Last week, the Mobility Pricing Independent Commission proposed two ways to charge drivers "user fee" as a means to fund future transportation infrasturcture and transit needs.
One is charging drivers at congestion points; two is charging them based on the distance they drive, which includes higher dollar-per-kilometre charges at busy times of the day.
Here is what Richmondites think:
Ylli Muci, electrician
We pay too much taxes as it is. I wouldn’t be willing to pay as a driver. Insurance rates are high already. Whoever builds up public transit may have to prioritize the budget better.
Allen Luo, business owner
I don’t agree with it. I know London (England) has it (congestion charges), but North America is not like Europe, which has a well-developed transportation network. Here, it takes 15 minutes for a bus to come. We run a small business and paying the fee will make it harder to survive.
Kristina Roberts, maintenance
We pay enough taxes as it is; the money we give in taxes should go to what it was supposed to be taxed for. We are already paying a lot for gas, so if we put more charges on driving, it will take money out of people’s pockets when the cost of food and everything else is just gonna go up.
Karanbir Singh, student
Yes. Drivers should be charged more according to how far they travel. I think it’s a good idea, because the extra money will be paid to the government, which can share the money with people in need.
Jason Zhang, accountant
No. I think right now drivers are already paying more, for insurance and gas. It’s not fair for those who drive a car. Maybe they can charge extra money to those who drive luxurious cars instead of all drivers.
