2016 began in the shadow of the unsuccessful Metro Vancouver transit plebiscite, yet it has ended with significant momentum for the future of our region’s transit and transportation networks.
The progress made over the past 12 months shows the importance of strong regional thinking and decision-making; however, this is only the beginning. While last year’s plebiscite results were a disappointing end to a period of unprecedented regional co-ordination and teamwork, the defeat taught us some important lessons – lessons we put to work in 2016.
Earlier this year, another game-changer took place. The federal and provincial governments agreed to reform the long-standing “one-third” funding model for transportation infrastructure projects. This was a welcome change that underscores the need to take a big-picture approach to Greater Vancouver’s transit needs.
It is more important now than ever that we – as a region – work together to ensure Greater Vancouver gets its share of the transit and transportation investment we so desperately need. We will need to agree on key priorities and bring our collective voice to senior government officials in Victoria and Ottawa.
This theme of regional co-ordination is one of the values our organization embraced in 2016. It’s also one of the core reasons why, after 130 years, we rebranded as the Greater Vancouver Board of Trade, to more accurately reflect our long history and allow us to better advocate on issues of regional importance.
A few months later, we released our landmark study, Greater Vancouver Economic Scorecard 2016, which measured our region against 19 other metro areas – our competitors – across the globe. Both of these moves were squarely aimed at encouraging a focused, regional approach to public policy, particularly when it comes to economic growth, transportation and land-use planning.
Scorecard 2016 taught us that our region’s transportation challenges are exacerbating housing affordability, undermining our ability to attract top-end talent and hampering our role as Canada’s Pacific gateway. Fortunately, this past year was a pivotal one, in which all three levels of government have taken steps to help alleviate congestion after years of under-investment in transit and transportation.
One of the key steps forward for our region was the roll-out of Phase 1 of the mayors’ 10-year vision, along with TransLink galvanizing its support around the leadership of its new CEO, Kevin Desmond. After three decades of planning, the long-awaited Evergreen Extension opened in 2016, connecting the downtown core with residents and businesses across the region.
These major breakthroughs all required a strong regional voice; a voice made up of local governments, community organizations, business groups and the public. This single voice can only be achieved through co-operation and a vision that rejects the pseudo-mercantilism that has plagued our region and by embracing the idea that what is good for one municipality is good for our region as a whole.
True global cities think regionally to attract the best people and investors, and it is time Greater Vancouver did the same. 2016 was a first step in the right direction.
As we move into 2017, we have even more crucial decisions ahead of us. Phase 2 of the mayors’ plan, a crucial provincial election and the destiny of the federally proposed Canadian infrastructure bank will all be important crossroads that determine our region’s future.
If 2016 has taught us anything, it’s that when – and only when – our 21 municipalities come together and act as a region, we can tackle our greatest challenges. I look forward to putting that important lesson into action in the year ahead. •
Iain Black is president and CEO of the Greater Vancouver Board of Trade.