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I wonder if Translink will be able to re-zone ALR lands as well under their new powers to overide Langley municipalities zoning power? They can make big bucks that way. Translink, the new best buddy of big developers! Wonder how many will be on thier new board?
LFP,
My understanding of the plan is to give the new Translink "adequate authority and powers similar to those enjoyed by the Ministry of Transportation".
The MOT gets its power under the Transportation Act where it “has, and may exercise, in relation to the arterial highway, all of the rights, powers and advantages that the affected municipality had, before the arterial highway was designated as such under this or any other Act”. So it is not that the MOT gets more powers than the municipalities its that the MOT gets the original powers of the municipalities to zone etc.. around designated arterial routes (they don't literally override the municipal zoning they technically replace the municipal zoning).
Since municipalities could not, nor can they override the provisions of the Agricultural Land Reserve Act then Translink would not get that power either. The ALR would thus be safe as only a decision of the AL commission could get the land out.
Cheers,
I still believe that a Surrey-Langley-Abbotford and points East route should be provided by private enterprise. The Province and municipalities would assemble the necessary real estate only, and plan the stops and parking facilities.
The resulting facility would not be able to run in the red, and user rates would reflect real costs. The tax payer would not be on the hook due to great numbers of parasites feeding from the provincial mamary gland. That's the way things used to be when life was simpler and less regulated.
Premier Campbell is essentially becoming the super Mayor of GVRD once again!
While the province (Campbell) might indeed be taking over more GVRD and Translink decisions, there could be a lot less red tape and speedier development as a result. The drawback, of course, could be poor governance by the province, but there are many watchdogs to prevent that.
The quagmires of planning, financing, land aquisition, engineering, and perhaps finally a project start up, get far to lengthy and complicated when too many bodies are involved.
Commenting by HaloScan
