To the Editor,

The future of Metro Vancouver’s economic wellbeing and livability depends on a stable, well-funded transportation system. Our population has grown from 1.9 million two decades ago to over 2.5 million today, and another million are expected over the next 20 years. But the swift, broad-based growth of our region has been accompanied by an inexcusable lack of leadership in transportation planning, and our streets and highways are now clogged with traffic. In many areas there is little or no public transportation system.

In order to accommodate our rapidly increasing population, as well as to take advantage of our region’s enviable position as the Asia-Pacific Gateway, we must move forward with a long-term funding model to meet both our current transportation needs and those of our children and grandchildren.

The members of the Mayors Council on Regional Transportation are faced with a difficult decision, made more so in a globalized world with its share of uncertainty. On October 7^th, the Mayors Council, a body made up of twenty-two elected officials from around the region, will vote on the Moving Forward Supplemental Plan for Metro Vancouver’s Transportation System. It is crucial this plan be passed.

The proposal includes a 2-cent per litre gas tax that requires provincial approval. This will fund an estimated $32-45 million annually towards the plan. The remainder of the $30 million required annually would be made up by a new long-term funding source approved by the Province of BC and the Mayors Council. However, in order to move the plan forward, a time-limited property tax increase (2013 and 2014 only), amounting to an estimated $23 per average household annually, has been included to make up the required $30 million on an intern basis. This property tax increase may not be necessary, subject to an alternative long-term funding source being approved.

The plan would clear the way for construction of the Evergreen Line to the Tri-Cities, triggering a $417 million federal government investment specifically for the Evergreen Line and a provincial contribution of $583 million to the same project.

The Evergreen Line Program is the single largest element of the service expansion, creating 11 km of new SkyTrain line, but every municipality in the region will receive benefits including:

▪ $20 million annually for Major Road Network improvement projects;

▪ Significantly expanded bus service hours (425,000 hours region-wide);

▪ Highway 1 Rapid Bus Service from Langley to the Lougheed SkyTrain station;

▪ Capacity-enhancing SkyTrain station upgrades and Seabus improvements; and

▪ $6 million annually for cycling network infrastructure.

Is the funding decision a difficult one? Absolutely. Each elected official on the Council has had to wrestle with the livability and economic reality of not supporting this decision of supporting a tax increase only weeks before the electorate goes to the polls. It would certainly be easier for each of us to vote no, but we believe, as do many respected elected officials, business leaders, economists, students, academics and analysts that this is the correct decision for the future of our region.

Our population is growing. Thanks to a significant mode shift achieved during the Olympic Games, transit ridership increased 19.6% between June 2010 and July 2011, and this year is on track to set another record. The time has come to end the debate and get on with making the transit investments our region desperately needs. The funding formula for this plan has been debated for over six years. After a year of public consultation sessions across the region, meetings with key business and community stakeholders and with a robust online engagement, what has become overwhelmingly clear is that this region cannot, must not, become choked with gridlock the likes of Los Angeles or Seattle.

The Moving Forward Plan will move the Region toward the development of a comprehensive, integrated, financially sustainable transportation network that will benefit virtually every single person living in Metro Vancouver, regardless of where they live and what mode of transportation they use.

Leadership is not about following the politically expedient path but rather it is in making right decisions that will build strong and prosperous communities. In weighing the decision before us, we have been deeply conscious of this fact.

In 1980, the concept of building an advanced rapid transit system such as SkyTrain was being questioned and wrestled with by the forward-looking elected officials who ultimately took the bold step of looking to the future good of the province. Time has confirmed the high value of their decision.

Nothing hard ever gets easier by putting it off to later. Now, as elected officials, we must look beyond the next opinion poll and the next election to the next generation.

We have had the debate. Now we must move from words to deeds. The decision we make on October 7^th will forge the path Greater Vancouver so badly needs. Passing the 2012 Supplemental Plan is the right decision for Metro Vancouver’s transportation system, economy, and future livability.

Signed:

Mayor Dianne Watts – City of Surrey

Mayor Peter Fassbender – City of Langley

Mayor Richard Walton – District of North Vancouver

Mayor Gregor Robertson – City of Vancouver

Mayor Pamela Goldsmith-Jones – District of West Vancouver

Mayor Greg Moore – City of Port Coquitlam

Mayor Richard Stewart – City of Coquitlam

Mayor Ernie Daykin – District of Maple Ridge

2010 was a very productive year for the City of Port Coquitlam, we came together as a community and country to celebrate the Olympics and a month later we opened the Coast Meridian Overpass. Both of these items will provide our community with a lasting legacy. 2011 appears to be a busy year as we work to improve our transportation system, environment and provide economic development opportunities for our community.

