[mr.x]

Full description of Bill 43, GREATER VANCOUVER TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY
AMENDMENT ACT, 2007: http://www.leg.bc.ca/38th3rd/1st_read/gov43-1.htm


Keep TransLink Public is an unaffiliated, grassroots coalition of citizens interested in the preservation of democracy and citizen engagement on a regional level. It was created by individual contributions and was made possible by the technical and artistic assistance of volunteer help.

http://keeptranslinkpublic.ca/index.php



-------------------------

Bill 43: GENERAL

Bill 43 will establish a new law called the South Coast British Columbia Transportation Authority Act (SCBCTAA)

The Organization shall be called the South Coast British Columbia Transportation Authority

The term of office of the current Board members will expire December 31, 2007 [S. 178 of SCBCTAA]

The Board of the Authority shall consist of 9 individuals [S. 177 of SCBCTAA]

There shall be a Mayors' Council with limited powers [S. 208 of the SCBCTAA]

The Authority shall have expanded powers to expropriate land, including that which is not immediately required for a specific project [S. 8 of GVTAAA]

The Authority shall have all rights, powers and advantages over busways, defined as bus-only-ways, in addition to railways, that go through municipalities [S. 8 of GVTAAA]

The Authority shall no longer expand services into neighbouring municipalities by agreement [S. 8(b) of GVTAAA]


Screening Panel

The 9 directors shall be chosen by the Mayors' Council from a list of 15 candidates selected by a Screening Panel consisting of:

* One appointed by the minister
* One by the Mayors' Council
* One by the council of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of British Columbia (which have donated $7172 to BC Liberals since 1999)
* One by the Board of Directors of the Vancouver Board of Trade
* One by the Greater Vancouver Gateway Council [S. 31 of Amendment Act, S. 172 of SCBCTAA]

The 2007 Screening Panel, which was established without legal authority, is retroactively made legal. Its members currently include Graham Clarke (Minister's appointee), Mike Harcourt (Regional Mayors' appointee), Hugh Lindsay (Institute of Chartered Accountants' appointee), Dave Park (VBT's appointee), and R.V. Wilds (Greater Vancouver Gateway Council's appointee) There is no legislative requirement that the 2007 Screening Panel select potential directors based on their relevant skill and experience (S. 177, 180 of SCBCTAA) The Screening Panel must select subsequent nominees based on the following criteria:

* Nominees are qualified individuals who hold the skills and experience needed to oversee the operation of the authority in an efficient and cost effective manner

The Screening Panel may select subsequent sets of nominees based on the criteria set by the Board. The mayors will have no input into what the skills and experience requirements of the directors shall be. [S. 185 of SCBCTAA...etc]

There is no requirement that this panel be whole (i.e. include a representative of the mayors) to make the screenings [S.172.3]

The Screening Panel will be paid and supplied with $50,000 per year to run the meetings [S. 174.1(b)]

Each member of the Screening Panel will be paid an honorarium of $5000 or however much the Board decides by resolution [S. 174.3]

The Screening Panel will recommend the levels of compensation for the Board, including the various levels for each member depending on their duties [S. 176, S. 182]

After supplying a list of nominees before the end of 2007 the Screening Panel is disestablished [S. 176.4]



Termination of Directors

The Board may remove one of its members by resolution [S. 187]

There is no provision allowing the Council of Mayors to terminate a director
Duties of Directors

The Board shall select its own CEO [S. 190]

The Board shall have all effective operational and management powers, including that to delegate duties to:

* Subsidiaries
* Employees, and
* Contractors [S. 190.3]

Conflict of Interest restrictions for directors will have no independent officer to enforce and no penalties to be incurred [S. 183]

Directors shall set the guidelines and requirements for their own jobs in the Authority's articles [S. 185]

The Board shall reimburse directors for legal costs incurred in a criminal proceeding if the Board decides there are "reasonable grounds for believing that the person's conduct was lawful" [S. 189]

The Board may establish committees of the board that will have the power of the Board invested in it [S. 190]



Mayors' Council

The Mayors' Council must appoint one of their number as chair and shall vote on any regional transportation matter with a vote weighted for population [S. 211]

The Mayors' Council will meet not less than 4 times annually [S. 210]

The Authority must fund the Mayors' Council with 0.02 percent of the Authority's gross revenue in the past year- with a budget of $840 million last year, this will amount to $168,000. [S. 213.3] (This means the Mayors' Council would potentially benefit personally from taxation decisions that would increase revenue).

