MOTION ON NOTICE

At the Council meeting of October 2, 2001, Councillor Bass submitted the following Notice of Motion which was recognized by the Chair.

1. Preventing the Erosion of Transit Services and Prices

MOVED by Councillor Bass
SECONDED by Councillor

WHEREAS the Livable Region Strategic Plan of the Greater Vancouver Regional District supports (page 8) in its transportation objective: "the increased use of public transit and reduced dependence on the single-occupant automobile..[and this] relies upon...significant expansion in transit facilities and services";

AND WHEREAS, transit riders have paid disproportionately more of transit costs than motor vehicle users have paid the costs that they generate;

AND WHEREAS, despite a fare increase last June, transit users are threatened with less rather than more service;

AND WHEREAS, automobile use in the GVRD requires a much larger subsidy ($3,000 million annually) than does the transit system ($300-400 million annually);

AND WHEREAS, the greatest single source of air pollution and of greenhouse gas emissions in the Lower Mainland is from motor vehicles;

AND WHEREAS, just the production of a motor vehicle generates considerable energy and resource consumption, as well as pollution and greenhouse gases;

AND WHEREAS, a healthy regional economy requires an effective, efficient, and cost-effective transportation system based on users paying their way;

AND WHEREAS, raising transit fares would inhibit transit use, rather than promote it;

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT Vancouver City Council calls upon TRANSLINK to

1. maintain or increase current, overall levels of transit service; and

2. consider all the options for funding transit services noted in TRANSLINK'S Strategic Transportation Plan, January, 2000 (shown below) and choose among them after obtaining full public input:

- gasoline taxes
- cost recovery tolls
- charges on motor vehicles in the form of a vehicle pollution fee
- parking sales taxes
- taxes on non-residential parking lots
- property taxes on properties which benefit from major capital projects.

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(c) 1998 City of Vancouver