Predergast is abandoning the Translink sinking ship, but not before giving Metro Vancouver mayors some crucial advice.
Outgoing TransLink CEO Tom Prendergast addressed civic and business leaders last Thursday at the Metro Cities Conference in Vancouver.
Now, of course he spoke about the importance of expanding the transit infrastructure to improve the region’s livability. That is nothing to write home about, as there seems to be broad agreement on that point.
Agreement, however, only goes so far before action (or lack thereof) speaks louder.
This quote from Prendergast should be a wake-up call for Metro Vancouver’s mayors:
“If the province isn’t at the table, it’s almost an insoluble problem.”
I couldn’t have said it better myself.
Oh wait…I already did:
“I am not sure why the Mayors blinked in their staredown with the province over Translink funding, but they should have a new strategy based on the legitimacy they have now achieved by ponying up more money. Rumour is that Transportation Minister Shirley Bond is in the preliminary stages of planning a sit-down with Translink to ensure long-term sustainable funding for their 10-year regional transportation plan. The Mayors should wage a very public campaign to push the province towards this so that if and when this provincial commitment happens, these civic leaders can at least lay claim to some of the credit.”
The provincial government trumpets a $14 billion 10-year transportation plan (a commitment made in January, 2008) without providing adequate resources, and then expects chronically underfunded municipalities to pick up the slack.
Furthermore, Translink is now funding capital projects that used to be within the purview of the Ministry of Highways and Transportation.
Oh yeah, and Skytrain is not only an outdated technology, but it also has made piss-poor decisions on expansion (the limited expansion that we have experienced in nearly 25 years), meaning that ridership is far below what is necessary to break even on these routes.
As one reader previously pointed out to me, the SkyTrain system is subsidized with over $230 million annually, and if you include the new Canada Line, the annual subsidy will rise to over $300 million.
Translink has turned into a joke, largely because the board was appointed by the Premier specifically so that regional mayors would not be constantly complaining at the provincial governmnt.
Well, to the Metro Vancouver mayors, I say this:
The province has boxed you out of Translink’s decision-making. You are still limited with not only your ability to raise revenues, but also to borrow money. You can’t run a deficit under any circumstances. You are increasingly being asked to fund social problems such as homelessness and mental illness that are usually within the jurisdiction of the provincial and federal government. Oh, and capital projects are never ending due to a municipal infrastructure in this country that is completely inadequate.
They already forced you to pony up $130 million last month, meaning that something has got to give…and soon.
The provincial government is at an extremely weak position at this point, for a number of different reasons. In terms of politics, now is the time to take a stand.
So band together, step up to the plate, and present a unified rallying cry for the province to live up to its commitments to fund the region’s needed transportation upgrading.
The only way this is going to work, however, is if forceful unity is the approach that is taken.
I am hopeful that these mayors will wake up, but I seriously have my doubts as to whether they will be willing to take that risk.