The Mayors' Council shall vote on supplemental plans (described below) on or before October 31 [S. 204]

There is no provision stating that this vote will be weighted by population, although it is assumed section 211 of the SCBCTA will apply in this case.



Commissioner

The Mayors' Council shall appoint a qualified individual as a commissioner for a term of six years [S. 215-216]

For the purposes of selecting or terminating the commissioner, each mayor will have one vote [S. 217]

There shall be conflict of interest rules but no independent commissioner to ensure compliance or lay penalties [S. 220]

The Commissioner shall have the authority to approve additional fare increases [S. 223]

The Commissioner shall decide whether or not to grant additional fares based on the following criteria:

* It is reasonable to achieve the financial goals of the strategic plan
* It maintains the financial stability of the Authority [S. 223]

There is no provision requiring transit fares be reasonable with respect to achieving transit ridership targets

The Board may override the Commissioner and set higher fares anyway if they have a two-thirds majority and if they determine an increase is necessary to meet debt obligations [S. 223.11]

The Commissioner shall have the authority to set up a review process to examine the Board's sale of TransLink properties [S. 226]

The Commissioner may authorize inspectors to examine the Board's failure to provide a report or record [S. 227]

The Commissioner shall provide a review of the supplemental plans by September 1 to determine if they comply with the revenue and expenditure estimates [S. 203]



Long Term Strategy

The Board will establish the 30-Year provincial plan [S. 193]

There is no provision requiring the Mayors' Council to approve the 30-Year plan

In preparing a long term strategy, the Authority must consider:

* Regional land use objectives,
* Provincial and regional environmental objectives, including air quality and greenhouse gas emission reduction objectives, and
* Anticipated population growth in, and economic development of, the transportation service region. [S. 193.3]

There is no requirement that the Authority consult with the GVRD, the public, local governments or the province in formulating its first long term plan, although this requirement exists for subsequent plans [S. 193.5]

Failure to consult does not invalidate long term strategy [S. 193.7]


Strategic Plans

The Authority shall create a 10-year Base Plan, to be updated every year in accordance with revenue and expenditures identified in the 30 year plan [S. 194, S. 202]

In addition to the Base Plan, the Authority shall develop one or more supplemental plans describing variations to the base plan including their financial implications [S. 200]

These plans shall be made in accordance with:

* Regional growth strategy,
* Provincial and regional environmental objectives, including air quality and greenhouse gas emission reduction objectives,
* Anticipated population growth in, and economic development of, the transportation service region, and
* The Authority's current long term strategy [S. 201].

The plans are to be developed by August 1 of each year, are to be reviewed by the Commissioner by September 1, and must be approved by the Council of Mayors by November 1 [S. 202]

If the Mayors' Council cannot decide on a supplement, the base plan shall be adopted as the strategic plan [S. 206]

There is no provision stating that the Mayors' Council, in voting on the base and supplemental plans, will use a weighted vote, although it is assumed section 211 of the SCBCTA will apply in this case.


Financing

The Authority shall be empowered to levy additional property taxes equal to $18 million to compensate for loss of revenue from parking stall tax [S. 17 of GVTAAA]

The Authority may increase the fuel tax by no more than 3 cents per litre, and only if it is needed for one third of the needed revenue (thereby ensuring an equal increase in property taxes and fares] [S. 18 of GVTAAA]

The Authority shall have the power to increase property taxes by no more than 3 percent per year [S. 196 of SCBCTAA]

The Authority shall not increase property taxes if assessments increase [S. 196 of SCBCTAA]

The Authority shall levy tolls according to its bylaws [S. 199 of SCBCTAA]

The Authority shall increase fares with or without approval of Commissioner [S. 223.11 of SCBCTAA]

[Dorian G.]

