GCT 1 1979 ~ LATE ITEM
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Mayor and Council September 30th, 1979" oo ead

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Alderman E.W. Mabbett

This past week I attended the seminar and exchange visit with G.V.R.D.
and the American ccunterpart the Puget Sound Council of Governments on planning
and transportation.

A few of the highlights that came forth were as follows:

GVRD explained how they can accommodate an estimated 460,000 additionai -
peole in the area over the next 20 years without turfing out additional, farm lands
or industrial lands. This will be shown to you in. the updated O.R.P. which is
well on the way. .

Puget Sound, and particularly Seattle, ‘are wrestling with similar problems
and are looking at some 700,000 people increase by the year 2000. Of cours?, in
both instances, transportation and recreation are foremost in the minds of the
Councils.

Where we have certain interferences with local government by the Provincial
Government, the Americans’ hands are tied to a great extend by their Federal Government.
It was stated that they have to deal with some 15 agencies of Government. ne

Director Ian Young, Chairman of the GVRD Transportation Committee, reported on
the function of his Committee in relation to U.T.A. for the benefit of the |
American representatives. As you are all aware of the overall Transportation.
Committee's work, I will not dwell on it. The one point: Chairman Young did make-
for the benefit of GVRD members was that he felt that this week — hopefully by”:
Wednesday - some firm and agreeable decision will be announced by the Provincial
Government.

Mrs. Wilson, a Councillor from Seattle, spoke on the basic problems they
have (which. are similar to ours), particularly in the transportation field. One ,
major problem they have in having to depend on Federal funding is that, for example,
funding for transportation from the Feds is firmly designated to roads, bridges, etc.
and not to transit facilities as such, which they are trying to get changed.

Seattle is going back to the use of electric trolley buses - some 110 going
into operation shortly. Seattle has great reservations about going underground in
the City Centre areas for L.R.T. after studies in other countries tave been. looked
at. One other interesting point made by Mrs. Wilson was that one major employer
in downtown Seattle is purchasing several thousand transporation passes for their
employees on an annual basis to encourage the use of public transit. Two other
large employers are considering following suit.

Seattle derives approximately 35% of transit. costs from fare boxes; 40% of
transit costs from sales tax and new motor vehicle purchases, etc,}5 and the balance
from various sources.

As I mentioned earlier in my comments, most of the discussions from the
GVRD side was for the prime benefit of the American counterparts and was well
known by all of you, however, I do believe these interchanges of ideas are good
for everyone.

EWM /w