The BC Minister responsible for TransLink, Peter Fassbender, participated in an AMS-organized transit town hall meeting in the Nest on Thursday to answer students’ questions about the future of Vancouver’s public transit system.
Fassbender opened the event with a speech that mainly addressed Translink’s reputation following the 2015 transit referendum. Citing a lack of confidence from the public as the reason why the referendum did not pass, Fassbender said that he would work to restore morale within Translink. He also said he plans to collaborate with the federal government on upcoming investments into transportation and infrastructure such as the upcoming Broadway Corridor and Fraser Rapid Skytrain lines.
Fassbender took time to discuss the issue of ride-sharing apps such as Uber, insisting that the BC government will not rush into a decision regarding the ride-sharing economy.
“We are going to do it in a thoughtful and a pragmatic fashion to make sure that the safety of those who use any ride-sharing or taxi-opportunity are protected,” he said. “We also are going to make sure that we are going to protect the taxi industry and the investments they’ve made over the history of their presence, not only here in Metro Vancouver but also throughout the province.”
The first question of the event asked if it would be possible to have a student transit pass valid everywhere in BC regardless of the transit company. Fassbender said that Translink is considering the mobility of peoples all over BC and that a single card is already being distributed for people with disabilities between both Translink and BC Transit, the public transit company which services the rest of the province outside of metro Vancouver.
“I see a day in the future where your transit card will be able to get you your Starbucks coffee or allow you to get entrance into a movie theatre because you load it up,” he said, hinting the possibility of this card becoming available to the public.
Another student asked whether or not Translink will raise fare prices in the future as a result of the creation of the one-zone bus fare system. Fassbender responded by saying they will increase fare prices eventually while simultaneously keeping fares affordable to the public.
One student asked Fassbender why the BC Liberals held a plebiscite to raise taxes despite research showing that people are generally unwilling to approve taxes in plebiscites regardless of the issue. According to Fassbender, asking the public whether or not they would approve of a new tax was something they promised in the election.
The same student later said that his answer was “kind of a cop-out” and asked what the thought process was behind organizing a plebiscite. To this, Fassbender answered by saying that they saw it as their responsibility to ask the public their opinion.
On the topic of Translink’s environmental targets, Fassbender said that their ultimate objective to reduce congestion, which contributes to greenhouse gases.
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