In memory of Saanich councillor Vic Derman, I urge all of us to put pressure on our provincial MLAs to increase transit funding throughout the province.
I'm sure every constituency in B.C. could benefit from improved public transit, from the Highway of Tears to the Capital Region. Coun. Derman walked the talk when it came to climate change action and we could honour his memory by following in his footsteps.
I ride the bus daily in Victoria, and I can see BC Transit is making an effort to improve the system with the resources they have, but it's obvious they can't add more buses, routes and drivers to the schedule without the necessary money.
Instead of increasing the gas tax, why don't we put a stop to the Site C dam construction – being built mostly to service potential LNG projects which will further accelerate climate change in a negative direction, not to mention flooding 31,000 acres of prime farmland in the Peace River valley. This would have a major negative effect on the Treaty 8 First Nations' ability to hunt and fish as 107 kilometres of the Peace River and its tributaries will be flooded. We could re-purpose some of its $8.8 billion budget for improved public transit throughout the province.
Lucy Bashford
Saanich