Thursday, February 21, 2019 ~ GREATER VICTORIA / WEST SHORE.
by Mary P Brooke ~ West Shore Voice News
The 13 mayors of the south island region who protested to the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure (MOTI) in a joint letter asking for fast action on the E&N trains reinstatement may have in fact been on ‘the right track’.
The Budget did favourably advance the causes of affordability and a clean environment, but there was no mention of funding for the South Island Regional Transportation Strategy (or any related projects within that) in the BC Budget as released on February 19.
The BC Budget includes construction of roads as part of ‘modernizing our infrastructure’, and “as the centre of our major infrastructure projects is the Community Benefits Agreement” (pg 36 in the BC Budget document). The government itemizes three projects that will move ahead using the CBA, none of them on Vancouver Island: The Pattulo Bridge replacement, TCH four-laning between Kamloops and the Alberta border; and the Broadway Subway in west Vancouver.
Today a MOTI representative told West Shore Voice News: “The South Island Transportation Strategy is designed to take a comprehensive and coordinated look into improving traffic congestion on southern Vancouver Island and exploring all modes of transportation to help get people home faster and to work quicker. Once we have recommended options from this strategy, we will be in a better position to determine what type of investments are needed to get people moving in this region.”
Back on February 6, all 13 mayors of the region collectively signed a letter, sent to MOTI Minister Claire Trevena and to Premier John Horgan, They urged the Province to commit to reinstating active train service on the E&N rail corridor right away, and fast completion of the southbound bus priority lanes on Highway 1 into Victoria.
Only the week before (on January 30 at a Victoria Chamber of Commerce luncheon), Minister Trevena said a full strategy would come by September 2019, with a funding formula attached.
Even with the strategy under development, it might have strategically staved off some political heat had some sort of funding been earmarked for the transportation strategy in the provincial budget on Tuesday.
Earlier this month, View Royal Mayor David Screech told West Shore Voice News that he doesn’t feel that a strategy will emerge from MOTI by September: “more likely by next year”. He doesn’t see the need to hold back on the E&N portion until then.
“The track is there, the corridor is there. It is one part of a broader picture, but it’s just something we feel needs to happen and we want the province to commit some funding to it,” said Screech on February 7. He said that the number of cars that would come off the road would outweigh the pollution impact of the trains (which run on diesel).
This week BC Green Leader Andrew Weaver said if trains were to be instated they would ideally be electric trains (to help reduce the carbon footprint). However, that likely wouldn’t happen with the urgency that the 13 mayors are demanding.
Sooke Mayor Maja Tait (who sits on the Victoria Regional Transit Commission board) signed on to the letter that effectively challenges the Horgan government on its promise of a prompt strategy. “Rail doesn’t come into Sooke but for the commuters, let’s get on with it,” she told West Shore Voice News on February 7.
Langford Mayor Stew Young says that the BC and federal governments need a new agreement with First Nations along the corridor for another 100 years. “Without their support for the corridor as a willing partner, the train will never run,” he told West Shore Voice News.
Other articles:
Comments from mayors of View Royal, Sooke and Langford on page 2 in the February 8&15, 2019 West Shore Voice News
13 Mayors call for E&N trains to run again (February 6)
BC Government announces South Island Transportation Strategy (January 9)
BC Greens support the South Island Transportation Strategy (January 9)