On October 12, 2021, TransLink released its draft transportation vision for Metro Vancouver, which focuses on their goals of making transportation convenient, reliable, affordable, safe, and carbon-free. As the transportation authority for the Lower Mainland, this draft 30-year transportation plan (Plan) includes recommendations across the entirety of TransLink’s jurisdiction, including management of the Major Road Network (i.e., Truck Route) and Regional Goods Movement Strategy.
As a key stakeholder in support of goods movement, TransLink engaged BCTA last spring to seek comments on key aspects of the Plan related to regional goods movement. While BCTA highlighted significant concerns with Translink’s initial policy positions, the Plan released on October 12 recognizes our feedback. The most notable improvement, as part of the Plan’s core affordability goal, is the inclusion of a requirement to “ensure that transportation fees and taxes are affordable for everyone” by conducting “a clear analysis of costs and benefits for any fees that impact passenger and commercial vehicles, including costs and benefits for businesses, consumers, and carriers as appropriate.”
BCTA is pleased to see TransLink act on our recommendation to conduct a cost-benefit analysis for these fees, as many aspects of the Plan have the potential to vastly increase the transportation cost of consumer goods. As communicated to TransLink leading up to the release of the draft Plan, BCTA is not opposed to the recommendations themselves, but rather, is critical that TransLink may not take into account the impact they will have on our sector and ultimately, the impact it will have on consumers— particularly vulnerable populations.
Put simply, while the cost of transportation included in the price of consumer goods is invisible to most people, the cumulative cost burden is significant. The commercial trucking sector transports 92% of all consumer goods, and approximately 10% of the price of those goods is attributed to the cost of transportation. Therefore, fluctuations in transportation costs, both positively and negatively, will have a significant impact on affordability. For example, in 2019 Statistics Canada estimated that the average British Columbia household of four spends approximately $7,536 each year on groceries. This equates to a BC family spending approximately $750 per year on transportation costs simply on their grocery bill. This cost burden only reflects the impact that transportation has on food expenditures for the average family in BC; the total is much higher as these costs are embedded in all consumer goods, including household, clothing, fuel, and electronic goods. Furthermore, the cost of transportation that is embedded in consumer goods is constant for the most part. As such, any material increase or decrease of this cost will disproportionally impact low income and vulnerable individuals.
Examples of recommendations in the Plan that BCTA has raised to TransLink as having a potential to either support or hinder the overall goal of affordability include:
- Development of neighbourhood logistics hubs
- Management of high demand curbside space parking and loading zones
- Mobility pricing/road charging
- Commercial vehicle right-sizing
- Regulatory requirements for existing medium and heavy-duty vehicles emissions
BCTA looks forward to continuing discussions with TransLink to ensure that a consistent, robust framework is applied to make certain that these policy recommendations that affect the movement of goods in the region is evaluated through a cost-benefit analysis lens, and do not negatively impact affordability in the region.
For BCTA’s Transport 2050 submission, click here.
For more information on TransLink’s Transport 2050 Draft Strategy, visit transport2050.ca.
