metro&vancouver&&&translink&update...

!

Inside'this'issue'1#6!!! Metro!Vancouver!news!

• Regional)economic)strategy;)Metro)HQ)moving;)

Infrastructure)

7#8!!! Waste!&!recycling!news!

• New)WTE)incinerator)postponed)indefinitely)!

9! ! Environment!&!climate!change!

10! ! Agriculture!

11#13! Housing!&!affordability!

• Federal)social)housing)investment?;)Tax)on)non)resident)

owners)proposed;)Real)estate)industry)to)be)investigated;)

Rental)housing;)Syrian)refugees)

SCI!Update!

2016#1!

February!12,!2016!

Metro&Vancouver&&&TransLink&Update''

Produced!by!the!Sustainable!

Communities!Initiative!

Robert!Duffy,!Coordinator!

[email protected]!!

Metro'concerned'about'possible'closure'of'community'TV'channel!

Metro!Vancouver!made!a!submission!to!a!

CRTC!review!of!policies!governing!local!

and!community!TV!programming.!

According!to!Metro!staff,!the!review!

poses!a!potential!threat!to!community!

and!municipal!government!access!to!the!

local!community!cable!channel,!Shaw!

Channel!4.!!

Metro!produces!a!television!show!called!

‘The!Sustainable!Region,’!which!is!

currently!shown!on!Channel!4!once!per!

month.!In!addition,!Metro!produces!

special!one#off!episodes!on!important!

topics!throughout!the!year!and!a!series!

called!‘Metro!Vancouver!Close#up’!

(MVCU)!that!highlights!work!being!done!

at!the!municipal!level!that!supports!

regional!goals.!!!

A!potential!outcome!of!the!CRTC!review!

is!that!the!entirety!of!a!levy!currently!

allocated!to!the!development!of!

community!programming!(2%!of!the!

cable!bill)!could!be!reallocated!to!

commercial!television!stations,!and!the!

distribution!of!community!programming!

through!cable!would!cease.!This!would!

likely!result!in!the!abandonment!of!the!

community!channel!entirely.!!

The!Metro!submission!to!the!CRTC!

takes!the!position!that!“reallocation!

of!community!channel!funding!to!

local,!private!broadcasting!

endeavors!is!not!an!acceptable!

outcome!of!this!review!and!would!

reduce!the!ability!of!Metro!

Vancouver!communities!to!share!

their!dialogue!with!each!other!and!

would!likely!mean!an!end!to!the!

broadcasting!of!council!meetings.”!

http://goo.gl/8VXAVO!

http://goo.gl/3lgHOC!

14! ! Industrial!lands!

15#19! Transit!

• Province)says)“no”)to)reform;)New)TransLink)CEO;)

HandyDART;)Compass)Card)rollout)problems)

20#23! Transportation!

• Massey)tunnel)replacement)bridge;)Uber)

controversy!

24#25! Port!news!

• Port)police)funding)cut;)Port)lobbying)for)federal)

infrastructure)money;)Container)truckers)reach)

deal;)N.)Shore)residents)oppose)new)grain)terminal!

! SCI!Metro!Vancouver!&!TransLink!Update:!2016#1!

Metro'Vancouver'&'Municipal'News'

Metro!Vancouver’s!Board!in!December!endorsed!a!Regional!

Economy!Task!Force!report!calling!for!a!“mechanism”!to!

coordinate!the!efforts!of!industries,!public!authorities,!

universities,!and!local!government!agencies,!and!“help!them!

develop!a!collaborative,!strategic!approach!to!the!region’s!

prosperity.”!!

The!model!proposed!in!the!Metro!staff!report!“is!an!

independent,!non#profit!regional!prosperity!agency!created!

and!governed!by!leaders!from!all!sectors!that!make!up!the!

regional!economy,!including!business,!industry,!academia,!

civic!organizations,!labour!and!local!government.”!

As!proposed,!funding!for!the!agency!would!come!primarily!

from!member!organizations,!and!the!report!states!that!

“initial!staffing!would!be!minimal.!An!executive!director,!

supported!by!a!small!group!of!economists!and!business!

analysts!would!support!the!board!in!its!various!activities.”!

Background+

The!Metro!Vancouver!Regional!Economy!Task!Force,!which!

directed!the!report,!was!launched!in!January!2015!and!is!

made!up!of!five!Metro!mayors:!Gregor!Robertson,!City!of!

Vancouver;!Linda!Hepner,!City!of!Surrey;!Darrell!Mussatto,!

City!of!North!Vancouver;!Richard!Stewart,!City!of!Coquitlam;!

Greg!Moore,!City!of!Port!Coquitlam.!

The!report!found!that!the!Metro!region!has!one!of!the!

lowest!median!incomes!in!Canada!among!major!

metropolitan!areas,!and!among!the!lowest!per#capita!GDP.!

Metro!Vancouver!is!also!unusual!in!its!lack!of!a!centralized!

economic!development!agency,!an!entity!that!exists!in!all!of!

the!major!West!Coast!cities!in!North!America,!as!well!as!in!

all!major!Canadian!cities.!!

In!a!press!release,!Chair!Greg!Moore!explained!the!rationale!

for!a!new!agency,!saying!that!“our!region!is!world#

renowned!for!quality!of!life!and!superb!natural!amenities.!

There!are,!however,!regional!challenges!such!as!high!cost!

of!housing,!transit!and!traffic!problems,!and!competition!

for!limited!land.!These!challenges!undermine!productivity,!

quality!of!life,!and!the!region’s!competiveness!in!the!

global!market,!and!we!believe!a!multi#stakeholder!

regional!prosperity!initiative!will!address!these!issues.”!

Moore!said!issues!to!be!addressed!by!a!new!agency!could!

include!identifying!opportunities!for!expanding!and!

retaining!local!businesses,!fostering!innovation,!and!

attracting!new!investment!and!talent!that!are!being!

missed!due!to!a!lack!of!collaboration!across!the!region.!

Metro!has!pointed!to!the!Seattle,!Portland,!Denver,!

Austin,!Montreal,!and!Waterloo!metropolitan!areas!as!

“models!for!bringing!together!important!stakeholders!to!

develop!a!strategic!and!collaborative!approach!for!

leveraging!the!advantages!of!their!region.”!

Next+Steps+

Following!the!report,!the!Metro!Board!is!“working!to!

engage!leaders!from!sectors!including!Port!Metro!

Vancouver,!the!Vancouver!Airport!Authority,!chambers!of!

commerce!and!boards!of!trade!across!the!region,!and!the!

Business!Council!of!British!Columbia!to!pursue!ideas!and!

concepts!regarding!regional!economic!prosperity.”!!

Metro!says!this!process!will!culminate!in!a!“Regional!

Forum!on!Prosperity”!in!April!2016.!

http://goo.gl/F4Wevq!

http://goo.gl/8zoDCr!

http://goo.gl/ZS9GUf!!

Report'calls'for'new'agency'to'coordinate'Metro'Vancouver’s'economic'strategy!

! 3!

Water'shortage'plan'changes'proposed'to'ease'

impacts'on'effected'sectors'

Following!consultations!with!stakeholders,!Metro’s!Utilities!

Committee!is!recommending!eased!restrictions!for!some!

sectors!under!the!district’s!water!shortage!plan,!and!

improved!public!communication!about!permitted!activities.!

Consultations!found!that!Stage!3!restrictions!in!the!summer!

of!2015!had!serious!economic!impacts!on!some!local!

businesses,!and!also!negative!impacts!on!some!municipal!

operations.!All!stakeholders!consulted!also!believed!that!

European!chafer!beetle!problems!were!exacerbated!this!past!

fall!because!of!missing!the!window!to!apply!nematode!

treatments.!

In!addition,!local!government!staff!and!private!sector!

participants!reported!that!the!public’s!scrutiny!and!

monitoring!of!their!activities!when!using!water!for!activities!

permitted!under!the!Plan!resulted!in!disruptions.!!

At!times,!local!government!staff!refrained!from!using!water!

for!routine!and!necessary!operations,!such!as!watering!

medians,!sports!fields,!and!trees.!Some!private!sector!

participants!were!concerned!about!negative!public!

perception!of!their!services!because!of!the!framing!of!some!

campaign!and!media!messages.!Several!participants!even!

reported!being!harassed!and!physically!threatened!by!people!

who!believed!they!were!operating!illegally.!

Some!Metro!directors!noted!that!a!number!of!municipalities!

lost!landscape!plantings!because!of!last!year’s!restrictions!

and!hesitance!to!use!even!their!permitted!allowances!due!

to!public!concern!about!water!use.!

In!response!to!these!concerns,!the!Feb.!11!Utilities!

Committee!passed!recommendations!to!authorize!

amending!the!Water!Shortage!Response!Plan!as!follows:!

!i)!Amend!Stage!2!to!allow!water!to!be!used!by!

commercial!cleaning!services!for!aesthetic!

cleaning;!and!!

ii)!Amend!Stage!3!to!allow!previously!issued!local!

government!exemption!permits!to!water!new!

lawns!or!for!treatment!to!control!the!European!

Chafer!Beetle!to!remain!valid.!!

Directors!also!suggested!staff!look!into!other!ways!to!

reduce!water!demand.!Director!Steves!noted!that!

Richmond!was!in!some!cases!pulling!out!turf!because!of!

chafer!beetle!infestations!and!‘el!nino’!related!drought,!

and!replacing!lawns!with!other!types!of!less!water!

intensive!plantings.!

Committee!Chair!Mussatto!noted!that!some!other!

jurisdictions!were!encouraging!changes!in!permitted!

irrigation!systems!in!order!to!reduce!water!use,!including!

the!increased!use!of!drip!irrigation!and!low!volume!soaker!

hoses.!Staff!told!the!committee!that!they!were!looking!at!

definitions!for!reduced!water!irrigation!methods!to!feed!

into!future!regulations.!!


Metro'Vancouver'HQ'moving'to'new'building'

Metro!Vancouver!has!decided!to!buy!a!new!29#storey!office!

tower!in!Metrotown!for!$205!million!to!serve!as!its!new!

headquarters.!!

The!regional!district!will!sell!the!two!office!towers!that!house!

its!existing!office!complex!just!northwest!of!Metrotown.!Those!

buildings!are!assessed!at!$82.5!million!and!are!around!30!years!

old.!!

At!414,000!square!feet,!the!new!Metrotower!III!building!is!

bigger!than!Metro!needs!to!house!its!800!employees,!so!the!

regional!district!will!occupy!13!floors!and!lease!out!the!rest.!!

The!move!is!expected!to!cost!the!average!household!an!extra!

$5!to!$6!more!on!their!regional!property!taxes!each!year!

starting!in!2018.!It!won't!affect!2016!taxes.!!

Board!chair!Greg!Moore!said!the!new!building!was!the!"most!

economically!and!environmentally!responsible"!choice!after!an!

extensive!evaluation!of!options.!!

Metro!faced!rising!costs!for!its!current!location,!including!the!

need!for!costly!renovations!for!other!tenants.!!

http://www.surreyleader.com/news/362961501.html!!

'

Metro'in'talks'to'return'some'parks'to'cities''

Metro!Vancouver!is!preparing!to!hand!over!Burnaby!Lake,!and!

potentially!Sumas!Trail!and!Matsqui!regional!parks,!to!local!

municipalities!as!it!seeks!to!focus!more!on!protecting!

eco#sensitive!and!regionally!significant!park!lands.!!

Burnaby!has!requested!that!it!take!control!of!Burnaby!Lake!

once!Metro’s!lease!runs!out!in!2021,!while!Metro!is!working!

with!Abbotsford!to!determine!whether!it!should!transfer!those!

parks!out!of!Metro!and!into!the!Fraser!Valley!parks!authority.!!

The!Burnaby!Lake!lease,!first!signed!in!1978,!gives!Metro!the!

right!to!develop,!operate!and!maintain!the!regional!park,!but!

Burnaby!Councillor!Sav!Dhaliwal!noted!there!was!a!clash!a!few!

years!ago!when!Metro!refused!to!provide!$5,000!to!dredge!and!

clean!up!the!lake.!!

!“We!have!made!our!intentions!known!that!we!would!like!to!

take!it!back!under!our!own!parks!and!recreation!program,”!

Dhaliwal!said.!“We!have!the!capability!to!really!look!after!it.!We!

are!able!to!absorb!that!with!reasonable!costs.!We!also!feel!we!

would!be!more!in!the!driver’s!seat!in!the!development!of!the!

park.”!!

