Editor, The News:
To the regional Mayors’ Council, I am writing after another challenging commute from my job in Burnaby to Maple Ridge.
Since the removal of the tolls on the Golden Ears and Port Mann bridges, the entry into Maple Ridge has become far more congested than normal and I have seen an increasing number of dangerous drivers, likely due to the frustration that they are experiencing.
The responses that we have been hearing from the Mayors’ Council and the province seem to focus on adding more transit and road pricing. While adding more transit may be an option worthy of pursuit, it comes with a huge cost and will take years to develop and implement.
Road pricing, which seems to be the newest trend, will have the effect of applying financial penalties to people who can’t afford to live in the Vancouver area.
From a public policy perspective, this seems wrong-headed, but perhaps I am not fully understanding how the model might be applied so that people seeking affordable housing are not punished for doing so.
While I am not a traffic specialist, I am presuming that much of the traffic congestion that we are experiencing is likely due to people who are not from the Vancouver area, driving to the jobs that they have in the Vancouver area.
I’m guessing if we could find ways to reduce the need for so much traffic heading towards the Vancouver area (and returning at night), we could save time, taxpayer funds and the increasing frustration that so many are experiencing.
So, rather than simply dealing with the symptoms, why don’t we consider a new approach?
Please consider developing a new provincial economic diversification strategy to wean us off of the seemingly endless residential and commercial development that we see. I realize that it is easy money for cities, but it simply cannot last and it is not healthy.
Revisit the population and development targets that have been set in the regional growth strategy. Growth for the sake of growth is also not a healthy approach to planning and development and it can result in the sprawl that is so common in the Lower Mainland, which can lead to communities without character and without the basic amenities that make them feel like home.
Develop a plan to relocate provincial and federal government operations to smaller communities in the Lower Mainland. Lease costs would be significantly lower for taxpayers and people in these communities would likely choose to work locally, rather than commute.
Develop a regional economic development strategy that incentivizes businesses looking to relocate to the region, based on how far away from the Vancouver core they are willing to locate.
Work together, at all levels, to develop solutions that will work for the entire region, not just the population centres.
Our province is beautiful, from border to border, but we are becoming less livable every day. I think it’s time for some bold, new thinking that will challenge the traditional approaches that we have seen.
Martin Wyant
Maple Ridge