VANCOUVER, BC - The Alliance of BC Students is proud to support the Mayor’s Council in their advocacy to secure further federal funding for transit in the Metro Vancouver region.

“With transit demand rising as fast as it is in Metro Vancouver, our members in the region are more dependent than ever on the continuation of the service upgrades outlined in the 10-Year Vision,” said Gurvir Gill, the Chairperson of the ABCS. “Our members and their communities can’t afford any delays in the implementation of the projects outlined in the Vision. We wish the Mayors every success in Ottawa, and are hopeful that the needs of Vancouverites will be addressed.”

The Alliance has over 65,000 members in the Metro Vancouver region, and more than 78% of them are active transit users. With Vancouver’s unique trend of exploding transit ridership, that number is only going to increase. The establishment of a permanent transit fund, as well as transition funding to bridge any shortfalls before the permanent fund is established are critical to ensuring service improvements keep pace with this demand, and are essential for the economic and social wellbeing of the Lower Mainland. Increased service and capacity would directly benefit students in the region.

The Alliance hopes to see continued investments in public transit in Metro Vancouver and across BC. Accessible, reliable transit is key to student success, building more accessible and affordable communities, solving the region’s traffic flow issues, and combating the climate crisis. With a clearly defined blueprint of projects ready to break ground, broad public support, and invested provincial and municipal government partners, the Alliance is optimistic that the federal government will see the merits in continuing to invest in the region’s transit network.