Below are some of the highlights of 2010 and outlook for 2011. The comments below are from a series of Tweets I have sent over the past couple weeks.

2011 Outlook

2011 Outlook: continuing to set aside 1% of taxes and utilities for future infrastructure replacement

2011 Outlook: implementing the Environmental Strategic Plan and Heritage Strategic Plan

2011 Outlook: continuing to facilitate the development of the Dominion Triangle area

2011 Outlook: completing the Pitt River Intertidal Wetland, a new 23-acre habitat for fish, birds and other wildlife

2011 Outlook: considering expansion of food scraps collection to multi-family and business properties

2011 Outlook: complete Broadway Street reconstruction and improvements to Coast Meridian Road and the Pitt River corridor

2011 Outlook: completing and implementation of Port Coquitlam’s 2020 Vision, the new Corporate Strategic Plan

2010 Highlights

2010 Highlights: the introduction of several green roofs, the result of adopting Canada’s first green roof zoning requirement in 2006.

2010 Highlights: starting a program to make bus stops accessible to people with disabilities, with an additional 15 sites in 2010

2010 Highlights: Develop a 5-year bike lane strategy that included the first official bike lanes – 6.2 kms of new bike lanes

2010 Highlights: fire education has contributed to 25 per cent fewer structure fires and 20 per cent fewer overall fire calls than in ‘09

2010 Highlights: The opening and successful first year of the City’s first off-leash dog park

2010 Highlights: continued implementation of the RCMP’s crime reduction strategy, resulting in a 42% reduction in the crime rate since 2005

2010 Highlights: Outpouring of community spirit during Olympics, ongoing legacy of community partnerships and amenities

2010 Highlights: Earning Community Engagement Award from the Union of BC Municipalities for use of the website & social media

2010 Highlights: Opening of the Coast Meridian Overpass, the City’s largest-ever transportation project

How important is customer service when you have a monopoly?

Over the past year I have been reading about a new form of customer service and engagement. Technology has shifted how organizations engage their customers and what their customers are saying about their products. Ask yourself, how has your product purchasing process and customer experience changed? Most people will research online first and many people will ask friends. However, many will engage their friends through Facebook or Twitter. Included in your research will probably be a Google search, which might take you to someone’s Blog, a Facebook comment or a micro-blog, for example Twitter. This transition for many businesses can be intimidating and for government, who usually tend to be very conservative, can be an outright barrier to entry.

However, business and government must either embrace, adapt or get taken over. As Port Coquitlam has demonstrated over the past couple years embracing the new customer service paradigm allows government to engage the community in a platform that most residents are all ready using. We need to realize that our community will engage the City on their terms, this could be at City facilities; however, more people are accessing government services via their computer, Facebook, Twitter either on a PC or their smart phone. (BTW, @CityofPoCo just released a Mobile Website).

TransLink is another example of an organization who understands this new paradigm. TransLink has created a Mobile site, iPod app, text message bus schedule and is now using Twitter very effectively. TransLink understands that to reach their users they need to engage their customers who are using their service in real time, which means using iPhones, a Blackberry, or other smart phones. Over the past six months TransLink has not only adapted to using Twitter, I believe they are leaders. Let me share with you an experience I recently had that demonstrates how this new style of customer service can provide superior customer service.

A few weeks ago I boarded the wrong bus, so I Tweeted and placed on my Facebook the following comment:

A reply tweet from TransLink helping me understand the confusion. They wrote:

During this time the following conversation occured in on my Facebook wall.

This was an excellent customer service experience, which all occurred on my Blackberry as I was riding the bus. I didn't leave the bus thinking they were wrong or how the bus system isn't working. Instead I am telling you about how great the experience was, thus creating a brand champion.

There are many other ways TransLink is using technology to engage its customers; they are leading the way. One technology I am looking forward to is the use of real time bus schedules. Every bus stop has an ID coded, which allows users to text the code and receive the bus schedule. The next phase will be a huge benefit to users, when you text the bus stop ID you will receive, not only the bus schedule, you will also be informed in real time how far away the bus is. This will be a major advantage to the bus riders, for example I can text TransLink as I am walking out the door and I will know if I have missed my bus, if I can walk to the bus, or if I need to run.

Overall, TransLink and Port Coquitlam are two leaders in engaging customers on their terms, thus delivering a superior customer service experience. Stay tuned for more great leadership from these two organizations.