langleywatchdog…. and more!

The Truth Explained – Langley SkyTrain cost is $7 Billion (not $6 Billion) …. Up 74% since their March 2024 projection – How did all of this happen?

The story of how this happened? (You can’t write this stuff as they say, but I will try) The multi-billion-dollar decision to put SkyTrain into Langley was made thanks to the efforts of Doug McCallum, Mayor of Surrey in the first Mayors TransLink Council meeting, post his 2018 election. Mayor McCallum attended the meeting with pre-arranged voter support in place for his motion to scrap the Diane Watts approved $1.6 Billion light rail transit (Guildford, down 104^th to King George Blvd South to Newton), in favor of SkyTrain to Langley City. McCallum was emphatic, they could build SkyTrain to Langley City for $1.65 Billion and not a penny more! This, was all thanks to the weighted vote from Surrey and Vancouver at the Mayors TransLink Council.

You see, the 2018 election saw the election of a number of new Mayors attending their first TransLink Mayors Council meeting with no knowledge of the weighted vote; and they were blindsided. A vote was held, and thanks to this set up, provisional support was given for this initiative. TransLink staff then proceeded to build a justification for this change, and shockingly in a relatively short space of time (obviously with a clear lack of due diligence in terms of cost investigation and projections) they were successful in selling this bill of goods to the Mayors TransLink Council – it received final approval. This was just the start of the TransLink incompetence on this file that has put all of us in the situation we are in today. It is scary how major decisions involving Billions of dollars are made, on your behalf. But then it got progressively worse!

Within a couple of years, TransLink went to the province for financial help, again, crying poverty. (TransLink owns their own financial destiny due to dumb and very expensive past decisions.) So, compounding this self-inflicted problem TransLink found themselves in, Premier John Horgan, leading up to a provincial election, without any detailed due diligence in terms of cost projections, announced that the province would take over the Langley SkyTrain project! This was a Political Decision – nothing more. Not one that was costed out, analyzed in detail, or justified by any form of Transit Business Plan! The estimated cost of the Langley SkyTrain project has gone from $1.6 Billion to $2.1 Billion, to $3.2 Billion to $3.95 Billion, to $4 Billion, and now $7 Billion!

Why $7 Billion and not $6 Billion – because this extension required a major new operations and maintenance center in North Cloverdale costing a further $1 Billion. In what is a further very questionable development, on Dec. 11^th, 2023 a Cabinet-Order-in-Council was signed (by Surrey Green Timbers MLA Rachna Singh) taking out a nearly 37-acre parcel of land (176^th & Fraser Highway) out of the Agricultural Land Reserve. The land was valued at $5.65 Million and was sold for $8.052 Million last November? Really? Who sold the land at that inflated price?

All of this plus a further year of delay to get to 2030. Here is my bet going forward, if the full extension is built, and that is a big if – it won’t be finished before 2032 and will cost north of $10 Billion.

So, to the announcement of this week, buried within a flowery press release about SkyTrain coming to Langley, almost like an after-thought was information regarding the exploding budget. All of this with disingenuous explanations from Minister Fleming as to the reasons for it?

In outlining his excuses for the cost increases and delays the reality is, it falls back on the provincial government’s incompetence and lack of due diligence in their takeover and planning of this project. One primary reason that hasn’t been touched on in the public discourse is the issue of the Serpentine Flats. To reach Langley City you have to go through roughly 2 ½ kms of the Serpentine Flats (Area of Fry’s Corner 176^th and Fraser Hwy). If you talk to those that have had experience in drilling wells in this area for years’ they will tell you that you have to go down 400 ft. or more to find bed rock that could hold up and withstand the vast weight of an elevated cement guideway. A guideway requires absolutely no movement to maintain proper and efficient operation for linear induction motors.

You can build anything if you pour enough money into it. In our research and after FOI requests we conclude they had not done any comprehensive geotechnical surveys in this area prior to any published cost estimates. A sign of total incompetence!

TransLink is Bankrupt! – I was a member of the Mayors TransLink Council 2008 – 2011 and I can tell you we had serious financial issues back then. The issues of declining gas tax revenue and fare evasion were serious issues at that time. What we have never heard of is any attempt by the TransLink Mayors Council or Board of Directors to do any kind of internal productivity audit on service and internal operations, this is unfortunately consistent with most if not all of our publicly funded institutions like Metro Vancouver. The B.C. Conservative Party has just announced they would initiate a performance audit of TransLink should they be elected. Is the public getting value for their tax dollar, NOT! It seems SkyTrain has become a demanded service by the public in every part of the region, however TransLink and the B.C. Government have not communicated the unsustainable costs for this mode of transit. This is a big reason for TransLink’s serious financial dilemma, constantly going to senior levels of government to cover operational costs to cover their past incompetence.

