Hundreds of public transit supporters gathered last weekend to protest the TransLink funding shortfall that would decimate transit service across Metro Vancouver. Both the provincial government and the Metro Vancouver Mayors’ Council have so far been silent on covering the $580 million required to stop service cuts in 2026, with TransLink warning of a catastrophic 45-50% reduction in bus service, a 35% cut to HandyDART, and the elimination of West Coast Express service, along with cuts to SeaBus and SkyTrain service.
With several major transit expansions across the region including the Broadway Subway Project and the Surrey-Langley Skytrain, overcrowding returning to pre-pandemic levels, and a 4% fare hike, Metro Vancouver residents might be surprised to hear that their transit agency is facing a near $600 million shortfall. Last year, TransLink brought in about $700 million in fare revenue.
The shortfall results from the end of pandemic era bailouts offered by the province to make up for lost fare revenue. While the supports are ending, TransLink ridership has not yet caught up to the 270 million boardings pre-pandemic, while operations costs have gone up significantly. Gas tax revenue also continues to decline as British Columbians switch to electric vehicles. Several other factors drive up transit costs, which will be explored by a Better Columbia column on the topic later this week.
Regardless of the root causes, transit advocates are calling on politicians to protect transit riders from drastic cuts. “These cuts would be catastrophic to the one million Metro Vancouverites who ride transit every week. Even without cuts, the region’s bus service is not keeping up with population growth, and buses are already chronically overcrowded. We are calling on the Mayor’s Council, province, and federal government to not only stop these devastating cuts, but fund expansion so our region can remain moving.” says John Ivison of Movement.
New Westminster mayor Patrick Johnstone, speaking at the rally, put the responsibility of heading off the fiscal cliff squarely on the province. “When [provincial MLAs] say they see the value of public transit… I want them to stop telling us what they believe and start telling us what they are willing to stand up and pay for.”
For the province’s part, the 2025 BC budget forecasts a $9 billion deficit, with little additional funding for public transit. The province’s fiscal year runs April to March, meaning that provincial funding would usually have to come in the 2025 budget to arrive in time for TransLink’s operational planning for 2026.
Another possible source of operational funding, the Mayors’ Council, has a limited set of tools to raise funding for TransLink, including road tolls, motor vehicle ownership charges, and property taxes. Thus far, the Council has not signaled that it plans to make significant changes to fund TransLink’s shortfall.
What could be cut?
TransLink warns that before cuts to service, they will cut walking, cycling, and road safety programs, and end operations and maintenance payments to municipalities. Additionally, they would end all expansion and upgrade planning, customer outreach, and collaborative projects with municipalities.
For service cuts, Translink offers two possible scenarios, one that maximizes system ridership, and one that maximizes coverage. In both these scenarios, significant portions of Metro Vancouver will be left with no transit service at all. Translink warns that as a result of these cuts, there will be increased congestion, a dramatic reduction in the number of jobs accessible by transit, more overcrowding, an end to most evening and night service, and a long-term impact to their ability to plan and grow.
Movement, a pro-transit organization in Vancouver, is asking transit supporters to sign on to their petition and contact their mayor and MLA.
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