What do seniors, adults, students and youth all have in common?

Insufficient access to public transportation. 

Many people rely on public transportation in the Fraser Valley; however, it is a service that is severely lacking in terms of efficiency, as well as reliability. 

The Fraser Valley is in a unique situation, geographically and financially. It does not qualify for access to the provincial public transportation dollars that the Greater Vancouver Regional District does, but we live in a region that is far more spread out than the GVRD is. This makes accessing essential services such as doctor’s appointments (which are often regionalized to Abbotsford Regional Hospital) and education very difficult. 

In Abbotsford, less than one in five residents between 25 and 64 have a university certificate, diploma or degree. Comparatively, in New Westminster where residents have access to Translink, the GVRD’s first class transportation system, one in three residents have at least one of the three university credentials. These statistics highlight how Abbotsford’s limited public transportation options create obstacles for residents to access the two main campuses of the University of the Fraser Valley in Abbotsford and Chilliwack.

Without adequate access to such services poverty rates in the Fraser Valley will continue to rise, as education and health are two well known social determinants of well being. 

The GVRD utilizes public transportation dollars to fund Translink, but we have no access to this money in the Fraser Valley. Our local governments owe it to their constituents to advocate and grant them access to such resources.  

Accessible and affordable transit systems increase access to employment, educational opportunities, social services and activities that enhance quality of life.

We, the students of SOWK 380: Social Work and Community Development at the University of the Fraser Valley, have a goal. Our goal is to bring this problem to the attention of the provincial government and pressure them to make changes that will increase transportation services for those who rely on it the most. Please sign the petition to show your support of our goal.