Today the Mayor's Council on Regional Transportation will gather to see if it can meet an ultimatum set last week by Minister of Transportation Todd Stone to draft a regional transportation strategy within the next four months.
Metro Vancouver mayors have until June 30 to draft a strategy for new projects and their funding. If they can't, TransLink will not see any potential new funding sources until at least November 2017 as the provincial government will take a regional referendum - needed to approve new funding - off the table.
Stone laid out the ultimatum last week in a letter to North Vancouver Mayor Richard Walton, chair of the Mayors' Council.
Stone said through new legislation, he would put the power to draft a strategy back in the hands of the mayors. Currently, an unelected board of directors is in charge of the strategy.
"The Mayors' Council will be granted approval powers over TransLink's 30 year strategy, as well as over a fully funded rolling 10 year investment plan," wrote Stone.
But Stone noted he wants to see a "clear, detailed, fully costed vision, with specific priorities and project phasing." He said if this happens, a referendum could be extended until June 30, 2015.
Property taxes, the gas tax and transit fares are the primary sources of funding for TransLink. Stone said that new funding has to come from Metro Vancouver sources.
With the clock now ticking Delta Mayor Lois Jackson has tabled a motion for a region-wide survey to be conducted about the TransLink referendum. The motion is to determine the mayors' present thoughts for the future planning and funding of the Metro Vancouver transportation system. It also seeks to find the proper wording for the referendum question(s) by consulting with respective city councils and their staff.
New funding is likely needed for several much-needed major capital projects such as an east-west rapid transit line in Vancouver, rapid transit and/or light-rail expansion in Surrey and a replacement for the Pattullo Bridge. Stone said the province would pay for one-third of such projects.
Mayor Malcolm Brodie told the News he could not comment on Stone's letter until after today's meeting.
