As a public transit user and municipal councillor pursuing improvements to public transit, I think it’s time to see legislative changes.
The three Peninsula municipalities have one representative between them on the Transit Commission – automatically a mayor. That lone representative holds that position for a four-year term and isn’t directly held accountable by voters through an election to that position.
More importantly, while the position is supposed to rotate each term, and currently it is Central Saanich’s turn, there is no special qualification other than being the next mayor in the rotation. In other words, that representative may never take the bus, may not particularly like transit and may have no interest in public transit. Shouldn’t there be some qualification that shows an interest and buy in?
We should elect our transit rep or at least have councils submit their recommendations to the province. A fix to this requires legislative changes that our MLAs can initiate.
Zeb King
Central Saanich councillor