What was the reason Translink had to go again? Was it because Greater Vancouver was the only large city in Canada where commute times decreased? Any why is it that the Vancouver board of trade (no affiliation to the city or govt.) gets a spot, along with accountants? It's like they couldn't find any special-interest groups with transportation credentials and the ideological slant they needed. They might as well have asked Denny's to appoint someone. But I assume it doesn't matter; the real role of these appointees is to react to whatever the transport minister claims say with "baa."

[LeftCoaster]

I like most of the changes, including the expanded powers of expropriation, but the name stinks!!

[Canadian Mind]

I voted passed, however i think there should have been an optio for amendments (most notably the horrendous name)

[twoNeurons]

i only voted to see the results... there was no "I have no opinion" vote.

[bugsy]

Please finally kill that goddam TransLink. Their current governance is a gigantic clusterfuck that produces no results while STILL taxing the hell out of your average taxpayer.

Funny thing about the special interest groups whining about reform is that they don't seem to notice TransLink is under provincial jurisdiction in any event and the province has every right (and might I add responsibility) to finally end the failed experiment that TransLink has become.

As for the South Coast British Columbia Transportation Authority, why not just the merge it back into BC Transit and skip all this grandstanding?

[mr.x]

'Watch what happens' to TransLink
'A lot more stuff will happen,' says transit spokesman

Frank Luba, The Province
Published: Friday, November 30, 2007

Big changes are expected in the way transit and transportation will be run in Metro Vancouver as a result of the passage yesterday in the legislature of Bill 43, which amends how Lower Mainland authority TransLink operates.

By Jan. 1, TransLink will be governed by a nine-member board of professionals. They will be selected by a council of the region's mayors from a list of 15 nominees winnowed from more than 200 applicants for the positions.

The new board will replace the 12 elected mayors and councillors, who will meet for the last time Dec. 12 in Richmond.

The first step in the changeover will likely be today, according to TransLink spokesman Ken Hardie. "We anticipate the mayors' council will meet [today] and start some of the processes," he said.

He hinted at major changes.

"Watch what happens in the new year," said Hardie. "There's going to be a lot more stuff that will happen because of this, that will be able to happen because there are going to be the ways to get it done that we simply haven't had at our disposal in the past."

NDP transportation critic Maurine Karagianis predicted the new board would run into the same problem the old board regularly faced -- a funding shortfall.

Karagianis called the revenue sources for TransLink -- now officially the South Coast British Columbia Transportation Authority -- "very problematic."

"It says they have to raise property tax and raise transit fares before they can invoke [additional] gas tax," she said of the legislation.

Transportation Minister Kevin Falcon didn't think funding was a problem. "We wanted to make sure there was a balance of revenue sources through all the groups," he said after the legislative session ended.

The problem, he said he had explained in the legislature, was a TransLink structure he called "Byzantine" and "subject to parochialism."

That parochialism is supposed to end with the new professional board. Falcon said screening-panel chairman Mike Harcourt told him the level of selections ranged from "excellent to superb."

There's a bigger picture, too.

"The premier has made it clear that we're serious about that 30-per-cent reduction in greenhouse-gas emissions by 2020," said Falcon. "We think TransLink is a big part of that."

fluba@png.canwest.com




i would like to assume that these "major changes" mean a lot of new rapid transit rail and bus service initiatives.

[deasine]

It's funny how the NDP is running out of things to say... simply repeating their rebuttals over and over again

[officedweller]

Thought you'd highlight the last quote in the story.

+++++++++++

Watts elected TransLink mayors council chair
By Jeff Nagel - Surrey North Delta Leader - November 30, 2007 | | | |

Surrey Mayor Dianne Watts has been elected chair of the new Mayors Council on Regional Transportation, a body that will politically oversee the reformed TransLink.

The mayors council's first task is to choose the nine-member appointed board of directors who will wield most power in the newly restructured South Coast British Columbia Transportation Authority. A screening panel has winnowed 250 applicants down to a short list of 15.

The mayors also have final say on TransLink property tax increases and long-range plans.

Watts defeated Richmond Mayor Malcolm Brodie on the second ballot.

The first ballot was a 10-10 tie. All mayors in the region were present except Bowen Island's.

Watts was nominated by Langley Township Mayor Kurt Alberts, while North Vancouver District Mayor Richard Walton nominated Brodie.

The new nine directors take power Jan. 1 and serve a three-year term, replacing the current TransLink board of area mayors and councillors.