The!move!comes!as!Metro!is!preparing!a!new!land!acquisition!

strategy!that!reaffirms!two!goals:!to!preserve!sensitive!wetland!

conservation!and!connect!people!with!nature.!Metro!intends!to!

develop!a!scoring!system!to!each!prospective!site!to!ensure!it!

fits!the!criteria!of!a!regional!park.!This!could!include!a!

higher!value!on!sites!with!ecosystems!such!as!wetlands!

and!old#growth!forest!that!are!considered!at!risk!or!rare,!

or!that!support!outdoor!activities!that!are!in!high!demand!

and!low!supply,!such!as!outdoor!swimming!and!related!

beach!activities.!!

http://goo.gl/GVphsB!

'

New'West'gets'positive'report'from'AGLG!!

BC’s!Auditor!General!for!Local!Government!(AGLG)!

released!a!report!in!January!examining!New!

Westminster’s!practices!related!to!its!policing!services!to!

determine!whether!the!city!effectively!oversees!its!

policing!services!and!if!it!has!effective!oversight!of!the!

police!budget.!!

Gordon!Ruth,!the!new!Auditor!General!for!local!

government,!told!media!“it’s!a!very!positive!audit.!What!

we!found!in!the!process!was!that!the!City!of!New!

Westminster!had!really!solid!strategic!and!financial!

planning!practices!in!place.!The!city!was!able!to!really!

make!sure!its!policing!services!were!aligned!with!the!

city’s!priorities.!They!are!continually!monitoring!policing!

performance.”!!

The!AGLG!said!the!report’s!three!recommendation!are!

“largely!enhancements!of!existing!practices.!One!really!

relates!to!governance,!another!is!about!considering!some!

long#term!performance!measures!to!assist!them!in!their!

work,!and!the!other!is!just!some!additional!transparency!

minor!adjustments!in!some!of!their!expenditure!

reporting.”!The!City!of!New!Westminster!says!it!has!

already!developed!an!action!plan!to!address!

recommendations!in!the!report.!!

The!AGLG,!established!in!2012,!has!been!mired!in!

controversy.!The!2015!UBCM!convention!endorsed!a!

resolution!calling!for!the!elimination!of!the!office!of!the!

AGLG,!saying!that!it!“has!cost!taxpayers!$5.2!million!with!

little!evidence!of!any!value.”!!

In!September!2015,!the!province!introduced!new!AGLG!

legislation!and!appointed!new!leadership,!following!the!

dismissal!of!original!Auditor!General!Basia!Ruta!due!to!

her!office’s!sluggish!performance!and!reports!of!serious!

internal!problems.!

http://goo.gl/ZgfPud!!

! 5!

Update'on'Lions'Gate'Secondary'Wastewater'Treatment'Plant''

The!Metro!Utilities!Committee!was!briefed!in!February!on!the!

Lions!Gate!Secondary!Wastewater!Treatment!Plant!

(LGSWWTP).!

According!to!the!staff!report,!work!continues!to!progress!with!

the!preparation!of!the!procurement!documents!for!the!design#!

build#finance!contract!for!the!LGSWWTP.!On!December!17,!

2015,!five!submissions!were!received!in!response!to!the!

Request!for!Qualifications!issued!for!the!LGSWWTP.!The!five!

respondents!are:!!

q!!ADAPT!Consortium!!!

q!!First!Narrows!Partnership!!!

q!!Lions!Gate!Wastewater!Solutions!!!

q!!Lions!Shore!Design!Build!Joint!Ventures!!!

q!!PCL!Partnerships!!!

The!evaluation!process!is!well!underway,!with!the!goal!of!

identifying!the!3!shortlisted!firms!by!early!March!2016.!The!

shortlisted!firms!will!be!invited!to!participate!in!the!Request!for!

Proposal!(RFP)!process.!!

Project+Funding+

The!election!of!the!new!federal!government!has!prompted!two!

potentially!positive!developments!for!Metro!in!its!quest!to!

secure!funding!support!for!the!project;!first,!that!the!previously!

required!P3!screen!for!all!municipal!projects!over!$40!million!in!

capital!costs!has!been!withdrawn,!and!second,!that!the!federal!

government!will!be!allocating!an!incremental!$20!billion!for!

“green!infrastructure”!projects!over!the!next!ten!years.!The!first!

is!significant!because!the!Lions!Gate!project!had!been!screened!

out!of!round!7!of!the!P3!Canada!Fund!process,!and!the!second!

because!it!represents!a!significant!new!potential!source!of!

federal!funding!support!for!the!Lions!Gate!project!that!

Metro!Vancouver!will!be!pursuing!over!the!next!few!

months.!!

To!that!end,!Metro!Vancouver!has!met!with!a!number!of!

new!Members!of!Parliament!to!brief!them!on!the!Lions!Gate!

project!and!to!emphasize!the!need!for!government!funding!

support!for!the!project.!Staff!told!the!committee!that!Metro!

continues!to!engage!with!senior!staff!in!Infrastructure!

Canada,!Environment!and!Climate!Change!Canada,!and!

Minister’s!offices!to!secure!meetings!with!Minister!of!

Infrastructure!and!Communities!Amerjeet!Sohi!and!Minister!

of!Environment!and!Climate!Change!Catherine!McKenna.!!

'

2016'GVWD'and'GVS&DD'Capital'Projects''

A!staff!report!told!Metro’s!Utilities!Committee!in!February!

that!2016!water!capital!projects!will!account!for!

approximately!$180!million!and!liquid!waste!capital!projects!

for!approximately!$126!million!in!the!2016!capital!budget.!!

!

CDM'Smith'recommended'for'Annacis'Island'Wastewater'

Treatment'Plant'contract,'Phase'B'

Metro!staff!have!recommended!that!the!GVS&DD!Board!

authorize!the!Commissioner!and!the!Corporate!Officer!to!

execute!contract!documents!required!to!add!Phase!B,!

Detailed!Design!Services,!to!an!existing!contract!with!CDM!

Smith!for!the!Annacis!Island!Transient!Mitigation!and!

Outfall!upgrade,!for!an!amount!up!to!$10,270,884!(exclusive!

of!taxes).!!

!

Infrastructure'&'funding'in'the'news'


Mayors'‘hopeful’'about'federal'infrastructure'funds'

After!February!meetings!in!Ottawa,!Metro!Vancouver!mayors!

say!they!are!hopeful!the!federal!government!will!contribute!

more!than!the!usual!one!third!for!municipal!infrastructure!

projects!when!new!grants!roll!out.!!


'

Expedited'spending'considered'by'federal'government'

The!Trudeau!government!is!“actively!considering”!speeding!up!

promised!investments!in!infrastructure!in!a!bid!to!stimulate!

Canada’s!rapidly!deteriorating!economy.!

The!Liberal!platform!committed!to!spending!an!extra!$5!billion!

for!each!of!the!first!two!years!and!$3.45!billion!in!each!of!the!

next!two!years.!

However,!The!Canadian!Press!has!learned!the!government!is!

now!looking!at!moving!up!the!spending!schedule,!pushing!the!

money!out!faster!in!response!to!worsening!economic!

conditions.!

When!questioned!by!media!in!January,!Finance!Minister!Bill!

Morneau!did!not!rule!out!the!idea,!but!said!details!will!have!to!

await!his!maiden!budget,!expected!in!mid!to!late!March.!

http://goo.gl/vJ7mJ5!!

'

Trudeau'pledges'to'fastUtrack'$700'million'in'Alberta'

infrastructure'spending'

Prime!Minister!Justin!Trudeau!and!Premier!Rachel!

Notley!announced!a!plan!in!early!February!to!fast#track!$700!

million!in!spending!to!help!boost!the!province’s!economy!as!

plummeting!oil!prices!continue!to!batter!the!oil!and!gas!

sector.!!

http://goo.gl/PKwSiQ!!

!

Federal'government'open'to'changing'funding'formula'for'

new'infrastructure'cash'

The!federal!government!is!open!to!renegotiating!the!formula!

that!divides!the!cost!of!infrastructure!projects!three!

ways!going!forward,!but!"may!not!be!able”!to!apply!that!

change!to!existing!funds!left!unspent!by!the!previous!

government.!!

Federal!infrastructure!minister!Amarjeet!Sohi!said!there!is!

from!$7!billion!to!$9!billion!in!infrastructure!funding!left!in!the!

Building!Canada!Fund!that!was!not!allocated!by!the!previous!

government.!The!vast!majority!of!that!money!is!earmarked!for!

projects!with!a!three!way!split.!

Sohi!told!Mayors!gathered!for!the!February!Big!City!Mayors!

Caucus!that!the!federal!government!“may!not!be!able!to!

adjust!the!current!formula!for!the!existing!funds.!For!the!

new!$60!billion!over!the!next!ten!years!we!are!definitely!

open!to!that!and!we!will!do!that!in!consultation!with!big!city!

mayors,!other!partners,!FCM!and!other!stakeholders."!

http://goo.gl/spIagq!

!

Infrastructure'minister'says'new'rules'will'speed'up'

funding'for''shovel'ready''projects'!

Canada's!new!infrastructure!minister!says!projects!that!are!

shovel#ready!and!meet!the!Liberal!government's!national!

objectives!will!get!some!of!the!billions!in!new!federal!cash!

being!made!available.!!

Infrastructure!Minister!Amarjeet!Sohi!says!those!big!

objectives!are!threefold:!grow!the!economy,!create!jobs!and!

make!the!country!more!sustainable.!!

Sohi!says!shovel!ready!projects!mean!a!municipality!has!

done!all!the!relevant!studies,!public!consultation!and!

planning!##!to!qualify!for!financial!help!from!the!federal!

government.!!

He!accused!the!Harper!Conservatives!of!announcing!money!

for!projects!that!weren't!ready!to!begin!so!they!could!reap!

some!political!capital.!!

The!Liberals!have!promised!to!increase!infrastructure!

spending!by!an!average!of!$6!billion!a!year!over!the!next!10!

years,!raising!the!federal!investment!to!$125!billion!during!

that!time.!!

The!extra!money!is!supposed!to!be!spread!equally!to!public!

transit!projects,!green!infrastructure,!such!as!wastewater!

facilities,!and!social!infrastructure!like!affordable!housing.!!

Sohi!said!the!government!plans!to!refocus!its!marquee!

infrastructure!program,!the!New!Building!Canada!Fund,!on!

more!cross#country!projects!like!highways,!ports,!and!border!

crossings!to!help!speed!up!the!flow!of!commercial!goods!and!

trade.!!

Sohi!didn't!say!whether!the!new!money!the!Liberals!are!

promising!would!top!up!a!suite!of!existing!funding!programs!

at!Infrastructure!Canada,!or!add!a!new!program!on!top!of!

what!is!already!there!to!pay!for!upgrades!to!water!and!

wastewater!systems,!social!housing,!seniors'!facilities,!and!

infrastructure!in!aboriginal!communities.!!

http://goo.gl/FSXJKs!!

! 7!

Metro'Waste'&'Recycling'News'

New'WTE'incinerator'postponed'indefinitely'by'Metro'

Metro!Vancouver!announced!in!December!that!it!has!halted!

plans!to!build!a!new!waste!to!energy!(WTE)!incinerator.!Metro!

representatives!said!the!decision!was!driven!largely!by!

uncertainty!around!future!garbage!volumes!in!the!aftermath!of!

the!province’s!refusal!to!approve!a!Metro!bylaw!restricting!the!

flow!of!waste!outside!the!region.!!

Metro!says!waste!not!diverted!for!recycling!or!composting!will!

be!disposed!of!at!the!Vancouver!landfill!in!Delta!or!burned!in!

Metro’s!existing!WTE!facility!in!Burnaby.!$30!million!will!be!

spent!over!the!next!five!years!on!improved!capacity,!

technology!and!further!emission#control!upgrades!at!the!the!

25#year#old!Burnaby!plant.!!

Metro!chair!Greg!Moore!told!media!that!the!district!is!not!

giving!up!on!its!plans!for!waste#to#energy!over!the!longer!term,!

and!could!end!up!shifting!to!a!smaller!WTE!project!using!

different!technology.!Metro!originally!aimed!to!build!a!plant!

that!could!burn!500,000!tonnes!of!garbage!a!year,!but!scaled!

the!plan!down!twice!to!250,000!tonnes!as!its!volume!of!

unrecycled!garbage!shrank.!Metro!has!spent!$4.5!million!

pursuing!waste#to#energy!since!2012.!!

The!Fraser!Valley!Regional!District!opposes!the!construction!of!

new!waste!incineration!facilities!in!the!region,!as!has!the!City!of!

Vancouver.!Vancouver!Councillors!have!expressed!concerns!

that!incinerators!undermine!Metro’s!imperative!to!encourage!

recycling!and!could!even!incentivize!the!need!for!garbage!as!

feedstock!for!a!large!WTE!facility.!

