RELEASE – BC transport advocates seek candidates and voters who want affordability, safer streets, less congestion
Oct 5, 2024
An unprecedented coalition of transport advocates in BC are looking for candidates that will speak up to address road safety and congestion this election. Vote Better Transport BC (VBT) is made up of 12 non-partisan groups that want to shine a spotlight on the urgent provincial policies that can make it safer, easier, and more affordable to get around this province.
Housing and transportation are households’ largest budget line items. VBT aims to create the freedom and choice for British Columbians to take control over their cost of living by making the transportation portion of their budget smaller.
VBT will be asking candidates to respond to a series of four commitment statements to demonstrate their support for the cause. At the same time, VBT will be asking voters to sign on to demonstrate how many people care about these issues, and to find out which candidates in their riding have signed on.
Candidates and voters can sign on to our pledge at VoteBetterTransportBC.ca
The four commitment statements relate to the following issues:
- Safety – As vehicles become larger and more powerful, it feels like more people are racing down neighbourhood streets. This can contribute to a sense of risk among parents, leading to children playing indoors more often than previous generations. Changing the speed limit on neighbourhood streets from 50 km/h to 30 km/h can drastically reduce the risk of death from collision. With a stroke, the province could adjust the default speed limit on every residential street. Two-thirds of British Columbians support this, and the province has thus far turned down the request from a majority of municipalities.
- Active Transportation – As the cost of living has escalated, British Columbians are looking for more affordable ways to get around, get exercise, and have fun with family. Cycling supports all three, making it no surprise that cycling rates have boomed in the last five years. Of the top 10 places in Canada with the most cycling, five are in BC, and they might not be the five that you think: Victoria, Squamish, Nelson, Courtenay, and Kelowna. VBT is seeking candidates that will boost the provincial grant to create more multi-use paths across BC so that people in every town can have access to this safe, healthy, and affordable mode of transportation.
- Local Transit – Buses and trains move a higher proportion of commuters around BC’s regions than almost anywhere else in North America. This has allowed us to have far fewer of the mega-freeways that displace homes and productive businesses in cities like Seattle or Toronto, never seeming to resolve congestion. BC’s transit investments have been so successful that our main issue is now overcrowding. It used to be that Vancouver’s 99 B-Line was the only place you heard about overcrowding. Now we’re hearing about people left behind in Chilliwack, Kelowna, even Castlegar, because buses are completely full. VBT is looking for candidates that will finally bring relief to those riders that are desperate for more transit capacity.
- Intercity and Rural Transit – Despite overwhelming usage of transit within our cities and towns, links between our urban regions are embarrassingly expensive and inconvenient. The bus from Nanaimo to Victoria is only a 90-minute trip but costs $40 and only comes four times per day. The train from Vancouver to Kamloops takes twice as long as driving and comes twice a week. Intercity transport in our province is so bad that the BBC based a reality show challenge on getting through the province without a car (spoiler: they all hitchhiked). VBT is looking for candidates that will follow the lead of Washington state, Oregon, and Virginia and knit together BC’s regions with affordable buses and trains.
Timeline
- Anytime – Candidates and voters can take the pledge
- Saturday, Oct 5 – Groups will have a media availability in Vancouver
- Monday, Oct 14 – VBT will release the final list of candidates to supporters and the media
Quotes
“We have to take our vehicle on the ferry to Victoria to get kids to Kendo practice instead of walking on and taking the bus, because the bus back to the last boat home is usually full.”
Emmanuel Borsboom
Dad, Mayne Island
“Nobody wonders when their water or sewer services will lose funding. Why do we treat transit differently?”
Michael Bassili
“Increasing funding for active transportation projects and safer street initiatives shows a party’s commitment to creating safe communities and improving the quality of life for all residents. At KACC, we hope and expect all parties to take bold action in addressing these challenges in the Central Okanagan.”
Davis Kyle
Kelowna Area Cycling Coalition
“We have goals of ending highway expansion, ending parking mandates and subsidies, encouraging safe and productive streets, and increasing transparent local accounting. North America has subsidized the use of private motor vehicles for far too many decades. Since roughly 25% of Canadians are non-drivers, BC must fully commit to funding equitable and inclusive transportation infrastructure to meet the daily needs of ALL Canadians, regardless of age, ability, or income.”
Kip Santos
“Promoting better transportation is not just about reducing carbon emissions; it’s about improving our mental health and enhancing the quality of life in our communities. When we create accessible, safe, and eco-friendly transportation options, we empower people to live healthier, happier lives, while also contributing to a more sustainable future for all. Our collective well-being depends on it, and I wholeheartedly support this initiative to make sustainable transportation options a priority in the upcoming election.”
Pablo Zacarias
BEST
“Investing in active transportation and transit is essential for the future of British Columbia. Funding these initiatives will also deliver significant returns, saving money on healthcare, decreasing air pollution and easing congestion. By increasing the number of trips made by healthy transportation we can improve public health, and create more livable, sustainable and connected communities.”
Laura Jane
“In BC, we need leadership that recognizes that world-class regional transit is not futuristic pie-in-the sky but something that is badly needed now. We believe British Columbians deserve no less than their counterparts in Europe, Asia and Australia in this respect and this is why we support the Vote Better Transport BC initiative.”
Lee Haber
Mountain Valley Express (MVX)
“People love British Columbia because of its unique connection to nature. But for too long, we’ve been bulldozing nature to build bigger highways. Meanwhile, BC Transit and TransLink have been left underfunded, with overcrowding in some places and huge gaps in others. Let’s preserve what makes BC special by voting for better transport.”
Denis Agar