Within a year, shorter commutes should be offered to over 10,000 people in the Vancouver and Victoria metro areas. Don’t let BC Government inertia delay this.
There is a plan afoot that within a year thousands of people could be offered closer commutes through switching work places with someone doing the same job. Sign the petition at change.org to insist that the BC Government expedites implementation of the proven “Closer Commutes” strategy.
There’s almost no cost to roll this out, with huge benefits to commuters, their families, employers, the economy and the environment. We can eliminate over 5% of all commuting miles traveled across Metro Vancouver and Greater Victoria – relieving congestion for everyone. Please join us to tell the Premier and other politicians you support this happening right away!
Sitting in traffic gridlock for hours each week? Want a closer commute? Same job, same pay, same seniority – but at a much closer worksite? Closer commutes can be offered to teachers, bank employees, nurses and other health care professionals, firefighters, retail chain store associates, chain restaurant staff, laundry workers, police, IT techs, firefighters, etc. – anyone working for a multi-worksite employer and who wants to switch to a location closer to home.
Consider the potential in the education sector alone: according to Statistics Canada, there are over 17,000 teaching professionals in the Lower Mainland who currently have lengthy commutes who could swap locations with a peer so each has a closer commute. The BC Teachers’ Federation and its president Glen Hansman have endorsed a plan for “green lateral exchange/transfers between districts.” A proposed pilot project with School Districts 61, 62 & 63 this summer is awaiting Education Minister Rob Fleming’s endorsement. The petition is addressed to him too.
We can cut commuting traffic by over 5% within 18 months. Analysts predict that cutting traffic congestion across the Lower Mainland will boost the regional economy by hundreds of millions of dollars. That’s an ROI on implementation costs of over 100 times. Note to Finance Minister Carole James: the sooner we start, the sooner our economy will benefit. People with closer commutes are more likely to ditch their single-occupancy driving and switch to transit, which Translink CEO Kevin Desmond, Mayors’ Council Chair Derek Corrigan and Municipal Affairs Minister Selina Robinson want to happen.
By signing this petition, you are directly asking the Government to expedite the roll-out of this proven program. The “powers that be” need to hear that you are expecting prompt action:
- a pilot project involving 3 adjacent school districts this summer
- another pilot project with a bank and a credit union this summer
- region-wide roll-out beginning in late 2018 /early 2019.
Imagine how life will be improved for everyone when so much needless commuting is eliminated. The “Closer Commutes” strategy is straightforward for major employers to implement – it actually saves the employer money on HR expenses and boosts productivity.
Please sign the petition and then share with friends so we aren’t held hostage by bureaucratic inertia. Let’s get rolling on 10,000 closer commutes!