The!WTE!facility!has!also!been!opposed!by!landfill!operators!in!

the!BC!interior!and!USA,!as!well!as!by!those!private!waste!

haulers!reliant!on!exporting!waste!out!of!the!region!to!avoid!

Metro’s!tipping!fees.!

Metro!aims!to!divert!80%!of!waste!from!landfills!by!2020,!and!

now!sits!at!about!a!62%!diversion!rate.!!

http://www.langleyadvance.com/news/361464711.html!!

http://goo.gl/NLtc7o!

http://goo.gl/54yy1u!

http://www.abbynews.com/news/361586131.html!!

http://goo.gl/eIJvSs!

http://goo.gl/tV2WhK!!

!

Metro'looking'for'new'“contingency”'landfill'

Metro!Vancouver!is!searching!for!a!new!dump!to!take!up!to!

200,000!tonnes!of!garbage!annually!once!its!contract!with!

the!Cache!Creek!landfill!expires!at!the!end!of!the!year.!!

Metro!is!looking!to!sign!a!seven#year!deal!for!a!

“contingency”!landfill,!which!would!likely!be!outside!the!

regional!district!and!collect!between!50,000!and!200,000!

tonnes!of!trash!per!year.!!

Existing!dumps,!including!the!one!at!Cache!Creek!as!well!as!

sites!in!Alberta,!Oregon!or!Washington!are!potential!

options,!but!there!will!be!an!open!procurement!process.!!

A!representative!of!US#based!Rabanco,!who!run!a!landfill!in!

Washington!State,!presented!on!behalf!of!that!company!at!

a!February!meeting!of!Metro’s!Zero!Waste!Committee.!

Notably,!the!Rabanco!representative!argued!that!trade!

agreements!prevented!Metro!discriminating!against!exports!

of!waste!and!recyclable!materials!to!US#based!waste!

recovery!operations.!

http://goo.gl/LJW9gC!!

!

Fraser'Valley'plans'waste'materialsUrecovery'facility''

The!Fraser!Valley!Regional!District!is!planning!for!a!

materials#recovery!facility!(MRF)!in!its!10#year!solid!waste!

plan.!A!materials#recovery!facility!mechanically!separates!

mixed!garbage!from!which!users!have!not!sorted!out!glass,!

paper,!organics!or!other!materials!that!could!be!recycled.!

Patricia!Ross,!the!vice#chair!of!the!FVRD,!says!she!hopes!a!

materials#recovery!facility!could!be!a!reality!within!two!

years.!The!FVRD!claims!MRFs!are!more!cost#effective!than!

incineration.!

Relatively!high!rates!of!contamination!and!resultant!low#

yields!of!usable!recyclable!material!have!made!some!types!

of!MRFs!controversial!in!the!waste!management!field.!

‘Clean’!MRFs,!which!essentially!collect!unsorted!recyclables!

as!a!separate!stream!from!garbage,!have!a!better!track!

record!for!recovering!usable!material!than!so#called!‘dirty’!

MRFs,!which!collect!garbage!and!recycling!in!a!single!stream!

for!later!mechanical!separation.!Non#recoverable!waste!

from!MRFs!is!either!incinerated!or!buried!in!conventional!

landfills.!

http://goo.gl/UCUYxc!!


Complaints'mount'regarding'Metro'composting'facility''

Pressure!is!building!on!Metro!Vancouver!to!control!odours!

from!Harvest!Power’s!composting!facility!in!east!Richmond.!!

Harvest!Power,!which!collects!most!of!Metro!Vancouver’s!

kitchen!scraps,!has!been!the!focus!of!more!than!270!odour!

complaints!in!the!past!2!1/2!years,!according!to!Metro!

Vancouver.!!

Ahead!of!Harvest!Power!seeking!to!renew!its!permit!to!

discharge!air!contaminants,!Metro!has!been!seeking!

feedback!from!previous!complainants,!including!the!City!of!

Richmond.!!

Richmond’s!manager!of!sustainability!said!more!needs!to!be!

done!to!mitigate!the!odours!created!from!green!and!organic!

waste!being!processed!at!the!site.!!

A!Richmond!staff!report!suggests!Harvest!Power!should!

consider!measures!such!as!lower!pile!heights,!managing!

scraps!at!other!facilities!during!peak!periods,!and!limiting!the!

total!plant!volume.!It!also!suggests!more!effective!odour!

collection,!such!as!a!completely!enclosed!facility!to!minimize!

emissions!!

Metro!says!it!is!not!concerned!about!health!risks!from!

current!levels!of!emissions,!but!acknowledges!that!odour!

remains!a!significant!problem.!!

The!Harvest!Power!facility!has!been!operating!under!a!

temporary!permit,!which!expired!in!June!but!was!extended!

to!December!2015.!Metro!representatives!told!media!that!

Harvest!Power!will!likely!be!given!another!extension!for!a!

few!months!to!give!Metro!time!to!consider!concerns!from!

the!public.!!

http://goo.gl/OQ5xXE!

http://goo.gl/BepHYS!!

'

Illegal'dumping'leads'to'new'bylaw'in'SquamishULillooet''

The!Squamish#Lillooet!Regional!District!is!devising!a!bylaw!to!

deal!with!illegal!dumping!of!old!building!material!and!other!

inappropriate!items!on!sites!in!the!Upper!Squamish!Valley.!!

Area!residents!say!dump!trucks!are!coming!to!the!area!on!a!

regular!basis!from!the!Lower!Mainland.!Some!believe!the!

material!is!coming!from!construction!sites!in!the!Vancouver!

area,!and!local!landowners!in!the!Upper!Squamish!are!

charging!trucks!to!dump!on!properties.!!

Some!of!the!sites!in!question!are!included!in!the!province’s!

Agricultural!Land!Reserve.!The!Agricultural!Land!

Commission!can!impose!penalties!of!up!to!$100,000,!but!

say!their!preferred!option!is!to!get!people!to!comply!with!

regulations!and!take!responsibility!for!cleanup!of!the!sites.!

The!new!Squamish#Lillooet!bylaw!will!cover!soil!deposit!

and!removal,!which!would!give!staff!the!authority!to!issue!

tickets!and!fines!or!take!court!action.!!

The!bylaw!describes!the!Upper!Squamish!Valley!as!a!“hot!

spot”!for!the!activity!because!of!its!proximity!to!the!

Vancouver!area,!as!well!as!the!lack!of!regulations!when!

compared!with!other!neighbouring!municipalities!or!

regional!districts.!!

http://goo.gl/wJk3BH!!

'

Incinerator'metal'waste'recovery'project'postponed'over'

soleUsource'contract'concerns'

Metro’s!Zero!Waste!Committee!postponed!a!staff!

recommendation!to!award!a!sole#source!contract!to!

Covanta!Burnaby!Renewable!Energy,!ULC!for!construction!

of!the!Non#Ferrous!Metal!Recovery!Project!at!the!Metro!

Vancouver!Waste#to#!Energy!Facility!(WTEF).!!

Staff!recommended!sole#sourcing!the!contract!based!on!

Covanta’s!relationship!with!a!proprietary!technology!

supplier!in!the!USA!and!the!company’s!long#term!stake!in!

operating!the!WTEF!efficiently.!However,!Directors!at!the!

February!11!meeting!were!concerned!that!a!clear!‘value!

for!money’!case!had!not!been!presented!for!the!sole#

source!contract,!and!asked!staff!to!provide!more!

information!on!costs,!as!well!as!any!social!and!

environmental!implications!of!the!project.!

As!recommended!by!Metro!staff,!the!contract!would!pay!

Covanta!a!maximum!of!$6,130,153!to!upgrade!the!existing!

WTEF!in!Burnaby.!The!goal!of!the!Non#Ferrous!Recovery!

Project!is!to!increase!the!recovery!of!ferrous!metal!

content!from!the!bottom!ash!(e.g.,!iron!and!steel),!and!

add!the!recovery!of!the!non#ferrous!metal!component!

(e.g.,!aluminum,!copper),!which!currently!remains!in!the!

bottom!ash.!

A!Metro!staff!report!says!that!removal!of!these!metals!is!

expected!to!generate!a!significant!revenue!stream,!

increase!overall!recycling!at!the!WTEF,!and!improve!the!

physical!and!chemical!properties!of!the!bottom!ash!for!

regulatory!compliance!and!potential!beneficial!reuse!

opportunities.!!

! 9!

BCGEU'signs'First'Nations'Solidarity'Accord'opposing'oil'

sands'pipelines'and'tankers'

The!BC!Government!and!Service!Employees’!Union!(BCGEU)!

signed!a!Solidarity!Accord!in!January,!affirming!its!support!of!

the!Save!the!Fraser!Declaration,!an!Indigenous!law!signed!by!

representatives!of!over!100!First!Nations!banning!tar!sands!

transport!through!their!territories.!!

The!addition!of!the!65,000!member!union!to!a!growing!

alliance!of!tar!sands!pipeline!opponents,!puts!additional!

pressure!on!the!BC!government!as!it!prepares!to!respond!to!

a!recent!Supreme!Court!ruling!requiring!it!to!make!a!decision!

on!Northern!Gateway!and!to!consult!First!Nations!before!

doing!so.!!

http://goo.gl/6Bseqo!

http://goo.gl/TYBJl7!!

!

Province'of'B.C.'formally'opposes'Kinder'Morgan'

expansion''

The!B.C.!government!formally!opposed!the!Trans!Mountain!

oil!pipeline!expansion!in!a!written!submission!to!the!National!

Energy!Board!in!January.!

The!government!says!BC!cannot!support!Kinder!Morgan!

Canada’s!$6.8#billion!Trans!Mountain!pipeline!expansion!

project!because!the!company!is!not!offering!sufficient!details!

of!its!spill#response!plans.!

http://goo.gl/AjdqhI!

!

Burnaby'asks'Trudeau'to'halt'pipeline'hearings''

Burnaby!Mayor!Derek!Corrigan!is!asking!Prime!Minister!

Justin!Trudeau!to!suspend!federal!hearings!into!Kinder!

Environment'and'climate'change'in'the'news!

Morgan!Canada's!proposed!expansion!of!its!Trans!

Mountain!oil!pipeline.!!

"It!is!evident!that!the!NEB!process!is!broken,!and!there!is!

little!value!in!a!fact#finding!process!that!has!no!reasonable!

prospect!for!testing!evidence,"!Mr.!Corrigan!said!in!his!

three#page!letter!sent!on!Monday!to!Mr.!Trudeau.!!

He!said!the!NEB!needs!to!revamp!its!flawed!procedures!so!

that!environmental!and!community!views!are!properly!

taken!into!account,!including!examining!the!pipeline!

route's!impact!on!Burnaby.!!

"We!therefore!urgently!request!that!you!put!the!current!

NEB!panel!review!on!hold!until!the!new!process!and!a!

broadened!panel!have!been!implemented.!We!ask!that!

you!immediately!suspend!the!current!hearings,"!Mr.!

Corrigan!wrote.!!

http://goo.gl/dqDT1v!

!

Warming'climate'spells'future'drought'trouble'for'Metro'

Vancouver!!

Despite!the!current!deluge!of!rain!and!snow,!

Vancouverites!could!well!be!facing!another!drought!crisis!

this!summer.!!

Prof.!Engineer!Kim!Stephens,!of!the!Partnership!for!Water!

Sustainability!in!B.C.,!said!that!Metro!Vancouver’s!two!

“comparatively!small”!reservoirs!were!designed!for!

repeated!rainfalls!and!heavy!snow!in!the!mountains.!Those!

conditions!are!not!expected!to!apply!over!the!next!nine!

months!and!the!population!has!grown!to!about!2.5!million!

people.!!

http://goo.gl/99vq2c!!

!


Agriculture'focus'of'dueling'reports'from'BC'Liberals'and'NDP!

The!BC!Liberal!government!announced!a!growth!plan!for!a!$15#

billion!agriculture!and!seafood!industry!Wednesday,!while!the!

NDP!said!the!government's!support!for!farmers!is!the!worst!of!

any!province!in!Canada.!!

Agriculture!Minister!Norm!Letnick!issued!a!report!in!Vancouver!

at!the!same!time!that!the!Opposition!Standing!Committee!for!

Agriculture!and!Food!delivered!its!report!in!Victoria!after!

meetings!with!farmers!across!B.C.!!

http://goo.gl/P2siyX!

http://goo.gl/HtTeXB!

!

Surrey'testing'new'farm'leaseUhold'and'financing'model'

The!city!of!Surrey!is!working!on!a!virtual!incubator!farm!project!

by!taking!the!Airbnb!model!and!making!it!all!about!cultivating!

farmland,!according!to!the!City’s!Agriculture!and!Food!Security!

