BCTA 2023/24 Budget Ask: Building a Stronger Environment and Economy

On June 24, 2022, BCTA provided input to BC’s Select Standing Committee on Finance on the Province of British Columbia’s 2023/24 budget. In our submission, BCTA noted that our requests align with the government’s main priorities of Building a Stronger Environment for Our Future and Building a Stronger Economy for Everyone.

Building a Stronger Environment for our Future

Protecting the environment is a key priority of BCTA and our members. The CleanBC Roadmap to 2030 will establish targets for the commercial transportation industry to reduce energy intensity of goods movement by 10% in 2030, 30% by 2040 and 50% by 2050. To support these targets and accelerate the increased uptake of low emission and zero emission vehicles, further investments in charging and alternative fuel infrastructure are critical to decarbonizing the transportation sector and transitioning to a low-carbon future. Geographical coverage, adequate capacity, accessibility, and other barriers must be addressed to accelerate the market entry of next generation clean energy vehicles.

It is important to note that 87% of our industry are small, medium sized companies that operate five or less trucks and only 22.1% of our sector operates locally. Alternatively, 77.9% of our industry operates in part or full as a long-haul operator navigating through the province of BC and into other jurisdictions. Increasing the specialty use vehicle incentives (SUVI) for medium- and heavy-duty commercial vehicles from $100,000 per vehicle to $150,000 per vehicle to offset the high purchase price and support early adopters is critical to the success of the adoption of ZEVs. Concurrently, to effectively support the adoption of zero and low emission vehicles, it is critical that commercial charging and refueling stations be deployed throughout the province.

Based on results from a recent survey by BCTA, we request that first priority for charging facilities and alternate fuel refilling stations should be given to:

The Lower Mainland, most notably along the Highway 15 and 13 to connect movement of goods north/south; and
The Highway 1/5 corridor, which is BC’s primary artery connection to/from the rest of Canada.

Additionally, we reiterated government support for the commercial road transportation industry in reducing its environmental footprint by taking steps to accelerate fleet turnover through providing a PST credit/exemption for model year 2017 and newer heavy-duty trucks and motor coaches, similar to the one provided for Production Machinery and Equipment. The trucking sector is a significant contributor to GHG emissions, and incentives from PST exemptions would be crucial to assisting the BC Government to meet its climate objectives. This recognizes that the next generation of these vehicles is not only smog free but more fuel efficient, with substantially lower GHG emission intensity than its predecessors.

Government Priority: Building a Stronger Economy for Everyone

While BCTA and its members have made significant efforts to help recruit and retain women in our industry, a recent BCTA Women in Trucking survey showed that 59% of respondents raised safety concerns from being on the road and 35% of respondents cited significant concerns with rest areas (e.g., lack of rest areas and for those available, not having sufficient lighting or amenities to foster a safe working environment). BCTA is seeking support to expand opportunities for women through infrastructure investments.

We recognize that there are challenges that industry will need to respond to, such as becoming more responsive to work-life balance and improving the general perception of trucking; however, the road is our commercial drivers’ workplace, and it is critical the Province take a more active role in supporting an accessible and safe network of rest areas. Doing so will not only facilitate a more resilient industry that supports women but will also enable a more efficient movement of goods, which is central to reducing our sector’s GHG footprint.

Next, we highlighted the potential for infrastructure investments to reduce congestion and associated greenhouse gas emissions, while at the same time making roads safer for all users. We used our 2021 Infrastructure Priorities Survey results to advocate and request that the government consider the following infrastructure improvements in its upcoming budget:

Six-laning Highway 1 from 264 Street in Langley to Hope, to accommodate current and future road demands in a manner that promotes road safety and efficient movement of people and goods;
An additional berth at the BC Ferries Duke Point Terminal to provide increased commercial capacity on sailings between Nanaimo and Tsawwassen;
Improve and add rest areas that accommodate commercial vehicles throughout BC, in conjunction with the establishment of charging and alternative fueling, which is crucial to supporting our sectors reduction of GHG, encouraging women to enter our sector, and improving the health and safety of all drivers;
Upgrade the Brunette Interchange by separating the main crossing of Highway 1 into two corridors for local vs. regional/provincial traffic and increasing all height clearances to at least 6m; and
In support of the movement of oversized loads and opening up western Canada’s trade competitiveness, ensure that all provincial infrastructure projects be built to the following standards:
- All overpasses be upgraded to a minimum height clearance of at least 6m, and exit/onramps be configured to allow oversized vehicles to remain on the provincial road network.