Vancouver government has been looking at how to improve Metro Vancouver’s road transportation network using something called decongestion charging. In Metro Vancouver they have been paying for road use through the fuel tax and the recently removed bridge tolls. Unfortunately, the way charging has been structured in the region isn’t actually addressing congestion where it’s most needed, wasn’t always fair, and isn’t generating the revenue they need to upgrade and maintain their transportation system. Nevertheless, decongestion charging is already making travel easier for people in many other major cities around the world such as Singapore, Stockholm, and London. The Mobility Pricing Independent Commission has been formed to make recommendations about decongestion charging in Metro Vancouver to the Mayors’ Council on Regional Transportation and the TransLink Board of Directors since summer 2017. All findings have been published at https://www.itstimemv.ca.

          So far, public engagement for the project is complete. ​Over the last several months, the Commission heard from over 17,000 Metro Vancouver residents during two phases of public engagement. During Phase 1, they introduced the concepts of mobility pricing and decongestion charging to Metro Vancouver residents and stakeholders, and established parameters for the project by exploring the objectives and principles. 
 In Phase 2, they used  input from Phase 1 to narrow down some possible decongestion charging approaches that could combat their region’s congestion. They asked opinions on how the fuel tax, distance-based charging and congestion point charges could impact their region’s future. Over the next few weeks, the Commission will be reading through and analyzing all of the data and input they’ve received. From there, they’ll be compiling the findings in a report that will be released in spring 2018.