Advisory!Committee!chair.!!

“My!goal!is!to!take!the!knowledge,!skills!and!abilities!of!our!

young!farmers!and!provide!them!with!some!lease#hold!

agreement,!financing,!so!we!can!have!some!young!agricultural!

people!in!the!system!to!start!producing!food!in!the!City!of!

Surrey!for!the!people!of!Surrey,”!he!said.!!

Surrey!has!one#third!of!the!land!in!the!overall!Agricultural!Land!

Reserve,!and!this!project!is!the!first!one!of!its!kind!in!B.C.!–!but!

similar!programs!are!already!up!and!running!in!Quebec!

and!Ontario.!!

http://goo.gl/tb9MTB!!

!

New'deal'struck'on'farmland'development'in'Langley'

Township!

A!new!agreement!between!the!Township!of!Langley!and!

the!provincial!Agricultural!Land!Commission!(ALC)!talks!

about!using!protected!farmland!to!help!development!

near!the!Aldergrove!border!crossing,!local!airport!and!

Trinity!Western!University.!!

The!eight#page!memorandum!of!understanding!on!the!

Agricultural!Land!Reserve!in!Langley!was!signed!on!July!

20!of!2015!at!a!special!closed#door!meeting!of!council!

but!wasn’t!made!public!until!the!Nov.!23!evening!

meeting.!!

Among!other!things,!the!document!suggests!land!could!

be!removed!from!the!ALR!to!“accommodate!economic!

development!at!the!international!border!crossing!at!

Aldergrove,!the!Langley!Regional!Airport!and!

appropriate!areas!of!the!TOL’s!(Township!of!Langley’s)!

University!District!(next!to!Trinity!Western!University).”!!

http://www.langleytimes.com/news/360494771.html!!

!

Agriculture'in'the'news!

! 11!

Housing'&'affordability'news'Vancouver'offers'city'land'in'bid'for'socialUhousing'cash'

from'Ottawa'

The!City!of!Vancouver!Mayor!is!offering!$250#million!worth!

of!city#owned!property!as!part!of!a!prebudget!pitch!to!the!

federal!government!for!new!affordable#housing!cash.!

The!20!sites!put!forward!by!the!city!are!largely!concentrated!

in!areas!of!new!development,!such!as!the!north!shore!of!

False!Creek!and!the!southeast!corner!of!the!city!in!an!area!

called!East!Fraserlands,!as!well!as!in!the!Downtown!Eastside.!

Most!of!the!properties!are!vacant!lots.!

The!proposal!from!Vancouver,!the!largest!offer!of!municipal!

land!ever!made!by!the!city,!is!aimed!at!attracting!$500#

million!in!federal!housing!money!over!five!years.!The!city!is!

also!asking!the!B.C.!government!to!contribute.!

http://goo.gl/4hlca9!

!

B.C.'government'planning'study'on'foreign'home'ownership''

Documents!leaked!to!the!media!in!January!show!that!the!BC!

government!is!commissioning!an!external!study!on!the!

impacts!of!foreign!investment!and!ownership!in!B.C.’s!

property!market.!

Premier!Clark!subsequently!confirmed!that!B.C.!Housing!has!

been!studying!the!issue!for!more!than!a!year!but!says!the!

province!“will!need!the!help!of!the!federal!government!to!

fully!understand!the!data.”!

MLA!David!Eby,!the!housing!critic!for!the!BC!NDP,!says!the!

province's!announcement!about!the!study!came!as!a!

surprise.!

He!pointed!out!Clark!has!already!ruled!out!a!tax!increase!on!

foreign!homebuyers!in!Metro!Vancouver.!She!has!also!ruled!

out!foreign!investors!as!the!cause!of!the!Lower!Mainland's!

skyrocketing!housing!prices,!saying!domestic!buyers!were!

more!likely!to!blame.!!!

Eby!said!research!conducted!by!a!party!that!has!already!

decided!what!the!conclusion!will!be!isn't!likely!to!be!

accurate.!!

http://goo.gl/Uq9XAH!

http://goo.gl/LCRzZm!!

!

Academics'propose'tax'on'nonUresident'homeowners''

A!group!of!B.C.!academics!is!proposing!a!tax#based!housing!

fund!aimed!at!investors!and!speculators!that!they!say!could!

make!home!ownership!more!affordable!by!redistributing!

the!taxes!to!residents.!!

The!concept!calls!for!property!owners!with!limited!

residential!or!economic!ties!to!BC!to!pay!a!1.5!per!cent!

surcharge!on!residential!real!estate.!The!money,!which!the!

group!estimates!could!conservatively!reach!$90!million!a!

year!in!Vancouver!alone,!would!then!be!distributed!as!

lump#sum!payments!to!all!Canadian!tax!filers!in!the!

collecting!region.!!

BC!Premier!Christy!Clark!said!the!proposal!a!“good!idea!but!

the!execution!is!really!hard.!So!that!is!why!we!are!giving!it!a!

hard!look!but!it!may!take!a!little!while!to!work!through.”!

Clark!hinted!the!Liberal!government!will!unveil!new!changes!

to!home!ownership!incentives!in!the!Feb.!16!provincial!

budget!to!make!it!easier!for!first#time!home!buyers,!but!

would!not!provide!details.!

Commenting!on!the!proposal,!Vancouver!Councillor!Geoff!

Meggs!said!if!the!surcharge!did!in!fact!generate!$100!

million,!but!the!funding!was!instead!allocated!to!affordable!

housing!rather!than!redistributed!as!a!tax!rebate,!it!could!

produce!700!to!1000!units!(assuming!the!city!contributed!

the!land!and!depending!on!the!degree!of!affordability).!!

However,!Meggs!noted!that!“the!economists!proposing!this!

levy!assume!quite!high!levels!of!vacant!homes!with!owners!

who!would!pay!the!levy!rather!than!rent!or!seek!an!

exemption,”!which!could!reduce!the!amount!of!money!

generated!through!the!surcharge.!

http://goo.gl/bsHuy0!

http://goo.gl/1WY8d3!

http://goo.gl/UuV7OZ!

!

Residential'real'estate'in'Metro'“is'B.C.’s'biggest'industry”'

Projected!dollar!volume!of!residential!resales!in!2015!

through!the!Real!Estate!Board!of!Greater!Vancouver!is!

pegged!at!$38.6!billion,!up!41%!from!a!year!ago,!according!

to!the!BC!Real!Estate!Association.!Sales!of!detached!houses!

alone!in!the!region!are!worth!$24.9!billion.!In!the!Fraser!

Valley,!total!residential!sales!will!tally!$11.4!billion!in!2015,!


11.4%!higher!than!in!2014.!!

In!comparison,!the!total!GDP!of!the!B.C.!forestry!industry!this!

year!will!be!$1.8!billion,!the!oil!and!gas!industry!will!be!worth!

$6.9!billion!and!the!mining!industry!will!ring!at!$4!billion,!

according!to!forecasts!from!Central!1!Credit!Union.!Together!

these!traditional!B.C.!industries!will!generate!a!GDP!of!$12.7!

billion!in!2015,!or!about!three!months!worth!of!housing!

resales!in!the!Vancouver!region.!!

However,!Bryan!Yu,!senior!economist!with!Central!I!cautioned!

that!industrial!GDP!is!the!measurement!of!new!production,!

while!resale!housing!sales!“doesn’t!really!add!any!value.!It!is!

not!a!direct!comparison.”!!

https://goo.gl/jzqYhx!

'

Province'to'investigate'“shadow'flipping”'and'other'

questionable'practices'by'Vancouver'realtors''

The!BC!government!will!examine!questionable!activities!in!the!

real!estate!industry!and!the!effectiveness!of!its!regulator,!

following!negative!media!coverage!and!calls!for!an!

investigation!by!the!BC!NDP.!

A!Globe!and!Mail!investigation!found!real!estate!agents!and!

speculators!making!significant!profit!flipping!Vancouver#area!

homes!by!finding!buyers!willing!to!pay!more!for!properties!

before!deals!close.!The!technique!is!called!contract!

assignment.!In!the!end,!the!last!buyer!to!take!over!the!

contract!pays!more!than!the!original!seller!receives.!Real!

estate!agents!and!other!speculators!are!making!millions!of!

dollars!in!fees!and!profits,!The!Globe!found,!as!middlemen!in!

these!deals.!!

Vancouver!NDP!MLA!David!Eby!called!for!an!independent!

inquiry!after!the!story!broke.!The!provincial!government!

subsequently!announced!it!is!sending!in!the!Superintendent!of!

Real!Estate,!part!of!the!provincial!Financial!Institutions!

Commission!(FICOM),!to!investigate.!

“If!changes!are!necessary,!they!can!move!quickly!to!identify!

options!and!implement!measures!to!address!these!issues,”!

British!Columbia’s!Ministry!of!Finance!said!in!a!statement.!

http://goo.gl/y81Dxn!

!

Economic'turmoil'in'China'could'see'more'money'flowing'

into'Metro'real'estate'investment'

Recent!stock!market!upheaval!in!China!could!see!that!

country’s!investors!move!money!into!assets!not!linked!to!

the!renminbi!currency,!including!B.C.!real!estate,!in!even!

greater!volumes,!according!to!a!Canadian!economist.!!

http://goo.gl/2vRdlI!!

'

Construction'of'new'homes'increased'in'Metro'in'2015'

Metro!Vancouver’s!residential!building!boom!continued!in!

2015,!with!construction!of!new!homes!at!the!fastest!pace!in!

22!years.!!

The!federal!housing!agency!says!the!Vancouver!region!had!

20,823!housing!starts!last!year,!a!nine!per!cent!increase.!

Multi#unit!starts,!meaning!condos!and!rentals,!were!up!nine!

per!cent!to!16,241.!!

Canada!Mortgage!and!Housing!Corporation!says!six!per!cent!

more!single#detached!houses!were!started,!a!total!of!4,622.!!

http://goo.gl/yvXwEs!

!

Province'raises'threshold'for'homeowners'tax'grant'

The!skyrocketing!prices!of!homes!prompted!the!BC!

government!to!boost!the!threshold!for!those!eligible!for!the!

$570!homeowners!grant!to!$1.2!million.!The!province!says!

the!increase!from!$1.1!million!means!91!per!cent!of!B.C.!

property!owners!remain!eligible!to!claim!the!grant!that!cuts!

their!annual!property!tax!bill.!Recent!BC!Assessment!figures!

indicate!assessed!values!of!detached!urban!homes!in!Metro!

Vancouver!have!increased!between!15!per!cent!and!30!per!

cent!over!the!past!year.!!

http://goo.gl/2hgXXk!

'

Rental'vacancy'rates'extremely'low'

The!apartment!vacancy!rate!in!Metro!Vancouver!dropped!to!

0.8!per!cent!in!October,!the!lowest!level!since!2008,!

according!to!a!December!2015!report!from!the!Canada!

Mortgage!and!Housing!Corp.!!

Within!Metro,!vacancy!rates!were!lower!still!in!Vancouver!–!

which!had!a!rate!of!0.6!per!cent!–!as!well!as!UBC,!the!North!

Shore!and!South!Delta.!!

South!of!the!Fraser,!the!vacancy!rates!were!1.9!per!cent!in!

Surrey!and!1.5!per!cent!in!Langley.!

http://goo.gl/p3GDek!

! 13!

!

Vancouver'makes'gains'in'rental'housing'construction'

The!City!of!Vancouver!says!it!has!set!a!record!for!new!rental!

housing!in!2015,!creating!more!than!half!of!all!new!rental!

units!in!Metro.!!

In!a!year#end!statement!Mayor!Gregor!Robertson!said!his!

administration’s!efforts!to!improve!the!supply!of!rental!

housing!through!the!use!of!developer!incentives!has!resulted!

in!more!than!1,300!new!units!approved!by!council!in!the!last!

12!months.!!

The!city!also!issued!more!than!500!permits!for!laneway!

houses!in!2015,!adding!to!the!1,500!that!have!been!approved!

since!Robertson’s!Vision!Vancouver!council!brought!in!new!

construction!regulations!in!2009.!It!also!issued!529!secondary!

suite!permits!for!the!year.!!

However,!media!reports!note!that!the!city!approved!only!71!

units!of!social!housing!in!2015.!

http://goo.gl/TbZd3N!

!

Housing'analysts'split'on'effect'of'higher'down'payments''

A!sharp!increase!in!the!down!payment!required!to!buy!more!

expensive!homes!using!government#backed!mortgage!

insurance!will!affect!low#equity!buyers!but!is!“not!a!game#!

changer”!for!the!B.C.!housing!market,!according!to!Helmut!

