Whereas implementation of the Provinces Homes for People plan, designed to accelerate housing development and population growth, will increase pressures on local governments to provide transit services necessary to develop and support new housing; And whereas local government transit service deficits may pose barriers to the development of attainable housing: Therefore be it resolved that UBCM urges the Province, as part of their housing funding initiatives, to provide funding to local governments for transit services integral to the development of attainable housing.
Ministry of Transportation and Transit The Province has recently adopted legislation and policies to enable and accelerate housing development near transit services and infrastructure including amending the Transportation Act to enable the Province to acquire property within 800 metres of transit hubs to advance transit-oriented-developments Bill 16, 2022; allowing 3 to 4 units on residential lots and up to 6-units near frequent bus service as part of small-scale multi-unit housing reforms Bill 44, 2023; establishing Transit-Oriented Areas with minimum density requirements within 800 metres of SkyTrain stations and 400 metres of other transit hubs Bill 47, 2023; and providing new powers to local governments to require transportation demand management as part of new developments Bill 16, 2024. The Province has made significant investments in both BC Transit and TransLink to enable service expansion. Since 2017, the Province has increased BC Transits operating funding by more than 70 percent from 108 million in 201718 to 184 million in 202526 with a further planned increase in operating funding of 4 percent by 202728 - increasing transit services across the province. In Budget 2024, the Province provided 28.7M in operating expansion funding over 3 years 202425 - 202627 and an additional 298 million in capital funding for BC Transit to expand transit services, providing approximately 2.8 million annual service hours by 202728. As part of Budget 2025, the Province has committed to investing 537.3 million in BC Transits capital projects over the next three years. This leverages 506.9 million in local government contributions and 279.7 million in federal funding for a total capital investment of 1.3 billion in BC Transits infrastructure. As of April 2024, BC Transit has been implementing service expansions in communities across the province and will continue to do so over the next three years. These investments will ensure increased transit services to support housing development and population growth. Since 2017, the Province has committed over 11.6 billion in combined operating and capital funding commitments to support TransLink the largest investment in TransLink in the Provinces history. Most recently, the Province provided more than 312 million over three years that will protect services and support priority expansion identified in TransLinks 2025 Investment Plan. TransLinks 2025 Investment Plan includes 40 new or improved bus routes to support transit-oriented communities, as well as neighbourhoods with limited or no transit service beginning as early as September 2025. As Metro Vancouver continues to grow, the Province recognizes transit will continue to play a central role in building a more connected, sustainable and affordable region. BCs unique approach to partnerships with transit agencies and local governments ensures that transit is available to residents in a broader range of communities than any other province or territory in Canada, and the funding provided by the provincial government is helping keep transit affordable for riders and local governments.