Around the world, from Germany to New Zealand, governments have been tackling the cost of living crisis in the aftermath of the pandemic and spiking gasoline prices due to the the invasion of Ukraine by cutting bus and train fares, directly reducing the cost of getting to work and helping to attract ridership back to public transportation rather than allowing traffic congestion to flourish.
Not so in the lower mainland, where TransLink is set to hit passengers with a fare increase on July 1, 2022, while the BC government is handing out rebate cheques to car owners through the Insurance Corporation of British Columbia.
Transport Action BC therefore wrote to George Heyman, Minister of Environment and Climate Change Strategy and Minister Responsible for TransLink, and to Premier John Horgan on April 12, pointing out that a tiny fraction of the largesse doled out to drivers could have prevented this fare increase and provided enough cash to help wages for transit drivers keep up with inflation.
TABC asks members and supporters to contact their MLA and share this letter.