Mike Buda
@mikebuda.bsky.social
A transit and municipal guy. Lots of climbing and skiing in BC. Executive Director at the TransLink Mayors' Council in Metro Vancouver.
Reposted by Mike Buda
3) Paul Martin spent more or less an entire year preparing Canadians for the 1995 budget. One gets the impression that Carney thinks that he's done all he needs to do with that one nohingburger speech he gave earlier last week. Again, an unsual style of message control.
October 28, 2025 at 4:32 PM
3) Paul Martin spent more or less an entire year preparing Canadians for the 1995 budget. One gets the impression that Carney thinks that he's done all he needs to do with that one nohingburger speech he gave earlier last week. Again, an unsual style of message control.
Reposted by Mike Buda
Things I keep hearing about/thinking re: November 4 budget.
1) Decision circle is allegedly incredibly small. Like, Carney and Sabia licked in a room small. Good for preventing leaks/making hard decisions. Absolutely terrible if you want anyone in cabinets/caucus to explain cuts to Canadians.
1) Decision circle is allegedly incredibly small. Like, Carney and Sabia licked in a room small. Good for preventing leaks/making hard decisions. Absolutely terrible if you want anyone in cabinets/caucus to explain cuts to Canadians.
October 28, 2025 at 4:32 PM
Things I keep hearing about/thinking re: November 4 budget.
1) Decision circle is allegedly incredibly small. Like, Carney and Sabia licked in a room small. Good for preventing leaks/making hard decisions. Absolutely terrible if you want anyone in cabinets/caucus to explain cuts to Canadians.
1) Decision circle is allegedly incredibly small. Like, Carney and Sabia licked in a room small. Good for preventing leaks/making hard decisions. Absolutely terrible if you want anyone in cabinets/caucus to explain cuts to Canadians.
Reposted by Mike Buda
“Metro Vancouver can't solve cost-of-living crisis without addressing the cost of getting around.” | Important new report on the cost of housing + transportation in Metro Vancouver. (Hint: the cost of transportation is big driver in unaffordability). vancouversun.com/news/metro-v...
'It's practical common sense': Metro Vancouver can't solve cost-of-living crisis without addressing the cost of getting around
For several suburban areas, people spend more on commuting than on housing
vancouversun.com
September 16, 2025 at 4:07 PM
“Metro Vancouver can't solve cost-of-living crisis without addressing the cost of getting around.” | Important new report on the cost of housing + transportation in Metro Vancouver. (Hint: the cost of transportation is big driver in unaffordability). vancouversun.com/news/metro-v...
Reposted by Mike Buda
What transit experts generally tell you is: the highest use of scarce resources is making transit service more *frequent & reliable*. That's what actually boosts ridership.
Everything else -- free point-of-use fare, electric buses, fancy new trolleys, architecturally fancy stations -- matters less.
Everything else -- free point-of-use fare, electric buses, fancy new trolleys, architecturally fancy stations -- matters less.
July 8, 2025 at 9:30 PM
What transit experts generally tell you is: the highest use of scarce resources is making transit service more *frequent & reliable*. That's what actually boosts ridership.
Everything else -- free point-of-use fare, electric buses, fancy new trolleys, architecturally fancy stations -- matters less.
Everything else -- free point-of-use fare, electric buses, fancy new trolleys, architecturally fancy stations -- matters less.
Reposted by Mike Buda
very clear explanation from @davidzipper.bsky.social about why fast buses are better than free buses slate.com/business/202...
July 8, 2025 at 6:12 PM
very clear explanation from @davidzipper.bsky.social about why fast buses are better than free buses slate.com/business/202...
Reposted by Mike Buda
Since we are discussing free transit again, let me tell you why I'm sympathetic in theory but skeptical in practice.
It's not only about the trade-offs between service increase and fare money or the questionable decision of targeting only buses.
It's more broadly about redistributive policies.
It's not only about the trade-offs between service increase and fare money or the questionable decision of targeting only buses.
It's more broadly about redistributive policies.
July 8, 2025 at 6:30 PM
Since we are discussing free transit again, let me tell you why I'm sympathetic in theory but skeptical in practice.
