Policy & Positions Manual
Policy Priority Area - Transportation
Consultation on Provincial Public Transit Projects (2008 - Revised 2009)
BC’s public transportation needs are increasing significantly as communities across the province experience significant levels of growth that require new investment in infrastructure, particularly public transit. To encourage these communities to grow in a sustainable way there is also an increasing need to ensure that residential communities are connected with commercial areas.
Provincial Government goals and incentives for reducing carbon emissions, along with the proliferation of traffic chokepoints in many communities, necessitate increased public rapid transit infrastructure to meet this need.
In January 2008, the Provincial Government announced a $14.8 billion Provincial Transit Plan for public transportation infrastructure across the provinces. The plan is dedicated to a significant expansion of rapid transit. In February, 2009, the Chamber welcomed the Federal Government announcement that matched the commitment already made by the Province and by Translink to invest in the Evergreen line, the rapid transit project in the communities of Burnaby, Port Moody and Coquitlam.
The Chamber recognizes that investments in transportation carry high provincial significance given the integrated nature of the transportation network for a jurisdiction that is the Gateway to the Asia Pacific. However, the Chamber recognizes that our success is only possible if the business communities which create the economic vitality of their communities are involved as key stakeholders, many of whom are dependent on a steady flow of customer traffic.
The Chamber is concerned with the lack of consultation and strategic assistance from relevant stakeholders during recent rapid transit construction projects, especially in regards to the negative effects. Business owners need to be able to be apprised ahead of time of the possible impacts on their businesses as a result of infrastructure improvements.
While rapid transit infrastructure is often installed near commercial and retail properties, the benefit of connecting the commercial properties to the rapid transit grid must not be allowed to be overshadowed by the negative effects of the construction and installation. To ensure this result, the Chamber believes that the stakeholder businesses in the community need to have a say in the type of transit that is built; whether it is above ground, at grade, or underground, and what construction method is used; cut and cover, or tunnelling, for instance.
Should a construction project pose a risk of negatively impacting businesses in the area, there needs to be consultation with the businesses impacted ahead of time so that options for business can be considered, including for instance, promotion programs or other initiatives to help the businesses retain their vitality.
In particular, the Chamber believes that in neighbourhoods that revolve around their key commercial clusters, and where there is little reasonable option for relocation as their clientele is neighbourhood based, such as along West Broadway in Vancouver, the Provincial Government must make all reasonable efforts to consult with area business owners to avoid impeding the successful operation of their businesses. The Chamber recognizes that this will be a significant issue for communities such as Kelowna, Vancouver, Victoria, Langford, Burnaby, Sooke, Coquitlam, Westbank and Port Moody, as all are either targeted or shown as strong interest in future projects. As a result, businesses in these communities would be affected.
THE CHAMBER RECOMMENDS
That the Provincial Government:
- in conjunction with other bodies who have responsibilities for public transit, consult and engage with such stakeholders in the communities that are targeted for transit infrastructure upgrades, including the ones enumerated in the January 2008 and February 2009 announcement, so that, at a sufficiently early phase in the project work, the Government and stakeholders can devise the best plan that can reasonably accommodate and ease local stakeholder concerns;
- in the event that significant changes to the design, structure and/or construction process is considered, those proposed changes must go through the same consultation process with all stakeholders prior to implementation of those proposed changes; and
- prior to moving forward with any rapid transit infrastructure projects conduct a study to determine a fair and adequate mitigation plan and/or compensation structure for businesses who are negatively affected.
