WATCH: TransLink’s embattled CEO is calling it quits in an attempt to restore the public’s confidence ahead of a transit plebiscite this spring. John Daly reports.
TransLink has removed Ian Jarvis as CEO, just one month before ballots are to be mailed out to voters for a transit plebiscite considered crucial to the long-term direction of the organization.
Doug Allen, who was most recently President and Chief Executive Officer of InTransit BC, which manages the Canada Line, has taken over on an interim basis.
“The Board and the organization are committed to improving transit service and transportation in Metro Vancouver. The Board of Directors is listening to customers and the public regarding the need for change and has taken action,” said TransLink Board of Directors Chair Marcella Szel in a statement.
“The person selected as the permanent CEO will be responsible for meeting the challenges of a growing region that expects to see one million new residents in the next 30 years. Either there will be major new investments to implement or there will be the challenge of underfunding. Regardless, TransLink must restore public confidence, and new leadership is the first step.”
READ MORE: Which people and groups are for and against the transit referendum?
Minister of Transportation Todd Stone said the decision sends a message to Metro Vancouver voters ahead of next month’s plebiscite.
“It’s been increasingly apparent over the last number of weeks that there have been concerns raised about the leadership at TransLink,” he said. “What the board did today…sent a very strong message to the people of Metro Vancouver that TransLink is under new management.”
TransLink says Allen will not be a candidate as the permanent CEO, but will work with the Board of Directors to find a successor.
“During this transition period, Mr. Allen will provide excellent leadership on all priorities, including meeting aggressive targets on the Compass program, implementing recommendations from the independent review of the SkyTrain outages, and moving forward on actions to improve safety and service for our customers,” said Szel.
Jarvis will continue to receive his $468,000 annual salary until his contract runs out in 2016.
Jarvis had been TransLink CEO since 2009. In recent years, the organization has been dogged by controversy over executive pay and system-wide shutdowns of the SkyTrain systems.
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