On Wednesday Oct 22nd, the CRD Transportation Committee will debate a motion to have the CRD study expanding Victoria’s youth bus pass program region wide. We ask you to email the CRD Directors and urge them to pass the motion.
Here’s the list of people to email:
- Pual Brent directorsgi@crd.bc.ca
- Susan Brice sbrice@crd.bc.ca
- Jeremy Caradonna jcaradonna@crd.bc.ca
- Zac de Vries zdevries@crd.bc.ca
- Barbara Desjardins bdesjardins@crd.bc.ca
- Scott Goodmanson sgoodmanson@crd.bc.ca
- Doug Kobayashi dougkobayashi@crd.bc.ca
- Cliff McNeil-Smith cmcneilsmith@crd.bc.ca
- Dean Murdock dmurdock@crd.bc.ca
- Lillian Szpak lszpak@langford.ca
- Maja Tait mtait@crd.bc.ca
- David Thompson dthompson@crd.bc.ca
You can also CC crdboard@crd.bc.ca . It’s best to write your own custom letter as form letters are not taken as seriously. It also doesn’t need to be long. If you do want a template to copy or use for inspirations, we got you fam:
CRD Directors
As a Victoria Transit Riders Union supporter, I am writing to urge the CRD to take steps to make transit free for all teens 18 and under across the Victoria Regional Transit System, and to continue to pressure the province to immediately eliminate fares for all youth and seniors across BC.
Fares are a major accessibility barrier that prevent many youth from using public transit, which is the safest mode of travel. Fares also infringe on many youth’s ability to participate in their communities and engage in social and recreational activities. This is to the detriment of both our communities and our youth. Everyone should enjoy unrestricted access to public transit, but it is especially important for youth, who are still establishing their independence, and who are particularly at risk when it comes to road safety and social isolation.
Allowing youth to habituate themselves to public transit is also critical to building the next generation of transit users, which is a necessary part of the fight against climate change and for the future of youth around the world.
While the City of Victoria already offers free bus passes to youth 18 and under, youth living in other jurisdictions, like Esquimalt, Oak Bay, Saanich, Langford and so on must pay. This means that while some youth in the CRD have unrestricted public transit access, many of their friends, classmates, and neighbours do not. This situation is deeply unfair. All youth deserve unrestricted access to public transit.
Extending free passes to all youth living in the CRD would be a major step towards correcting this injustice and improving youth safety and health to the benefit of all.
We are calling on you, and on all regional and municipal leaders, to keep up the pressure on the province to eliminate transit fares for youth and for seniors immediately. Last year, the Union of BC Municipalities passed a motion asking the province to eliminate fares for young people in grade 12 and under. Freedom of movement improves health and safety, reduces emissions, and saves public money in many areas. We must move toward a future without transit fares. Eliminating fares for youth and seniors would be an important step toward this future.
We deeply appreciate your attention to the freedom of movement of people in the CRD.
Sincerely,
More details
Copying from the memo attached to the meeting agenda:
Background
In 2021, the City of Victoria implemented a free youth bus pass program for residents aged 13 to 18, allowing them to ride the Victoria Regional Transit System for free. This program has been extremely successful and approximately 70% of youths in Victoria use the youth pass system. It is helping to build the next generation of transit users, and thereby support an expanded transit system with improved service for everyone. At the same time, criticism is often voiced that this program does not exist for youths across other communities in the region. In an age of soaring household costs, free youth bus passes can have a significant positive impact on families. The success of the Victoria program suggests that extending this program equitably across the region would deliver more value for CRD residents and increase transit ridership. The Victoria Regional Transit Commission has set an ambitious target of 15% ridership by 2050, and that target requires more youths to become habitual transit users. A regional youth bus pass program would align with CRD climate, transportation, accessibility, and equity goals, and would better enable young people to access school, work, and recreation opportunities.
Recommendation
That the CRD Transportation Committee recommends to the CRD Board to direct staff to investigate and report back on the costs, benefits, and implications of creating a region-wide free youth bus pass program under the CRD transportation service in collaboration with BC Transit.
This is just the first step, the CRD does not move fast. It is just asking for a report. But it is a step in the right direction of our call for fare-free for teens province wide, and eventually fare-free for everyone.
If you have time, and would like to speak in person at the meeting you must fill out this form before 4:30 on Monday.
Victoria Transit Riders Union 