UBC ams

AAPS Adds Support for UBCx SkyTrain

Thank you to the AAPS for supporting the AMS’s SkyTrain campaign. Support from community groups and associations on campus is vital to this campaign.

Read their letter below

Dear Premier David Eby,

I am writing to express our support of the Alma Mater Society (AMS) of UBC Vancouver’s petition calling for the timely extension of the SkyTrain Millennium line from Arbutus Station to the UBC Vancouver campus.

We are the Association of Administrative and Professional Staff of The University of British Columbia (AAPS), a labour relations organization that represents nearly 6,500 members. Our members are integral to the success of every function within the University, from supporting students and faculty to leading initiatives that ensure the University continues to thrive as a place of learning and community.

Our members rely on the public transportation system, often describing it as an affordable lifeline that enables them to commute to work, return home, and access the different supports they need. With the escalating costs of housing, living, and parking, it is important that the Province invest in public transportation systems that are both reliable and affordable. Doing so is not just a matter of convenience, but a critical strategy to ease financial pressures on individuals and communities. 

Additionally, it is not just our members who are in need of this vital service. According to figures provided by UBC, it has over 60,000 students, faculty, and staff commuting to the University from every municipality in the region. About 46% of students, faculty, and staff (37,000 people) commute to UBC from outside the City of Vancouver as living in the City continues to remain out of reach for many. These figures show the strong demand within the University community alone.

Furthermore, Translink noted in their public engagement documentation of the Millennium Line UBC extension how they “expect transit ridership to return to—and surpass—pre-pandemic levels as the region prepares to welcome more than 1 million more people and approximately 500,000 new jobs by 2050.”[1] With these figures, we cannot remain shortsighted and not plan for the future.

We also want to note these additional benefits and how the extension addresses the following issues:

  • addresses capacity and frequency issues on the region’s busiest and most consistently overcrowded bus routes
  • ensures communities and corridors in the area remain safe from too much traffic and pollution for the people that live and work in these communities
  • creates a sustainable transportation choice and reduces emissions
  • expands economic opportunity and access to jobs, housing, and recreational and educational opportunities in the area

Public transit will always remain an essential service and we believe that the Province needs to take a leadership role in setting the direction and coordinating funding to ensure that the Millennium Line Extension to UBC gets built.

We urge your government to work with TransLink and municipal partners to accelerate the planning and construction of this initiative.

Thank you for your attention to this important matter.

Sincerely,

Lauren (Ilaanaay) Casey

President

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