Our transit system in Greater Victoria is threatened like never before. Revenues from gas taxes and transit fares have evaporated, and the federal government is bailing out private yacht clubs and luxury car dealerships while refusing to provide emergency operating funding for public transit. There have been significant cuts to transit service in Greater Victoria already, and much deeper cuts could be on the way.
In the past, bail out funds have often gone to urban highway expansion boondoggles that make traffic and pollution worse, instead of to badly needed transit improvements.
The Better Transit Alliance has joined the Save Transit in BC Coalition, which is calling on the federal government to provide emergency operating funding. You can help by using their letter writing tool to tell your MP why you want emergency funding for public transit NOW.
Some points you might want to include in your letter include:
- How major transit service cuts would affect you.
- Essential frontline workers such as hospital cleaners, grocery store workers, and other people we depend on ride transit.
- Seniors, parents, and neighbours have no other way to get food or essential supplies.
- Many people’s cars will have been seized by the banks, or their insurance will have run out before they can return to work.
- Without increased service levels, transit riders won’t be able to practice proper physical distancing on overcrowded buses during the recovery period.
- The COVID-19 pandemic will likely result in long-term health complications and increase demand for HandyDART service.
- Stable federal operating funding is needed for local transit agencies to improve service and reduce fares to boost ridership after the pandemic.
- Highway expansion projects increase climate pollution, and better transit is a crucial climate solution. We are in a climate emergency, and transit must be a top priority for funding if Canada is to meet our Paris Agreement climate commitments.
Please click here to go to the Save Transit letter writing tool now!
If you are not sure what federal riding you are in, you can search by postal code here.