It's not only about the trade-offs between service increase and fare money or the questionable decision of targeting only buses.
It's more broadly about redistributive policies.
It's not only about the trade-offs between service increase and fare money or the questionable decision of targeting only buses.
It's more broadly about redistributive policies.
Reposted by Mike Buda
To conclude, the reason I'm not a supporter of generalized free transit is because I think that other redistributive policies on housing and education are more important.
Especially in a country like the US, with no universal healthcare and a ludicrously expensive higher education system.
Especially in a country like the US, with no universal healthcare and a ludicrously expensive higher education system.
July 8, 2025 at 6:30 PM
To conclude, the reason I'm not a supporter of generalized free transit is because I think that other redistributive policies on housing and education are more important.
Especially in a country like the US, with no universal healthcare and a ludicrously expensive higher education system.
Especially in a country like the US, with no universal healthcare and a ludicrously expensive higher education system.
Reposted by Mike Buda
Congratulations to the Capital Regional District Board for creating a regional transportation agency for Greater Victoria. Welcome to the club! www.crd.ca/news/regiona...
Regional Transportation Service Bylaw Approved
Victoria, BC– The Capital Regional District (CRD) Board has approved Bylaw No. 4630 to establish a new Regional Transportation Service (RTS). The bylaw has been adopted after receiving elector assent ...
www.crd.ca
June 16, 2025 at 5:12 PM
Congratulations to the Capital Regional District Board for creating a regional transportation agency for Greater Victoria. Welcome to the club! www.crd.ca/news/regiona...
Reposted by Mike Buda
Failed B.C.-Alberta transmission line holds lessons for a national grid
Failed B.C.-Alberta transmission line holds lessons for a national grid
The cross-border intertie has never met capacity, offering lessons on what stands in the way of the Prime Minister Mark Carney's plan for an east-to-west grid
dlvr.it
May 29, 2025 at 2:03 PM
Failed B.C.-Alberta transmission line holds lessons for a national grid
Reposted by Mike Buda
Mayors’ Council Chair Brad West & @metrovancouverorg.bsky.social Chair Mike Hurley were in Ottawa talking to new Housing and Infrastructure Minister @gregorrobertson.bsky.social (a former MC Chair!) about the importance of local housing-supportive infrastructure like transit, water and waste water.
May 29, 2025 at 1:49 PM
Mayors’ Council Chair Brad West & @metrovancouverorg.bsky.social Chair Mike Hurley were in Ottawa talking to new Housing and Infrastructure Minister @gregorrobertson.bsky.social (a former MC Chair!) about the importance of local housing-supportive infrastructure like transit, water and waste water.
Reposted by Mike Buda
Transit advocates need to grow our power to the point where we can create big problems for elected officials if they *don’t* save transit.
The one and only weird trick to save transit is having elected officials who actually decide it is important to save transit.
May 26, 2025 at 12:05 AM
Transit advocates need to grow our power to the point where we can create big problems for elected officials if they *don’t* save transit.
Reposted by Mike Buda
A summary of our thoughts on the 2024 Transit Service Performance Review. More to come! movementyvr.ca/lessons-from...
Lessons from the 2024 Transit Service Performance Review | Movement
TransLink’s 2024 stats show huge growth where service is increased and huge declines where service is cut If true, this means transit investments can reduce congestion and boost affordability almost i...
movementyvr.ca
May 22, 2025 at 2:45 AM
A summary of our thoughts on the 2024 Transit Service Performance Review. More to come! movementyvr.ca/lessons-from...
Reposted by Mike Buda
"Some residents are pushing back on a plan to create transit priority lanes on a few of the city’s busiest surface routes ... a version of NIMBY (not-in-my-backyard) that might be dubbed NIMPS: not in my parking spot."
www.theglobeandmail.com/opinion/edit...
www.theglobeandmail.com/opinion/edit...
