P3s, transit fares and art

Some questions that come in on social media really can’t be answered properly via those channels, so I’m going to try to do this regularly. You can read my previous social media Q&As here, here, and here.

1. (via private Facebook message): Where do you stand on P3 projects, such as for schools or city infrastructure like the LRT?

Using the P3 model for city projects continues to be challenging because we really have not seen much success with it throughout municipalities. The P3 is supposed to be a type of “complete solution” for the building and maintenance of various projects, but in reality, it is difficult to deliver this type of solution for infrastructure that is built and opened in phases and with uncertainty, like the southeast LRT. I also remain hesitant about the use of P3 funding because of issues arising from provincial and federal policies regarding eligibility. For example, the province’s guidelines for new P3 schools restricted community leagues and organizations from the schools, and that’s a lost opportunity.

I was open to a P3 model for LRT vehicle leasing and maintenance, because it is a specialized and self-contained parcel of work. That was the original requirement the federal government presented so that we could qualify for the South-east LRT P3 grant, but then they told us that we would have to contract out all of the LRT’s operations to qualify. It was disappointing to have that change, and it’s not in our best interest.

2. (via email): I was interested in your thoughts about Smart Fare, but I would also be interested in where you see the current fare going in the next few years. The rising fares over the past few years have frustrated me, because though the prices keep rising, transit does not appear to improve at all. Do you see the prices continuing to rise? And if so, what would I, as a primarily transit-oriented citizen see as a result of paying more?

Yes, I think fees have risen faster than quality of service, in part because diesel prices have risen faster than inflation, and service needs to be improved on several fronts: more logical and direct bus routes, varied payment options (including Smart Fare), and completion of the light rail transit network. In terms of Smart Fare, we can offer discounts for short trips and off-peak trips to encourage more ridership, and in turn more revenue, at no additional cost to the system. The SmartCard solution enables this flexible pricing and I believe this is an example of how an initial investment in smart technology can work to improve efficiency, and cut costs in the long run.

3. (via private Facebook message): How will you support Public Sector workers, with negotiations on the horizon?

It is City Council’s job to maintain a fair dealing relationship with city employees, but we need to balance that against a reasonable cost of doing business for the city and in the context of what is happening in the labour market for comparable jobs and in the public and private sector.

4.

 

As previously mentioned, I support the continued use of the allocated 1% for Art policy for city projects. The strong reactions that we received from the Talus Dome taught us how to administer the Art fund a little bit better, recognizing what kinds of projects people like and don’t like. I feel that there is a place for us to continue our effort to build a beautiful city that includes engaging public art.

One thought on “P3s, transit fares and art

  1. Our road planning and new land development lacks foresight often resulting in road reconstruction to accommodate the resultant increases in traffic. I’ve seen 167 avenue reconstructed 3 times and it is still unfinished. This is simply a waste of money and of great stress and frustration to commuters. Will you focus time, money and effort into constructing more visionary road plans in new areas thereby saving money in the long run? Our road system throughout the city is also in terrible shape. What are your intentions with improving the roads in residential areas and major arteries?

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