City of Vancouver staff: no more free parking for CF vets

[daftandbarmy]

Now, if they just could all ride bikes instead....  :


City of Vancouver staff urging removal of free parking for Canadian Forces veterans

A motion moved by NPA councillor Melissa De Genova in November 2019 calling on city staff to develop policies that expand free parking for veterans of the Canadian Forces was approved by Vancouver City Council in November 2019.

Nearly a year later, City of Vancouver staff are returning to city council with recommendations that achieve the complete opposite of the motion’s intention.

Not only are city staff not recommending year-round free parking for veterans, but they are urging city council to remove the current provisions for free parking for veterans during the annual week-long period leading up to Remembrance Day starting in 2021.

City Manager Sadhu Johnston argued the bureaucracy is taking this position over how free parking for veterans counters with the municipal government’s position on decreasing car use, and the expected budgetary impact from decreased parking revenues.

“We have many concerns about subsidizing parking for veterans. It incentivizes driving as a way to travel, which is in direct opposition to our climate change and transportation policies. It interferes with our strategy to manage street space through pricing tools,” he wrote in the report.

“It does not support veterans who travel in other ways, such as by transit, walking, or cycling. Veterans are not, in general, a low-income or disadvantaged group, so this does not advance key equity goals and not charging for parking would not support low-income veterans, many of whom may not be able to afford a vehicle. Depending on the direction given by Council, it may also be costly and reduce City revenues.”

On the city’s emerging concept of “equity,” the report adds this counters the city’s new approach to focus its support for “historically disadvantaged communities.”

Currently, vehicles displaying a veteran licence plate are exempted from parking meter fees each year between November 4 and 11. This policy has been in place since 2007.

https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/vancouver-canadian-forces-veterans-free-parking?fbclid=IwAR2mvxAwmD_JAbBGtaxOcfwv5E1Mtvq3wvlARsGJotB0Vfhu3W7yLPxIIWA

https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/vancouver-canadian-forces-veterans-free-parking?fbclid=IwAR2mvxAwmD_JAbBGtaxOcfwv5E1Mtvq3wvlARsGJotB0Vfhu3W7yLPxIIWA

- mod edit to make full headline legible -

 

[Quirky]

All this over 7 days of free parking for a irrelevant amount of veterans who A: choose to have plates and B: live in Vancouver. I’d like to know just how much revenue they are losing over all these free parkers. I grew up in BC and I’d never get veteran plates nor be able to afford to live there. Vancouver must’ve fixed homelessness if these are the types of things they are acting on.

 

[Colin Parkinson]

Drivers are the spawn of the devil and being a veteran is double bad in their eyes.

 

[FJAG]

All this over 7 days of free parking for a irrelevant amount of veterans who A: choose to have plates and B: live in Vancouver. I’d like to know just how much revenue they are losing over all these free parkers. I grew up in BC and I’d never get veteran plates nor be able to afford to live there. Vancouver must’ve fixed homelessness if these are the types of things they are acting on.

Vancouver is incapable of fixing homelessness or the drug trade or leaky condos which is why they spend their time on the rinky dink crap, consider themselves progressive and pat themselves on the back.

:cheers:

 

[The Bread Guy]

Vancouver is incapable of fixing homelessness or the drug trade or leaky condos which is why they spend their time on the rinky dink crap, consider themselves progressive and pat themselves on the back.

Well, here's Council's chance to shine  ;D  To be fair to the bureaucrats, if the politicians want a "get as much money back as you can" or a "keep as many cars off the street as possible" policy, it's also up to them to over-ride that for any exceptions. 

Here's part of the staff rationale from their report on the issue (attached):

... we have many concerns about subsidizing parking for veterans. It incentivizes driving as a way to travel, which is in direct opposition to our climate change and transportation policies. It interferes with our strategy to manage street space through pricing tools. It does notsupport veterans who travel in other ways, such as by transit, walking, or cycling. Veterans are not, in general, a low-income or disadvantaged group, so this does not advance key equity goals and not charging for parking would not support low-income veterans, many of whom may not be able to afford a vehicle. Depending on the direction given by Council, it may also be costly and reduce City revenues.Based on this, staff do not recommend that this policy move forward and would suggest that Council direct staff to look for other ways to honour our veterans. If this were to include financial benefits for veterans’ travel, staff would suggest it could be in the form of a grant to a veterans’ organization. However if Council chooses to cover the cost of parking for veterans, this report contains some considerations to move forward ...