Globe editorial: How to end the free ride of street parkers
Car owners should pay full freight for their use of city streets, or cede the space to public transit
www.theglobeandmail.com
May 16, 2025 at 5:16 PM
"Some residents are pushing back on a plan to create transit priority lanes on a few of the city’s busiest surface routes ... a version of NIMBY (not-in-my-backyard) that might be dubbed NIMPS: not in my parking spot."
www.theglobeandmail.com/opinion/edit...
www.theglobeandmail.com/opinion/edit...
Reposted by Mike Buda
Trump is holding hostage the emergency disaster relief and transit funding of states that don’t agree with his immigration demands, according to two lawsuits filed by several states this week.
Trump Sued for Holding States’ Disaster Relief Hostage
Donald Trump is increasing pressure on states that refuse to join his war on immigration.
newrepublic.com
May 13, 2025 at 11:44 PM
Trump is holding hostage the emergency disaster relief and transit funding of states that don’t agree with his immigration demands, according to two lawsuits filed by several states this week.
Reposted by Mike Buda
As we're finally witnessing in 2025, regional governments at the state level in the US or the Provincial level in Canada are taking region-wide action on housing supply because micro-regional changes do not significantly impact housing markets.
May 13, 2025 at 6:01 PM
As we're finally witnessing in 2025, regional governments at the state level in the US or the Provincial level in Canada are taking region-wide action on housing supply because micro-regional changes do not significantly impact housing markets.
Reposted by Mike Buda
Who was most responsible for Vancouver's housing rents + prices by 2018?
(a) Fed Minister Diane Finley
(b) Fed Minister Jason Kenney
(c) Prov Minister Rich Coleman
(d) Mayor Gregor Robertson
(Reminder: Vancouver represented only 25% of the population of the Metro Vancouver region in 2018.)
(a) Fed Minister Diane Finley
(b) Fed Minister Jason Kenney
(c) Prov Minister Rich Coleman
(d) Mayor Gregor Robertson
(Reminder: Vancouver represented only 25% of the population of the Metro Vancouver region in 2018.)
May 13, 2025 at 5:59 PM
Who was most responsible for Vancouver's housing rents + prices by 2018?
(a) Fed Minister Diane Finley
(b) Fed Minister Jason Kenney
(c) Prov Minister Rich Coleman
(d) Mayor Gregor Robertson
(Reminder: Vancouver represented only 25% of the population of the Metro Vancouver region in 2018.)
(a) Fed Minister Diane Finley
(b) Fed Minister Jason Kenney
(c) Prov Minister Rich Coleman
(d) Mayor Gregor Robertson
(Reminder: Vancouver represented only 25% of the population of the Metro Vancouver region in 2018.)
Reposted by Mike Buda
Congratulations to former Mayors’ Council Chair,
Gregor Robertson, on your appointment as Minister of Housing and Infrastructure and Minister responsible for Pacific Economic Development Canada. A huge accomplishment.
As you can imagine, we have some ideas for your new gig!
Gregor Robertson, on your appointment as Minister of Housing and Infrastructure and Minister responsible for Pacific Economic Development Canada. A huge accomplishment.
As you can imagine, we have some ideas for your new gig!
May 13, 2025 at 5:05 PM
Congratulations to former Mayors’ Council Chair,
Gregor Robertson, on your appointment as Minister of Housing and Infrastructure and Minister responsible for Pacific Economic Development Canada. A huge accomplishment.
As you can imagine, we have some ideas for your new gig!
Gregor Robertson, on your appointment as Minister of Housing and Infrastructure and Minister responsible for Pacific Economic Development Canada. A huge accomplishment.
As you can imagine, we have some ideas for your new gig!
Reposted by Mike Buda
NYC’s congestion pricing is a policy miracle: Less traffic, less noise, faster transit, more business sales, more transit revenue. And it hasn’t produced the negative effects outside the cordon zone we were afraid of.
www.nytimes.com/interactive/...
www.nytimes.com/interactive/...
May 12, 2025 at 12:10 PM
NYC’s congestion pricing is a policy miracle: Less traffic, less noise, faster transit, more business sales, more transit revenue. And it hasn’t produced the negative effects outside the cordon zone we were afraid of.
www.nytimes.com/interactive/...
www.nytimes.com/interactive/...
Reposted by Mike Buda
Reposted by Mike Buda
More frequent buses means more ridership.