Also still to be named is TransLink's new regional transportation commissioner, who will advise the mayors council and oversee fare increases or the sale of TransLink assets.

TransLink overhaul passes
By Jeff Nagel - Surrey North Delta Leader - November 29, 2007 | | | |

The radical reform of TransLink is now law, sweeping away the current elected directors and replacing them with an appointed board that will take over in January.

The B.C. Liberals cut off debate Thursday and forced through legislation to create the new South Coast British Columbia Transportation Authority.

A screening panel has already sifted through 250 applicants for the job of running TransLink and winnowed them down to 15 nominees, from which a council of mayors is to choose the final nine-member board.

Critics say the new structure is calculated to create a board aligned with the province and its business allies.

Surrey Coun. Marvin Hunt, TransLink's vice-chair, says the overhaul comes at the cost of local accountability and predicts the province will eventually scrap it as a failed experiment.

"I don't think this is a sustainable model for transit or transportation," Hunt said.

"When a future provincial government changes the legislation that governs transit and transportation in the Lower Mainland, I think very clearly they will be looking to a very different model.

"Whether you liked us or not, people had access to us, they could talk to us and we got things done."

The new authority gets powers to raise fuel taxes three cents a litre, boost property taxes and transit fares by an equivalent amount and go after new revenues through property development near transit stations.

The mayors council is to have final say over tax hikes and long-range plans, but most power will rest with the yet-to-be-chosen appointed, unelected board.

"People will see this is a turning point where access to accountability out of the transportation authority of the Lower Mainland changed inextricably and forever," said NDP transportation critic Maurine Karagianis.

She predicted the new authority, which is expected to expand east into the Fraser Valley and north to Whistler, will likely also mean increased privatization of transit services.

And Karagianis said it could end up being a model for similar authorities elsewhere in B.C.

Transportation minister Kevin Falcon, speaking over Opposition heckling Thursday as he ran out the clock on debate, said the changes will deliver a professional board that will work efficiently and end bickering among local politicians.

He said the fight over whether to build the Canada Line or Evergreen Line first was an "internationally embarassing circus that went on for far, far too long."

And Falcon said that was just one example of where TransLink and Metro Vancouver directors couldn't agree among themselves, listing the Gateway program as another.

"The public wants results," he said. "This is exactly the kind of thing that's gone on for too long. We're going to fix it."

[Lee_Haber8]

Let's hope this doesn't end up like other transportation authorities which are all just about expanding roads

[Jared]

It depends who they put on the board, really. If they put on people who actually know what they're doing (i.e. Transportation Engineers), we might see an improvement. Of course, it could also be stacked with idiots and special interests, which would not be good.
Does anyone know who the 15 candidates are?

The current (well, up until yesterday) system was flawed in that board members were accountable just to their particular municipality, so everyone was trying to bring home the bacon for their own municipality rather than looking after the region as a whole.

[Nutterbug]

I think Translink is going to be overbloated a bureaucracy, if it covers the entire Fraser Valley and Sea-to-Sky regions. The FVRD and SLRD should have their own Translink equivalents.

[Lee_Haber8]

It depends who they put on the board, really. If they put on people who actually know what they're doing (i.e. Transportation Engineers), we might see an improvement. Of course, it could also be stacked with idiots and special interests, which would not be good.
Does anyone know who the 15 candidates are?

The current (well, up until yesterday) system was flawed in that board members were accountable just to their particular municipality, so everyone was trying to bring home the bacon for their own municipality rather than looking after the region as a whole.

NO, you don't want transportation engineers, they're usually the ones who only design for car traffic and use models where the only solution is to build more.

[cc85]

Horray for business adminstering Translink. Mayors looking after transportation issues, wtf do they know. I seriously hate local municipal government structures, they almost know nothing about what they are making decisions on, they are there for show. No one on the translink board was looking at the big picture, they were all concerned with their own municipalities' interest. Like Derek Corrigan who was completely against the RAV line, of course why should he want funding to be diverted to richmond/van when it can go to more busses for burnaby. Oh wait, wouldnt the rav line have more volume on opening day then the Mline?

we have idiots making decisions for us, we need a business model that runs on efficieny with experts in the field of transportation, like urban planners for one. :worship:

With Diane watts being elected, look to seeing Blines popping up down KGH, 104, and fraser hwy faster than originally planned for.

