To the Editor,
British Columbians deserve to be able to get to where they need to go quickly, conveniently and affordably, no matter where in the province they live. And meeting our climate goals demands modern, sustainable zero-carbon transit—with great service that can offer a compelling alternative to personal cars.
Our current provincial government has made important new transit investments. Now it’s time for the next step: a new province-wide vision, uniting local and regional transit into an integrated whole.
The Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives in conjunction with the B.C. Federation of Labour is proposing an eight-step plan to do just that:
1. Connect BC communities everywhere through a new province-wide express bus service. This will improve mobility for people in small towns and rural areas — making it easier to get healthcare and other services, visit family or go on vacation. And stronger transit connections across BC would have a big impact on tourism.
2. Double the number of buses in BC Transit local services within five years and triple it within 10, as well as providing targeted customized services including community shuttle services, on-demand rides, car sharing and bike sharing.
3. Expand HandyDART service province-wide with an upgraded electric fleet. This would include small towns, rural and Indigenous communities bringing new minibuses, cars and vans.
4. Develop new regional rail connections across the South Coast and Vancouver Island along historic rail corridors, in partnership with First Nations communities along the rail lines. A major investment in regional rail will transform development and travel patterns and facilitate better connections between regions.
5. Add new passenger ferry options between Vancouver, the Gulf Islands, Sunshine Coast and Vancouver Island. New passenger ferries will dramatically increase capacity for BC Ferries at much lower cost, while providing a superior passenger experience.
6. Accelerate TransLink’s 10-year Access for Everyone plan for Metro Vancouver. Rolling out most investments in TransLink’s plan over the next five years instead of 10 will help clear congestion and begin shifting housing and other development. With more than half of BC’s population, Metro Vancouver is a critical hub for economic activity, post-secondary education, research and development, tourism and culture in BC.
7. Expand existing free transit programs to youth aged 13 to 18. This will help young British Columbians develop the habit of using transit, a crucial cultural change in shifting transportation patterns. Free transit programs should also be expanded to cover people on social assistance who are not already included in the BC Bus Pass program.
8. Integrate all these transit pieces into a seamless, coordinated and coherent transit experience—with one-ticket access and synchronized service and information infrastructure. This way, riders can make connections efficiently and reliably across systems and get the updates they need for their whole trip quickly and easily.
John Mayba,
Port Alberni