11 replies to this topic

[Victoria Watcher]

Oh boy.  So many issues here.    The least of which is that this is a poorly written article.  But at least it has exposed this latest silly attempt at regional planning (futile) and coercion (a poor way for ideologues to try to influence are free choices).

 

 

 

 

CRD factions to be tested on centralizing transportation governance in 2024

 

Community consensus could give CRD more authority on some transportation policies

 

https://www.vicnews....in-2024-7289427

 

 

The Capital Regional District has taken a step toward gaining more authority over some transportation policies over the coming years.

 

 

Oh, how do you plan to do that?  Any power you take must be given up by another, it's not going to happen, at least not organically.

 

Governance over how people move around the region is currently broken up between the CRD, individual municipalities, BC Transit and the transportation ministry, with each of those bodies having authority over one or two modes of transportation.

 

 

2 paragraphs in, and this one is silly, on several counts.

 

#1 - nobody has governance over how we move around the region.  We will move around the region as we se fit, and it'll mostly bein our cars.  Full stop.  Sure, you can throw up roadblocks and hurdles.

 

#2 - the last part of the sentence makes no sense - with each of those bodies having authority over one or two modes of transportation.

 

Huh?  

 

What are the modes and what do you assign them to?

 

• BC Transit
• CRD
• Municipalities
• Transport Ministry

 

How do "each of these bodies have authority over one or two modes of transportation"?

 

• Transit Bus
• Cars / trucks / other highway and street users
• Bikes
• Pedestrians
• Other (scooters, horseback, rickshaw)

 

What it actually is is such:

 

• BC Transit - buses and stops
• CRD - trails (pedestrians, bikes, and other)
• Transportation Ministry - highways and Douglas Street outside CoV, downtown ferry terminal, maybe some say over Swartz Bay (?)
• Municipalities - everything else, including roads, and sidewalks (pedestrians, bikes, vehicles and other)
• Harbour Authority - downtown float plane terminal
• Airport Authority - decides on all transportation to and from the airport property

 

 

The CRD board unanimously voted on Dec. 13 to start a process that will aim to have a new CRD transportation service in place by the end of 2024.

 

 

You can likely create the department, but it'll have no power any time soon.

 

Such a service would start by aligning existing transportation aspects that would largely enable what staff called having regional trails become the “active transportation spine” of the region.

 

 

OK, I'm not 100% sure what this mean.  "Active transportation is walking and biking, right?"  OK, they certainly do have some significant traffic but not sure they are the spine.  95% of people move daily by other means. 

 

A second phase would then expand the CRD’s authority over policy areas where there’s consensus that regional governance makes the most sense. This phase would also look into whether any CRD tools could help individual municipalities increase active transportation.

 

 

Well, as to the first sentence, you will NEVER get unanimous consensus from all the municipalities.

 

As to the second sentence, NO, there are no tools by which the CRD can achieve this.

 

If those interim changes can show every CRD community supports a regional approach to transportation decision-making, it could prove that the CRD can handle more authority.

 

“The region needs to prove to the province that it can agree to changes and has set itself up to deliver those changes,” staff told a CRD committee in November.

 

The region speaking with one voice when it comes to transportation would clear the way for the province to approve the CRD creating its own transportation authority, staff said. Such a move would give the CRD more say around things like transit governance, but would first require legislation changes at higher levels of government.

 

 

What part of NO don't you understand?

 

EVERY CRD community will never support a regional approach to transportation decision-making (unless it means lots of free money for their preferred projects).

 

The region will never speak with one voice.

 

Ah, maybe if that legislation at higher levels of government is very stern, but then you'll have unanimous outcry against any plan. 

 

Creating a new service would meet the CRD board’s aim to progress transportation governance changes within this term, while delivering a new authority is eyed for 2026. Both a new service and authority require unanimous support from all CRD municipalities and electoral areas.

 

All of those communities, along with First Nations and other partner agencies, took part in a survey informing the idea of governance changes.

 

 

I've got two words for you, or maybe more.  But let me start:

 

Metchosin

Highlands

 

Neither of these are going to go along with any of this (unless it means lots of free money for their preferred projects).

