Today, TransLink presented a report to the Mayors’ Council that highlighted the likely household and economic impacts of potential transit service cut scenarios.
Two scenarios were developed:
- Scenario 1 – Maximize Ridership: This scenario would begin by cutting the least productive routes, leaving only higher fare revenue-producing lines so that overall service levels can remain higher. These routes are generally concentrated in Vancouver, Burnaby, Richmond, and central Surrey and, as a consequence, much of the rest of the region would be left with little to no transit access – particularly in the Northeast, Langley, White Rock, south Delta, and much of the North Shore.
- Scenario 2 – Maximize Coverage: This scenario would cut a mix of low and higher-productivity services, maintaining lower-productivity routes to continue basic coverage. More cuts to productive routes result in more services overall needing to be cut to reach the reduction target. Routes that remain would have a lower frequency and span of service compared to Scenario 1.
“The report indicates a stark reality if any of these scenarios occur,” said Jasroop Gosal, Interim Spokesperson for the Surrey Board of Trade. “The Surrey Board of Trade believes that efficient and reliable transportation is the backbone of our economy, and as a result, our businesses will suffer if these cuts are made. The provincial parties need to prioritize transit in their platforms – we understand the importance of housing, affordability, and healthcare, however, transportation and specifically transit must be one of those priorities.”
Summary of the impacts:
- Supressed wages and productivity output due to reduced and restricted labour accessibility ($218-$255M impact)
- Higher costs of goods and consumer items due to impacts on the freight sector (~$10M impact)
- Higher vehicle operating costs (~$109M impact)
- Cost of substitute goods to make up for lower transit supply ($592 – $685M impact)
“Transit cuts would have a devastating effect on the economy, harming not only local businesses but also deterring international companies from choosing Metro Vancouver as a co-location option, as they heavily factor in the availability of reliable transit.”
Read the full report here (starts on page 7).
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Jasroop Gosal, 604-634-0345, jasroop@businessinsurrey.com
