Vancouver, BC - The BC Progress Board tabled a discussion paper on provincial transportation with the provincial government today. The paper, "Transportation as an Economic Growth Engine: Challenges, Opportunities and Policy Suggestions", is authored by UBC Professor, Dr. Michael Goldberg.

"Transportation is a critical factor in the economic growth process", noted David Black, BC Progress Board Chair and President of Victoria-based Black Press Ltd. "BC's position on the Pacific coast presents a tremendous opportunity for the province to build and benefit from world-class gateway transportation services for BC, Canada and, potentially, the United States", Black continued.

The Progress Board commissioned the paper to provide a strategic overview of challenges and opportunities in BC's transportation systems, and to identify federal and provincial public policy changes that might strengthen transportation as a facilitator of economic growth and development in British Columbia. The report underscores the broader "national" and "provincial interest" in building British Columbia as an integrated, multi-modal and globally-oriented transportation hub for all of Canada.

The report contains 25 policy suggestions for federal and provincial authorities. Among the suggestions:

• Make significant investments in security a critical part of building BC's North American gateway position;


• Reduce tax and regulatory barriers to allow railways to be more competitive with counterparts in the US and accelerate investment in necessary upgrades and capacity improvements;


• Improve rail bridge capacity across the Fraser River to improve traffic flow and reduce vulnerability in the event that the existing bridge is damaged;


• Consider creating a "Pacific Super Port" to consolidate some or all of the five individual BC Port authorities;


• Consider creating a "Ports Land Reserve" to protect Ports and adjacent lands for future generations from other commercial and non-commercial uses;


• Over time, consider creating an inland (or inter-modal) container handling facility in Prince George, Kamloops and/or the Fraser Valley given the shortage of land at some tidewater Ports;


• Improve BC's road infrastructure by establishing a workable timetable for upgrading and expanding key segments of east-west and north-south highways to four lanes in order to "shrink the distance" between major centres and strengthen market connectivity;


• Along with dynamic road pricing mechanisms: twin the Port Mann bridge; construct the North and South Fraser Perimeter Roads and the Pitt River Bridge; allow trucks to use HOV lanes at all times (especially at night); undertake further upgrades to the Trans Canada in the Rockies; and, develop a long-term plan to incrementally four-lane selected segments of highway 97 from Prince George to the Canada-US border;


• Develop true "open skies" for the Vancouver International Airport Authority, and negotiate fifth freedom and cargo continuation rights with all origin and destination countries with or without reciprocity, including China, India, Singapore, the European Union, and the United States;


• Transport Canada should provide rent relief to YVR directly, or indirectly, by recycling revenues to meet infrastructure needs of smaller BC regional airports;


• Consider airport mergers in selected locations, along with pooled financing and other entrepreneurial tactics to improve scale and service;


• In the Lower Mainland, integrate public transportation investments with land use and density powers to create more compact urban forms around stations and terminals and to provide more passengers for public transportation;


• Streamline Greater Vancouver Transportation Authority (GVTA) governance so that Board members are proper regional fiduciaries appointed by the provincial government. Also, provide the GVTA with clear regional transport, land use, taxation and borrowing and spending powers;


• Explore options for greater use of ferries for short-sea goods movement and passenger transportation around Greater Vancouver; and,


• Make greater use of intelligent transportation systems (ITS), transportation demand management (TDM), and transportation supply management (TSM) to the greatest extent possible, including "peak load" pricing and a non-exclusive transit pass scheme to encourage greater use and to reward frequent users.

"Ensuring that BC has the most secure marine, rail, road and air transportation systems, together with good governance and the most progressive taxation and regulatory setting possible, will help to realize BC's staggering potential as a transportation hub", Goldberg noted.

"The challenge for Canada and British Columbia is to think broadly about the economic opportunity transportation presents, and to conceptualize the country's only Pacific province as an integrated, multi-modal gateway for North America", concluded Tim McEwan, Executive Director of the Progress Board.

"Transportation as an Economic Growth Engine" is available on the BC Progress Board's website: www.bcprogressboard.com. The BC Progress Board is an independent panel of 18 senior business and academic leaders formed by Premier Gordon Campbell in July 2001 to benchmark BC's economic, innovation, education, environment, health and social performance over time and relative to other jurisdictions. The Board also advises on ways to improve provincial performance.