Latest news with #TransLink
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
After pandemic hiatus, bus fare hikes roll out across B.C.
Bus fare hikes have started rolling out across B.C., now that a pandemic-era agreement between B.C. Transit and the federal and provincial governments has lapsed. B.C. Transit provides a wide range of public transportation services across 130 communities in British Columbia, serving both urban and rural areas. Metro Vancouver fares are regulated by TransLink. Victoria and Nanaimo were first out of the gate, with fares going up as soon as the agreement expired in April. Kamloops, Kelowna, Whistler, and the central Fraser Valley are some of the regions that have recently approved changes to fares that are set to be implemented this fall. Regional directors in the Comox Valley will decide on fare increases Tuesday evening. Mike Zbarsky, the region's manager of transit and facilities, says the fare review process is long overdue. "These are important things for our board to consider on a regular basis to make sure that bus fares are affordable, but also are there to generate revenue to pay for transit services," Zbarsky told CBC News. Price hikes The Comox Valley Regional District's last fare review was in 2018, Zbarsky said. The increases in the Comox Valley include hiking single fares to $2.50 from $2, and increasing 30-day passes to $65 from $55. Concession rates would also increase. These changes would apply to regular buses as well as handyDART. Zbarsky said the region has to balance increasing fares, which would increase revenues, with the possibility of decreased ridership because of higher costs. "Throughout the Covid pandemic, when we were not increasing our fares, we were still improving our transit services — better scheduling, more service hours, better infrastructure. And we had kind of limited funds to do that with during that time," he said. "And so now with a bit more revenue hopefully coming, this would allow us to continue even more expansions to the transit service." The fare review also includes the possibility of a U-Pass for North Island College students. Pandemic-era agreement In a written statement, B.C. Transit said the Safe Restart agreement it signed with the province and the federal government in 2020 included a stipulation that fare increases would be limited to 2.3 per cent annually until April 1, 2025. A B.C. Transit media representative explained that fares are usually increased to a rounded amount so that riders paying cash don't have to scrounge for small change like dimes and nickels, so the small allowable increase was never fully implemented. The agreement gave B.C. Transit $86 million. The transit authority says the funds went toward offsetting lost fare and gas tax revenues and other COVID-19 expenses. B.C. Transit says Squamish and the Pemberton Valley are also currently reviewing their bus fares. Decisions around fares are made by local governments, B.C. Transit says, adding that the costs of operating transit and demand for service continue to increase. Impact on vulnerable users Disability advocate Lynda Brosko, executive director of L'Arche Comox Valley, says she understands the need to update fares. However, she wishes the hikes would be done in consultation with vulnerable transit users. "My hope is just that we ask people with disabilities how this is going to impact them and whether or not they'll be able to manage those cost increases," Brosko said. "It's easy when we're privileged to not recognize the small changes and how impactful they are. But when people are on a fixed income, it's not one expense that's going up; it's all ... the different expenses that are going up." As part of the Comox Valley's fare review, the region is also considering different subsidy models for people with low incomes, but Zbarsky says the board will need to evaluate its options before putting anything in place. Brosko warned against subsidies, however, noting they can be tedious and difficult to apply for — especially for people with intellectual disabilities. "Sometimes when we set up these subsidized models, the complexity to access them is really high," she said. "If you're a person with an intellectual disability, unless you have a strong support system to do it for you, you can't access the supports that are designed for you."
CBC
2 days ago
- Business
- CBC
After pandemic hiatus, bus fare hikes roll out across B.C.
