Calling all passenger rail advocates – PLEASE WRITE YOUR MAYOR!

Calling all passenger rail advocates – PLEASE WRITE YOUR MAYOR! (spread the word)

regarding the upcoming federal budget: You may have heard, with the economic turmoil, that the federal government is planning a massive amount of new infrastructure spending for their next budget, supposedly for projects that are useful, ideally sustainable, and can be started immediately.

One ideal infrastructure project that is simple enough to undertake immediately is to upgrade the entire stretch of Interurban track to passenger grade rail, including crossings, as is currently being done in parts of Surrey for their Heritage Rail Project. Such an upgrade is relatively inexpensive, simple to carry out, and necessary for any sort of regular Valley-wide passenger rail service to be implemented in the future.

It is best to write your mayor, and cc your other local representatives, as mayors have strong influence with federal politicians.

More points you can mention in your letter:

-There is very strong support for Interurban passenger rail across the Fraser Valley. While the Vancouver region gets expensive transit upgrades, we in the Fraser Valley have so far been left out. The federal government needs to be heavily lobbied in order for this sustainable infrastructure initiative to happen.

-2010 is the Centennial anniversary of the historic Interurban passenger rail service that was shut down in the 1950s. At the time of completion in 1910, it was North America’s longest Interurban rail track! What better way to celebrate than to have the Interurban running again in 2010?

-Upgrading the track, and putting in crossings, does not require advanced study, and therefore is an ideal infrastructure project that can be started immediately this spring. This type of project is exactly what the federal government is looking for.

We have a better-than-normal chance of getting something done in this budget, but only if our politicians hear from us LOUD AND CLEAR. Your own personal letter works far better than any petition or form letter.

If you live in Chilliwack, email:
Mayor Sharon Gaetz: gaetz@chilliwack.com
and cc:Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai?? barry.penner.mla@leg.bc.ca, john.les.mla@leg.bc.ca, Strahl.C@parl.gc.ca

If you live in Abbotsford, email:
Mayor George Peary: mayor@abbotsford.ca
and cc:Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai?? john.vandongen.mla@leg.bc.ca, mike.dejong.mla@leg.bc.ca, Fast.E@parl.gc.ca

If you live in Langley, email:
Township Mayor Rick Green: rgreen@tol.bc.ca,
City Mayor Peter Fassbender: mayor@langleycity.ca
and cc:Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai?? mary.polak.mla@leg.bc.ca, rich.coleman.mla@leg.bc.ca, Warawa.M@parl.gc.ca

If you live in Surrey, email:
Surrey Mayor Dianne Watts: dlwatts@shaw.ca
and cc:Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai?? kevin.falcon.mla@leg.bc.ca, jagrup.brar.mla@leg.bc.ca, harry.bains.mla@leg.bc.ca, sue.hammell.mla@leg.bc.ca, bruce.ralston.mla@leg.bc.ca, guy.gentner.mla@leg.bc.ca, dave.hayer.mla@leg.bc.ca, gordon.hogg.mla@leg.bc.ca, Cadman.D@parl.gc.ca, Dhaliwal.S@parl.gc.ca, Grewal.N@parl.gc.ca, Cummins.J@parl.gc.ca, Hiebert.R@parl.gc.ca

If we all do this, we will have a very big influence.

Also, consider turning your letter into a Letter to the editor of your local newspaper (click here to view email addresses), and respond to the government survey on this website.