Referendum Planned for SGI Transportation Service

On June 8, 2022, the Capital Regional District (CRD) Board received the Southern Gulf Islands Transportation Integration Plan, which presents a business case for a new transportation service for the Southern Gulf Islands Electoral Area. After consideration of the plan’s recommendations, the CRD Board voted to take the question to Southern Gulf Islands voters. There will be a referendum on whether to establish an SGI Transportation Service on the ballot at the General Election on October 15, 2022.

The new service will raise a maximum requisition of $675 000 or $14.10 per $100,000 of assessed property value ($0.1414 per $1,000). Voter assent is required to authorize creation of the new service.

The primary objective of an SGI transportation service would be to provide financial and coordination support to the trail organizations and community bus societies that work on the islands. The CRD service would support transportation by filling gaps in the existing local transportation framework: grants to non-profit transportation providers, holding tenure as required by the Ministry of Transportation in the Road Right of Way, acting as the sponsoring local government when required for transportation infrastructure investment and funding applications to higher levels of government, and providing coordination for a transportation network that is integrated across the different modes and different islands of the SGI EA. The SGI transportation service and funding priorities would be guided by an SGI Transportation Commission made up of local representatives from each island.

For more information and to view the plans, please visit the website or contact Justine Starke, Manager, SGI Service Delivery (CRD) at 250.360.3275.