Expand the transit system, electrify the fleet, and eliminate fares!
2019 June 09, by Chapter Council
The Council of Canadians Victoria Chapter has has endorsed this climate emergency campaign. Please read and take action!
This coming Tuesday, June 11, the Victoria Regional Transit Commission is considering a climate action plan to massively expand the regional transit system, electrify the fleet, and eliminate fares by 2022. A number of Commissioners are currently opposed or wavering. Remind the Commissioners:
In the face of the growing climate emergency, the IPCC Report states we have only 11 years to cut CO2 emissions in half, and only until 2050 to reduce them to zero, in order to keep global heating below 1.5°C and hopefully avoid the most devastating consequences of climate change.
The IPCC report states this is still possible but requires (1) rapid, far-reaching and unprecedented changes in land use, energy, industry, buildings, transport, and cities, and (2) political action to make it happen.
In the Victoria region, road transportation is a primary CO2 emission source.
We must shift commuters out of cars and into electrified public transit by expanding and prioritizing our transit system into a more attractive option than driving.
It must be fast, frequent, comfortable, and accessible. That means more routes, an expanded fleet, more priority transit lanes.
It must be funded without a discouraging user fee. Fund it like we fund public libraries, public healthcare, public schools, and public roads and sidewalks. Shift resources and funding that subsidize car transport into public transit.
>> Email your Transit Commissioners before Tuesday: susan.brice@saanich.ca, sdubow@victoria.ca, mayor@saanich.ca, mayor@victoria.ca, mayor@colwood.ca, mayor@oakbay.ca, gorr@northsaanich.ca, mtait@sooke.ca
>> Share this email message.
>> Support presenters at the meeting:
9:00 am, June 11th, BCTransit Boardroom, 520 Gorge Road East
Thank you.
Free Public Transit Victoria
freetransitvictoria@gmail.com
facebook.com/freetransitvictoria