Deep cuts to public transit could end up costing every Metro Vancouver household $1,059 per year, a the Mayors' Council on Regional Transportation on Sept. 26 by Intervistas Consulting Inc. warns.

"That is completely unaffordable to most families who are already struggling with rising costs, and while TransLink's fares are bound by the rate of inflation the actual cost to commuters obviously would now be perhaps much higher," Shaena Furlong, of the Richmond Chamber of Commerce, told the council.

"The potential loss of 145 bus routes, reduction in SkyTrain, Seabus and HandyDart service, and the potential elimination of West Coast Express, could begin that transit death spiral in our region where transit becomes less available, and less convenient, and 'incentive-ies' users to change their mode of operation, their habits and leave the system which means less revenue coming in and further needed reductions of service." 

In July the council heard a "hypothetical" scenario that will see transit service all but decimated in this region if senior levels of government don't step up to provide necessary funding to meet need and growth.

The council heard a dire presentation from TransLink CEO Kevin Quinn and Sarah Ross, vice-president of planning and policy, at its July 25 meeting. As earlier reported by the Now-Leader, TransLink is facing a $600-million annual shortfall as of 2026 and because of that is pursuing an ambitious $90 million-per-year plan to reduce costs.

"This TransLink service cut is absolutely sobering," Furlong said Thursday, Sept. 26. "Up to 16.7 per cent of Metro Vancouver employees no longer being able to reach their place of work. We'd have understandably devastating impacts to the economy and the families who rely on those jobs."

Jasroop Gosal, spokesman for the Surrey Board of Trade, said the board believes education along with transportation are the cornerstones of any economy and if this scenario unfolds there will be businesses that will have to close for lack of employees. "This is something we cannot accept and must prevent from happening," he told the council. 

Brad West, chairman of the council, said the pressure's on for the provincial government, current and after the Oct. 19 election, to commit to fixing this "absolute disaster."

"The impacts are enormous," he said, with indications it would be a "hard to fathom" $1 billion per year "at a minimum."

"The transit funding model is broken and the new provincial government has to be ready on day one to fix it so we can begin to start expanding transit again," West said. "This is not a bluff, this is not designed to try to force the Province to do something. This is reality."