Transit referendum may be postponed until June 2015
Posted February 6, 2014 5:01 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
VANCOUVER (NEWS1130) – There’s a new offer by the province in the ongoing back-and-forth with the region’s mayors over transit funding.
The transportation minister is now proposing a referendum in June of next year.
Todd Stone still insists, in a letter being sent to mayors, that we have to have a referendum on new funding for TransLink. He also still thinks a vote during this November’s local elections would make the most sense.
There have been concerns holding the vote then won’t allow for enough time to get people on board.
So now Stone says it could be held by June 30, 2015 — if the mayors agree on a vision for transit by this June. “The mayors need to put a plan together, cost it, and present that to the region prior to June 30th, 2014.”
Stone says if a vision isn’t ready by the end of this June, the province won’t consider a referendum until the civic elections scheduled for 2017.
“The ball will be firmly in the court of the Mayors’ Council now. I look forward to having a detailed discussion with them a week tomorrow.”
The NDP’s TransLink critic, George Heyman, calls the referendum “unnecessary” and thinks the minister is making unreasonable demands on the mayors.
“The problem with creating a deadline and putting the onus on the mayors is it’s not the mayors job under the current legislation to come up with a vision.”
Stone intends to give the mayors more say over TransLink.
“To make sure the Mayors’ Council has the tools and information it needs to create its regional vision, I am prepared to put forward legislation that significantly increases the authority of the Mayors’ Council.”
He suggests consolidating the TransLink commissioner’s responsibilities into the Mayors’ Council, including approval over fares.
Stone also says the province will commit to funding a third of major new rapid transit projects and replacement of the Pattullo Bridge.
Mayors’ Council chair Richard Walton says it’s too soon to pass judgement on the transportation minister’s latest plan.
“We’ve been at this game for about five or six years right now, and I think at least we have something we can sit down at this point and talk to in-depth with the Minister. So we appreciate that.”
The mayors are scheduled to sit down with the minister next week.
