On Transportation

I believe that an effective transportation network is key to Victoria’s economic prosperity and environmental sustainability. It is one of three key components in what I think must be a regional strategy to plan and deliver services that benefit the south island (the others being policing and emergency preparedness).

A ‘business as usual’ approach to local transportation means more congestion, more urban sprawl and higher greenhouse gas emissions. We need an integrated regional transportation plan to provide practical alternatives to single-occupant vehicles, including public transit, car sharing, cycling and pedestrian amenities.

Local businesses and residents alike have identified some key challenges with our current transportation system:

• Growing congestion and longer commuting times hurt our region’s economy, driving businesses, tourists, workers and consumers away from the downtown core.
• Increased urban sprawl leads to pressure on our agricultural land base and higher greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to climate change.
• Transit buses are increasingly filled to capacity on major routes during peak travel times.

If re-elected as a Victoria City Councillor, and elected as a CRD Director, I will be able to work with my Mayor and Council, and other CRD representatives, to:

• Establish a regional transportation authority to plan, fund and operate a regional transportation system.
• Lobby the provincial government for a higher provincial gas tax transfer to fund transit service improvements.
• Push for a regional cycling plan to ensure a coordinated approach to bike paths and cycling infrastructure.
• Examine opportunities for better pedestrian pathways between urban village cores.
• Implement an affordable, cost-shared light rapid transit (LRT) line from downtown to the Western Communities, once contributions from federal and provincial governments are confirmed so we can limit the impact on Victoria taxpayers.