From Business in Vancouver: Transit top of mind for Vancouver businesses as election approaches
… according to a survey released by the Vancouver Board of Trade October 14 … 68% of the respondents picked public transit and infrastructure as the most important issue, followed by real estate development, density and city planning (50%), and community engagement and government transparency (40%).
The Vancouver Board of Trade’s survey respondents had some ideas about how to improve transportation in the region: 49% want transit to be properly funded, but without the burden shifting further to businesses; 46% want traffic to be better managed during construction; and 34% said Vancouver’s existing bike lanes should be removed.
And that’s how you build a coalition.
So 66% of Vancouver businesses (nearly a 2:1 majority) like bike lanes as they are?
.. and 60% don’t care about community engagement or government transparency.
Like many residents, business like free services, good for them, PAID BY SOMEONE ELSE.
All things being equal, of course they would prefer to be close to a train or subway station. But rents would be higher, too. Some of these polls are rather meaningless.
Bike lane removal and more cars ain’t happening. Unfortunately both Gregor Robertson and Kirk LaPoint are rather mum on transit investments. To me, it is THE election issue, besides a general more pro-business attitude by the City of Vancouver (currently lacking), property taxes for non-resident condos and hosing affordability, all related topics.
The mayor was either silent or anti-transit for many years. The only thing he’s ever backed is a certain subway proposal that’s dependent on billions from other levels of government. The other big money candidate is used to taking his orders from the corporate boardroom and is probably waiting for his backers to tell him what to say about transit, bike lanes and more cars. Neither one inspires me. Sadly the women aren’t faring much better. Both have made proposals recently that have no basis in reality.
I’d be surprised for Kirk laPoint to take orders from anyone. He is finally a mayoral candidate for Vancouver that understands the issues of growth, resource development, the necessity of social/affordable housing and foreign investor impact on real estate in Vancouver. As stated above, unfortunately missing is the issue of transportation and the overly reliance on cars in Vancouver due to poor public transit, especially subways.
http://www.vancouversun.com/news/metro/mayoral+candidate+Kirk+LaPointe+unveils+four+policies+party/10288686/story.html