Think of this number; Based on the current published cost estimates for the Langley SkyTrain, 16 KMs at $7 Billion = $437,500,000 per km! – Pure insanity!

TransLink’s most recent public statement says they will be short $600 million per year by 2026 or they will have to start drastically cutting the transit service they provide. I will point out that the operational cost and TransLink’s share of the capital cost of the Langley SkyTrain project is not included in the above shortfall. Throughout my term I banged the table for the recognition of transit need in the Township of Langley, and I hate to say with very little improvement. I know Mayor Woodward is doing the same but is faced with the same frustration. We have just come through a dark decade with Jack Froese as Mayor and I might add as vice-chair of the Mayors TransLink Council – he was no more successful other than supporting the approval of SkyTrain to Langley City – We now see the disastrous results of that shortsighted initiative.

The Hidden Cost of TransLink? – We often hear TransLink cry the blues about the declining gas tax revenue as well as fare gate revenue – have you ever tried to find out the revenue they receive from each revenue source? You can’t, it isn’t available. The following are their category sources of revenue from every member municipality and city in Metro Vancouver:

Parking Tax – Now 24% (adds 15 cents hr. to aver. $5/hr. per parking stall

Property Tax – 7% (increase per yr. of the TransLink Property Tax base per yr.)

Gas Tax – 18.5 cents a litre (highest gas taxes in North America)

Transit user fees – Single use +5 cents to 10 cents/Day Pass +25 cents/monthly passes +$2 – $3.

B.C. Hydro Transit Levy – Regular Single-Family dwelling 1.87 month – Last year $21,585,432 Yr.

Development Cost Charges – Sing. Fam. $2,975 unit, Townhouse $2,470 unit, Apartment $1,545 unit, Retail Service $1.25 sq. ft., Office $1.25 sq. ft., Institutional .50 sq. ft., Industrial .30 sq. ft.

NOTE – The B.C. Government allowed the imposition of TransLink DCC costs – and they are blaming others for housing affordability?

There is a very cost-effective Transit option for South of the Fraser – There is a BETTER CHOICE?

In a Global interview on Thursday August 15^th, Minister Rob Fleming stated they had three choices 1) Stay the course despite cost 2) Pare down the size of the project or 3) Cancel it! Well Minister Fleming, we strongly suggest that you had a 4^th, and very good choice – Reactivate the existing Interurban which could be done within 3 years, it would serve 10 times the population with more reach, value and economic impact than SkyTrain. The cost to reactivate the Interurban would be roughly 4.2% of the cost per km of SkyTrain and 4.4% of the cost per capita of SkyTrain. Despite our complete cooperation with the provincial government, including providing volumes of information, paying for meeting time and space at their request ($1,000), we have been denied a meaningful one-hour meeting with Minister Fleming – 1 year trying!

The South Fraser Community Rail Society (SFCRS) has campaigned for the reactivation of the Interurban Corridor with state-of-the-art Hydrail Passenger Rail Service between the Pattullo Bridge and the City of Chilliwack for the past 7 years. This 99 km corridor is owned by the public with protected passenger rights, with use at no cost. It is an existing and operating rail corridor, the majority by a small line rail road. As part of the renewed Master Agreement, the sale of freight rights through the joint section (The Langleys), CP agree to pay for any double tracking should it be required and that freight and passenger traffic would be given equal use, among a number of other stipulations.

The facts are that this corridor connects 16 Population Centers (14 stops – Pattullo Bridge, Kennedy Heights N. Delta, Newton, Sullivan Station, Cloverdale, Langley City / TOL, Trinity TOL, Gloucester TOL, Abbotsford Old Town, Abbotsford Sumas Way, Huntington, Yarrow, Sardis, and Chilliwack) – 14 Post-Secondary Institutions, Industrial Parks, Abbotsford International Airport via a Spine (Rail Line) and Rib (Bus) Transit system in the same way that SkyTrain serves Metro Vancouver. Because of the large tracks of ALR land in the Fraser Valley this corridor goes through the ALR and connects developable land within each of these population centers up and down the valley. Today, over 75% of trips starting South of the Fraser end South of the Fraser (the opposite to what it was in 2005) but their desired destination is not served by the current Express Bus which, as an aside, is tied up in the Highway #1 congestion that we are fighting every day. There currently is no Interregional Transit South of the Fraser and there won’t be for 11 years at the earliest!  