The attached report also offers up alternatives like grants to vet organizations and the like.

 

[daftandbarmy]

Well, here's Council's chance to shine  ;D  To be fair to the bureaucrats, if the politicians wants a "get as much money back as you can" or a "keep as many cars off the street as possible" policy, it's also up to them to over-ride that for any exceptions. 

Here's part of the staff rationale from their report on the issue (attached):The attached report also offers up alternatives like grants to vet organizations and the like.

Of course.... because ageing veterans are keen consumers of the ample number of bike lanes provided by a grateful city. Especially in the non-Summer seasons when it rains 9/10 days.  :

 

[Blackadder1916]

Are there any veterans in Vancouver?  The actual city boundaries, not just that big built-up area that everyone says will slide into the sea when the big earthquake happens.  Okay, I'm being sarcastic, but how large a "veterans population" are actually resident in the over-priced real estate market that is the City of Vancouver?

The demographics, scant and dated as they are, seems to indicate that while BC may be home to many veterans, Vancouver (the most populous city in that province) is not a natural home for them.

https://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/about-vac/news-media/facts-figures/1-0

Estimated Veteran Population by Province

(The columns are Province/war service veterans/CAF Reg & Res/Total)

BRITISH COLUMBIA 8,700 81,100 89,800  (This is the second highest war service veterans and third highest provincial total)


Veterans Served by Area Office as of December 2019  (Columns here are War Veterans/CAF/RCMP/Totals)

VANCOUVER 572 1,316      579 2,467

And for comparison the activity in the other BC offices

KELOWNA         259 1,210 705       2,174
PENTICTON 368 1,617 875       2,860
PR GEORGE 67 435         278       780
SURREY         632 1,927 1,337 3,896
VICTORIA         921 7,269 1,021 9,211


It would seem that to city bureaucrats (and probably municipal politicians) veterans resident in the city are not a constituency of any note.

So before declaring Vancouver government heartless bastards, are any of the other BC cities offering similar parking perks?

 

[daftandbarmy]

Are there any veterans in Vancouver?  The actual city boundaries, not just that big built-up area that everyone says will slide into the sea when the big earthquake happens.  Okay, I'm being sarcastic, but how large a "veterans population" are actually resident in the over-priced real estate market that is the City of Vancouver?

The demographics, scant and dated as they are, seems to indicate that while BC may be home to many veterans, Vancouver (the most populous city in that province) is not a natural home for them.

https://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/about-vac/news-media/facts-figures/1-0

Estimated Veteran Population by Province

(The columns are Province/war service veterans/CAF Reg & Res/Total)

BRITISH COLUMBIA 8,700 81,100 89,800  (This is the second highest war service veterans and third highest provincial total)


Veterans Served by Area Office as of December 2019  (Columns here are War Veterans/CAF/RCMP/Totals)

VANCOUVER 572 1,316      579 2,467

And for comparison the activity in the other BC offices

KELOWNA         259 1,210 705       2,174
PENTICTON 368 1,617 875       2,860
PR GEORGE 67 435         278       780
SURREY         632 1,927 1,337 3,896
VICTORIA         921 7,269 1,021 9,211


It would seem that to city bureaucrats (and probably municipal politicians) veterans resident in the city are not a constituency of any note.

So before declaring Vancouver government heartless bastards, are any of the other BC cities offering similar parking perks?

No other city in BC has parking problems like Vancouver, partly because of misguided City policies....

 

[Brad Sallows]

If there aren't that many veterans in Vancouver, it just makes the City look more chickensh!t.

 

[brihard]

Vancouver city council has rejected the advice and will trial a year of free parking for cars with veterans’ plates.

https://bc.ctvnews.ca/mobile/rejecting-concerns-about-financial-impact-vancouver-council-votes-to-allow-free-parking-for-veterans-1.5157111?fbclid=IwAR1nCIMnOFTPHeSHq2bW7jfI3T_TDzQ-fmHY7y93aLvNV3J2rI6y2EmPoiI

 

[QV]

Vancouver city council has rejected the advice and will trial a year of free parking for cars with veterans’ plates.

https://bc.ctvnews.ca/mobile/rejecting-concerns-about-financial-impact-vancouver-council-votes-to-allow-free-parking-for-veterans-1.5157111?fbclid=IwAR1nCIMnOFTPHeSHq2bW7jfI3T_TDzQ-fmHY7y93aLvNV3J2rI6y2EmPoiI

Might be a lot of people who meet this criteria.

