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Confidential documents reveal BC government did not consider oil prices for project
by WCWC Media •
Wednesday May 21, 2008 at 11:30 AM
Vancouver, BC – Freedom of Information documents provided to the Wilderness Committee revealed that BC government officials failed to take into account rapidly rising fuel costs when they were establishing the feasibility of the proposed multi-billion dollar Gateway Project to expand highways, bridges and port facilities around Metro Vancouver...
For immediate release – Wednesday May 21, 2008
Confidential documents reveal BC government did not consider rising oil prices for multi-billion dollar transportation project
Gateways feasibility was based on gas prices of $0.80/litre!
Vancouver, BC – Freedom of Information documents provided to the Wilderness Committee revealed that BC government officials failed to take into account rapidly rising fuel costs when they were establishing the feasibility of the proposed multi-billion dollar Gateway Project to expand highways, bridges and port facilities around Metro Vancouver.
Transportation experts anticipate that rapidly increasing fuel prices will reduce personal vehicle use and increase the demand for public transportation. The BC governments analysis of the Gateway Projects and gas prices was based on a forecast of gas at $0.80/Litre, but gas in Metro Vancouver is currently selling at around $1.30/Litre, and is projected to rise. The BC governments modeling is based on a 2003 Canadian Automobile Association (CAA) study entitled “Driving Costs” which explores overall operating expenses of vehicles.
“We are disturbed to see that the traffic modeling was based on such out of date figures. At best these projections are shortsighted; at worst they are could be construed as an attempt to justify spending billions of public dollars on a project that will not serve the publics interest,” said Ben West, Wilderness Committee Healthy Communities Campaigner.
Through a Freedom of Information (FOI) request the Wilderness Committee uncovered an email conversation between government staff. One BC government official justifies not taking into account rising fuel prices by commenting, “What is important, is the relative cost of fuel/operating expenses vis-a-vis other costs such as transit fares and the value of time, which are also not escalated in the future model years.” If the price of transit was in fact increasing by the same rate as a gasoline, a one-zone transit fare today would be around $4—in fact it is only $2.50.
In recent months there has already been evidence the price of gas impacting BC residents transportation choices. A poll conducted by the Hotel Association of Canada says 22 % of those surveyed gave the price of gasoline as a reason for travelling less. A recent BCAA survey shows that 49% of those surveyed will not take road trips this summer because of increased gas prices.
Earlier this month, a Goldman Sachs analyst predicted prices could hit between $150 and 200 a barrel over the next two years. The current price of gas at the pump is the result of the price of a barrel hovering around the recent record highs of over a $125 dollars a barrel.
“The closer you look at the Gateway Program the worse it looks. If Gateway were allowed to proceed, it would suck a massive amount of money away from public transit at a time when expanded transit is needed more than ever because of skyrocketing fuel costs. When we take into account Gateways projected negative impacts on wildlife, Burns Bog, heritage buildings, livable communities, pollution and associated health problems and climate change, the more clear it becomes that under-estimating rising gas prices is the BC governments latest attempt at putting lipstick on a pig. Gateway is simply a dead end and must be reconsidered,” added West.
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For more information, contact: Ben West, Healthy Communities Campaigner | 604-710-5340
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