Pastrick,!Central!1!Credit!Union’s!senior!economist.!

https://goo.gl/wxN9Qs!

!

Vancouver'is'the'word’s'third'least'affordable'market:'

Housing'report'!

Vancouver!has!the!third#least!affordable!housing!market!out!

of!87!major!metropolitan!markets!in!nine!countries,!

according!to!Demographia’s!12th!annual!survey.!Hong!Kong!

ranked!the!least!affordable,!while!Sydney,!Australia!overtook!

Vancouver!this!year!for!the!second#least!affordable!market.!!

http://goo.gl/afl4Cn!

!

Developer'calls'for'“consistent”'housing'application'rules'

across'Metro'Vancouver''

http://goo.gl/5iMllA!!

!

Habitat'for'humanity'rethinking'model'because'of'high'

land'prices'

http://goo.gl/rKkAQn!

!

Syrian'refugees'arrive'in'Metro'Vancouver'

Syrian'refugee'intake'slowed'by'lack'of'temporary'housing''

The!intake!of!government#assisted!Syrian!refugees!hit!a!snag!

in!B.C.!as!Metro!Vancouver’s!temporary#housing!units!

reached!capacity!in!January.!

High!housing!costs!and!low!rental!vacancy!rates!are!making!it!

difficult!for!some!families!to!find!long!term!residences.!

http://goo.gl/5wUi92!

http://goo.gl/BBbFVm!

!

Syrians'could'add'$563M'to'Vancouver'economy''

A!study!from!Vancity!suggests!that!in!20!years’!time,!refugees!

from!Syria!are!likely!to!have!contributed!a!minimum!of!$563!

million!to!the!local!economy!—!based!on!the!refugees’!

predicted!annual!earnings!up!to!that!time.!!

The!study,!released!in!December,!sourced!its!findings!from!

Statistics!Canada!recorded!historic!earnings!of!refugees.!!

http://goo.gl/jLEWJV!

https://goo.gl/jS5HFu!

!

Concert'Properties'offers'homes'for'Syrian'refugees''

More!than!a!dozen!families!of!Syrian!refugees!have!found!

permanent!homes!at!below#market!rates!thanks!to!local!real!

estate!management!company!Concert!Properties.!Concert!is!

owned!by!primarily!by!Canadian!union!pension!funds.!

http://goo.gl/O14Ch1!'

'

Refugees'desperate'for'language'help''

http://goo.gl/ghvsLH!

!

Caretaker'cottages'in'Vancouver'parks'could'house'Syrian'

refugees'!

http://goo.gl/ZYEoR8!


'‘Trade'enabling'industrial'lands’'likely'exhausted'within'10'

years,'says'Port'sponsored'study'

The!Lower!Mainland!will!run!out!of!industrial!land!needed!

for!trades!and!goods!movement!within!a!decade!unless!steps!

are!taken!to!preserve!and!expand!it,!warns!a!new!study!

commissioned!by!Port!Metro!Vancouver!(PMV).!!

The!Site!Economics!Ltd.!study!was!the!first!to!specifically!

examine!the!region’s!inventory!of!trade#enabling!industrial!

land.!It!found!that!there!are!roughly!1,000!acres!of!vacant!

industrial!land!suitable!for!logistics!and!goods!movement,!

such!as!distribution!warehouses,!but!up!to!3,000!acres!are!

needed!in!the!next!five!to!10!years!to!meet!the!trade!

demands!of!a!growing!economy.!!

According!to!the!study,!the!supply!of!trade#enabling!

industrial!land!is!threatened!by!a!number!of!factors,!

including!rezoning!and!encroaching!residential!development!

and!the!redevelopment!of!industrial!land!near!major!

corridors!for!uses!other!than!trade.!!

PMV!is!calling!on!all!levels!of!government!to!“take!the!

necessary!steps”!to!ensure!industrial!land!is!available,!and!

says!municipalities!should!stop!rezoning!industrial!land!to!

other!uses!and!added!that!the!province!can!also!play!a!role.!!

PMV!CEO!Robin!Silvester!told!media!“the!next!step!would!

involve!enacting!policies!that!establish!clear!provincial!

oversight!to!ensure!regional!districts!and!municipalities!

preserve!these!critical!lands!in!their!growth!strategies,!

official!community!plans!and!zoning!bylaws.”!!

Calls+for+federal,+provincial+intervention+

Michael!Farrell,!a!vice#president!and!industrial!specialist!at!

Avison!Young!in!Vancouver,!told!media!he!thinks!it!is!time!for!

Metro!Vancouver’s!looming!industrial!land!shortage!to!be!

discussed!and!dealt!with!at!a!higher!level,!possibly!by!the!

provincial!or!federal!governments.!!

Tom!Corsie,!Port!Metro!Vancouver’s!vice#president,!real!

estate,!told!media!he!“agreed!that!a!higher!authority!needs!

to!set!the!agenda!for!a!solution”!and!felt!that!Metro!

Vancouver’s!Regional!Growth!Strategy!was!not!meeting!

PMV’s!industrial!land!needs.!Corsie!suggested!a!program!

similar!to!the!province’s!ALR,!could!be!the!solution!and!told!

media!“I!don’t!think!we’re!saying!freeze,!or!have!a!reserve!

for!all!industrial!land;!it’s!just!those!lands!that!are!going!to!

facilitate!trade.”!

Metro!board!chair!Greg!Moore!told!media!the!regional!

district!is!aware!of!the!problems!that!the!port!is!highlighting!

Industrial'land'issues'in'the'news'and!is!working!towards!solutions.!He!said!converting!

industrial!land!now!requires!a!two#thirds!vote!by!the!

board,!up!from!50!per!cent,!but!Metro!Vancouver!isn’t!

ready!to!commit!to!an!industrial!land!reserve.!Moore!also!

suggested!densification!of!existing!industrial!lands,!

including!the!use!of!more!multi#story!buildings,!as!has!

been!done!in!other!jurisdictions!with!industrial!and!port!

land!shortages.!

Further+Coverage:+

https://goo.gl/uR9zkp!

http://goo.gl/cUwt1v!

http://goo.gl/I2uJIf!

http://goo.gl/033buk!

!

Concerns'raised'over'housing'development,'densification'

squeezing'out'industrial'land'

A!December!Vancouver!Sun!feature!raised!concerns!about!

industrial!land!loss!in!relation!to!housing!development!and!

densification!in!Metro!area!municipalities:!

http://goo.gl/V6MZ9P!

'

Vancouver'Sun'editorial'echoes'Port’s'concerns'over'

industrial'lands'

The!Vancouver!Sun!appears!to!be!taking!up!Port!Metro!

Vancouver’s!call!for!protection!of!industrial!land,!with!a!

January!editorial!echoing!the!Port’s!position.!

http://goo.gl/QTigEu!

'

Vancouver'looks'at'redefining'industrial'land'zoning'to'

better'accommodate'high'tech'industries''

The!City!of!Vancouver!is!looking!at!adjusting!parts!of!an!

industrial!zone!east!of!Cambie!Street!to!encourage!more!

digital!companies!to!relocate!there.!Elisa!Campbell,!the!

director!of!regional!planning!for!Metro!Vancouver,!told!

media!the!city’s!deliberations!reflect!a!growing!debate!

over!how!to!preserve!and!use!industrial!land!as!the!types!

of!uses!change.!While!there!are!many!heavy!and!light!

industries!that!require!land!and!may!not!be!suitable!for!

urban!areas,!industrial!zoning!is!still!important!inside!cities.!

Metro!Vancouver!is!undertaking!a!review!of!those!needs!

over!the!next!year,!she!said.!!

http://goo.gl/C59kUO!!

! 15!

Transit'news!

The!Metro!Vancouver!Board!of!Directors!issued!a!statement!

in!December!calling!for!changes!in!provincial!legislation!to!

allow!Metro!mayors!to!assume!“sole!responsibility”!for!

transportation!policy!in!the!region,!including!policy!decisions,!

transportation!plans,!investment!plans,!annual!budgets!and!

funding!sources.!!

However,!the!proposal!was!immediately!rejected!by!the!BC!

Liberal!government,!with!TransLink!Minister!Peter!

Fassbender!telling!media!“I’m!not!prepared!to!change!any!

legislation!at!this!time.!It!will!stay!the!way!it!is.”!!

The!minister!also!reiterated!the!government’s!opposition!to!

using!a!part!of!the!carbon!tax!to!fund!transit!in!the!Lower!

Mainland.!

Fassbender!did!however!indicate!the!government!was!open!

to!the!idea!of!joint!planning,!which!the!mayors!said!they!

offered!as!a!backup!proposal.!!

“Predicting!that!the!minister!would!say!no![on!governance],!

we!came!up!with!the!concept!of!joint!planning!sessions,”!

Port!Coquitlam!Mayor!Greg!Moore,!speaking!for!the!

mayors,!said!in!an!interview!with!the!Globe!and!Mail.!!

As!proposed,!Joint!Planning!Sessions!would!be!held!

quarterly!with!all!members!of!the!TransLink!Board!and!

the!Mayors’!Council!to!facilitate!broad!discussion!on!key!

strategies,!plans,!and!policies.!The!Sessions!would!be!

forums!for!discussion!only!without!decision#making!

authority.!!

!

The)position)paper)released)by)Metro’s)Transportation)

Planning)and)Governance)Review)Task)Force)can)be)

downloaded)here:)

http://goo.gl/WjTS37!!

!

Further)media)coverage:)

http://goo.gl/N4UW4l!

http://goo.gl/6IhTWj!!

Province'rejects'TransLink'reform'and'funding'proposal'from'Mayors!


TransLink'hires'former'Seattle'transit'G.M.'as'CEO'

TransLink!has!selected!Kevin!Desmond!as!its!new!CEO.!

Desmond!will!be!arriving!from!a!term!as!general!manager!of!

Seattle’s!King!County!Metro!Transit,!where!he!oversees!a!

transit!system!with!a!mix!of!buses,!trains,!vanpools!and!

paratransit!service.!

Before!moving!west!Desmond!was!the!chief!of!planning!with!

New!York!City!Transit.!Desmond!will!be!paid!an!annual!salary!of!

$365,000!with!a!monthly!housing!allowance!of!$1,500!

http://goo.gl/KVn0C8!

'

Poll'finds'little'support'for'any'proposed'transit'funding'

options'

A!January!2016!poll!from!Insights!West!found!little!support!for!

any!proposed!sources!of!transit!funding!for!Metro!Vancouver.!

Metro!Vancouverites!were!asked!about!specific!ideas!to!help!

fund!transit!projects.!Around!two!thirds!of!residents!voice!

opposition!to!increasing!property!taxes!(71%),!increasing!fuel!

taxes!(also!71%),!tolling!roads!(66%)!and!increasing!transit!fares!

(65%).!!

The!level!of!opposition!is!lower,!but!still!significant,!when!it!

comes!to!implementing!a!vehicle!levy!(60%)!or!a!levy!based!on!

the!distance!travelled!by!a!vehicle!in!the!past!year!(also!60%)!

and!tolling!bridges!(51%).!!

Metro!Vancouverites!who!drive!to!school!or!work!are!

more!likely!to!support!increasing!transit!fares!(41%)!

than!those!who!take!public!transit!(17%).!Conversely,!

public!transit!users!are!more!likely!to!endorse!a!vehicle!

levy!(42%)!than!those!who!drive!on!a!daily!basis!(25%).!!

http://goo.gl/4VXtGM!

!'

Advocates'call'on'TransLink'to'move'HandyDART'

operations'in'house''

Representatives!of!the!HandyDART!Riders’!Alliance!and!

the!HandyDART!drivers’!union!(Amalgamated!Transit!

Union!Local!1724)'suggested!at!TransLink’s!December!

board!meeting!that!the!transit!authority!not!renew!its!

contract!with!MVT!Canadian!Bus!Inc.,!the!company!that!

currently!runs!HandyDART.!Speakers!complained!to!the!

board!of!inadequate!funding!and!service!problems!

under!the!current!private!contractor.'

In!2009,!TransLink!contracted!MVT!Canadian!Bus,!a!U.S.!

company,!to!administer!HandyDART!service!through!to!

2017.!Prior!to!the!2009,!HandyDART!was!run!

cooperatively!by!multiple!non#profits.!A!2013!report!

released!by!ATU!Local!1724!said!that!a!funding!freeze!in!

place!since!2009!has!resulted!in!a!600%!increase!in!trip!

Transit'News'in'Brief'

! 17!

denials.!!

TransLink!board!chair!Barry!Forbes!said!that!in!2016!TransLink!

will!begin!evaluating!future!plans,!and!that!at!the!end!of!the!