https://www.icbc.com/vehicle-registration/licence-plates/Pages/Licence-plates-for-veterans.aspx

Eligibility

You are eligible to apply for veteran licence plates if you own or lease an eligible vehicle, and were honourably discharged from, or are currently serving in one of the following:
1.WWII, Korea, Gulf War, the Balkan Wars, Afghanistan, or other UN Peacekeeping Missions as a member of:
•The Canadian Armed Forces, or
•An Allied Force, or
•The Canadian or Allied War Time Merchant Navy
2.A member of the Canadian Armed Forces, Regular or Reserves, who successfully completed basic training
3.UN or NATO Operations as a member of:
•The Canadian Armed Forces, or
•A UN or NATO Alliance Force serving in an Operation with the Canadian Armed Forces
4.UN or NATO operation under command of the Canadian Armed Forces as a member of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, Municipal Police, or Correctional Services of Canada
5.Similarly qualified member of a British Commonwealth of Nations Armed Force who are honourably discharged. Unfortunately, currently serving members are not eligible.

 

[mariomike]

You are eligible to apply for veteran licence plates if  < snip >

See also,

Veterans License Plates 
https://navy.ca/forums/threads/18176.100
6 pages.

 

[FJAG]

A happy ending whereby politicians completely route bureaucrats.

Vancouver approves year-round free parking for veterans over city staff objections

By Simon Little Global News
Posted October 22, 2020 10:27 pm

Vancouver city council has voted unanimously to move ahead with a year-round free parking program for veterans, over the objections of city staff.

...

See rest of article here.

:cheers:

 

[OldSolduer]

A happy ending whereby politicians completely route bureaucrats.

See rest of article here.

:cheers:

Its a good first step - other jurisdictions need to realize its the politicians that really make the decisions, not the bureaucracy.

Its unfortunate that many politicians have abdicated their responsibilities.

 

[daftandbarmy]

A happy ending whereby politicians completely route bureaucrats.

See rest of article here.

:cheers:

Be careful with statements like that where Vancouver is concerned. Their bureaucracy, as with some other municipalities, can be heavily influenced by the politicians.

I doubt they would have offer something contentious, like the free parking for vets, up for the chopping block unless they knew that's what their bosses wanted.

And now the politicians have happily thrown the bureaucracy under the bus, so to speak, to look good to the public after it became such a hot topic.

 

[Colin Parkinson]

Now they are suggesting road tax for everyone https://www.citynews1130.com/2020/10/28/proposed-tolls-vancouver/

They really do hate cars

 

[SupersonicMax]

Now they are suggesting road tax for everyone https://www.citynews1130.com/2020/10/28/proposed-tolls-vancouver/

They really do hate cars

It wouldn’t be the first city to do this.  It is an overall good system to reduce pollution, incite the use of public transit with little lasting impacts.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Congestion_pricing

 

[mariomike]

Now they are suggesting road tax for everyone https://www.citynews1130.com/2020/10/28/proposed-tolls-vancouver/

They really do hate cars

Would the Province of B.C. not have to approve that?

Reason I ask that is,

Toronto wanted to try it with the Don Valley Parkway and Gardiner Expressway ( which they own, police and maintain ) in 2016. But, Queen's Park refused to allow it.  That revenue would have been put towards improving public transit.

Obviously, the idea was popular with Toronto property owners. Not so much with out of town commuters. That's when Queen's Park 86'd it.

And that was Premier Wynne. Can't see any way Doug would ever let TO "Declare war on the car!" 

The tolls would only affect users coming in to Toronto from outside city limits who pay their property taxes to other municipalities. It would no have affect provincial 400 series highways running into the city.

 

[Brad Sallows]

>little lasting impacts.

I've commuted in Vancouver during peak hours.  Nudging more people into already over-congested transit vehicles will have impacts.

 

[Colin Parkinson]

I have a better suggestion, we tax Vancouver Residents when they want to leave their city to use everyone else roads. road tax advocates can go pound sand. I already pay more through a 21% parking tax and fuel tax, on top of my Provincial, Federal and municipal taxes. It's only in the last 5 years that Transit has broken even and that was because they were actually using the capacity that they have, now that people aren't coming downtown, transit is in the hole again and looking for wallets to drain. The reality is that as long as buses are driven and maintained by human labour, you cannot afford a full tranist system. People who propose transit as a solution to all things also want high density in the hope that will pay for it, yet the West End has one of the highest densities in Canada already, apparently that's not enough...