Letter from Min. Trevana regarding Regional handyDART Facility

OCT 03 2019

His Worship Mayor David Screech Town of View Royal 45 View Royal Avenue Victoria BC V9B 1A6

Reference: 289047

Dear Mayor Screech,

Re: Regional handyDART Facility

Thank you for your letter of September 26, 2019, and for consideration by the Town of View Royal regarding the construction and operation of a regional handyDART facility at 2401 Burnside Road by BC Transit.

As you are most likely aware, and as outlined in my letter of August 1, 2019, the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure has purchased this property and are now in the final stages of vesting the fee simple title in the subject land to the BC Transportation Authority (BCTFA). While the provincial ownership means that municipal enactments do not legally bind the project, I am confident that BC Transit will work within View Royal’s development processes while maintaining our Province’s statutory rights.

BC Transit is committed to engage with View Royal staff for input on various aspects of the project, including design, improvements, environmental protections and any accommodations that would be provided to View Royal. Furthermore, BC Transit has also committed that the successful proponent to its Request for Proposals (RFP) for detailed facility design will be contractually obligated to ensure that the project design meets all of View Royal’s existing bylaw requirements as well as provincial and other regulatory requirements.

Based on our previous correspondence and conversations I am optimistic that BC Transit can work respectfully with View Royal and will be able to ensure this regionally important transit facility proceeds on schedule, while addressing concerns raised.

In closing, I wish to reiterate the critical timing of this project for transit in the Victoria Regional Transit System. To ensure that the facility opens on schedule, BC Transit needs to issue its RFP for detailed facility design in the coming weeks and will be re-engaging with View Royal staff to discuss the steps required to move forward with this important project.

Yours sincerely,

Claire Trevena Minister

Copy to:

• Mitzi Dean, MLA, Esquimalt-Metchosin
• Deborah Bowman, Assistant Deputy Minister, Transportation Policy and Programs
• Andrea Mercer, Executive Director, Transit Branch
• Susan Brice, Chair, Victoria Regional Transit Commission
• Erinn Pinkerton, President and CEO, BC Transit
• Aaron Lamb, Vice President, Asset Management, BC Transit