Falcon tells Metro Vancouver mayors to hire TransLink commissioner

B.C. Transportation Minister Kevin Falcon has put the boot into Metro Vancouver’s mayors again by insisting that TransLink retain a commissioner.

“The legislation governing TransLink requires the Mayors’ Council to appoint a Commissioner,” Falcon wrote in a February 19 letter obtained by the Straight to Surrey mayor Dianne Watts, chair of the mayors’ council on regional transportation. “That being said, however, I am willing to discuss the role of the position relative to that of the Mayors’ Council, and to consider possible changes.”

Falcon wrote the letter to Watts because she and other regional mayors had agreed to leave the position blank until “a compelling reason” to fill it arose. According to the South Coast British Columbia Transportation Authority Act—brought in by Falcon despite protests—the mayors’ council must appoint a regional transportation commissioner with the power to approve or reject fare increases.

“I would point out that until a Commissioner is appointed TransLink will not be able to access the incremental fuel tax revenue provided for in the legislation, nor to increase transit fares beyond the levels already authorized,” Falcon wrote.

Falcon did not mention that TransLink fares increased on January 1. In a second letter to TransLink board chair Dale Parker, also on February 19, Falcon warned that “the Province has recently announced a very ambitious plan for expanding transit services and increasing transit ridership throughout the Province”.

“Successfully achieving the goals set out in the vision will require a strong working relationship between TransLink and the Province,” Falcon added.

Falcon's South Coast British Columbia Transportation Authority Act has met with controversy before. As the Straight reported on November 29, 2007, Maurine Karagianis (Esquimalt-Metchosin), the Opposition transportation critic, claimed that the bill could mean higher property taxes, higher fares, and lower levels of public accountability and input.