Abstract Manager

Transportation funding, like many processes in the political economy, is characterized by long historic precedents with incremental, rather than structural changes.  However, a series of chronic challenges have befallen the grand social bargain that has underpinned the urban transportation funding model in North America. In recent years, planners and policymakers have been forced to reconsider whether the funding tools that have built, maintained, and operated our urban transportation systems are fit for purpose in light of the chronic climate change, road safety, urban housing affordability and public health crises. These combined with the acute shock of COVID-19, and associated ripple effects may just prove to be the defining catalyst for structural change.

As our funding models for urban transportation are tested in a new economic reality, a series of tough choices await. On one hand, there is a temptation to tighten the belts of infrastructure and service expenditures, at a time of fiscal pressure and uncertainty. Conversely, investment in transforming our transportation system has never been more urgently needed to address the need of our climate, economy, housing affordability, immigrant settlement, and public health.

This presentation will outline, and offer a critical examination of, the policies and rationale for urban transportation funding, investments and decision-making.  By drawing from the lessons in leadership in the metro Vancouver region accumulated over two decades,  TransLink is beginning to identify opportunities to strengthen the model in a post-COVID era.  Equipped with a thorough understanding of how we’ve funded transportation in the past, the region is emerging with a better sense of what tools and approaches are fit for purpose in the 21^st century.