WHEREAS the BC Transit Financial Forecast report noted that BC Transits goal is to increase ridership by 5 per year leading to a doubling of ridership by 2020; AND WHEREAS the projected increase in local taxation on a provincial level would rise from the existing level of 63.2 million in 200910 to a projected level of 139.1 million in 201314 with no clear indication of how the local community contributions will be funded: THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the UBCM work with the Province and BC Transit to ensure that senior government financial support is available to mitigate the increased local government contribution requirements to transit funding.
Ministry of Transportation Infrastructure The Province of BC provides the most generous transit funding program in Canada resulting in the lowest municipal local government transit funding requirements in Canada. The Province has increased transit funding in every year of its mandate and remains committed to working with local government, BC Transit and residents to develop the high quality, sustainable and affordable transit services. The best way to mitigate property tax funding issues is to increase mode share i.e., get more people on transit.