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Your B.C. Government

Transit

Your B.C. Government has launched a $14-billion transit strategy to double transit ridership by increasing travel choice for people around the province, with new fleets, green technology, new rapid transit lines and new innovative services like RapidBus BC. This plan will reduce traffic, cut greenhouse gas emissions, and save British Columbians time and money.

What your B.C. Government is doing for Transit:

  • Since 2001 we have increased funding for BC Transit by 37% an increase of $16.4 million.  Today we provide over $60.7 million in funding each year for BC Transit.
  • Transit ridership in B.C. has increased by 53.7 million trips, or 33 per cent, since 2001.
  • Transit service hours have increased by 1.8 million hours, or 32 per cent, since 2001.
  • There are now 537 – or 27 per cent – more public transit vehicles in B.C. than there were in 2001.
  • Launched the $14-billion Provincial Transit Plan with the goal of reducing provincial transportation greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 4.7 million tonnes cumulatively by 2020, and doubling transit ridership by 2020.  The plan includes:
    • $10.3-billion investment in four new rapid transit lines in Metro Vancouver – the Evergreen Line, the UBC Line, the upgraded and expanded Expo Line and the Canada Line.
    • Investing $1.2 billion for new, cutting-edge, energy-efficient, high-capacity RapidBus BC service along nine major routes in the high growth urban centres of Kelowna, Victoria and Metro Vancouver.
    • $1.6 billion investment in 1,500 new, clean energy buses and related maintenance infrastructure to provide communities around the province with improved bus service.
    • GHG savings will be about equivalent to parking all cars and light trucks in Metro Vancouver for one year.
  • Your BC Government is establishing Electronic gates at SkyTrain stations and closed-circuit cameras at rapid transit and new RapidBus stations to enhance security.
  • The Port Mann/Hwy 1 portion of the Gateway Program will add HOV lanes and transit lanes, re-establishing bus service across the Port Mann for the first time in 20 years.  The project also includes provisions for future rapid transit, and with cycling lanes.
  • New RapidBus BC service over the Port Mann will be the first bus service crossing the bridge in over 20 years, and will allow commuters to travel all the way from Langley to Coquitlam or Burnaby in less than 25 minutes.
  • Your B.C. Government is building a Hydrogen Highway that will run from Whistler through Vancouver to Victoria with plans to extend it to California. The Province has invested $89 million in the Hydrogen Highway.
  • The Hydrogen Highway will include the world’s largest hydrogen fuel-cell bus fleet – 20 BC Transit buses to be based in Whistler by 2009.
  • Providing TransLink with $4.8 million to purchase a new, third Seabus.
  • Since 2001, your B.C. Government has created 200 kilometres of new bicycle lanes and trails throughout the province by providing grants to over 50 local communities. That’s more than the distance between Vancouver and Hope.
  • The Province’s subsidy to BC Transit  is the highest transit subsidy level in Canada.
  • The operating cost per passenger is $3.36 (08/09).
  • The subsidy from the Province is $1.42 per passenger (08/09), which helps keep fares low.

For More Information:
Provincial Transit Plan
Hydrogen Highway
Gateway Program