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Who's done better on transit? Vancouver or Toronto

who's done better on transit over all?

  • Total voters
    57
Vancouver. I doubt if the vote were held in Toronto, it would be any different.
 
I don't know about that.

From the beginning, it was pretty clear that Vancouver would vote against the proposal. In this poll, 2/3 were planing to vote no as early as March: http://www.vancouversun.com/touch/story.html?id=10893504
In Toronto, polling has indicated widespread support for this same proposal. This poll shows an astonishing 75% of GTA residents supporting a 0.5% sales tax increase to build transit. That's the same increase that was proposed for Vancouver. I'm sure in the City of Toronto proper, the results would be even higher: http://www.cbc.ca/m/news/canada/tor...port-0-5-sales-tax-for-transit-poll-1.1200142
 
There are good explanations available as to why Vancouver voted the way it did.

I don't think this spells doom and gloom for transit investment in Vancouver or somehow indicates that Vancouverites are anti-transit. It is just signal for change in how transit is planned and funded.
 
TheTigerMaster said:
I don't know about that.

From the beginning, it was pretty clear that Vancouver would vote against the proposal. In this poll, 2/3 were planing to vote no as early as March: http://www.vancouversun.com/touch/story.html?id=10893504
In Toronto, polling has indicated widespread support for this same proposal. This poll shows an astonishing 75% of GTA residents supporting a 0.5% sales tax increase to build transit. That's the same increase that was proposed for Vancouver. I'm sure in the City of Toronto proper, the results would be even higher: http://www.cbc.ca/m/news/canada/tor...port-0-5-sales-tax-for-transit-poll-1.1200142
Click to expand...

Yeah I wonder why the province didn't implement it then if it was so widely support. I want to see an actual vote like Vancouver did instead of some random poll.
 
Adjei said:
Yeah I wonder why the province didn't implement it then if it was so widely support. I want to see an actual vote like Vancouver did instead of some random poll.
Click to expand...

Was the Province's proposal the same as Vancouver's?

Anyways my point is that the polls we have this far in Toronto indicate widespread support for the proposal. There aren't any polls from Vancouver that I've seen show the same. So in that regard, Toronto is already ahead.
 
The British Columbia entire Transportation and Transit question was as follows:

"Do you support a new 0.5% Metro Vancouver Congestion Improvement Tax, to be dedicated to the Mayors’ Transportation and Transit Plan? Yes or No."
​
Which would have included:

  • Add bus service and new B-Line rapid bus routes.
  • Increase service on SkyTrain, Canada Line, SeaBus, and West Coast Express.
  • Maintain and upgrade the region’s major roads.
  • Build a new Pattullo Bridge.
  • Build rapid transit connecting Surrey Centre with Guildford, Newton,and Langley.
  • Build rapid transit along Broadway in Vancouver.
  • Extend the region’s cycling and pedestrian walkway networks.
Seems to me like asking for building rapid transit lines AND expressways AND ... AND ...
 
TheTigerMaster said:
Was the Province's proposal the same as Vancouver's?

Anyways my point is that the polls we have this far in Toronto indicate widespread support for the proposal. There aren't any polls from Vancouver that I've seen show the same. So in that regard, Toronto is already ahead.
Click to expand...

If new taxes for transit were so tolerable I wonder why the likes of Rob Ford became mayor or how his brother almost became close to becoming mayor?


Why isn't John Tory proposing new taxes to fund his Smart Track instead of constantly mentioning that it would not be founded with new taxes but instead proposing to use tax increment financing?

If new taxes are so widely accepted by the the public why is the province choosing to sell of Ontario Hydro instead of just bringing in new taxes to fund transit?

I think you are reading too much into the poll.
 
Adjei said:
If new taxes for transit were so tolerable I wonder why the likes of Rob Ford became mayor or how his brother almost became close to becoming mayor?
Click to expand...
The phenomenon of supporting taxes on everyone and everything until it shows up on their own tax bill.
 
Toronto voters rejected tax increases to build a subway multiple times. Voters only approved the subway when the situation on Yonge street was becoming dire in the 1940s with traffic congestion and overcrowded streetcars. Getting people to vote for tax increases to pay for transit expansion isn't a good strategy. Transit expansion should simply be a matter of public policy, and politicians should be upfront about the costs and the need to pay for it.
 
Adjei said:
If new taxes for transit were so tolerable I wonder why the likes of Rob Ford became mayor or how his brother almost became close to becoming mayor?


Why isn't John Tory proposing new taxes to fund his Smart Track instead of constantly mentioning that it would not be founded with new taxes but instead proposing to use tax increment financing?

If new taxes are so widely accepted by the the public why is the province choosing to sell of Ontario Hydro instead of just bringing in new taxes to fund transit?

I think you are reading too much into the poll.
Click to expand...

I'm not making any predictions as to weather or not this proposal would succeed in Toronto. I'm just saying that Torontonians appear to be far more receptive to the idea.
 
The tax would have raised $250 million a year.

There are many other factors at play here.

Remember Vancouverites already pay vehicle levies, 14 cents a litre extra for gas, and extra hydro tax and others so they are already getting pounded with higher taxes for transit. The citizens were looking around and saying you already get all this extra money above and beyond standard taxes and Vancouver is only #4 in percapita transit ridership...........below both much smaller Ottawa and Calgary.

There has also been a lot of protests recently against immigrants warping the already outrageous housing costs {still 38% above Toronto's} and yet the province and city refuse to put a stop to it or even to cash in on it. Vancouverites who are already amongst the lowest paid in the country were being asked to pay yet more for transit so the immigrants didn't have to. The drug addicted homeless person on the Downtown Eastside was being asked to pay the same tax rate increase as the newest Chinese billionaire who has 6 empty houses sitting on the Westside...............small wonder the vote was overwhelmingly No in all areas of Metro.

The situation in Toronto is very different as Vancouverites already pay these extra levies and the mayors wanted more while service has deteriorated. In Toronto there are clear signs of improved transit especially with GO rail and you don't pay any extra costs for GO or local transit fees even remotely close to Vancouver.
 
Vancouver has built a rapid transit system that same size as Toronto's in just 30 years.
 
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