Mayor Ian Sutherland wants some of the money he says the major gas companies are squeezing out of Squamish drivers to put towards funding a bus service between Squamish and Whistler.
The idea of imposing a gasoline tax at service stations in Squamish, Whistler and Pemberton was discussed recently by members of the councils from Squamish and Whistler. According to Sutherland, there is a natural fit between transit funding and gasoline consumption.
Sutherland feels that even though Squamish doesn't currently have a levy on gasoline, residents are paying the equivalent of the tax. The price of fuel in Squamish is often very close to, and sometimes even higher than, the price of gasoline in Vancouver. A transit levy of four cents a litre is in place at all Lower Mainland service stations.
"From my point of view, you are paying that gasoline tax already," Sutherland told The Chief on Wednesday (April 14). "That being the case we might as well get a benefit out of it.
"Looking at it that way the money might as well go to us instead of the gas companies."
The four cents a litre charged at Vancouver service stations helps fund the massive transit system around the Lower Mainland. That levy isn't charged in Squamish so in theory, the cost of fuel should generally be four cents lower in Squamish compared to the Lower Mainland.
Sutherland believes that if a levy is imposed in Sea to Sky Country, Squamish drivers will continue to see prices that are similar to the cost in Vancouver as he thinks the major gas companies will swallow the cost instead of imposing a price hike on Squamish drivers.
Sutherland thinks a levy makes a lot of sense. "We want to get people out of their cars and the way to do that is to offer reasonable transport alternatives," he said and added that the levy and regional transit are under discussion because of the major fatal highway collision at the end January.
"There's a safety point of view, a highway capacity point of view and an environmental point of view," Sutherland said. "We need options that people can take advantage of."
The next step for local leaders is to talk to other levels of government to determine levels of support and how to go about creating such a levy.
"Brian Barnett of Whistler is working on it," Sutherland said.
"Next time I'm in Victoria I will talk to the minister about this."
Barnett is the Resort Municipality of Whistler's general manager of engineering and public works.
Sutherland said he talked to Judith Reed, the former Transportation Minister, about the issue earlier. The current minister is Kevin Falcon. Local leaders need to find out if Falcon supports the concept.
According to Sutherland, the levy will probably end up going through the Squamish-Lillooet Regional District.
It is estimated that a three cent a litre levy in Sea to Sky Country would raise about $750,000 a year.
The issue of creating transit service between Whistler and Squamish is a priority for both councils however it will take time to put the service in place.
"It's not going to happen in two weeks," Sutherland said.
