Closing in on 500, policy updates

Hello We are rising in numbers, thank you for that. CMHC GI needs to know there are alternatives and there is public support for them. With over 1200 parking spots available on the island, our industry backed solution of removing 55 of them during the peak periods is small, but significant. These spots cause the most congestion and block the most traffic on the island, and will be the best way to increase foot traffic, and business on the island with the most minimal impact. Remember, this would only be 3-4hours daily, during the peak months of May-September. This seems reasonable to those in industry, and those merchants on the island who have become aware of this ban. As it stands, there will be zero parking for buses during the day time on the island, during peak months. A limited amount of buses will be able to park after 6 pm during peak months. At a cost that has come down, but has still not been put into budgets for the 2018 season. This ban still doesn’t not address the congestion issues, as it still forces every bus on and off the island twice per visit, and forces the drivers to circle around the nearby neighbourhoods to stay close by for their pick ups. It’s forcing the issue on the city and residents and absolving GI of responsibility. Could you imagine the by the bus entrance of GI as dozens of buses a day double park to let their clients off and on because it’s the closest entrance to do with so without paying their permit fees? All of this ends up costing business, merchants and CMHC GI money (as they derive a portion of their operating revenue from the percentages of merchants sales). Companies that used to bring people for lunch and afternoon meals will now avoid it entirely. This is going to cost people jobs. We have 2 meetings upcoming where they are going to inform the industry of their supposed final policy. We need this continued support to grow before May 1. All of these changes were supposedly enacted to combat congestion on the roads, yet all this is is a money grab from the industry, and does nothing to decrease congestion. It in fact doubles it and passes the issue off to the city. Industry is willing to work with the island, we have solutions. Let’s make sure they get implemented.