Ballots Begin Arriving This Week:
Mayors Urge a “Yes” Vote for Better Transit and Transportation
March 16, 2015
New Westminster, BC – This week, every registered voter in Metro Vancouver will begin receiving a
ballot package in their mailbox to cast their vote for better transit and transportation throughout the region.
“This vote represents an important choice for our families, communities, economy and environment,” said
Mayors‟ Council Chair, Gregor Robertson, Mayor of Vancouver. “With our region set to grow by over a
million people, voting „yes‟ means less time stuck in traffic and more time with family as we deliver
urgently-needed improvements for better transit and transportation. In contrast, voting „no‟ leaves our
region's future stuck in gridlock, with unacceptable costs for our daily lives, economy, environment, and
public safety. With ballots now on their way to homes across the region, we need to vote „yes‟ for better
transit and transportation."
A vote “yes” for the Mayors‟ Plan will add more rail, bus, SeaBus and HandyDART service, and fix critical
road bottlenecks across the region. A vote “yes” will give everyone more travel options, whether they
drive, take transit, bike or walk.
“No matter how you get around the region, the Mayors‟ Plan is a critical step to ensuring that with Metro
Vancouver growing by one million more people, our commute and region get better, not worse.” said New
Westminster Mayor Jonathan Coté. “Over the past several weeks, the mayors have met with people all
across the region to explain the plan and what it means for them. Now, every eligible voter has the
privilege to decide the future of transportation and transit in this region.”
With the Mayors‟ Plan, the average family will save $360 per year by 2030 as the plan is being built-out in
fuel, car and other expenses and through time savings – even after the cost of this proposed new 0.5%
PST increase is factored in. Money raised for this plan will be managed in a separate fund and overseen
by a public oversight committee, led by Jim Pattison, to give taxpayers assurance that every cent raised
will go to the projects and services in this plan.
Elections BC begins mailing out voting packages today to registered voters. Eligible Metro Vancouver
voters not yet registered have until May 15 to register by calling 1-800-661-8683 or registering online.
Votes must be received by 8 p.m. on May 29, 2015.
For instructions on how to vote, visit www.elections.bc.ca/plebiscite/images/D-Outer-Envelope-back.jpg.
For more information about the vote, visit www.elections.bc.ca/plebiscite.
For more information on the mayors‟ plan, visit www.mayorscouncil.ca.
-30-
Page 1 of 2
What do we get with a “Yes” Vote?
Voting “yes” in the transportation and transit referendum will protect our environment, strengthen our
economy and improve our quality of life. The Mayors‟ Plan includes:
New and Expanded Rapid Transit Service
 2 new LRT lines in Surrey and the Langleys
 Millennium Line extension tunneled to Arbutus
 Expanding capacity and frequency of Expo, Millennium and Canada Line
 Additional West Coast Express service
Road and congestion Improvements
 New, safer 4-lane Pattullo Bridge
 Maintaining and upgrading 2,300 km of major roads to keep people and goods moving safely and
efficiently
 Improvements to intersections, signalling and lanes to reduce congestion on major roads
 Transit improvements will mean more drivers will take transit, reducing the number of cars on our
roads
Bus and SeaBus Service:
 25% increase in bus service throughout the region
 Increase from 3 to 14 B-Line routes: fast, frequent, reliable, limited-stop bus service
 More frequent all-day bus service, running every 7 1/2 minutes on average
 50% more SeaBus service and 10-minute rather than 15-minute service during rush hours
 Service to new and growing communities
 80% more NightBus
 30% more HandyDART service
Cycling and Walking:
 Add 2700 km of bikeways, including 300 km of fully traffic -separated routes
 Better connections to transit
 Improved walking and waiting facilities near transit stops and stations
What do we get with a “No” vote?
“No” will leave us stuck in increasing traffic, hurt jobs and our economy and reduce transit service as one
million more people arrive over the next 30 years.





more congestion and longer commute times for drivers and transit riders
businesses and jobs suffering as it becomes harder to move goods and provide services
cutbacks in transit service
roads and bridges won't be maintained as needed
more pollution and poorer air quality across the region
Page 2 of 2