To: All Students, Faculty and Staff on the Vancouver Campus
The results of the transit referendum have been announced:
38.32% Yes
61.68% No
Though I am personally disappointed with the outcome, Metro Vancouver residents have spoken and we need to respect the outcome. However, this is not the end of our efforts to ensure that our partners come together to improve transit for all Lower Mainland residents, including extending rail rapid transit to our Vancouver campus. UBC intends to work proactively with the Musqueam First Nation, City of Vancouver, TransLink, the Province, Metro Vancouver, and other key stakeholders to bring forward a bold vision that heeds the concerns that voters have expressed but also delivers the improved service that our region critically needs, including more buses in the short term and rapid transit in the longer term.
Improved transportation is as much about bringing UBC closer to the community as it is about bringing faculty, students, staff and other members of our campus community to UBC. We want to improve connections between UBC and Metro Vancouver to facilitate the exchange of ideas, collaboration and innovation – in science, engineering, medicine, arts and business. With a growing community of nearly 50,000 students, 14,000 faculty and staff and 10,000 residents, UBC is one of the largest single destinations in Metro Vancouver. Right now, the lack of transportation options is a barrier to people accessing the opportunities that UBC has to offer – academic, cultural, athletic, research and economic.
Regardless of how you voted, I want to thank you, our faculty, staff and students, for participating in this important plebiscite. You have shown with your actions that UBC truly is a place of engagement.
Yours truly,
Arvind Gupta
President and Vice-Chancellor