Metro Vancouver mayors eyeing PST hike to fund TransLink expansion

by Stephen Hui on December 5th, 2014 at 5:28 PM

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The Mayors’ Council on Regional Transportation got together for an in-camera meeting today (December 5) to talk about the planned transit referendum slated for the new year.

Since it was a closed meeting, we don't know what the mayors in the room actually said, but they did put out a press release with some info.

Specifically, the mayors confirmed they are looking at asking voters to approve one or a combination of the following funding sources:

An increase to the B.C. carbon tax, which would be charged on fossil fuel purchases in Metro Vancouver.
An increase to the Provincial Sales Tax, which would be charged on PST-eligible purchases in the region.
An annual vehicle registration fee.

As well, the release states that mayors are "contemplating taxpayer protection measures to provide assurance that funds raised will be dedicated to improvements in the mayors’ plan".

The council will hold a public meeting on December 11 from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the Anvil Center (777 Columbia Street, New Westminster).

Comments

16 Comments

Howard

Dec 5, 2014 at 6:09pm

We're a growing region and we need better transit, both now and especially in the future. If that means we have to pay 0.5% more in sales taxes or something like that, in order to fund construction of a subway heading down Broadway, rapid transit in Surrey, more b-line buses, etc., then I'm all for it.

Natty

Dec 5, 2014 at 7:28pm

Why do all of their "strategies" involve making people pay more money? How about looking at internal adjustments first before deciding what direction to go?

Ken Ohrn

Dec 5, 2014 at 8:34pm

Translink runs on a shoestring today as it is. And we need a large increase in capacity, which means capital outlays currently not possible.

FM

Dec 5, 2014 at 9:17pm

Let the people living where the benefits lie, pay for costs, there's no subway coming to the North Shore anytime soon

ACMESalesRep

Dec 6, 2014 at 12:30am

FM: You don't think people on the North Shore will benefit from economic growth through Metro Vancouver as a result of transit investment, or cleaner air, or reduced fuel costs due to reduced demand? Or that the already rely on taxpayers throughout the rest of Metro Vancouver to pay for services they take for granted?

Timberlake

Dec 6, 2014 at 1:49am

Great! More taxes for Big government and the feminists!

James Blatchford

Dec 6, 2014 at 6:53am

Timberlake: nice to see you making good use of that high school diploma....proud of ya!

Misa

Dec 6, 2014 at 11:09am

Transit referendum is doomed.

The sales tax won't fly. The foolish voters already voted down the HST, there is no way they would vote in a new tax.

The Vehicle Levy might be tolerable, but will be circumvented by having cars registered out in Hope instead of Metro Vancouver.

The Carbon tax won't happen. It's revenue-neutral.

TIG

Dec 6, 2014 at 12:51pm

You already pay Translink tax if you pay property tax.
Gasoline ANYWHERE ELSE in Canada is right now down to #1.00 per litre. Here you add 17 cents Translink Tax to that and you get around $1.20 which is what we pay over and above what non drivers pay to Translink through general revenue.
Add a car levy? How about a BUS levy?