The two mayors whose cities have the most to gain from a $7.5-billion plan that includes a $1.9 billion subway for Vancouver and a $2.1 billion light-rail transit system for Surrey are now in charge of the mayors' council on regional transportation and tasked with leading the yes side in a spring plebiscite on transportation.
Mayor Gregor Robertson was elected chairperson Friday and Surrey Mayor Linda Hepner won the vice-chairperson's spot in a secret ballot vote conducted by the region's mayors at Surrey city hall.
"I felt it's important to ensure Vancouver is represented and, as well, bring my campaign experience to the table," said Robertson, when asked by the Courier after the vote why he wouldn't support North Vancouver District Mayor Richard Walton to continue as chairperson.
Walton, who has led the mayors' council for more than four years, played a key role in the mayors' formulating the $7.5-billion, 10-year transportation plan. He also had a strong relationship with Transportation Minister Todd Stone, who has applauded Walton for his work on the council.
Walton and Robertson were the only candidates vying to become head of the regional council. After Walton lost the vote to Robertson, he rejected a nomination to run as a candidate for vice-chairperson. Hepner beat out Delta Mayor Lois Jackson for vice-chairperson.
At one point during the meeting, when mayors awaited results of the election for vice-chairperson, Robertson walked over to Walton and spoke to him. Walton did most of the talking, with Robertson nodding his head repeatedly, saying "OK, OK, OK."
Walton declined to comment to the Courier after the meeting.
Mayor Ralph Drew of the Village of Belcarra nominated Walton to continue as chairperson, saying he had the experience and time to commit to leading a campaign for the yes side. Drew pointed out duties of the chairperson and vice-chairperson also require them to sit on TransLink's board of directors, a time-consuming responsibility.
"It's not that I have any particular problems with the two big city mayors," Drew told the Courier. "I'm just a bit concerned that because they are the heads of large municipalities that they don't have the time needed to dedicate to the task."
Drew said he understands a perception may now exist the spring plebiscite, which asks Metro Vancouver voters to support a 0.5 per cent sales tax to help pay for the $7.5-billion plan, will simply be seen as a vote for projects in Surrey and Vancouver. The plan also relies heavily on funding from the provincial and federal governments.
"That's a perception but I do believe that the new chair and vice-chair will reflect the views of the mayors' council as a whole," he said. "If it isn't endorsed by mayors' council as a whole, they'd get their wings clipped pretty fast."
Robertson and Hepner deflected concerns about the plebiscite being simply for projects in Vancouver and Surrey. Robertson said he supports all the requests in the plan, including a new Pattullo Bridge, more buses across the region, road and bikeway upgrades and more frequent HandyDart and SeaBus service.
"It's not about any of the distinct pieces," said Robertson, standing next to Hepner as he spoke to reporters. "It's about the overall package. It's not about individual communities, it's about the whole region."
Hepner, who was elected Surrey's mayor last fall and nominated Robertson as chairperson, echoed the Vancouver mayor's comments, saying she supported a regional plan and that "there's something in it for everyone."
Port Coquitlam Mayor Greg Moore wouldn't say whether he voted for Robertson or Hepner. But, he added, the choices "are excellent for us moving forward in a referendum campaign."
"We're moving into a phase of really getting out and getting into campaigning and I would suspect that the mayors saw that Robertson and Hepner are good campaign leaders to take us through the referendum," said Moore, noting he wasn't concerned voters may see the plebiscite as simply a vote on Surrey and Vancouver projects. "I don't expect that Mayor Robertson or Mayor Hepner are going to come to Port Coquitlam and be able to convince people that this is what they need. I'm going to have to do that — that's my job to do that. So, we're all in this to win the campaign, not just two people."
During the meeting, mayors heard speeches from David Black of COPE 378, Peter Robinson of the David Suzuki Foundation and Anne McMullin of the Urban Development Institute, all of whom said they and their associations will support and campaign for the yes side in the plebiscite.
No one from the no side, which is being led by a group called No TransLink Tax, spoke at the meeting. But the group did release a lengthy report Thursday, outlining alternatives to a sales tax hike, including using revenue that municipalities will gain as they continue to add more people to the tax base. That revenue could be used to pay for the transportation plan, the group says.
Metro Vancouver residents can expect to begin receiving mail-in ballots in March for the plebiscite. Results are expected in June, with a positive result needing more than 50 per cent of the vote.
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