VICTORIA – The Province has introduced Bill 43, the Greater Vancouver Transportation Authority Amendment Act, to reorganize the current TransLink governance and funding structure.
"We're making sure TransLink has the tools it needs to build a real future for transportation in the Lower Mainland," said Transportation Minister Kevin Falcon. "It's going to enable the construction of the Evergreen Line, the expansion of the current SkyTrain system, and the re-establishment of transit service and rapid bus service across the Port Mann Bridge."
The bill will provide a sustainable funding framework to ensure TransLink is accountable, effective, and viable for the long term. Major features of the bill include:
- A new mayors' council to maintain accountability of TransLink to taxpayers;
- A professional board of directors with the skills and professional background necessary to oversee the operation of TransLink;
- An independent commissioner to enhance transparency and due diligence regarding TransLink's plans and initiatives, as well as authorize any proposed fare increases; and
- The creation of a substantially improved planning process.
Originally introduced last spring, the bill is being reintroduced after time ran out before it could be considered by the Legislative Assembly. The name of the authority is changed to the South Coast British Columbia Transportation Authority to reflect the need for a transportation authority that services the broader region, not just the Greater Vancouver area.
"We have a vision for transportation in the Lower Mainland that includes plans for better, more effective transit as part of a larger transportation network," said Falcon. "TransLink's new structure will help that plan move forward by restoring public confidence through increased accountability and providing TransLink with the revenue stream necessary to achieve its strategic goals."
Other additions to the legislation include giving TransLink the flexibility to better balance property tax revenue collection between residential and business property classes to ensure fairness.
The legislation implements the majority of recommendations made by the TransLink Review Panel. The three-person independent panel was established in 2006 to review the existing TransLink structure, seek input from the public and stakeholders and submit recommendations on how to proceed in the future. The TransLink Review Panel received more than 120 written submissions from the public and held more than 30 meetings with stakeholders.
In March of this year, the Province released the panel's findings to the public. TransLink Governance Review – An independent review of the Greater Vancouver Transportation Authority is available on the Internet at www.th.gov.bc.ca/translinkreview.
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