Thursday, April 4, 2013

Time for a bold green jobs plan for B.C.

Vancouver Sun: "The single-largest source of B.C. greenhouse gas emissions is the transportation sector, and they are still increasing. Traffic congestion costs Metro Vancouver between $400 million and $628 million a year in lost productivity, wasted fuel and increased GHG emissions, not to mention the negative health and quality-of-life impacts associated with traffic congestion and long commutes.

To reduce congestion and emissions, B.C. must expand and revitalize its public transit, highway bus and passenger rail systems. We need to create incentives and build infrastructure to move goods by rail and other efficient, low-carbon methods of transportation. Some of this infrastructure already exists, but much will have to be built, including from carbon tax dollars. Backed by our province’s clean hydroelectricity system, almost every mode of transportation will benefit from some form of electrification.

Economic modelling shows that transport has the second biggest jobs potential of all green-economy sectors. Investments in public transit and railways in North America create between nine and 22 jobs per $1 million invested. The economic benefits arising from reduced congestion, increased community development and urban density are harder to quantify, but are at least as valuable."

Read more: http://www.vancouversun.com/business/2035/Time+bold+green+jobs+plan/8197396/story.html#ixzz2PYRPhbQ0

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