Each year millions of people visit Greater Victoria and the vast majority come through the Saanich Peninsula either via our award-winning international airport or though our ferry system.
But, it is not just tourism. The peninsula is home to many well-established industrial and commercial enterprises. Our ports also move billions of dollars of economic activity annually, generated by our intellectual, technological and manufacturing sectors.
With more people and goods moving through our area, traffic on the Saanich Peninsula and the Pat Bay highway is increasing. Indeed, traffic congestion is a growing problem right across the Capital Region. In 2011, BC Transit released the Transit Future Plan. The plan highlights a comprehensive transit program that requires coordination of the 13 municipalities and the provincial government.
BC Transit has done what they can on the roads they have jurisdiction over. Unfortunately, the plan is now seven years old and we have failed to substantially move it forward. A two per cent gas tax, announced in Budget 2018, will help the Victoria Regional Transit Commission in its goals but this is not enough. I believe the provincial government needs to take a leadership role in making sure more of the plan is implemented sooner.
They could for example invest more heavily in buses, or take action on the rapid bus lines on the Pat Bay and Trans-Canada highways. By simply re-purposing the highway infrastructure that we already have at high-volume times of the day we could better connect the Westshore and the Victoria core with the critical business centres, as well as the air and sea ports on the Saanich Peninsula.
Our transportation challenges are even more pronounced on the Southern Gulf Islands. Travel to and from the islands is regulated by the ferries, and much of the island transportation infrastructure is aging and substantially degraded. Pressure is building for the province to upgrade roads on all the Gulf Islands.
In Budget 2018, the government followed through on their commitment to reduce the cost of ferry fares. They froze fares on the main routes, including Tsawwassen-Swartz Bay, reduced fares on the routes servicing the Southern Gulf Islands, and returned the 100 per cent discount for seniors travelling Monday to Thursday. These are welcome changes for our island communities.
As the government continues its full review of the BC Ferries service, there continues to be a strong appetite to make sure the corporation is best serving the people and the economies it connects. Earlier this month I introduced a petition with 16,000 names calling on government to return the ferries to the Ministry of Transportation. While I believe that BC Ferries is a critical component of both our marine highway and transit systems, I will be awaiting the results of the review before taking a stronger position on further changes needed with BC Ferries.
Certainly, we don’t have all the ideas on how to improve transportation in Saanich North and the Islands. There are many ideas out there that could make our transportation network more efficient and less frustrating and safer for commuters.
Through my engagement and outreach program called The Public Circle, I am hosting a Community Dialogue on Transportation in my constituency office (#215-2506 Beacon Avenue) on Saturday, March 24 at 10 a.m.
We certainly have substantial challenges to address, but we also know that how we move is changing rapidly. From ridesharing to automation there is a lot to talk about and I hope to connect with you to discuss how to improve our transportation network in the 21st century.
Please write or email me at Adam.Olsen.MLA@leg.bc.ca or call my office at 250-655-5600 if you have any concerns about transportation or any other topic. I am honoured to be your representative and your feedback is important to me.
Originally published in the Gulf Islands Driftwood on March 20, 2018.
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