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Mayors frustrated over Province putting off transit decisions until May
VANCOUVER/CKNW(AM980)
Laura Baziuk | Email news tips to laura.baziuk@corusent.com
3/2/2013

Surrey Mayor Dianne Watts says she's frustrated that any decisions on transit expansion in the Lower Mainland is going to have to wait until after May’s Provincial Election.

Transportation Minister Mary Polak has said just that, as have other mayors already.

But watts appears okay to wait, reiterating that the first thing to be done after May is to give the mayors more power when it comes to transit. 

"We have, at the mayors' council, a very minimal role, so the legislation in place gives all of the latitutude to the independent board, whether it's the planning, the business case or public consultation."

Polak, meanwhile, says the first thing to be done is consult the public on funding models, such as road tolls or vehicle levies.

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  • 17
  1. velcro posted on 03/02/2013 07:24 AM
    She only wants this train to scoot her rich South Surrey peeps to her new crappy city hall.
    Dianne Watts has to realize that there is no money left; your glorious Liberals spent it all.
    Dianne Watts focuses on South Surrey way too much; she is just another corrupt Liberal, always focusing on the rich.
    1. Dale - left coast posted on 03/02/2013 11:43 AM
      @velcro Bet you can hardly wait til the Dixster gets in the driver's seat. There will be lots of money for everything . . . borrowed of course . . . but hey . . . some "Rich" guy can pay it back someday . . . right ?
      When you grow up and get successful . . . lol . . . you might be the one they turn to . . . to pay off the massive debt . . . cause you know the Dippers Never Met a TAX they didn't approve of.
      By the way . . . Watts wants to build "Light Rail" not the skytrain dog that only works part-time, costs a Billion a mile and is 80's technology.
  2. DavidSB posted on 03/02/2013 08:19 AM
    The cost of these two new toy trains is $5 billion combined. I say we put it off for 20 years!
  3. DavidSB posted on 03/02/2013 08:25 AM
    And NO, we don't want to give the mayors more power. All they want to do is spend our money and then demand taxes be implemented in order to pay for their selfish schemes. These mayors are rolling in the cash and when they bankrupt the lower mainland they can high tail it out of town just like Gordon Campbell did when he put us deep into hock.

    Make this translink board accountable to voters. Don't give them a one step safety buffer to protect them from accountability while they fire their spend and tax missiles down upon the downtrodden

    It is time these clowns started serving taxpayers and not investment bankers
    1. Dale - left coast posted on 03/02/2013 11:53 AM
      @DavidSB When was BC in better shape? In the year 2000 or TODAY?
      Today we have close to a balanced budget, healthy economy compared to much of Canada and far better than most of the world. Unemployment single digit and inflo migration, one of the lowest provincial tax rates in Canada.
      Compare that to 2000 . . . after two terms of Dipper Govts.
      Outflow migration of people and Businesses . . . Double Digit Unemployment . . . one of the highest prov. tax rates in Canada, Credit Downgrades (first time in history for BC), Premier investigated by the RCMP and Dix cooking the books to cover up.
      Did I mention Mining Indus, Logging and Pulp industry decimated ?
      I can hardly wait to get back to the 90's eh ! ! !
    show more replies
  4. bctaxpayer posted on 03/02/2013 10:10 AM
    Polak is just scared to make a decision as the corrupt BC le berals are losing allot of votes come May,and she is so right.
  5. KenL_6250 posted on 03/02/2013 10:59 AM
    I do not care what Dianne Watts thinks, public must make comments first.
  6. joes_2868 posted on 03/02/2013 12:10 PM
    bctaxpayer: When are you going to start to stick to NDP policy. Your leader, Adrian Dix has stated that regardless of polls, the election is going to be a nail biter. You are already calling it for the NDP!
  7. AlfredO posted on 03/02/2013 01:55 PM
    I think they should finish the evergreen line before they even think of building anything else. A friend of mine sold an income property 6-7 years ago to accomodate the new line. He missed out on all the rent that it would have generated. Wonder if he should be suing them?
  8. JimN posted on 03/02/2013 02:05 PM
    The main idea should be to move people not vehicles!! All bridges and tunnels should charge a toll of $1.00 each direction!! Fare Zones through out the GVRD should be $1.00 per zone!! The Sea to Sky highway should have a toll of $1.00 each way to Squamish and then $10.00 Squamish to Whistler return!! These tolls would pay for all maintenance and updating of the total transit system!! The Port Mann bridge should have been built with a lower level for Light Rail that could go on grade out to Chilliwack!! The Evergreen Line should be built to the east side of Maple Ridge!! The Expo Line should be continued on grade to Langley and White Rock!! The Millennium Line should be built through to UBC!! The Canada Line should be built on grade and Bridge to Tsawwassen, Ladner & Ferry Terminal

    - See more at: http://www.cknw.com/news/vancouver/story.aspx?ID=1902069#sthash.rKKbIWQ6.dpuf
  9. BOBF_5970 posted on 03/02/2013 05:00 PM
    JimN.....jim , do you think i can get a cutting of that money tree you have growing in your yard. i would like to transplant it into my yard. 500,000 people south of the fraser are being ignored.
  10. P.D posted on 03/02/2013 07:06 PM
    4 million in BC, 2 that pay taxes. All these mega projects and transportaion spending? who's going to pay. 2 million pockets are not that deep.
  11. RichardF_4221 posted on 03/02/2013 09:52 PM
    Makes since to me to wait until after the election. If they say yes now, maybe a new government (even a new Liberal government) may find that it isn't in the best interests to go ahead.
    A major decision best left to the next government whether it's Liberal, NDP, Conservative, Green or a bunch of independents forming a coalition.
    Pushing a balanced budget forward and then committing to an insane amount of money down the line would at least seem to be rather counter prodictive I'd think.
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