 

There was widespread alignment from the stakeholders on wanting regional governance over new mobility services, behaviour change, transit and connectivity. Consensus dropped off around who should handle traffic flow and congestion, and around how to fund the governance changes. When it comes to active transportation, most municipalities want local control.

 

 

Widespread alignment!  But you said you need unanimous support.  That's not there.

 

"Consensus dropped off around traffic flow and congestion" which is probably the most important part.  

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 24 December 2023 - 09:46 PM.

[Victoria Watcher]

We can't even get a bus that goes to the airport properly, or non-stop to the ferry (except UVic on weekends somehow), or direct from west shore to the ferry.  I doubt the CRD staffing an entire department with no teeth will work either.

 

And stop trying to change our behaviour, we are stubborn and will not support you artificial goals.

 

Let's check the CRD's previous work:

 

 

The 2014 Regional Transportation Plan (RTP) establishes a vision for transportation in the region and outlines outcomes and actions needed for the CRD to achieve this vision. The RTP aims to improve mobility between communities, expand the range of accessible and affordable transportation choices, and support regional sustainability. 

 

The RTP also establishes a mode share target of 42% for active transportation and transit combined for the region by 2038. As of 2021, the region’s mode share is 26.6%. 

 

 

https://www.crd.bc.c...sportation-plan

 

 

 

2021 report card:

 

https://www.crd.bc.c...vrsn=cb5171cd_0

 

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 24 December 2023 - 09:55 PM.

[Nparker]

The fewer government/quasi government entities involved in regional transportation matters the better.

[FogPub]

We desperately need some sort of unified body overseeing regional transportation; and if it means bending the noses of a few municipalities to get it, I can live with that.

[Victoria Watcher]

Do we though?

Maybe we need better decision-making for BC Transit.

Maybe we need a better system to prevent View Royal from putting a major artery on a road diet. Or to stop Saanich from doing the same to Shelbourne.

But we already have the province dealing with the very major arteries. And while they have done a pretty good albeit slow job making 1 and 17 and even 1A and 14 better, there is little even local political will to fix the Malahat for some reason.

I generally think municipalities should do as they please, they answer most directly to the voters.

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 25 December 2023 - 01:43 AM.

[Mike K.]

It won’t be easy, as the suburbs know most of the focus will be where 50% of people live, leaving the transportation options in the suburbs at the whim of the urban core.

Do you think the CRD would have prioritized the twinning of Sooke’s highway at Gillespie Road, over, say, an $86 million investment elsewhere in the region? The only regional element to regional transportation planning will be tax revenues from communities that won’t directly benefit from the monies they pay. That’s why Langford wanted no part in any regional planning or regional economic missions. It would have been hogtied and unable to execute on most of its ambitions that supported the growth out there.

Now that the current political regime wants to cooperate fully, watch what happens to Langford’s infrastructure and autonomy.

[Mike K.]

How a new skytrain extension to Langley is leading to displacement. It’s a long read, and a cautionary tale: https://vancouversun...ngley-expansion

[Victoria Watcher]

The Capital Regional District (CRD) has unveiled its financial plans for 2024, totaling a significant $777M. The consolidated budget encompasses allocations for the CRD, Capital Region Hospital District (CRHD), and the Capital Region Housing Corporation (CRHC), aimed at delivering essential services for over 450,000 residents across the region.

 

Of this budget, $431M is designated for operating expenses, funding a diverse range of regional, sub-regional, and local services. The remaining $346M is earmarked for capital investments in various projects crucial for the region's development and infrastructure enhancement. 

 

 

 

https://www.capitald...ves-777m-budget

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 15 March 2024 - 05:15 AM.

[Nparker]

More than 3/4 of a billion dollars with virtually no accountability to voters. We have some of the worst governance in the world.

[lanforod]

We need a new hospital, yesterday. I wonder if they're even working on that. Add a 200 bed or so hospital in the Veterans/Sooke rd area.

[Mike K.]

I think we’d already be building one out Sooke way, if there were doctors and nurses to fill it. We can barely manage to staff what we currently have, and overtime is a big problem. I can’t see things improving to where we can staff a new hospital.

Duncan will have a new hospital in a few years, to replace their existing one. I think the Jubilee’s most recent expansion is the best we can hope for over the next 10-15 years.

[Nparker]

https://youtu.be/Eyf97LAjjcY