[Nutterbug]

Horray for business adminstering Translink. Mayors looking after transportation issues, wtf do they know. I seriously hate local municipal government structures, they almost know nothing about what they are making decisions on, they are there for show. No one on the translink board was looking at the big picture, they were all concerned with their own municipalities' interest. Like Derek Corrigan who was completely against the RAV line, of course why should he want funding to be diverted to richmond/van when it can go to more busses for burnaby. Oh wait, wouldnt the rav line have more volume on opening day then the Mline?

I think he was opposed to going to the expense of tunneling the whole line through Vancouver for the sake of the creme de la creme NIMBYs. Sounds reasonable enough, since there's no tunneled Skytrain segment through Burnaby.

[cc85]

I think he was opposed to going to the expense of tunneling the whole line through Vancouver for the sake of the creme de la creme NIMBYs. Sounds reasonable enough, since there's no tunneled Skytrain segment through Burnaby.

Well he was objecting towards using a P3, as well as the route selection; he felt that cambie was not appropriate as it only houses 40K a day. Yet, most ppl go down granville only cause it connects with 41st, broadway, and then heads to d/t. cambie will be even better with the rav line.

i think hes a little jaded after losing the oval to richmond, as well as more industrial jobs to richmond, and more quality high-density development, and microsoft

[SpongeG]

Horray for business adminstering Translink. Mayors looking after transportation issues, wtf do they know. I seriously hate local municipal government structures, they almost know nothing about what they are making decisions on, they are there for show. No one on the translink board was looking at the big picture, they were all concerned with their own municipalities' interest. Like Derek Corrigan who was completely against the RAV line, of course why should he want funding to be diverted to richmond/van when it can go to more busses for burnaby. Oh wait, wouldnt the rav line have more volume on opening day then the Mline?

we have idiots making decisions for us, we need a business model that runs on efficieny with experts in the field of transportation, like urban planners for one. :worship:

With Diane watts being elected, look to seeing Blines popping up down KGH, 104, and fraser hwy faster than originally planned for.


yeah when the cities were involved they put their own city interests ahead of the region

just look at the new westminster mayor and things she has done or did

she at one point locked up that little one lane bridge that connects the united blvd and new westminster cause she didn't want to see new west used as a through route city - um hello the city is smack dab in the middle of the lower mainland at some point to get anywhere you have to pass through it

its probably why they added that stupid parking system to columbia street which reduced it to one lane for traffic

anyway i believe they are finally building a two lane bridge to replace the old one lane bridge and it will be a proper route as envisioned by the region for a north fraser river road

[Stingray2004]

Well, the new Translink has released the names of the professional board of directors:

Three-year terms:

Dale Parker, Corporate Director
Nancy Olewiler, Economics Professor, SFU
David Unruh, Corporate Director

Two-year terms:

James Bruce, Investment Banker
Sarah Goodman, Vice President, Canadian Government and Public Affairs, Weyerhauser
Robert Tribe, Professional Engineer

One-year terms:

Bob Garnett, Chartered Accountant
Cindy Chan Piper, Urban Planner
Skip Triplett, President, Kwantlen University College

http://www.translink.bc.ca/files/pdf/08_TransLink_Board_Bios.pdf

[SFUVancouver]

That's an interesting list. It's even got a (token) urban planner.

I've been reading the bios and Mr. Robert Tribe, in particular, looks on paper to be the sort of transit-oriented director that I know I hoped the new board would include. He is slated to be a two-year director and apparently he was in charge of project management for all phases of SkyTrain, and then went on to head up BC Transit's major capital works projects. He currently works in rapid transit project management for SNC-Lavalin's Office of the President, which would seem to mean he would have a conflict of interest for future rapid transit projects for which SNC-Lavalin was a bidder.

The real question will be what the balance of power is like.

I also noticed on the South Coast British Columbia Transportation Authority / Translink website that they have changed the description of the organization and its wording strikes me as being quite peculiar:

"TransLink, the Greater Vancouver Transportation Authority, is a small organization involved with transportation planning, administration of service contracts with subsidiary companies and contractors, the management of capital projects, financial management and planning, public affairs and supporting business functions.