MVT!Canadian!Bus!contract!they!would!consider!all!options,!

including!the!possibility!of!bringing!HandyDART!in#house.!!

http://goo.gl/O7YdnN!

'

Core'services'review'suggests'TransLink'should'reorganize'as'

a'transitUonly'company''

A!core!services!review!submitted!when!interim!CEO!Doug!

Allen!completed!his!term!last!August!said!TransLink!does!not!

focus!enough!on!boosting!public!transit!ridership!across!Metro!

Vancouver!because!it!is!too!distracted!by!road!and!bridge!

projects.!The!review!says!responsibility!for!building!and!

maintaining!roads!and!bridges!should!be!moved!out!of!

TransLink!and!commercial!activity,!including!real!estate,!

should!be!shifted!to!a!separate!entity.!!

The!review!committee,!led!by!Allen,!highlighted!a!conflict!

between!TransLink’s!transit!and!roads!mandates,!which!has!

“resulted!in!an!enterprise!with!vague!goals!about!producing!

regional!transportation!plans.”!!According!to!the!report!“this!

makes!it!difficult!for!the!TransLink!board!and!executive!to!be!

clear!about!the!imperative!to!improve!public!transit!and!

ridership.!It!is!also!a!conflict!mandate!as!the!more!efficiently!

the!roads!and!bridge!system!moves!vehicles,!the!less!

appealing!public!transit!becomes.”!!

The!report!came!to!attention!in!January!after!it!was!released!

following!an!FOI!request!by!media.!Transportation!Minister!

Todd!Stone!indicated!to!media!that!the!government!had!no!

plans!to!reorganize!TransLink!along!the!lines!proposed!in!the!

review.!

https://goo.gl/zr4VUj!

http://goo.gl/Tk3G1L!

http://goo.gl/bJliJv!

!

District'of'North'Van.'searching'for'new'bus'depot'location'

District!of!North!Vancouver!council!voted!in!December!to!

direct!staff!to!look!for!suitable!land!to!house!a!new!bus!depot!

on!the!North!Shore.!!

North!Vancouver!currently!uses!an!aging!transit!centre!located!

on!East!Third!Street,!but!TransLink!is!planning!to!relocate!it!to!

Burnaby’s!transit!centre!in!the!fall!of!2016.!According!to!a!

district!report,!over!60%!of!the!staff!who!work!at!the!current!

bus!depot!are!North!Shore!residents.!!

Councillors!also!argued!it!makes!sense!to!have!a!bus!depot!

that!could!service!the!community!in!the!event!of!traffic!

problems!or!other!disruptions!to!bridge!traffic.!Coun.!Jim!

Hanson!said!“whatever!the!net!benefit!may!be!to!

TransLink,!it!clearly!isn’t!in!the!best!interest!of!North!

Vancouver!district!residents!to!have!all!our!buses!stored!in!

a!transit!centre!on!the!other!side!of!the!bridge.”!

According!to!district!staff,!approximately!6!(2.4!hectares)!to!

8!(3.2!hectares)!acres!of!land!would!be!required!for!a!new!

bus!depot!on!the!North!Shore.!!

http://goo.gl/69c2KU!

!

SkyTrain'lines'temporarily'disrupted'by'December'quake!

The!December!2015!BC!earthquake!triggered!guideway!

intrusion!alarms!along!the!Expo!and!Millennium!SkyTrain!

lines,!leading!TransLink!to!suspend!service!for!several!hours!

to!allow!inspections!of!both!lines!for!possible!damage!to!

infrastructure!or!obstructions!on!the!guideway.!

Stations!were!also!closed!as!crews!inspected!sections!of!

the!elevated!guideway!to!ensure!safety.!By!1!a.m.!service!

resumed,!but!by!then!the!train!service!was!nearing!the!end!

of!operational!hours!for!the!day.!An!extra!train!was!

operated!from!King!George!to!Waterfront!to!pick!up!any!

stranded!passengers.!!

The!Canada!Line!was!not!affected!by!the!quake.!

http://goo.gl/BKCDJz!

'

Fare'review'underway'at'TransLink'

TransLink!is!beginning!a!fare!policy!review!that!could!bring!

major!changes!in!how!passengers!pay!to!use!transit.!

Options!for!reform!include!a!single!flat!fare!for!unlimited!

travel,!or!distance#based!fares.!Other!hybrid!options!are!

also!possible,!such!as!a!flat!maximum!fare!for!longer!trips!

and!lower!distance#based!pricing!for!short!hops.!

The!system!of!three!fare!zones!is!essentially!unchanged!

since!before!SkyTrain!opened!for!Expo!86.!The!review!is!to!

last!two!years!and!include!four!rounds!of!public!

consultation!to!determine!what!transit!users!would!

support.!!

TransLink!transit!fares!generate!nearly!$500!million!a!year,!

allowing!for!a!53%!cost#recovery!ratio!with!existing!transit!

service!levels.!However,!TransLink!anticipates!a!

$1.1#million!drop!in!transit!revenue!next!year!as!a!result!of!

fare!discounts!to!Compass!card!users.!

http://goo.gl/auf9nm!

http://goo.gl/uRwsNv!


Union'skeptical'about'driverless'bus'technology'

A!French!company!is!pitching!driverless!buses!to!TransLink,!

but!the!bus!drivers’!union!is!expressing!skepticism!about!the!

viability!and!safety!of!the!technology.!

“Right!now!we!just!don’t!see!the!viability!of!having!a!

driverless!bus!in!our!system.!We’re!having!a!hard!enough!

time!focusing!on!whether!or!not!we!can!get!traffic!lights!to!

synchronize!properly,!never!mind!having!a!bus!navigate!the!

city!without!a!driver,”!says!Nathan!Woods,!president!of!

Unifor!Local!111,!which!represents!transit!operators!in!Metro!

Vancouver.!!

Woods!believes!there!would!also!be!security!issues!on!

unmanned!buses.!“There’s!nobody!there!to!monitor!

anything!that’s!going!on!on!the!bus.!You’re!really!left!

unprotected.”!!

France#based!Transdev!is!reportedly!offering!to!deliver!one!

of!its!unmanned!buses!to!Translink!for!trials.!TranLink!told!

media!that!while!they!“continue!to!monitor!the!development!

of!automated!vehicles…full!automation!is!not!considered!a!

viable!option!for!TransLink!due!to!the!essential!role!our!bus!

operators!provide!with!customer!service,!everything!from!

calling!for!emergency!first!aid!services!to!providing!route!and!

stop!information.!They!also!have!specialized!driving!skills!for!

complex!and!demanding!situations.”!!

http://goo.gl/zojpw9!

!

Compass'Card'rollout'creates'problems'for'

people'with'disabilities'

Media!reports!in!December!and!January!have!reported!a!

number!of!accessibility!and!system!integration!problems!

related!to!the!rollout!of!TransLink’s!Compass!Card!system.!

Fare+gates+may+limit+transit+accessibility+for+passengers+

with+disabilities++

Many!users!who!are!paralyzed!from!the!neck!down!can!use!

buses!and!rapid!transit!on!their!own,!but!will!need!assistance!

to!take!rapid!transit!unless!TransLink!makes!a!modification!to!

the!Compass!system.!To!open!fare!gates,!users!will!be!

required!to!tap!their!Compass!cards,!which!not!everyone!can!

do.!!

http://goo.gl/8KhHc1!

HandyDART+system+not+integrated+with+Compass+Card+

HandyDART,!TransLink’s!door#to#door!service!for!people!with!

disabilities,!is!not!yet!compatible!with!Compass!cards!and!

will!be!one!of!the!last!to!switch!to!the!new!fare!system.!!

http://goo.gl/M0pqFC!

BC+Bus+Pass+program+not+integrated+for+residents+outside+

Metro+

Through!the!BC!Bus!Pass!program,!the!BC!ministry!of!social!

development!subsidizes!$45!annual!passes!that!have!

allowed!people!with!disabilities!and!seniors!with!low!

incomes!to!use!public!transit!throughout!the!province.!!

But!with!the!switch!to!Compass!Cards,!people!who!have!

passes!but!live!outside!the!TransLink!service!area!may!no!

longer!have!access!to!the!SkyTrain!or!the!Canada!Line!since!

it!will!be!necessary!to!have!a!pass!that!can!be!tapped!

against!an!electronic!reader!to!open!the!gates.!!

When!the!transition!to!Compass!Cards!is!complete,!some!

18,000!people!with!disabilities!and!seniors!with!low!

incomes!may!lose!access!they've!long!enjoyed!to!services!

that!TransLink!provides!in!Metro!Vancouver.!!

http://goo.gl/4UVVOz!

!

Womens'groups,'privacy'advocates'raise'concerns'over'

Compass'Card'tracking'features'

The!B.C.!Civil!Liberties!Association!says!the!new!Compass!

Card!system!raises!several!concerns!about!the!privacy!of!its!

more!than!550,000!users.!!

Transit!Police!have!the!ability!to!track!a!rider’s!past!10!

“taps”!using!hand#held!units!(HHUs)!to!check!if!cards!are!

stolen,!expired,!have!a!valid!tap#in!and!contain!a!valid!fare.!!

“The!police!want!that!information!for!a!reason,”!said!

Micheal!Vonn,!policy!director!at!the!B.C.!Civil!Liberties!

Association.!!

“It’s!not!a!matter!of!suggesting!that!you!have!something!to!

hide.!The!question!is,!how!do!we!contend!with!the!fact!that!

this!system!tracks!you?”!

Angela!MacDougall!of!Battered!Women’s!Support!

Services!told!media!her!organisation!is!concerned!that!the!

capacity!to!track!Compass!Cards!trips!online!could!be!

misused!as!a!new!way!“for!an!abusive!partner!to!maintain!

power!and!control!in!the!relationship.”!

http://goo.gl/uRe9zB!

http://goo.gl/OiMeHb!

!

TransLink'hasn’t'abandoned'tapping'out'on'buses,'acting'

CEO'says''

TransLink!says!it!has!not!ruled!out!having!its!Compass!card!

! 19!

passengers!tap!out!on!buses,!but!says!this!won’t!happen!until!

it!has!vastly!improved!the!glitches!in!the!bus!reader!system,!

because!it!wants!to!keep!passengers!happy.!!

http://goo.gl/4SvjL7!

!

Robertson,'Hepner'will'continue'to'lead'Mayors’'Council'

Vancouver!Mayor!Gregor!Robertson!and!Surrey!Mayor!Linda!

Hepner!will!continue!in!their!roles!as!chair!and!vice#chair!of!

the!Mayors'!Council!on!Regional!Transportation.!!

The!two!were!acclaimed!in!late!January!after!no!other!Metro!

Vancouver!mayors!challenged!them!for!the!positions.!!

http://www.bclocalnews.com/news/366781061.html!!

'

Vancouver'deputy'police'chief'to'take'over'Metro'Vancouver'

Transit'police''

Vancouver!police!Deputy!Chief!Doug!LePard!is!leaving!the!

force!to!head!the!Metro!Vancouver!Transit!Police.!

http://goo.gl/kqMYWr!

!

Corrigan'urges'Surrey'not'to'repeat'Canada'Line'P3'

mistake''

Burnaby!Mayor!Derek!Corrigan!says!Surrey!must!avoid!

repeating!the!costly!mistakes!made!when!the!Canada!Line!

was!built!as!a!P3!partnership!now!that!the!city!is!planning!

to!build!new!light!rail!lines.!!

Corrigan!has!been!pushing!TransLink!to!disclose!details!of!

the!Canada!Line!arrangement,!which!he!says!forces!the!

transit!authority!to!pay!the!private!partner!not!just!a!

higher!interest!rate!than!if!it!had!borrowed!directly!but!

also!additional!inflationary!and!other!adjustments.!!

Those!payments!cover!the!cost!of!operating!the!line!as!

well!as!the!$721!million!in!private!capital!–!nearly!one!

third!of!the!$2.1#billion!rapid!transit!line!–!that!was!

fronted!by!the!partners!after!direct!contributions!from!

TransLink!and!senior!governments.!!

The!deal!to!secure!and!repay!the!"magic!money"!through!

the!P3!has!financially!hobbled!TransLink,!leaving!it!unable!

to!afford!better!transit!service!in!the!years!since!the!

Richmond#Vancouver!line!opened!in!2009,!Corrigan!told!

the!Metro!mayors'!council!Jan.!27.!!

http://www.mapleridgenews.com/news/367008871.html!!

!!


Transportation'news''

Controversy'grows'over'Massey'tunnel'

replacement'bridge''

Plans+unveiled+for+$3.5+billion,+10Nlane+toll+bridge+to+

replace+Massey+Tunnel++

The!B.C.!government!in!December!unveiled!plans!for!a!new!

