WATCH: A plan by Translink that was supposed to save money is actually costing taxpayers more
A way to move forward. That’s what TransLink provides thousands of commuters each day.
But now the transit authority has engineered a move of its own and this one goes backwards.
“Either they made a bad decision then or they’ve made a bad decision now. They can’t have it both ways,” said Jordan Bateman of the Canadian Taxpayers Federation.
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A few years ago, TransLink moved all its companies to a new building in New Westminster. It was touted as a cost-saving measure. However, TransLink never found a sub-tenant for the Gateway Tower in Surrey. They continued to pay rent on the space, which except for a call centre, sat unused. This September, 80 Coast Mountain Bus Company workers will move from New Westminster back to Gateway.
TransLink made no one available to explain the cost of both moves and how much was spent on renting unused space for several years.
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But in an emailed statement TransLink spokesperson Chris Bryan writes:
“Office vacancy rates in Surrey have been among the highest in the Lower Mainland (22.1 per cent at end of 2014).”
This is a fiscally responsible move, to take advantage of existing space already under lease so that no additional space needs to be leased to meet the requirements of projects such as station upgrades and Evergreen integration.”
News of the reverse move was confirmed to staff last Friday, two weeks after the deadline to return your transit plebiscite ballot.
-with files from Jordan Armstrong
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