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Liberals launch review of B.C. Transit

NANAIMO – Review studies relationship between B.C. Transit and municipal governments.

After months of talks with municipal representatives, the province has launched an independent review of B.C. Transit.

Blair Lekstrom, Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure, on Thursday appointed a three-member panel to conduct the study.

The panel includes: Chris Trumpy, former chairman of the British Columbia Investment Management Corporation; Catherine Holt, owner of Sage Group Management Consultants; and John King, chairman of the Canadian Urban Transit Association.

Local government representatives raised concerns about B.C. Transit last September, citing increasing management fees, breakdowns in communication and a lack of funding as some of the worries.

Lekstrom said the review is not about putting more money into the transit system or increasing ridership, but ensuring local governments are engaged early on as the planning process goes forward.

“We have  a good public transit system, but we think we have a number of ideas on how we can get better,” he said.

Joe Stanhope, Regional District of Nanaimo chairman, said Lekstrom listened to the concerns and addressed them clearly.

“It’s all about improving communication and this is what we asked for,” he said. “Decisions can’t be made without consultation with the people who put the rubber on the road – the local governments.”

The panel is to report its findings back to Lekstrom by the end of August.