TransLink's Security and Law Enforcement provides security and enforcement for Coast Mountain Bus, SeaBus, SkyTrain, and West Coast Express.

The actual delivery of public transit services takes place through subsidiary companies and contractors while the maintenance and improvement of the Major Road Network is done in partnership with the municipalities." source (http://www.translink.bc.ca/About_TransLink/default.asp)

[twoNeurons]

it would be cool if one of them became (or is) an ssp board member.

[mr.x]

did they just call Translink "small"?......or did they just exclude all the bus drivers, technicians, mechanics, engineers, etc.

[Bert]

The real question will be what the balance of power is like. From scanning the bios, here's my quick attempt at pigeonholing them, guessing what their mandates will be (goods movement, transit, or "hard to say").

Three-year terms:

Dale Parker, Corporate Director -> business/mining industry involvement -> goods movement
Nancy Olewiler, Economics Professor, SFU -> environmentalist -> transit
David Unruh, Corporate Director -> gas industry/Canada Line involvement -> hard to say

Two-year terms:

James Bruce, Investment Banker -> heavy forestry involvement -> goods movement
Sarah Goodman, Vice President, Canadian Government and Public Affairs, Weyerhauser -> heavy forestry involvement -> goods movement
Robert Tribe, Professional Engineer -> transit part of SNC Lavalin -> transit

One-year terms:

Bob Garnett, Chartered Accountant -> owns courier companies -> goods movement
Cindy Chan Piper, Urban Planner -> transit user -> transit
Skip Triplett, President, Kwantlen University College -> school/charity/steel industry -> hard to say

By my count that'll be:
4 focusing on goods movement,
3 on transit, and
2 that I can't tell.

By that count, it's hard to say what the balance of power will be (in terms of transit- vs. road-orientation).

[djh]

^In a way, if that analysis is correct, then they've made democratically-balanced choices for the committee. Some pro-road, some pro-mass-transit, and some who would vote either way based on the merits of the project.

Now the crunch happens when Falcon opens his budget pockets and says "we have $10bn to spend before the election, do we build bridges or do we expand skytrain...?"

[paradigm4]

did they just call Translink "small"?......or did they just exclude all the bus drivers, technicians, mechanics, engineers, etc.

TransLink itself is very small. The staff is only 200 people, and they basically just do planning and communications as the overarching organization. SkyTrain, SeaBus, Bus, WEC, etc. are all controlled by smaller "companies" in contract to TransLink.

[twoNeurons]

As much as we malign Falcon on this board, I honestly don't think he really wants highways criss-crossing the place.

He's very concerned about the business case for things, and perhaps not as much of a visionary, but I think he realizes the importance of public transportation, especially if he wants to model Vancouver on large cities with established public transportation systems like London, rather than places with less extensive ones.

At least that's how I see things.

I'll give him one thing... he doesn't seem like the type that would cave to NIMBYs... so if a line to UBC is decided on, it will likely get his full backing... nimby beware.

He doesn't live in the Creme de la creme... so it's likely he can identify with those that suffer with lack of transit.

He's gone on record saying that "his personal wish" is to run skytrain to Langley, but he realizes that it is his "personal" hope. This means he at least sees the value of train lines.

[mr.x]

TransLink itself is very small. The staff is only 200 people, and they basically just do planning and communications as the overarching organization. SkyTrain, SeaBus, Bus, WEC, etc. are all controlled by smaller "companies" in contract to TransLink.

Yea, but i thought the Coast Mountain Bus Company, SkyTrain, WCE, Seabus, etc. are all subsidaries of Translink, different departments of the same company.

[paradigm4]

Yea, but i thought the Coast Mountain Bus Company, SkyTrain, WCE, Seabus, etc. are all subsidaries of Translink, different departments of the same company.

Subsidiaries are not directly controlled by TransLink. For example, bus drivers work for Coast Mountain Bus Company, which has it's own staff and CEO.

If they were departments under TransLink, it would be a way different story. My only point is that, yes, TransLink, under the actual definition of the agency, is small.

