The Livable Blog

Joe Trasolini has always struck me as a no nonsense type of guy. This morning on CBC Radio's "The Early Edition", he said without the Evergreen Line skytrain, his community of 32,000 could not support anymore growth without unacceptable gridlock. Which he says is due to Port Moody's geographic nature, which funnels Vancouver commuter traffic along the Barnet Hwy (Rd.), or one has to go out to HWY #1. To that end he would no longer be supporting Port Moody's Livable Regions Official Community Plan which allows for an increase in population to 44,000 residents.

When you think about it, Gordon Campbell may be achieving our desired GHG reductions by default here. No money left for transit means no more growth. All in all, not such a bad thing if it helps the climate change cause by reducing emissions.

PoMo mayor talking tough on transit fundingPoMo mayor talking tough on transit funding
By Gary McKenna - The Tri-City News

snip/...The days of high-density developments could be over in Port Moody if the Evergreen rapid transit line is not built, said the city's mayor.
Joe Trasolini told the Tri-City News Thursday he would seek support from fellow councillors calling for an official community plan that outlines zero growth in the municipality. The move would be in contravention of Metro Vancouver's Livable Region Strategic Plan.
"If they want to take us to court they can do that," Trasolini said. "If they want to enforce them and take us to court I am saying that I accept the challenge. We can't move forward without transportation.".../snip

snip/....However, not all Tri-City officials were in agreement with the mayor of Port Moody.
Coquitlam Mayor Richard Stewart said construction of the Evergreen Line is not an if, but a when, and that the region cannot move backwards in its development plans.
"Joe and I disagree on tactics," he said Thursday morning. "The Evergreen Line will be built. It has to be. We have constructed our city centre as a transit oriented development.".../snip