Regional Parking Tax Faces Business Opposition In Vancouver

"The Retail Council of Canada is adding its voice to the growing chorus of businesses opposed to a controversial parking levy imposed by TransLink to pay for its $1.9-billion improvement program...The Retail Council joins the Canadian Federation of Independent Business and hundreds of Greater Vancouver businesses that are voicing opposition to the tax. It's expected nearly 1,000 business owners in the Greater Vancouver area will file appeals before a Tuesday deadline. By late this week, almost 540 appeals had been received, said parking site roll manager Andrew Moffat, an official with the B.C. Assessment Authority, which has been contracted by TransLink to administer the tax."

"The new tax will cost owners of commercial properties, but not residential owners, $1.02 per square-metre of parking space, as determined by the B.C. Assessment Authority...The parking site tax is being levied to raise $25 million for TransLink's $1.9 billion three-year improvement plan which includes eight major new road projects, a new Golden Ears Bridge, modernizing and expanding the bus fleet and improving and expanding the cycling network."

Thanks to Craig Townsend