BC’s Next Transit Referendum (& One You’ve Likely Never Heard Of)
Lawn sign on Gabriola Island
We all know what happened with that rather unfortunate (insert additional adjectives of your choice here) transit referendum that occurred last spring in Metro Vancouver.
What you may not be aware of is that there’s another transit referendum happening right now on Gabriola Island, BC, a 20 minute ferry ride from downtown Nanaimo in BC’s Gulf Islands archipelago. Between now and general voting day next Saturday, Feb. 13, 2016, islanders are set to head to the polls to say whether they support establishing an ongoing contribution from property taxes to fund transit in their community.
Read more on Connecting Dots the personal blog of Tania Wegwitz, who also happens to be the Manager of Planning for BC Transit. I have only just become aware of her blog and, from the quick glance through it so far, I am very happy to add it to my blogroll.
UPDATE “40% of eligible voters came out today to vote for GERTIE! 66.9% in favour”
Stephen Rees's blog 
This Gulf Islands transit service — if approved — would dovetail well with a passenger ferry service, and would be a lot cheaper than taking a car across from Nanaimo harbour. Perhaps, if approved, this would be the harbinger of passenger ferry service to all the islands. They would need some decent cargo space for back packs and a spot for pet dogs.
If this was Saturna, they’d need a trailer for goats and chickens.
MB
February 12, 2016 at 10:38 am
[…] Stephen Rees’s Blog: BC’s Next Transit Referendum […]
Off Islanders watching Referendum | GERTIE : Gabriola's Community Bus Service
February 13, 2016 at 8:15 am