax harmonized into the Provincial Sales Tax — has been proposed. By introducing an additional 0.5% tax it is estimated to generate $250 million per year over the next ten years. The remainder of the amount will be subsidized by the provincial and federal governments. The Mayors’ Council estimates by implementing the new tax it will cost each household approximately $0.35 per day.
When considering the number of people coming into the city and the huge benefits that all community members will reap, $0.35 seems like a small sacrifice to continue to make this region of the best places in the world to live.
It’s up to you to have your say.The 2015 Metro Vancouver Transportation and Transit Plebiscite is our opportunity to have a say in the future of our communities. Ballots will be sent by mail and will arrive in households by March 16. Voting will start when ballots are received and will come to an end on May 29, 2015. By voting “Yes” to the transit referendum voters will help keep Metro Vancouver livable, affordable and green, by helping minimize congestion across Metro Vancouver and maximizing the efficiency of new and existing infrastructure and transit systems.
A “No” vote will cause an interruption in infrastructure and transit growth for Metro Vancouver. This means more time and money will be wasted as transit passenger wait times increase and commute times rise as the region’s population grows over the next 30 years.