$3.5!billion!toll!bridge!to!replace!the!Massey!Tunnel.!

Transportation!Minister!Todd!Stone!said!the!3.3#kilometre!

bridge!will!be!the!longest!in!B.C.’s!history!and!will!save!

commuters!up!to!30!minutes!of!driving!time!each!day.!The!

10#lane!bridge!will!include!an!HOV!lane!in!each!direction!

and!will!be!built!in!the!same!location!as!the!60#year#old!

tunnel,!which!will!remain!functional!during!construction!of!

the!new!crossing.!!

The!bridge!will!be!tolled!at!rates!“comparable”!to!those!on!

the!Port!Mann!Bridge,!Stone!said,!but!would!not!cite!a!

specific!figure,!noting!the!provincial!government!has!asked!

for!contributions!from!the!federal!government!and!Port!

Metro!Vancouver,!which!could!either!reduce!the!tolls!or!the!

debt!servicing!loads!of!the!project.!It’s!not!known!yet!if!the!

new!bridge!will!be!a!public#private!partnership.!!

Construction!on!the!new!bridge!is!slated!to!start!in!2017!

with!the!bridge!operational!by!2022,!Stone!said.!!

http://goo.gl/Ts8b8R!

+

Province+defends+Massey+Bridge+as+top+pick+for+federal+

grants++

Transportation!Minister!Todd!Stone!is!defending!the!

province's!decision!to!make!the!replacement!of!the!

Massey!Tunnel!B.C.'s!top!priority!to!receive!new!federal!

infrastructure!grants.!!

The!choice!of!the!new!bridge!over!the!Fraser!River!–!

expected!to!cost!around!$3!billion!–!isn't!sitting!well!with!

some!Metro!Vancouver!mayors,!who!worry!it!may!

effectively!compete!for!federal!cash!against!their!rapid!

transit!projects,!as!well!as!Metro!Vancouver's!top!priority!

of!a!new!sewage!treatment!plant!on!the!North!Shore.!!

http://goo.gl/sya7yC!

!

Massey+bridge+to+encourage+urban+sprawl,+say+critics++

Critics!of!the!province's!plan!to!replace!the!Massey!

Tunnel!with!a!10#lane!bridge!say!it!goes!against!the!

region's!half!century#old!fight!against!urban!sprawl.!!

"Ever!since!we!turned!our!back!to!freeways!in!the!late!

1960s,!we're!not!trying!to!build!our!way!out!of!

congestion,"!said!Ken!Cameron,!former!manager!of!policy!

and!planning!at!Metro!Vancouver.!!

! 21!

"Putting!in!a!big!new!facility!like!this!runs!directly!counter!to!

all!of!those!objectives![of]!the!city!of!Vancouver,!the!city!of!

Richmond!and!the!other!municipalities."!!

"Inevitably,!history!tells!us,!over!time!...!new!roads!go!up,!

with!new!traffic,!and!more!congestion,!and!sooner!or!later!

you're!right!back!where!you!started!from."!!

Looking!at!the!region's!transportation!system!as!a!whole!is!

key!to!reducing!congestion,!said!Cameron.!That!means!

investing!in!public!transportation!as!well!as!road!

infrastructure.!!

http://goo.gl/jNGqNc!

+

Annacis+workers+fear+'traffic+hell+on+Earth'+from+Massey+tolls+)

Workers!and!businesses!on!Annacis!Island!are!fearful!of!!

“gridlock!beyond!comprehension”!if!the!Alex!Fraser!Bridge!

becomes!Metro!Vancouver's!last!free!crossing!of!the!Fraser!

River.!

Already,!a!large!number!of!drivers!coming!from!Richmond!

short!cut!around!the!main!bridge!line!by!taking!the!long!

Annacis!off#ramp,!turning!around!on!the!island!and!then!

rejoining!Highway!91.!!

One!Annacis!worker!told!media!she!can't!imagine!how!much!

worse!it!will!get!if!thousands!of!additional!drivers!who!

normally!take!Highway!99!and!the!Massey!Tunnel!instead!

switch!to!the!Alex!Fraser!to!avoid!paying!tolls.!!


!

New+environmental+review+could+impact+Massey+Bridge+

plans:+MP+)

MP!Joe!Peschisolido!is!hoping!a!meeting!between!the!federal!

and!provincial!Liberal!parties!will!answer!his!concerns!with!

$3.5!billion!project!.!

Peschisolido!said!he’s!standing!by!his!pre#election!pledge!to!

bolster!the!federal!environmental!review!process,!which,!as!

it!stands,!is!a!“harmonized”!operation,!run!primarily,!in!this!

province,!by!the!government’s!B.C.!Environmental!

Assessment!Office!(BCEAO).!!

http://goo.gl/ImBqxU!

'

Burns+Bog+Society+worried+about+environmental+impacts+of+

Massey+bridge++

The!Burns!Bog!Conservation!Society!raised!concerns!in!

December!regarding!the!proposed!Massey!bridge,!including!

the!potential!for!farmland!loss,!wildlife!road!kill!from!

increased!traffic!and!damage!to!the!Fraser!River!and!

environmentally!sensitive!wildlife!habitat!in!the!

construction!process.!The!Society!also!expressed!concerns!

that!the!new!bridge!would!facilitate!LNG!tanker!traffic,!and!

suggested!investments!in!transit!were!a!better!strategy!for!

reducing!traffic!congestion.!!

http://goo.gl/l9rCK9!

!

Calls+for+“equitable+toll+policy”+for+residents+south+of+

Fraser+River+

A!plan!to!toll!the!Massey!Tunnel!replacement!bridge!is!

further!punishing!residents!who!live!south!of!the!Fraser!

while!doing!nothing!to!get!people!out!of!their!cars,!says!

Conservative!MP!Dianne!Watts.!!

“The!system,!to!be!tolling!and!penalizing!people!south!of!

the!Fraser,!is!unfair,”!Watts!told!Peace!Arch!News!Friday.!!

The!stand!was!echoed!by!Surrey!Mayor!Linda!Hepner!–!a!

proponent!of!mobility!pricing!–!who!predicted!the!new!toll!

will!result!in!either!an!increase!in!the!price!of!goods!and!

services,!or!put!“enormous”!pressure!on!the!Alex!Fraser!

Bridge,!as!the!only!free!alternative.!!

A!December!column!in!the!Peace!Arch!News!also!called!for!

“a!clear!and!fair!tolling!policy!in!place!before!opening!yet!

another!toll!bridge!between!the!South!Fraser!region!and!

the!rest!of!Metro!Vancouver.”!The!column!argues!that!

South!Fraser!residents!are!baring!an!unfair!tolling!burden,!

and!calls!for!the!province!to!put!a!“regional!tolling!and!

road#pricing!policy!in!place!before!the!Deas!Island!bridge!

opens.”!!

http://www.peacearchnews.com/news/363179681.html!!

http://www.peacearchnews.com/opinion/363171781.html!!

!

Cyclists+hope+Massey+Tunnel+replacement+will+end+the+

need+for+a+shuttle++

A!cycling!advocate!told!media!says!local!riders!would!like!a!

more!interconnected!route!between!Richmond,!Delta,!

Surrey,!and!Vancouver,!and!that!the!Massey!tunnel!

replacement!bridge!could!fill!that!need.!

“At!the!moment,!if!you!have!to!go!south!and!you!need!to!

go!through!the!tunnel!—!I!live!in!Steveston!—!getting!to!

say,!Ladner...!it’s!hopeless.!At!the!moment,!we’ve!got!to!

take!the!shuttle,”!said!Derek!Williams!with!Richmond!HUB.!

“If!they!put!a!bike!lane!on!each!side!of!the!bridge!—!one!

north,!one!south!—!that!part!of!it!should!be!okay.”!

Williams!argues!at!a!$3.5#billion!price!tag,!the!bridge!


should!support!multiple!modes!of!transportation.!“They’re!going!

to!spend!all!that!money.!Then,!we!need!to!make!it!work.”!!

Stakeholders!are!set!to!meet!in!January,!when!Williams!hopes!to!

get!more!details!on!if!the!wish!list!for!cyclists!can!be!met.!!

http://goo.gl/xFQ3L7!

+

Half+of+Metro+Vancouverites+Support+Proposed+Massey+Bridge++

A!poll!released!in!January!by!Insights!West!found!that!about!half!

of!Metro!Vancouver!residents!(51%)!support!the!proposal!to!

replace!the!Massey!Tunnel!with!a!new!tolled!bridge,!while!one!

third!(32%)!are!opposed!and!17%!are!not!sure.!!

http://goo.gl/MqUU1g!

!

More'tolls'flow'to'TransLink'as'Golden'Ears'Bridge'use'rises'!

More!drivers!were!willing!to!pay!to!cross!the!Golden!Ears!Bridge!

in!2015.!TransLink!reported!a!more!than!15%!increase!in!bridge!

tolls!collected!there!for!the!first!nine!months!of!the!year.!!

The!transportation!authority!is!now!forecasting!it!will!collect!

$48.7!million!in!Golden!Ears!tolls!for!all!of!2015,!up!nearly!$5.2!

million!from!what!it!budgeted,!and!it!anticipates!further!growth!

of!4.1!per!cent!in!2016.!!

The!tolling!equipment!at!the!Golden!Ears!is!slated!for!

replacement!at!a!cost!of!$5!million!in!2016!even!though!the!

bridge!is!only!six!and!a!half!years!old.!TransLink's!capital!budget!

cites!"obsolescence!and!end!of!service!life"!for!the!need!to!

replace!the!roadside!technology!and!back!office!systems.!!

TransLink!plans!to!spend!$900,000!in!2016!to!study!mobility!

pricing.!!

http://goo.gl/yp0ixb!

!

Poll:'Worsening'traffic'the'overwhelming'complaint'for'Metro'

Vancouver'residents''

A!December!Insights!West!survey!asked!people!to!rate!their!

neighbourhood!on!five!issues:!traffic,!density,!crime,!air!

pollution!and!noise!pollution.!Traffic!was!rated!as!the!main!

nuisance,!with!72%!of!Metro!Vancouverites!saying!it!has!

worsened!in!their!neighbourhood!over!the!past!three!years.!!

The!numbers!are!high!all!across!the!Lower!Mainland,!with!just!

two!per!cent!of!residents!reporting!an!improvement!in!their!

commute!when!looking!back!at!2012.!!

http://goo.gl/7cUgrH!

!

City'councils'divided'on'Uber'rideUsharing'

service,'and'province'sending'mixed'messages'

Port!Coquitlam!and!Coquitlam!city!councils!recently!

asked!the!province!to!reconsider!rules!that!effectively!

ban!the!Uber!ride#sharing!service!from!provincial!roads.!

Other!city!councils!in!the!region,!including!Burnaby!and!

Vancouver,!have!been!more!cautious!about!the!service,!

citing!regulatory,!safety,!economic!and!liability!concerns.!

Mixed+messages+from+province+

Premier!Clark!has!assigned!Community!Minister!Peter!

Fassbender!to!consult!local!municipalities!and!other!

stakeholders!on!how!the!province!should!respond!to!

ride#hailing!services.!However,!this!move!came!after!

Transportation!Minister!Todd!Stone!had!already!made!

comments!suggesting!that!ride!sharing!services!were!

“inevitable”!in!BC.!Uber's!two!registered!lobbyists!in!B.C.!

are!former!staffers!of!the!premier's.!!

Later!in!January,!Minister!Stone!rejected!a!request!by!

Uber!that!the!government!revise!regulations!on!licensing!

such!operations,!saying!the!current!system!can!already!

process!“ride#sharing”!services!that!want!to!operate!in!

the!province.!!

In!early!February,!Fassbender!told!media!that!the!BC!

government!is!carefully!watching!Edmonton's!solution!to!

Uber!as!it!considers!how!to!make!room!for!ride#hailing!

apps!while!preserving!a!role!for!existing!taxis.!However,!

he!cautioned!that!the!province!is!looking!at!jurisdictions!

all!over!the!world!and!it!is!"early!days"!to!discuss!specific!

elements!of!the!Edmonton!model!that!might!be!

attractive!in!BC.!Fassbender!also!emphasized!the!

province!was!not!close!to!a!decision!on!Uber,!despite!

earlier!statements!from!Minister!Stone.!

Edmonton!city!council!approved!new!regulations!in!late!

January!to!legalize!Uber.!Passengers!who!hail!cars!from!

the!street,!at!cab!stands!or!by!voice!phone!call!to!

dispatchers!can!only!be!picked!up!by!taxis,!not!Uber!cars!

