Will BC’s shift to clean transportation take the Island’s rural communities along for the ride?

The BC government needs to ensure rural and Indigenous communities are not left in the dust as the province shifts gears to achieve a net-zero future and a clean transportation network, a coalition of climate and community groups say.

The province is in the process of shaping its Clean Transportation Action Plan (CTAP), but so far, BC’s core strategy to reduce emissions is making the switch to single-passenger electric vehicles in urban areas, says Eric Doherty, a transportation planning consultant and member of Climate Justice Victoria.

As transformational change towards a clean transportation network moves ahead, it’s also an equity and reconciliation issue to ensure rural communities—often populated by First Nations people—aren’t left behind when it comes to a sustainable climate future, Doherty added.

“Basically, what’s at stake here is the opportunity to completely reverse [the situation] and to create a public transit network that serves the whole province,” he said.

“People need to travel between rural communities, as well as going into larger centres to work, hospitals, and colleges and universities.”