Press Release by the Wilderness Committee of Canada:
VANCOUVER, BC (September 6, 2009) — The transit funding crisis in BC could be solved by canceling the $1.5 billion South Fraser Perimeter Road (SFPR) and investing the money in transit says the Wilderness Committee.
“TransLink is in a funding crisis, facing the prospect of canceling all rapid transit expansions including the proposed $1.4 billion Evergreen Line, and even cutting back bus service. At the same time they continue to shovel money at the Gateway Program, including the controversial $1.5 billion South Fraser Perimeter Road which endangers farmland, Burns Bog and species at risk.
Money exists to fund great public transit and keep fares down, but it is being wasted on 1950s style freeways. This is yesterdays solution to tomorrow problems”said Ben West, Healthy Communities Campaigner for the Wilderness Committee.
The BC government’s September budget update for 2009 included a 20 percent increase for highway expansion.
“This government has one foot on the brakes and one on the gas. First, the’re committed to reducing climate changing emissions 33% by 2020. Now they’re sabotaging this commitment by increasing highway expansion funding while starving transit, despite the fact that automobiles are the biggest source of the carbon emissions which cause global warming in BC. Our government should redirect funds from harmful freeway construction and save our vitally important public transit system” said West.
Doubling transit ridership has been highlighted by the BC government as one of the most important steps to reach their carbon emissions reduction targets.
For more info, contact:
Ben West
Healthy Communities Campaigner, Wilderness Committee
604-710-5340 or, 1-800-661-9453
ben [at] wildernesscommittee.org
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