Premier David Eby says the BC NDP government is not going ahead with an annual vehicle levy that had been discussed for TransLink.
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Premier David Eby says the BC NDP government will not introduce an annual vehicle levy in Metro Vancouver to create new revenue for TransLink.
Eby made the comment during a press conference earlier on Oct. 2, after reporters asked about the possibility of a levy.
The discussion was prompted by earlier reporting that the provincial government and TransLink had considered a vehicle levy of $100 to $150 annually, with ICBC collecting the charge during vehicle insurance renewals.
Eby rejected the proposal directly, saying: “We are not going ahead with the vehicle levy. That will not happen.”
Eby linked the decision to the government’s campaign promise to suspend a portion of the provincial gas tax, which was described as reducing gas taxes by as much as 30 cents per litre.
He said the province cannot respond to calls for more funding “to drivers” by introducing a new charge, adding: “This comes up every election.”
The provincial government had previously provided TransLink with what was described as a final operating subsidy for 2025 to help cover revenue shortfalls over three years through the end of 2027, and later planned new legislation in 2027 to begin generating a new revenue source in 2028.
TransLink said in a statement responding to inquiries that the provincial government is responsible for choosing the new revenue source and that it has not advocated for any particular option.
TransLink also said that declining gas tax revenue is a growing problem: it reported that average fuel consumption per vehicle has fallen 45 per cent since 2002 as vehicles have become more efficient and more drivers have shifted to battery-electric vehicles, leaving TransLink collecting less fuel tax even as the number of vehicles on the road grows.
According to TransLink, if its long-term funding challenges remain unresolved, the consequences would extend beyond transit operations, including cuts to road investments.
The transit authority said it looks forward to working with whichever party forms government to pursue a “sustainable path forward,” noting the transit network’s role in supporting housing growth, helping people reach jobs, and moving goods across the region.
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