BC’s Transportation minister doesn’t seem to be too worried about a looming deadline from the mayors council over transit funding.
Mary Polak says while the mayors have some options the perception Translink will just run out of money and have to cut services is not accurate.
“Translink won’t run out of money. The mayors could if they chose, vote to deny them funding, they could choose that. Translink will not run out of money Mayor Gregor Robertson’s statement that as of February 28th they run out of money is absolutely not true, it is a deadline they have created.”
Polak admits transit funding has been an issue historically sent back and forth between the province and mayors.
“Up until now you are quite right it has been a series of propose reject propose reject that hasn’thappened since Premier Christy Clark has been there and since I have been minister. We have laid out a criteria we said to them if the funding models you propose fit within that criteria we can do that.”
That said mayors have sent her a list of fundraising ideas but she has sent it back asking for specific details.
“I know there are certain mayors who think there should be one answer with very little background information that is not our view there has to be engagement with the public and they have to be able to show cleary the quantum of money they are looking for they have to make sure that whatever funding mechanism they want is regionally based.”
By stressing a regional funding mechanism Polak could possibly be opening the door to a Metro Vancouver specific carbon tax, another option floated by the mayors.
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