Social Sharing Bus fare hikes have started rolling out across B.C., now that a pandemic-era agreement between B.C. Transit and the federal and provincial governments has lapsed. B.C. Transit provides a wide range of public transportation services across 130 communities in British Columbia, serving both urban and rural areas. Metro Vancouver fares are regulated by TransLink. Victoria and Nanaimo were first out of the gate, with fares going up as soon as the agreement expired in April. Kamloops, Kelowna, Whistler, and the central Fraser Valley are some of the regions that have recently approved changes to fares that are set to be implemented this fall. Regional directors in the Comox Valley will decide on fare increases Tuesday evening. Mike Zbarsky, the region's manager of transit and facilities, says the fare review process is long overdue. "These are important things for our board to consider on a regular basis to make sure that bus fares are affordable, but also are there to generate revenue to pay for transit services," Zbarsky told CBC News. Price hikes The Comox Valley Regional District's last fare review was in 2018, Zbarsky said. The increases in the Comox Valley include hiking single fares to $2.50 from $2, and increasing 30-day passes to $65 from $55. Concession rates would also increase. These changes would apply to regular buses as well as handyDART. Zbarsky said the region has to balance increasing fares, which would increase revenues, with the possibility of decreased ridership because of higher costs. "Throughout the Covid pandemic, when we were not increasing our fares, we were still improving our transit services — better scheduling, more service hours, better infrastructure. And we had kind of limited funds to do that with during that time," he said. "And so now with a bit more revenue hopefully coming, this would allow us to continue even more expansions to the transit service." The fare review also includes the possibility of a U-Pass for North Island College students. Pandemic-era agreement In a written statement, B.C. Transit said the Safe Restart agreement it signed with the province and the federal government in 2020 included a stipulation that fare increases would be limited to 2.3 per cent annually until April 1, 2025. A B.C. Transit media representative explained that fares are usually increased to a rounded amount so that riders paying cash don't have to scrounge for small change like dimes and nickels, so the small allowable increase was never fully implemented. The agreement gave B.C. Transit $86 million. The transit authority says the funds went toward offsetting lost fare and gas tax revenues and other COVID-19 expenses. B.C. Transit says Squamish and the Pemberton Valley are also currently reviewing their bus fares. Decisions around fares are made by local governments, B.C. Transit says, adding that the costs of operating transit and demand for service continue to increase. Impact on vulnerable users Disability advocate Lynda Brosko, executive director of L'Arche Comox Valley, says she understands the need to update fares. However, she wishes the hikes would be done in consultation with vulnerable transit users. "My hope is just that we ask people with disabilities how this is going to impact them and whether or not they'll be able to manage those cost increases," Brosko said. "It's easy when we're privileged to not recognize the small changes and how impactful they are. But when people are on a fixed income, it's not one expense that's going up; it's all ... the different expenses that are going up." As part of the Comox Valley's fare review, the region is also considering different subsidy models for people with low incomes, but Zbarsky says the board will need to evaluate its options before putting anything in place. Brosko warned against subsidies, however, noting they can be tedious and difficult to apply for — especially for people with intellectual disabilities. "Sometimes when we set up these subsidized models, the complexity to access them is really high," she said.
Vancouver Sun
3 days ago
- General
- Vancouver Sun
Gas leak suspends part of Millennium Line SkyTrain in Burnaby
A gas leak has temporarily shut down a portion of the Millennium Line SkyTrain in Burnaby. TransLink said it has suspended service between Sperling Station and Production Way Station due to a gas leak. The transit authority has set up a bus bridge to transport passengers between the two stations. Trains are operating as normal from VCC-Clark and Sperling stations and from Production Way to Lafarge Lake stations. The Expo Line and Canada Line are not affected. More to come. Bus Bridge replacing Millennium Line #SkyTrain service between Sperling–Burnaby Lake Station and Production Way-University Station, due to a gas leak. At Lake City Stn, please board at stop 58363, northbound Lake City Way at Enterprise St. ^jg
CTV News
3 days ago
- General
- CTV News
Gas leak suspends SkyTrain service on Millenium Line in Burnaby, B.C.
An information board shows the SkyTrain not in service in Vancouver, B.C. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Ethan Cairns A gas leak has impacted SkyTrain service on the Millenium Line running through Burnaby Tuesday afternoon. According to a statement issued by TransLink just after 1 p.m., Millennium Line service is suspended between Sterling and Production Way stations. 'Trains will operate VCC to Sperling and Lafarge Lake to Production Way,' the statement said. Both the Canada and Expo Lines are unaffected by the leak. This is a developing story.
CTV News
7 days ago
- Business
- CTV News
Protected walking and cycling path officially open on Vancouver's Granville Bridge
Vancouver Mayor Ken Sim and others appear at a ribbon-cutting for the Granville Connector, on July 25, 2025. The Granville Connector has officially opened to the public. Officials said the protected walking and cycling path along the busy Granville Street Bridge provides a 'comfortable' new route in and out of Vancouver's downtown core. Mayor Ken Sim called the infrastructure, which resembles a similar path on the Burrard Street Bridge, a 'pretty huge step forward' in terms of making the city more inclusive, sustainable and livable. 'You deserve to get around our city safely and easily,' Sim said Friday, at a ribbon-cutting for the Granville Connector. Installing the path meant removing two lanes of traffic on the bridge. The city also demolished the north loops that were initially designed to accommodate a high-volume freeway into downtown that was never built. The loops have been replaced with a standard street-grid layout, opening up city-owned land that will be used for future housing, officials said. In total, the project cost approximately $54 million, $8 million of which was contributed by TransLink.
