Many Burnaby businesses are expressing caution and not taking a firm stance on the transit plebiscite, a drastic change from the heated back-and-forth regarding the short-lived harmonized sales tax.
But a local car dealership is somewhat relieved that new cars bought outside of Metro Vancouver by local residents would be subject to the transit tax if it goes through.
"I am definitely glad to see the concerns over sales leakage were addressed," Sean Kumagai, general manager at Metrotown Mazda, told the NOW.
Last week, Todd Stone, B.C.'s minister of transportation and infrastructure, made the announcement regarding new vehicles in an effort to lessen the burden the tax may have on local dealerships.
However, Kumagai's take on the plebiscite itself is less cut and dried.
"I'm really torn because I see both sides of it," he said. "I absolutely support smart investments made in our province, and you look at investments in transport and infrastructure - they're most definitely needed. You look at our population, we're going to increase by a million people, and we need to have improvements and be able to accommodate them."
Though Kumagai is in the business of selling cars, he said he often uses transit to get around.
"I live in Burnaby, but whenever I'm going downtown, going to a Canucks game or just going out with friends, a lot of times I just take the SkyTrain," he said. "Then I don't have to deal with traffic and parking, and especially if you're going to drink - you don't have to worry about drinking and driving."
Because of this, he definitely sees the need for improvements, but he said he is worried about the implementation of the Mayors' Council's congestion improvement plan.
"I guess my concerns are more, you know, you look at setting tax policy by referendum, and concerns about the financial stress that it's going to place on residents," he said. "Will this have a negative effect on our economy if you increase the taxes."
Whether or not the plan passes, the region will have to find the money for transit improvements somewhere, he added.
Though many local business owners did not respond to requests for comment from the NOW, and the Burnaby Board of Trade has cautiously given its support to the plan "despite concerns," one Burnaby business owner is emphatically on the Yes side.
Ben Coli, owner of Dageraad Brewing, delivered kegs of beer to his brother's restaurant on Commercial Drive via SkyTrain last Thursday.
Coli took the trip to show his support for a Yes vote, he said.
The journey began at Production Way SkyTrain station, with photos taken along the way. Without the photos, it would have taken about half-an-hour to transport the kegs via transit, Coli said.
"It was more relaxing," he said of the trip. "You don't have to worry about traffic."
There has been a difference in the time it takes his delivery people to get his product out since May, he said, and staff that drive to work instead of taking transit are often stuck in traffic.
While he acknowledges the additional .05 per cent sales tax will have an affect on his bottom line, he said it was worth it, even if it costs his business thousands of dollars.
"I'm concerned about the city being a livable place," Coli said.
Voters should keep that in mind rather than focusing on TransLink's ills as a company, he added.
"If they vote against it to punish TransLink, they'll only punish themselves," Coli said.
Metro Vancouver residents are currently receiving ballots in the mail, asking whether they support a 0.5 per cent Metro Vancouver Congestion Improvement Tax, to be added to the provincial sales tax, to fund the expansion of the regional transit and transportation system. Residents have until May 29 to cast their votes.
