The District of Squamish and other local governments are urging the province to find creative solutions for regional transit after the province rejected a funding model proposed by regional transit committee.
District of Squamish, Líl’wat Nation, Whistler, Squamish Nation, SLRD, and Pemberton were all part of the Sea to Sky transit committee.
A provincial approval would have meant eight buses on the road, offering 15,100 hours of service between Metro Vancouver and Mt. Currie.
In November 2018, the Sea-to-Sky committee proposed a funding model based on the current provincial/municipal cost-sharing formula for local transit, ridership fares, property tax and a motor fuel tax of 2.5 cents to help offset the costs of initiating a regional transit service.
Similar funding models are in use in the Capital Regional District and the Lower Mainland. The province, however, no longer considers this model sustainable in the long-term.
The Sea to Sky Transit Committee, however, strongly feels that it is a viable model in the Sea-to-Sky in the short- to medium-term and still hopes the province could change its mind.
The committee is asking the province for greater collaboration and creativity to reach a viable funding solution. With 10 million annual car trips on the Sea to Sky Highway, the time to act is now, the committee urged.
Mayor Karen Elliott said municipalities, by legislation, have limited means of raising funds. “We need help from the province to identify additional funds beyond what we are able to contribute to fund transit service across a large rural area,” she said.
“The province has many more tools available, and we believe there is a way to create opportunities for regional transit services in more communities across British Columbia by working together.”
SLRD Chair Tony Rainbow said they are disappointed that there isn’t an agreed upon approach and it has a profoundly negative impact on citizens in the corridors.
