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Surrey Board of Trade praises ‘balanced’ B.C. budget, but wants an LRT commitment

‘What we need for Surrey is certainty,’ says SBOT boss of provincial commitment to light rail plan
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Rendering of a planned Surrey light rail train. (Photo: surrey.ca)

The Surrey Board of Trade is praising the new NDP government’s “balanced” budget.

“There are a number of Surrey Board of Trade policies that we have championed for years,” said CEO Anita Huberman in a release. “We have long advocated for investments in the social infrastructure to alleviate the pressures on businesses to fill those gaps. This budget reflects many of our statements over the years.”

Huberman said the business group will be “monitoring closely is how the shift in taxes more towards the business sector will be implemented.”

“We appreciate the efforts to keep the budget balanced and ensure financial stability for the next two to three years. However, balancing the budget through increasing business-focused taxes, such as the new Employer Health Tax, will be a hard sell to our members,” said Huberman.

See also: B.C. BUDGET: Payroll tax replaces medical premiums

TRANSIT FOR SURREY

While the Surrey Board of Trade noted the B.C. budget was “silent” on infrastructure spending for the Mayors’ 10 year plan, it said that the funding is in place: nearly $1.2 billion for the next three years.

“What we need for Surrey is certainty,” said Huberman. “We have businesses, who overwhelmingly support Surrey’s LRT, waiting to move forward on their plans in conjunction with the development of transit.”

Huberman referenced a recent SBOT Surrey Road Survey result where 86 per cent of respondents supported both phases of LRT.

See also: Surrey Board of Trade releases road survey

See also: Mayors’ Council reaffirms commitment to transportation plan, including Surrey LRT

See also: Surrey mayor urges province to ‘hurry up’ lest LRT price tag rises

“We have been kept waiting too long. It’s time,” she stated.

The Surrey Board of Trade says it is pleased to see that the government is moving ahead with the Pattullo Bridge replacement, but was concerned by the lack of numbers for the Massey Tunnel.

See also: VIDEO: New Pattullo Bridge expected to open in 2023

“We recognize for goods and movement through the Lower Mainland, the Massey Tunnel has to be replaced as well,” said Huberman.

AFFORDABLE HOUSING

Huberman praised the B.C. budget for its focus on affordable housing, including $170 million over three years to construct 2,500 permanent housing units for those who are homeless or at risk of homelessness, and $136 million over three years to support 1,500 housing units for women and children.

Another $73 million over three years has been committed to support renovations and upgrades for existing social housing and another $6 billion through partnerships to deliver 114,000 homes in the next decade.

“We have long recognized that if workers cannot afford to live near their employment,” said Huberman, “then they will move to where they can. Employers know that attracting workers needs a community that is attractive and affordable for families Further, young professionals, those earning anywhere from $50 to $100k are challenged to find housing that suits their needs with a near zero per cent vacancy rate. This plan is a start as it recognizes the need to work with developers and municipalities to move quickly forward on needed developments.”

See more: BC BUDGET: NDP push for purpose-built rentals in ‘historic’ $1.6B investment

See also: BC BUDGET: NDP cracks down on speculators, hidden ownership

The SBOT says it’s pleased to hear that the province will encourage local governments to expedite affordable housing development by matching the increase to available property tax exemptions provided under municipal revitalization agreements for purpose-built rental housing.

“Surrey is not known for providing incentives for affordable housing, hopefully, this will be enough to bring Surrey to the table,” said Huberman.

CHILD CARE

When it comes to child care, Huberman said Surrey has seen a deficit of nearly 13,000 spaces for up to 12 years.

The province is providing $650 million over three years to improve affordability specifically for infant and toddler, plus 3 to 5 year olds, she noted

See more: B.C. BUDGET: New spaces a step to universal child care

“We are very vested in ensuring that our workers have safe, affordable childcare,” Huberman said in a release.

Subsidization for families will increase and scale up based on need, benefiting up to 86,000 families by end of 2020-21, according to the budget.

Other measures are budgeted to increase spaces in fast growing districts and train future Early Childhood Educators, and a major push is to encourage unlicensed daycare operators to become licensed, the SBOT release notes.

“This is all a good start,” said Huberman. “However, I note that there is an ask from our local providers that the process by which childcare centres are licensed is very challenging. More work needs to be done to implement their priorities, as well as to increase spaces in Surrey.”

EDUCATION

In its release, the business group mentioned the recently committed $270 million in funding for Surrey schools.

The B.C. budget included $2 billion to maintain, replace or renovate schools, including mention of plans in Surrey: 655 student spaces for a new Edgewood Drive Elementary and 1,500 in the new Salish Secondary School (set to open later this year), as well as seismic upgrades for all school requiring them.

“Although it wasn’t mentioned in the budget, I anticipate a conversation to begin regarding the funding formula. Fast growing districts such as ours, requires a different funding model to ensure that capital investments are co-ordinated with development,” said Huberman. “If we don’t have that dialogue, the crisis of playing ‘catch-up’ will continue.”

‘FISCAL PRUDENCE’

“Of major concern to us is to ensure that the budget is not only balanced and fiscally prudent, but we also want to see sustainable financing to support long-term programs, such as capital investments in schools and transit infrastructure,” said Huberman in the release, noting the B.C. budget has introduced new taxes and sources of revenue that will offset some of the reductions and eliminations already announced.

“I’m concerned that some of the shifts of revenue, while helpful to families and young professionals, may adversely affect businesses,” said Huberman. “Our Finance and Taxation Team will be reviewing these and we will comment further. However, the social infrastructure investments in housing and childcare, is what our business members have been calling for, so there is a balance there. No budget will please everyone, but most of what is in the budget is in line with our policies and our advocacy.”

Overall, Huberman categorized the budget as “very solid.”

“It does include much that we have asked, and it has a plan to ensure that it is a balanced budget now and for the couple of years,” she said.

See also: B.C. BUDGET: Surpluses predicted for three years



amy.reid@surreynowleader.com

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