This campaign to reactivate goes back a couple of decades, significantly ramping up over the past 7 years. Over this period of time the SFCRS has made over 500 in-person presentations, produced an 88 page “Community Business Plan”, considered a major stake holder by the B.C. Government and lobbied successfully for the Fraser Valley Regional Rail Pre-Feasibility Study published July 8^th 2022.

Support for this initiative include the following –

• All South of Fraser Cities and Municipalities by resolution 2009
• 88% overall Public Support in a Mario Canseco ResearchCo Poll – North Delta to Chilliwack
• John Horgan – UBCM Meeting in Whistler September 2022
• All Post Secondary Institutions – Members of the Municipal Community Rail Task Force
• University of the Fraser Valley Transportation Demand Management Strategy
• Township of Langley UBCM Resolution 2023
• Lower Mainland Local Government Association (LMLGA unanimous support)
• Surrey Board of Trade
• Fleetwood Business Improvement Association
• Hydrogen B.C. / Canadian Hydrogen Fuel Cell Association
• B.C. Indigenous Housing Society
• Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives
• B.C. Government Fraser Valley Regional Rail Pre-Feasibility Study

Summary – So, the Highway #1 widening won’t be done until the 30s, and Skytrain won’t be done until the 30s if it ever gets done. Both projects are way over their proposed budget even before the projects get started. A reactivated 99 km Interregional Interurban passenger rail service could be operational at a fraction of the cost (pennies on the dollar) compared to SkyTrain as previously stated. All that is needed are road crossing gates at all road crossings (They are already in place in a number of locations), 14 European style Passenger Platforms (Not expensive SkyTrain Stations) in strategic locations between North Delta and Chilliwack. The track and track beds are maintained to national standards. The average speed would be between 60 and 80 KM per hour with an estimated 90-minute trip between Chilliwack and the Pattullo Bridge.

This service could be operational within 2 ½ – 3 years. What are the good people in the valley supposed to do, wait until 2034 before they can get a tiny bit of help to move around? Using provincial government traffic numbers just east of 200^th street, traffic is increasing at a rate of 20% per year. With the reality of Highway 1 widening just to Abbotsford not scheduled to finish until 2035 (a real date not a political dream) at best, what is the exponentially growing population of the Fraser Valley going to do? Tram Train Passenger Rail is the popular form of transit in virtually every part of the world including right here in Canada – Alberta, Ontario and Quebec. It is long past time we invested in affordable, convenient and effective public transit.

For full detail on this proposal check out the following links –

Web site www.southfrasercommunityrail.ca View 4-minute video on this site.

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/connectthevalley

You Tube Channel – https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCZxkXqvEP0EnV-CCK-LMaw

It is Time for Change – David Eby is a drastic change from John Horgan and it is not a good change. The NDP’s incompetence is showing in spades with their inability to manage and control major infrastructure projects, their imposition of their Social Engineering philosophy including the overbearing imposition of their housing policy on municipalities (without discussion and conversation) removing their ability to plan and listen to their communities, their legalized drug policy and the out-of-control crime problem. In short, they over their heads in their ability to effectively govern, we need change now!

RG

Protect your Democratic Rights – Protect your NEIGHBORS Democratic Rights – stay informed, stay involved and VOTE!!!

I am working on future posts that I believe are of significant concern to Township of Langley Residents, come back often for news of interest to Township residents.

Share this BLOG; forward it to your friends, neighbors, and relatives! To comment on this post – Click on this Post, top left-hand corner under recent posts.

In an unheard-of overreach by the NDP government has refused the TOL’s request for an extension in consideration of the serious deficient infrastructure issue which prevents municipalities to meet the government’s demand for even more housing than what they are accepting at present!

This action MUST be challenged by you the voter in this year’s B.C. Election if you want to protect your Municipality and community’s quality of life – reject the NDP!

Threats rather than communication, dialogue / discussion is NOT acceptable!!

The centrally controlled Eby administration, took what can only be described using a sledge hammer to kill a flea on the shortage of housing issue, (I describe it as being brain dead!) The community ramifications of their new housing policy in Bills 44, 46 and 47 cannot be willingly accepted by us, the Township taxpayer and voter!

In a media interview Eby conducted well before the introduction of these new Bills, after his public comments about what was to come, the media asked – “What about Parking”? His answer was “I am not worried about parking I am only worried about housing”? What world does David Eby live in?

