You can’t have it all: Polak on transit expansion
Posted March 1, 2013 11:04 am.
This article is more than 5 years old.
SURREY (NEWS1130) – The back and forth continues between the region’s mayors and the province over transit funding.
BC’s transportation minister is rejecting claims major expansion can be done in Vancouver and Surrey at the same time.
The mayors in both cities argue it shouldn’t be one or the other; both cities’ needs should move ahead.
But Transportation Minister Mary Polak doesn’t see it that way.
“It’s not possible to have both of them go forward at the same time. You’re talking about multi-billion dollar projects. You’re talking about huge project tasks in terms of just the size and logistics of the projects,” explains Polak.
She plans to meet with Mayors’ Council reps soon to discuss the next steps on a funding solution.
But Polak says don’t expect a final answer before the May election.
“I think there’s too much work that needs to be done. Unfortunately, that’s just not the place where the public are right now. I hear reaction and I know the mayors that I’ve spoken to hear it, the public says ‘Hey, we’re not confident that TransLink‘s operating efficiently. We’re not confident that our money is already being used well,'” Polak adds.
The region’s mayors have made a number of funding proposals, including a sales tax hike, a vehicle levy, and road pricing.
