Potential vehicle levy in Metro Vancouver would be a full circle for B.C.'s transportation minister

2 month_ago 30

British Columbia·Analysis

Two things are clear: the state has committed to proposing a caller model, and different large statement implicit transit backing is coming. 

In 2001, Mike Farnworth rejected a complaint connected each vehicles. A procreation later, helium has different prime to make

Justin McElroy · CBC News

· Posted: May 02, 2025 8:00 AM EDT | Last Updated: 10 minutes ago

A fig   of radical   mill astir   successful  a Metro bid     which is stopped astatine  a station.

TransLink says declining state taxation gross and the effects of the pandemic connected ridership person strained its concern model. (Justine Boulin/CBC)

Every fewer years, a rhythm repeats itself successful Metro Vancouver politics. 

TransLink oregon section mayors suggest transit should beryllium funded successful a antithetic mode than successful the past, beryllium it a PST hike, a mobility pricing scheme, oregon immoderate different arrangement. 

Studies are commissioned, debates are had, but eventually, either the province, section politicians oregon the nationalist ballot it down. 

The adjacent statement has officially begun — and this time, mayors are hopeful a alteration could really happen. 

"We person to beryllium bold and courageous and determination rapidly if we privation to debar the repetitive quality of each 2 oregon 3 years having a panic and trying to travel to a Band-Aid agreement," said Port Coquitlam Mayor and Mayors' Council Chair Brad West. 

He made his remarks astatine a gathering wherever TransLink approved its latest "Band-Aid agreement": a three-year backing program based connected a operation of accrued fares and parking fees, a $20 median summation to spot taxes, and an other $100 cardinal successful backing annually from the province. 

The state has committed to a antithetic fiscal exemplary by the extremity of 2027 to regenerate the existent hodgepodge of spot and state taxation revenues, on with authorities subsidies that marque up the bulk of TransLink's non-fare funding. 

But successful inheritance conversations with section and determination leaders with input and power successful TransLink, 1 enactment comes up again and again arsenic the anticipated compromise: an yearly levy placed connected each insured vehicle, akin to a strategy successful spot to money Montreal transit. 

Here's why

There are lone truthful galore ways a authorities assemblage tin rise money, and galore of them already look disconnected the array for TransLink.

A decennary ago, voters rejected an summation to the provincial income taxation successful Metro Vancouver, and determination is nary appetite among section politicians to revive that transportation to the public.

The NDP has made its removal of tolls connected the Port Mann and Golden Ears bridges successful 2017 a cardinal portion of enactment identity, campaigning connected it arsenic precocious arsenic past year's provincial election.

As for the thought of putting a interest connected entering definite areas of Metro Vancouver, often known arsenic a mobility taxation oregon congestion pricing?

When asked astir it connected Wednesday aft TransLink's meeting, Transportation Minister Mike Farnworth was astir arsenic emphatic arsenic a person tin be. 

"We are not doing roadworthy pricing successful the state of British Columbia," helium said, pausing aft each connection for melodramatic effect. 

"We person said that previously. The premier has said it. I americium saying it."

So that's a no, then. 

'People were already paying enough'

But erstwhile asked by CBC News successful the aforesaid speech if helium would regularisation retired a conveyance levy, Farnworth was much circumspect.

"We're going to look astatine a assortment of options to spot what would beryllium the champion fit, and what would enactment and beryllium the astir efficient," helium said. 

A conveyance levy has been floated arsenic an appealing enactment owed to its predictable yearly revenue, and imaginable simplicity — due to the fact that the outgo for each conveyance could beryllium the same.

At the aforesaid time, it would beryllium an ironic afloat ellipse for Farnworth, who was liable for rejecting the projected conveyance taxation TransLink asked for successful 2001 back erstwhile helium was a young curate nether the aged NDP authorities and the transit enactment was marque caller and figuring retired however to person a much unchangeable root of revenue. 

As helium explained successful a 2016 interrogation for an SFU master's student's thesis, the statement against it was 1 of affordability.

"At that time, levels of taxation successful this state were precise overmuch an contented of discussion," helium said. 

"People were already paying capable — that would beryllium the prevailing attitude." 

Back then, the program was to complaint each licensed conveyance betwixt $40 and $120 a year, based connected its weight. Today, if TransLink wanted to wholly regenerate the gross from the 18.5-cent-a-litre state tax, a levy would request to beryllium much than $200 a year.

Of course, that's a hypothetical concern model, 1 that's a twelvemonth oregon 2 down the road. 

But 2 things are clear: the state has committed to proposing a caller model, and different large statement implicit transit backing is coming. 

"That is an important speech that we person to person with the public," said TransLink CEO Kevin Quinn. "We request a much sustainable backing model."

And erstwhile the time for that speech comes, TransLink hopes each levels of authorities volition beryllium much consenting to determination guardant than Farnworth was 24 years ago. 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Justin is the Municipal Affairs Reporter for CBC Vancouver, covering section governmental stories passim British Columbia.

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