Death, taxes and traffic chaos on the North Shore.
The first two talking points are guarantees in life. The third one, however, need not be.
So say a pair of North Shore MLAs when questioned about all things transportation-related, and ideas for a way forward for all modes of transportation. The conversation spans from the North Shore out into Sea to Sky country, back into Metro Vancouver and over to coastal communities that rely heavily on the BC Ferries.
Jordan Sturdy is MLA for West Vancouver-Sea to Sky and currently serves as the Official Opposition Critic for Fisheries, Aquaculture and BC Ferries. Karin Kirkpatrick is MLA for West Vancouver-Capilano and is the Official Opposition Critic for Children, Family Development, and Childcare.
Both B.C. Liberal Party members were asked the same set of questions and this interview has been edited and condensed for clarity and length.
What are the top transit challenges facing your constituents right now and how do you plan to solve them?
Sturdy: Congestion is clearly the number one issue for the whole North Shore and that extends across the region and into the Sea to Sky corridor. We have a lack of effective alternatives. The transit system that we have is not robust enough and as a result, too few people see it as a real alternative. To effect change, alternatives need to be competitive in time, cost and convenience and a light rail system integrated into the Translink network is what I believe is needed.
Kirkpatrick: We know that a significant amount of traffic coming on and off the North Shore each day is connected to the staggering statistic that over 70% of people who work on the North Shore must commute here. Housing and transportation are closely tied. There needs to be a combination of increased affordable workforce housing and a direct connection to rapid transit.
How do you assess the job the NDP has done in alleviating these problems?
Sturdy: I’m not sure I can identify any progress on transportation improvements.
Kirkpatrick: If you’re coming over to the North Shore and you’re sitting in traffic, you can assess it yourself. It has become more difficult to get on and off the North Shore in the last five years.
How can we best alleviate some of the more infamous traffic snarls on the North Shore?
Kirkpatrick: The North Shore must be a priority for TransLink. It continues to be an afterthought in regional planning and the traffic and lack of transit options result in an economic disadvantage for our communities. The North Shore is not easily accessible by transit, and there is nowhere near enough affordable housing to attract and retain employees to North Shore businesses. This hurts the health of our communities.
Sturdy: It’s been disappointing that no substantive alternatives have been pursued or implemented in the years since the NDP have been in power. Pre-pandemic, we were seeing approximately 125,000 crossings a day of the Burrard Inlet while in contrast, the Massey Tunnel sees 70,000. While historic investments were initiated during the previous BC Liberal government in upgrading Highway 1 from Mountain Hwy to the Ironworkers Bridge, little has been done since to ensure we are improving transportation infrastructure for the future for our communities. I believe it is past time to make a commitment to provide a rapid transit solution that crosses Burrard Inlet and integrates the North Shore with the rest of Metro Vancouver’s TransLink system.
If re-elected in 2024, what will your top priorities be?
Kirkpatrick: An appropriate rapid transit system that connects the North Shore and Sea to Sky country to the Lower Mainland, with corresponding investments in housing options around this transit system.
Sturdy: A regional transit service for the Sea to Sky corridor that integrates with Metro Vancouver and TransLink would be a major priority. We’d be able to maintain capacity, manage growth and provide alternatives to the car. We need to provide significant supports for the BC Ferries. Over the last 5 years, we’ve lost the public’s confidence in the ferry system, and we need to regain that. This will take substantial investments on the government’s part.
