David Karp, CUP Western Bureau Chief Wednesday, 6 February 2008

17 days after British Columbia announced a $4.75 billion transit plan, the Canadian Federation of Students presented the BC government with 12 000 signatures demanding a better deal.

On 14 January, the provincial government announced $4.75 billion over the next 12 years to build a SkyTrain line to the main campus of the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, and a RapidBus line to the UBC-Okanagan campus in Kelowna, but according to BC-CFS chairperson Shamus Reid, who submitted the petition on 31 January, We cant wait until 2030, 2020, or 2012 for these transit promises [...]. Change must come today.

He said the announcement of more transit funding has helped the CFS campaign.

Most of that funding is going into capital budgets, specifically in the Greater Vancouver area. Its not addressing late-night service needs of communities in New Westminster and Surrey. Its not addressing the needs of students at Thompson Rivers University and Selkirk Community College.

But while fares are rising in Greater Vancouver, theyre going down in Greater Victoria. On 30 January, BC Transit announced that it was eliminating two-zone there, translating into a $0.60 reduction in fares for many people in the region.

Reid presented the petitions to a security officer at a press conference on the steps of the BC Legislature. Eight studentsseven from the University of Victoria Students Society and one from the Camosun College Student Societyjoined Reid in the announcement.

The petitions call on the federal and provincial government for a big-picture plan that would create more frequent trips to universities and colleges, more late-night service, more express routes, and lower fares.

If the Minister of Finance is floating the idea of increasing gas taxes, we want to see that money go directly toward funding improved service in our public transit system, said University of Victoria Students Society chairperson Tracy Ho.

We want to see long-term sustainable funding in service, not just capital projects.

The students from the University of Victoria drove a car to and from the press conference, but Reid called on Finance Minister Carole Taylor to take the bus.

In less than a month, Finance Minister Carole Taylor will be walking down these steps to deliver the 2008 BC budget, Reid said. Our hope is that shell arrive off one of the buses that are just over there, with a sense of the challenges of those who use public transit every day.

The petition is part of the CFS We Ride campaign, which has been gathering signatures for the last four monthsmore than 4000 from Vancouver Island students and more than 8000 from the Lower Mainland, Fraser Valley, and the interior.

Rob Fleming, the provincial NDPs advanced education critic, was watching the announcement, and agreed that the governments funding announcement isnt adequate.

Its great to put out a glossy 20-page brochure full of nice pictures, but its another thing to actually begin to fund and implement some of these plans, he said.

Fleming said the plan favours Greater Vancouver at the expense of Victoria.

Theres no mention about LRT [light rail transit] hereeven as far out as 2030and to me thats unacceptable.