[officedweller]

From the Leader:

Business names dominate TransLink
By Jeff Nagel - Surrey North Delta Leader - December 13, 2007

Nine new unelected directors have been picked to run TransLink and many of them are business executives with ties to Olympic agencies or Crown corporations.

The new TransLink board that takes over Jan. 1 consists of:

- Dale Parker (Vancouver) – a corporate director, Vancouver Police Board member and past president of WorkSafeBC.

- Nancy Olewiler (North Shore) – an SFU economics professor and public policy program director, and a director on the B.C. Hydro board.

- David Unruh (North Shore) – a director of Union Gas and former executive with West Coast Energy. He's also a corporate director with several other firms and sits on the board of Canada Line Rapid Transit.

- James Bruce (Vancouver) – investment banker, chair of the 2010 Games Operating Trust Society and partner in Capital West Partners.

- Sarah Goodman (Vancouver) – a vice-president at forestry giant Weyerhaeuser who also sits on a VANOC sustainability advisory committee[.

- Robert Tribe (Abbotsford) – a professional engineer who headed SkyTrain development; he has major project development experience with SNC-Lavalin.

- Bob Garnett (Richmond) – a chartered accountant with Paradigm Management Partners and corporate director; vice-chair of Coast Capital Savings.

- Cindy Chan-Piper (Vancouver) – an urban planner who has worked with many cities in Metro Vancouver.

- Skip Triplett (Surrey) – president of Kwantlen University College.

The first three on the list are to serve a three-year term, the second three will serve for two years, and the final three are to serve one year.

They were picked Wednesday at a closed door meeting by the new Mayors Council on Regional Transportation.

The new board replaces the 12 outgoing TransLink directors who were all elected mayors or city councillors.

The mayors council was provided 15 names vetted by a screening panel, which interviewed more than 200 applicants.

No directors have been appointed from the northeast sector but Surrey Mayor Dianne Watts, who chairs the mayors council, defended the choices.

"People weren't picked specifically by where they live," she said. "They were picked by the attributes they can bring to the board."

Watts said many on the mayors council are frustrated with the radical reform of TransLink spearheaded by transportation minister Kevin Falcon.

A large block of mayors voted to boycott the selection process entirely, but they were defeated in a weighted vote by Vancouver and Surrey. (A weighted vote means each mayor's vote is weighted by population, giving the two largest cities the ability to outvote nearly all the others).

"Vancouver and Surrey carry a lot of votes," said Burnaby Mayor Derek Corrigan, who stormed out of the meeting. "When they decided to vote in favour of this board being appointed, that left most of us out in the cold."

Watts said the province's legislation anticipated a possible boycott.

Had mayors refused to choose, the top three on the list of 15 nominees would have automatically become TransLink's new board.

Watts said it's better to have a full board of nine rather than just three.

"I'm willing to give the process a chance," she said. "I think we need to walk down that road and see where it's going to take us."

She noted mayors also will have an ongoing chance to re-assess their participation in TransLink, because the mayors council must approve property tax hikes and long-range plans.

The mayors council went with nine names out of the 15 that were recommended by their screening panel rep, ex-premier Mike Harcourt.

"We endorsed Mikey's nine," said Maple Ridge Mayor Gordy Robson, who is disappointed with the outcome.

"That's awfully weighted toward the City of Vancouver and the downtown business community," he said, but added most mayors agreed to "have faith in the process."

He said the mayors were given very limited information to make their choices.

"It is a totally business-oriented board with heavy ties to the Liberal government," Corrigan said.

"It's a board that Kevin Falcon and his friends at the Vancouver Board of Trade could be sure would do what they want," he added.

He said the province is trying to gain control of TransLink while putting the accountability on the mayors.

"Everybody's disgusted and disappointed."

The newly structured TransLink will have the power to boost fuel taxes by three cents per litre, along with matching increases from property taxes and transit fares.

Under the new system, three directors are to be appointed every year for a three-year term, ensuring a steady rotation of the board.

[quobobo]

(I realize I'm late to this discussion, but....)
What was that about no taxation without representation?

I'd like Translink to be fully privatized, but private management that has control over (public) tax dollars is very disturbing. Either privatize it fully or make it completely public again, I don't want a government-sanctioned monopoly sustained by my taxes.