"there is no such thing as tailoring service to demand — demand is not fixed. The phenomenon of induced demand is as real for transit as it is for highways: If you provide a more attractive service, more people will use it.
#transit #urbanism
"there is no such thing as tailoring service to demand — demand is not fixed. The phenomenon of induced demand is as real for transit as it is for highways: If you provide a more attractive service, more people will use it.
#transit #urbanism
"We don’t have to wait until all our suburbs are rebuilt to become European-style walkable utopias; it’s possible to get people out of their cars in a matter of months simply by running buses more frequently."
www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
How Did This Suburb Figure Out Mass Transit?
Transit ridership is off the charts in Brampton, Ontario, despite its typical low-density suburban layout. Here’s how the city got residents to get on the bus.
www.bloomberg.com
April 14, 2025 at 9:28 PM
Reposted by Mike Buda
*We still have work to do*. The Access for Everyone Plan is NOT fully funded & this IP only puts off our structural deficit for 2 more years. We need a new funding model, and a new funding tool, & that will be the centre of the work of the Mayors Council in the year ahead. 4/4 accessforeveryone.ca
Access for Everyone
The new plan for expanding public transit across B.C.'s Lower Mainland and improving infrastructure for drivers, cyclists and pedestrians.
accessforeveryone.ca
April 30, 2025 at 5:09 PM
*We still have work to do*. The Access for Everyone Plan is NOT fully funded & this IP only puts off our structural deficit for 2 more years. We need a new funding model, and a new funding tool, & that will be the centre of the work of the Mayors Council in the year ahead. 4/4 accessforeveryone.ca
Reposted by Mike Buda
I am excited that the @translink.ca Board and @mayorscouncil.bsky.social both unanimously ratified a new Investment plan today. It's not the perfect plan, and every compromise in it reflects the challenges of the negotiations that occurred between the Mayors & the Provincial Government... 1/n
April 30, 2025 at 5:00 PM
I am excited that the @translink.ca Board and @mayorscouncil.bsky.social both unanimously ratified a new Investment plan today. It's not the perfect plan, and every compromise in it reflects the challenges of the negotiations that occurred between the Mayors & the Provincial Government... 1/n
Reposted by Mike Buda
Mayors’ Council chair Brad West says that “noted left-wing premier Doug Ford” funds infrastructure for Toronto transit at twice the per capita rate as the B.C. government does for TransLink.
the line gets laughs but the canada proud comment section might agree
the line gets laughs but the canada proud comment section might agree
April 30, 2025 at 4:48 PM
Mayors’ Council chair Brad West says that “noted left-wing premier Doug Ford” funds infrastructure for Toronto transit at twice the per capita rate as the B.C. government does for TransLink.
the line gets laughs but the canada proud comment section might agree
the line gets laughs but the canada proud comment section might agree
Reposted by Mike Buda
wow so when i show pictures travelling the world or give information on who will rule canada people are interested but when i’m like “here’s an empty room where regional politicians will confirm their commitment to moderate transit increases through marginal increases in taxes” it’s the BIG SNOOZE
April 30, 2025 at 4:30 PM
wow so when i show pictures travelling the world or give information on who will rule canada people are interested but when i’m like “here’s an empty room where regional politicians will confirm their commitment to moderate transit increases through marginal increases in taxes” it’s the BIG SNOOZE
Reposted by Mike Buda
This is the most exciting story in North American public transit right now because it is so simple, and so affirming
make transit good -> people ride transit
www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
Thank you @jonathanenglish.bsky.social
make transit good -> people ride transit
www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
Thank you @jonathanenglish.bsky.social
How Did This Suburb Figure Out Mass Transit?
Transit ridership is off the charts in Brampton, Ontario, despite its typical low-density suburban layout. Here’s how the city got residents to get on the bus.
www.bloomberg.com
April 14, 2025 at 5:13 PM
This is the most exciting story in North American public transit right now because it is so simple, and so affirming
make transit good -> people ride transit
www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
Thank you @jonathanenglish.bsky.social
make transit good -> people ride transit
www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
Thank you @jonathanenglish.bsky.social