–!effectively!reserving!some!business!for!conventional!

cabs.!

Uber!cars!must!charge!a!minimum!$3.25!fare!–!which!

Edmonton!council!has!warned!it!could!easily!raise!if!it!

detects!predatory!pricing.!

Problems+flagged+with+Uber+model+

Uber’s!business!model!has!provoked!concerns!over!

regulatory,!safety,!liability!and!labour!issues,!as!well!

potential!negative!impacts!on!the!taxi!industry.!Seattle!

City!Council!voted!in!December!to!give!Uber!drivers!the!

! 23!

right!to!unionize!and!negotiate!pay!and!working!conditions,!

but!that!decision!may!face!a!legal!challenge!from!the!U.S.!

Chamber!of!Commerce.!

Uber!is!also!facing!controversy!and!possible!lawsuits!after!so#

called!“surge!pricing”!on!New!Years!Eve!saw!passengers!in!

Edmonton!and!other!locations!charged!up!to!7.5!times!the!

normal!price!for!trips.!

The!BC!NDP!has!not!taken!a!position!against!Uber,!but!says!

that!it!is!essential!that!as!new!companies!and!models!enter!

the!market!“we!ensure!that!there!is!a!fair!playing!field,!that!

companies!follow!the!same!regulations!and!that!customers’!

safety!is!ensured.”!

In!Canada,!Uber!currently!operates!in!Toronto,!Montreal,!

Halifax,!Ottawa,!Edmonton,!Quebec!City,!southwest!Ontario,!

Calgary!and!more!than!40!other!cities.!The!City!of!Calgary!is!

currently!working!on!a!bylaw!to!regulate!Uber!in!that!

municipality.!

!

Further)media)coverage:)

http://goo.gl/h7QTyO!

http://goo.gl/m3mzCX!

http://goo.gl/pTsyk5!

http://goo.gl/rXRLgq!

http://goo.gl/kB44bf!

http://goo.gl/u8WXf2!


http://goo.gl/3MO5wX!

Dependence'on'US'refineries'to'blame'for'high'Metro'

Vancouver'gas'prices,'says'analyst'

The!Metro!Vancouver!region’s!dependence!on!gas!from!US!

refineries!is!a!bigger!factor!than!taxes!in!explaining!high!

regional!gas!prices,!a!petroleum!analyst!told!the!Vancouver!

Sun.!The!Metro!region!has!one!small!refinery!in!Burnaby,!

but!depends!on!refineries!in!the!USA!for!much!of!the!area’s!

gas!supply.!The!low!Canadian!dollar!has!made!petroleum!

from!US!refineries!increasingly!expensive.!In!December!

2015,!the!low!dollar!was!compounded!by!power!failure!at!

an!Anacortes,!Washington!refinery!that!reduced!the!

regional!supply!and!allowed!wholesalers!to!bump!up!prices.!

The!Alberta!government,!the!federal!NDP!and!unions!in!the!

energy!sector!have!all!called!for!increased!domestic!

refining!capacity!to!reduce!Canada’s!reliance!on!oil!and!

petroleum!imports.!

http://www.vancouversun.com/much/11622636/story.html!!

!

Research'finds'‘walkable’'Metro'neighbourhoods'have'

healthier'residents'

New!research!shows!people!living!in!Metro!Vancouver’s!

most!‘walkable’!neighbourhoods!are!31%!less!likely!to!be!

overweight!than!those!living!in!car#dependent!areas.!

“Risk!of!obesity!and!diabetes!are!increasingly!attributed!to!

environmental!factors,!however!limited!attention!has!been!

paid!to!the!impact!of!physical!features!of!a!

neighbourhood,”!says!Salman!Klar,!an!epidemiologist!for!

the!Fraser!Health!Authority.!

The!research,!a!collaboration!between!

the!Fraser!Health!Authority,!Vancouver!

Coastal!Health!and!UBC,!was!presented!

in!December!at!the!World!Diabetes!

Congress!in!Vancouver.!

http://goo.gl/uuDbdS!

http://goo.gl/y7lnGs!

!

Car2go'cuts'back'service'in'Richmond,'

North'Van''

Just!six!months!after!announcing!a!

massive!expansion!of!its!Vancouver!

fleet,!car#share!provider!Car2go!is!

eliminating!some!services!to!Richmond!

and!scaling!back!territory!in!North!

Vancouver.!

http://goo.gl/eAC8KO!!


Port'News'

Port'lobbying'for'federal'infrastructure'money'

Port!Metro!Vancouver!(PMV)!lobbied!federal!transport!

minister!Marc!Garneau!during!a!visit!to!Vancouver!in!

January.!PMV!representatives!want!federal!infrastructure!

spending!to!support!the!Roberts!Bank!Terminal!2!project!

at!the!mouth!of!the!Fraser!River!in!Delta.!!

“It’ll!be!a!$3#billion!investment!funded!by!the!private!

sector!but!making!sure!we!have!all!of!the!infrastructure!

components!in!place!to!allow!that!terminal!to!operate!

efficiently!is!another!important!conversation!we’re!

having!today,”!Port!of!Metro!Vancouver!President!and!

CEO!Robin!Silvester!said.!!

Richmond!Mayor!Malcom!Brodie!expressed!concern!

about!senior!government!money!going!to!infrastructure!

aimed!primarily!at!supporting!port!activity,!arguing!that!

the!proposed!Massey!tunnel!replacement!bridge!

announced!by!the!province!was!already!an!expensive!

infrastructure!expenditure!in!support!of!the!Port.!Brodie!

told!media!he!hoped!the!Port!would!be!expected!“to!

pony!up!a!very!significant!portion!of!the!cost”!for!the!

new!bridge.!

http://goo.gl/iz5LfY!

'

Port'police'funding'cut'by'PMV'

Port!Metro!Vancouver!has!decided!it!will!no!longer!fund!

a!high#level!police!unit!that!investigates!federal!offences!

at!Canada’s!largest!container!port.!

Ports!from!Delta!to!Vancouver!are!policed!by!the!13#

member!National!Port!Enforcement!Team!(NPET).!For!15!

years,!Port!Metro!Vancouver!has!contributed!funds!to!

NPET,!but!that!is!set!to!end!in!the!new!year.!

With!a!$400,000!cut!in!funding!as!of!January!1,!four!of!the!

13!NPET!officers!will!be!gone.!

http://goo.gl/krG77x!

'

BCLRB'rules'against'Port'Transport'for'illegal'use'of'

replacement'workers'

The!BC!Labour!Relations!Board!(BCLRB)!ruled!trucking!

company!Port!Transport!made!illegal!use!of!replacement!

workers!during!the!current!labour!dispute!at!Port!Metro!

Vancouver.!

The!BCLRB!ordered!the!company!to!immediately!cease!and!

desist,!provide!disclosure!of!dispatch!records!to!Unifor!on!a!

weekly!basis!and!make!payment!of!financial!damages.!

http://goo.gl/m8hhzq!

!

Unifor'truckers'reach'deal'with'Harbour'Link'

A!collective!agreement!ratified!Jan.!15!by!Unifor!container!

truckers!and!Harbour!Link!Container!Services!means!that!

only!one!BC!port!container!trucking!company—Port!

Transport—remains!behind!picket!lines.!

The!collective!agreement!with!Harbour!Link!meets!the!

framework!of!the!pattern!deal!signed!with!other!companies!

and!increases!"off!dock"!and!CN!and!CP!rates!for!local!

drivers.!!

http://goo.gl/jM9HAE!

!

! 25!

!

Richmond'mayor'sees'‘war’'with'federal'port'authorities'

over'agricultural'land'

Richmond!Mayor!Malcolm!Brodie!is!threatening!a!“war”!if!Port!

Metro!Vancouver!follows!through!on!plans!to!convert!

farmland!in!the!agricultural!reserve!into!warehouses!and!

shipping!centres!to!facilitate!trade.!

Brodie!believes!200!farms!in!the!Agricultural!Land!Reserve!

should!be!preserved!for!growing!food,!while!the!port!is!eyeing!

such!areas!as!sites!for!development!that!the!say!could!create!

thousands!of!trade#related!jobs.!

Although!the!port!is!supposed!to!take!into!account!local!

concerns!such!as!Richmond’s,!Silvester!made!it!clear!its!

national!mandate!takes!precedence.!

“Billions!of!dollars!and!thousands!of!jobs!are!at!stake,”!he!said.!

A!test!case!for!B.C.’s!agricultural!laws!is!already!in!the!works!in!

East!Richmond.!

The!port!owns!the!90#hectare!Gilmore!farm,!a!protected!site!

with!lush!soil!where!food!and!forage!crops!continue!to!be!

grown!for!the!time!being.!

Silvester!admitted!the!farm!might!be!turned!into!a!logistics!

hub.!

Silvester!says!the!federal!government,!as!the!senior!political!

authority!in!the!country,!has!the!power!to!override!provincial!

law,!such!as!the!ALR.!

“I!don’t!think!we!would!be!bound!(by!the!Agricultural!Land!

Reserve).!As!a!federal!body!here!at!Port!Metro!Vancouver,!we!

have!supremacy,”!he!said.!

The!office!of!federal!Transport!Minister!Marc!Garneau,!who!is!

responsible!for!ports!in!the!new!Trudeau!administration,!has!

come!down!on!the!side!of!the!port!and!its!plans!for!the!

Gilmore!farm.!

But!B.C.!Agriculture!Minister!Norm!Letnick!left!the!door!open!

for!a!clash!between!governments.!

Letnick!told!the!legislature!last!May!that!ALR!rules!must!be!

followed!no!matter!who!owns!the!land.!

“The!normal!rules!will!apply,”!he!said.!

http://goo.gl/o6WMCw!

!

Proposed'grain'terminal'faces'opposition'from'some'North'

Shore'residents'

Plans!for!a!major!new!grain!terminal!on!the!North!Vancouver!

waterfront!are!meeting!opposition!from!residents!who!say!the!

North!Shore!is!already!overburdened!with!waterfront!industry.!!

Manitoba#based!G3!Global!Holdings!has!partnered!with!

Western!Stevedoring!to!build!a!new!terminal!at!the!foot!of!

Brooksbank!Avenue,!currently!home!to!Lynnterm!

Westbank.!If!approved!by!Port!Metro!Vancouver,!the!new!

terminal!would!consist!of!48!concrete!grain!silos!standing!

43!metres!(140!feet)!tall,!plus!an!overhead!conveyor!

system!and!a!grain!cleaning!facility!that!reaches!80!metres!

(260!ft).!The!project!would!also!feature!a!rail!loop!around!

the!site.!At!peak!operation,!it!would!mean!another!168!

ships!per!year!departing!from!the!new!terminal.!G3!

estimates!it!will!employ!50!people!when!up!and!running.!

About!300!residents!have!so!far!signed!a!petition!opposing!

the!project,!citing!environmental,!health!and!safety!

concerns!including:!noise!and!grain!dust!emanating!from!

the!site,!the!potential!for!a!terminal!explosion,!increased!

shipping!traffic!on!Burrard!Inlet!and!rail!traffic!coming!to!

the!North!Shore,!view!impacts!from!the!new!terminal!on!

the!waterfront,!plus!the!impact!three!years!construction!

would!have!on!the!area.!!

G3!replied!to!the!concerns!by!saying!that!the!modern!

terminal!should!produce!less!noise!and!dust!than!existing!

facilities,!and!that!a!planned!rail!loop!will!minimize!the!

need!for!shunting!train!cars.!!

G3!will!have!to!apply!to!Metro!Vancouver!for!an!air!quality!

permit.!Residents!and!public!health!agencies!can!also!

express!their!concerns!as!part!of!the!process.!The!

proponent!will!have!to!supply!a!dispersion!model!plan!

showing!what!the!expected!behaviour!of!the!dust!is,!and!

Metro!Vancouver!will!have!the!ability!to!impose!conditions!

to!mitigate!risks!to!air!quality.!!

http://goo.gl/f86zui!

'

Port'Metro'Vancouver'narrows'field'to'five'for'new'

terminal'project''

Port!Metro!Vancouver!has!narrowed!down!to!five!the!field!

of!bidders!for!developing!its!Roberts!Bank!Terminal!2!

project,!down!from!an!original!field!of!10!candidates.!The!

eventual!bid!winners!will!also!be!the!concession!holder!for!

the!new!terminal.!

The!five!bidders!are:!!

• Abu!Dhabi!Terminals!

• Grup!TCB!/!Mitsubishi!Corp!consortium!

• Ports!America!

• PSA!International!

• Terminal!Link!/!CMHI!consortium.!

http://goo.gl/Oktjff!!