To be clear, Municipal Government is a product of the Provincial Government; they have full control over what municipalities can and cannot do, however, I would argue Municipal Governments are the hallmark of our democracy and much closer to the people. Using a heavy -handed approach against a community’s democratic rights, without consultation, discussion and negotiation, is an outrageous act. – they should, and hopefully will pay the price! Disregarding each municipalities uniqueness, wishes and more, should leave all of us completely outraged and activated going into this year’s election.

The imposition of Bills 44,46, and 47 is the creation of a centralized campaign by Minister Ravi Kahlon and Premier David Eby who haven’t had one day of experience in Municipal elected office or on the issues faced by municipal governments and obviously haven’t spent a second of time considering the investments the public have made in their housing choice. It will not decrease the price of housing, but then why let the facts get in the way of a good story?

Minister Ravi Kahlon quote: Langley Advance Times (Mathew Claxton) – B.C. Housing Minister Ravi Kahlon stated “that doesn’t mean the end of the traditional single-family home just yet.” That statement sure gives you confidence, doesn’t it? NOT!

Township of Langley Mayor Eric Woodward quotes: Woodward likened the legislation to “surgery on housing policy using a chainsaw”! A very appropriate comment! “When they take these policies and drop them on the whole province, they’re really ignoring the nuance of how different communities do development differently…. By ignoring that they are going to cause a lot of damage.” “Provincial politicians are not going to prevent me from listening to my community.”

NDP Social Engineering is back with a vengeance as I stated in my previous BLOG Post. What do I mean by that? “The imposition of changes to our society’s norms, expectations, and wishes drastically changing universally accepted rules surrounding the make-up of our communities without due political process.” It removes your duly elected government’s ability to serve your needs and wishes properly!

In the case of the Township of Langley letter (below) received from Minister Ravi Kahlon in answer to the TOLs request for a one-year extension dealing with the government’s housing legislation. Without discussion, review, questions or a phone call re the infrastructure deficiency evidence provided by the Township of Langley in support of their requested extension, the Township of Langley’s request for extension was denied.

What infrastructure are we talking about? Water, sewer, roads, community centers, arenas, pools, parks (Passive and Play Fields), fire, police, transit, hospital capacity, electrical grid and so much more. But no, the government without investigation, communication or discussion are bulldozing their way into the rights of your municipal government that you elected to protect your rights, against this kind of intrusion.

In another warning letter just received from the Provincial Government stating the Township needs to designate an area around the future Willowbrook SkyTrain Station for high-density development. The letter, from Minister Rob Fleming, was a pointed reminder and “recommendation” (A Threat) that the Township put the designation in place no later than Oct. 31. By the way there are no parking requirements or payment of Municipal DCC and CAC fees associated to this high-density development bunder provincial regulation? So, you the property tax payer in the Township will have to pay up! Really? – What world do they live in?

In response, Mayor Woodward states “For the Willowbrook area, the BC NDP are requiring that we designate an area for significant quantity of tower density years before SkyTrain is even projected to be completed,” Woodward said. “It is being imposed without a community planning process for schools, parks and other needed amenities to provide for a complete community.” Woodward said that “mandating densities will cost taxpayers more in unnecessary land costs by removing the ability for the Township to collect funds via bonus densities.”

What makes all of this worse, if that is possible – they are imposing their will against and doing away with years and years of municipal community planning that have cost millions of dollars to create and years of input by you, the public. The provincial government, as part of this action is eliminating any parking requirements on any and all developments, imposing 3 – 6 units on a traditional single-family lot, all with absolutely no say from your municipal government! It all equates to the eventual destruction of our quality of life and of our communities as we know them.

B.C. Government Letterhead

July 25, 2024                                                                                                                                                      Reference: 69354

Jason Winslade

GM, Municipal Administration, Facilities and Corporate Projects

Township of Langley

20338 – 65 Avenue

Langley BC  V2Y 3J1

Email: jwinslade@tol.ca

Dear Jason Winslade:

Thank you for your application for an extension to the small-scale multi-unit housing (SSMUH) zoning bylaw requirements pursuant to Section 786 of the Local Government Act (“Act”), submitted to the Province June 20, 2024.

I have considered the application in accordance with the legislation. The request for extension on the basis of Council’s deferral is refused. Based on the application materials submitted, it is not apparent enough (from the documentation provided) that infrastructure upgrades are immediately needed in order to address risk to public health, safety, or environment.

Pursuant to Section 785 (1) (b) of the Act, you must adopt a zoning bylaw that complies with Section 481.3 in relation to the areas identified in your request within 90 days after the date set out in this notice of refusal.

Thank you again for writing.

