Comparing Transportation Commitments
BC political party platforms
CentreBC
Transportation Plan
“Transportation that works. We will deliver a $15 billion three-year transportation plan. Priority projects include the Surrey–Langley SkyTrain, the Fraser River Tunnel, widening Highway 1 to Chilliwack, and North Coast road connections. We will add about six new rapid bus lines and study rapid transit South of the Fraser beyond the Surrey–Langley SkyTrain. With TransLink and BC Transit, we will fund a 15% increase in transit service by 2030, including more HandyDART trips for people with disabilities. We will create a BC Commuter Credit: 15% back on monthly and annual transit passes and BC Ferries multi-trip fares. It will be refundable, so people with low incomes get the full benefit too. From 2029, we will rebuild intercity bus service across rural BC, where Greyhound left in 2018, building on BC Bus North. This builds on provincial rules that allow more homes near transit.”
“We will also invest $3.5 billion more in transportation, rapid bus and port connections. We will borrow for these only because they grow the economy.”
Downtowns and Main Streets.
“We will create a $50 million main streets fund. Provincial liquor approvals for patios and events will be made within 14 days, and we will fund cities that approve patio, event and storefront permits as fast. We will add $20 million more for regional tourism marketing over two years. Through our Safe Downtowns Fund, we will support safety partnerships between police, outreach workers and business associations (see Public Safety).”
Conservatives
“Grow HandyDART where demand is greatest.”
“make sure people seriously hurt by reckless drivers get the care and support they deserve, and will keep auto insurance affordable for every driver in this province.”
Greens
Transit
· Implement free, fast, frequent public transit, starting with making transit fast and frequent. This will prioritize doubling the number of buses on the roads within the first term. We will approach free transit in a phased approach, starting with youth aged under 25 and for seniors 65 and over. We will build onto free transit once infrastructure improvements are made, funding stabilizes, and fast, frequent transit is established.
· Make regional transit planning easier, by working collaboratively with regional districts and First Nations on their priorities.
· Implement a Province-wide, wheelchair accessible, intercity network, with at least hourly service for 80 percent of British Columbia and at least daily service for every part of BC.
· Have regional transit buses on Highway 99in the Sea-to-Sky within the first year.
· Bring the SkyTrain to UBC
· Establish an all-party Parliamentary Committee to develop a consensus-based, long-term transport and transit funding model that updates the funding model for both BC Transit and TransLink.
· End the outsourcing of public transit delivery and ensure public transit workers are paid fair wages and have union opportunities.
Rail
· Provide support to the BC Rail Corridor Alliance, including financial support for an engineering assessment, economic study, and operations funding.
· Protect the rail corridor for freight and passenger rail while opportunities for active transportation, recreation and tourism are evaluated.
· Work with First Nations and the Island Corridor Foundation to determine next steps for Vancouver Island rail.
Tourism
· Increase annual funding for BC Parks and Recreation Sites and Trails BC by 50 per cent, from $76 million to $114 million, to expand year-round access, improve maintenance and visitor services, and better manage growing use.
· Create a $30 million annual Outdoor Recreation Infrastructure Fund for five years to build and improve trails, campsites, day-use areas and other public recreation infrastructure across BC, working with First Nations, communities and local recreation organizations.
· Create dedicated funding for workforce housing in tourism-dependent communities, supporting local governments and First Nations to secure land, service sites and build housing for year-round and seasonal workers.
NDP
“We will come to a solution to support Translink, but the path to sustainable funding for that organization cannot be on the backs of drivers who are already struggling with the prices at the pump.”
“Cut gas prices by up to 30 cents a litre by reducing the provincial motor fuel tax by 10 cents per litre and cracking down on gouging. Empower the BC Utilities Commission to cap excess industry margins on gas through a ‘price guard’”
OneBC
No policies.
For more information
PTABC Local and Provincial Transit Issues Backgrounder (PDF)
This 10-page backgrounder provides additional information on who needs public transit, current interregional transit in BC, public transit savings and benefits, BC political parties’ transportation commitments, comparing automobile and transit subsidies, and busting common transit myths, and examples of interregional transit services in other jurisdictions.
BC (2024), Highway 16 Transportation Action Plan, British Columbia (www.gov.bc.ca); at https://bit.ly/3Z03yYi.
BIT (2024), Comparing Transportation Expenditures in BC, Better Island Transit (https://betterislandtransit.ca); at www.vtpi.org/ctebc.pdf.
Kenneth Chan (2023), “BBC Reality Show Contestants Dumbfounded by British Columbia's Poor Public Transit,” Daily Hive (https://dailyhive.com); at http://tinyurl.com/3p2ajkd9.
David Eby (2025), MoTT Mandate Letter, Office of the Premier; at https://tinyurl.com/2mr6zevh.
Wendy Heaps, Erin Abramsohn and Elizabeth Skillen (2022), “Public Transportation in the US: A Driver of Health and Equity,” Health Affairs (www.healthaffairs.org); at https://bit.ly/3EGtoVK.
House of Commons (2023), Improving Bus Connectivity in Canada, Standing Committee on Transport, Infrastructure and Communities (www.ourcommons.ca); at https://bit.ly/3MpV4T2.
Todd Litman (2022), Rethinking Malahat Solutions, Victoria Transport Policy Institute (www.vtpi.org); at www.vtpi.org/malahat.pdf.
Todd Litman (2024), A Business Case for Raising Interregional Public Transport Service Quality, presented at the 59th Canadian Transportation Research Form (https://ctrf.ca); at www.vtpi.org/bcit.pdf.
MNP (2023), Island Coastal Inter-Community Transportation Study, Island Coastal Trust (https://islandcoastaltrust.ca); at https://bit.ly/403c2Mz.
MoTI (2020), South Island Transportation Strategy, MoTI (www.gov.bc.ca); at https://bit.ly/3kDlQYt. Includes Technical Report No. 1 (https://bit.ly/2Jqk3YJ) and 2 (https://bit.ly/387dJQq).
MoTI (2024), South Island Transportation Strategy Progress Report, MoTI (www.gov.bc.ca); at https://bit.ly/4elozkq.
PBO (2026), “Distributional Analysis,” Temporarily Suspending the Federal Fuel Excise Tax, Office of Parliamentary Budget Officer (www.pbo-dpb.ca); at https://tinyurl.com/9z2u5znz.
Public Transit Alliance of BC (www.transitalliancebc.ca).
Week Without Driving (www.weekwithoutdriving.org).