When Transportation Minister Todd Stone made his announcement about possibly delaying the transit referendum, and TransLink governance changes, the mayors were the last to know.
Both New Westminster Mayor Wayne Wright and Burnaby Mayor Derek Corrigan were unaware of what Stone had to say when he called a press conference on Feb. 6. The mayors were in a separate meeting, and had not received the letter outlining the minister’s intentions with transit.
“(The referendum) is still in the venue of the province,” Wright, who is also vice-chair of the Mayors’ Council, told The Record. “We’ve given them all of the information they’ve asked for already. The council has given him the vision before, we’ve given funding solutions. So, I think we have to sit down now and see what else he’s asking for.”
Wright said there’s already a 2040 vision plan in place for transportation, and due to the mayors lack of power over TransLink’s decisions up until now, it’s had no real input on plans or priorities.
“It’s the same as the HST, use that as a template for what needs to be done and how much needs to be spent,” he said about the referendum.
Wright was reluctant to comment too much on Stone’s announcement because the mayors didn’t know what was said, including what type of projects the mayors will have a say over if the governance changes go through.
“Whatever he defined as projects, we have to look at it,” he said. “We’ve not had much success in the past.”
In all, Wright said he was glad to hear Stone made a statement to make more time for a referendum, but the responsibility should lie with the province since it was their idea.
On Thursday morning, Stone read out his letter he sent to the chair of the mayors’ council on regional transportation, Mayor Richard Walton. He said although the province wants the referendum to happen on Nov. 15, it is willing to extend the window to no later than June 30, 2015. However, the mayors must come up with a regional transportation plan by June 30, 2014.
“If a vision is not ready by June 30, 2014, the next date the provincial government is willing to consider a referendum is in conjunction with the subsequent local government election,” he said. “This later date would require the mayors’ council to use existing funding resources if it wishes to expand transit in the interim period.”
However, the province would compensate local governments for the referendum, if it’s held on Nov. 15 or before June 30, 2015. The referendum will take place if the mayors’ council comes up with a regional plan that requires additional funding sources incurred by the taxpayers, Stone stressed.
“Mayors have suggested the foundation for this vision exists within TransLink’s long-range plan,” Stone said. “I agree this plan is a start – but as noted, a clear, detailed, fully costed vision, with specific priorities and project phasing, is needed. This will frame the referendum question for the mayors’ council and fully inform the public on the decision that is theirs to make.”
As for TransLink governance changes, Stone said he’ll be giving the mayors what they have asked for through future legislation he’ll bring up at the start of the spring session on Feb. 14, which is also when he says he will sit down with the council.
“The mayors’ council will be granted approval powers over TransLink’s 30-year strategy, as well as over a fully funded rolling 10-year investment plan,” Stone said. “I accept the mayors’ council frustration with the current planning and review process involving base and supplemental plans.”
TransLink’s board will be expected to prepare budgets, oversee operations and implement plans consistent with the mayors’ council “approved strategies and plans.”
“I challenge the mayors’ council to define a regional transportation vision with priorities and costs, to work with government as the council considers funding sources and finalizes a referendum question, and to publicly advocate for the success of a referendum that will support the region’s objectives for decades to come,” he said.
But, Burnaby’s mayor called the conference a ploy to spin the story before the mayors could respond.
“It’s very regrettable that instead of treating us respectfully, he always goes up there to see if he can get a spin,” he said. “It’ not any good for improving the relationship at all. It tends to retract from the relationship.”
Corrigan said he didn’t know about the announcement’s content until later in the day, well after Stone had spoken to reporters. He said when the council sends a letter to the province, its release is embargoed (not made public) until the province is ready to respond.
“The first thing I’m concerned about, it’s this constant poking at the mayors,” he said. “The mayors never requested any delay at all. We told him from the very beginning, the referendum is very ridiculous. There’s been no support for it.”
Corrigan said most of the mayors want to find a solution and try to make things work, and were able to organize a strategic growth plan that was carried unanimously.
“What really hurts the mayors is he (Stone) calls us names all the time, and they try to make out we’re incompetent, and we don’t know what we’re doing,” Corrigan said. “We’ve been running our own municipalities for a long time, we’re perfectly comfortable doing it. The only difference between us and the cabinet is we do all our business in public.”
Corrigan said it’s difficult to come up with a regional plan as all 22 mayors on the council have their own voice, and their municipalities have different needs.
“It doesn’t give any ability, or any significant change,” Corrigan added. “It’s gives them all the political power in making all the decisions, and what will and won’t be done.”