Sincerely,

Ravi Kahlon

Minister of Housing

cc:          Chanpreet Kooner, Administrator (Acting) – Wendy Bauer, Director

Premier Eby and Minister Kahlon are busy sending out messages via Social-Media that Municipalities and Cities are all on board – Nothing could be further from the truth, Municipalities / Cities are being threatened and have no choice. Some are taking a stand, lets stand with them and defeat the NDP!

Township Housing Statistics: For those living in the Township of Langley, they will know and will have experienced the explosive population growth, thus the massive population increase and the inability of infrastructure to keep up with development. The following statistics reflect a municipality that is doing its part in providing housing starts while working hard to making up for years of not building the infrastructure required to sustain that population.

Township of Langley Units Approved, Not Yet at Construction

Apartments:                                                      69%                                       5,193

Townhouses:                                                     21.7%                                   1,630

Single Family Attached Rowhomes:         1.9%                                      144

Single Family:                                                    7.4%                                      554       

Township of Langley Housing Unit Approvals 2022 – 2024

Council Year       Total (Multifamily / Town House / Single Family)

2022                     66

2023                     6,443

2024                     1,030

Total                     7,539

Township of Langley Issued Building Permits Under Construction

Community                       Total (Multifamily / Town – Row House  / Single Family)                    

Aldergrove                          290

Brookswood Fernridge   199

Fort Langley                          28

Murrayville                            32

Northwest Langley               12

Rural Areas                           306

Walnut Grove                                                   

Willoughby                         2,040

Willowbrook                     

Still unknown                     982

Total                                     3,889   

Elections are your opportunity to make a statement!

In Summary – This election is your last chance to send a message to this NDP government to ensure a future government will revisit this undemocratic move! Remember, you get the government you deserve, take action now. Unfortunately, the disaster of this move will not be truly felt for a number of years if the NDP are elected – then it will be too late.

Threat by your NDP provincial government: Make no mistake about it, this is a threat against your duly elected municipal government – not a polite reminder as they will suggest. As Mayor of the Township of Langley I was confronted with a threat by then B.C. Liberal Minister of Transportation Kevin Falcon in an open letter stating that I either accept the road network (Mufford Crescent Diversion) that the B.C. Government, Federal Government, TransLink and 12 funding partners (part of the Roberts Bank Rail Corridor project) proposed or he would take the money and move it elsewhere! I also received the same verbal threat from him coming out of his office after an MFA meeting! Their proposal? A 4-lane road cutting through the historic Hudsons Bay Farm, over the rail tracks and Glover Road then through the middle of the Bella Vista Farm connecting to a two-lane country road at 64^th and 216^th. I lost two votes in my council despite two open houses and a public meeting and I lost the preliminary vote with the ALC. Finally, we filed a Minority Report (which my Council went apoplectic over) with the ALC refuting the erroneous information in the Pacific Land Group Report on which a final decision was to be made. Two years later, thanks to Richard Bullock then Provincial Chair of the ALC, and a further discussion with me – we won on a tie vote. (FYI – Richard Bullock was removed from that job by the B.C. Liberal Government shortly- after his vote on this proposal.) That negative vote by Richard Bullock caused a tie vote which rejected their proposal based on the three key issues we profiled in our minority report. That decision, saved over 300 acres of prime agricultural land in the Milner Valley designed for future development, changing the character of the Township of Langley forever. Just a sign of what really had gone on in the Township of Langley for decades. It was nothing more than a major land deal orchestrated by local power brokers for the benefit of a few friends and insiders. Their efforts and plans failed, you can fight and win!

By the way, they never did move the money as threatened; we approved a more appropriate overpass and road configuration that didn’t wipe out hundreds of acres of farmland. So much for Rich Coleman’s constant blathering threats about not putting provincial funds into the Township because I wouldn’t capitulate to his government’s demands.

There are never any guarantees, but we owe a great deal of thanks to Mayor Woodward and his majority on Council to stand up to this NDP bullying on our behalf. Believe me when I say, the easy decision is to throw up your hands and capitulate, the hard decision is to take a stand and not roll over.

For all of the foregoing facts, I am strongly recommending a vote for the B.C. Conservative Party. Provincial parties who threaten municipal and city governments have crossed the line of trust. In the case of the NDP, their move to Social Engineering should not be acceptable by any of us.   

RG

Protect your Democratic Rights – Protect your NEIGHBORS Democratic Rights – stay informed, stay involved and VOTE!!!

I am working on future posts that I believe are of significant concern to Township of Langley Residents, come back often for news of interest to Township residents.

Share this BLOG; forward it to your friends, neighbors, and relatives! To comment on this post – Click on this Post, top left-hand corner under recent posts.