Elections B.C. announced today that results of the transportation and transit plebiscite will be revealed Thursday morning.
Following the filing of the results with the Speaker of the Legislative Assembly, Elections B.C. will issue a news release province-wide and post the numbers on its website. The public should know the results just after 10 a.m.
The plebiscite asked Metro Vancouverites whether they were willing to approve a 0.5 per cent hike to the existing provincial sales tax to help pay for a 10-year, $7.5-billion plan devised by the region’s mayors to ease congestion.
The provincial government said a plebiscite was necessary because the mayors wanted a new funding tool to help pay for transit and transportation improvements. The plan promises more buses, increased HandyDart and SeaBus service, upgrades to roads and cycling infrastructure, rapid transit in Surrey, a new Pattullo Bridge and a subway along the Broadway corridor.
The 0.5 per cent tax hike would translate to more than $200 million per year towards the plan, which relies heavily on funding from the provincial and federal governments, which haven’t committed to the plan.
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