2003/04 – 2005/06 SERVICE PLAN Ministry of Transportation

Appendix II: Crown Corporations and Commissions

The Minister of Transportation is responsible for the following Crown corporations and commissions:

BC Transportation Financing Authority

The BC Transportation Financing Authority (BCTFA) is a financing mechanism with no dedicated full-time staff. Its chair is the Minister of Transportation, and its CEO is the Deputy Minister of Transportation. Under the Build BC Act, the BCTFA makes capital investments in transportation infrastructure and finances these investments through borrowing and dedicated fuel taxes.

BC Transit

BC Transit is a Crown corporation charged with providing public transportation throughout the province, outside of Greater Vancouver. The British Columbia Transit Act mandates the corporation to “plan, acquire, construct or cause to be constructed public passenger transportation systems and rail systems that support regional growth strategies, official community plans, and the economic development of transit service areas”.

BC Transit web site: http://www.bctransit.com

Rapid Transit Project 2000

Rapid Transit Project (RTP2000) Ltd. is a provincially held company incorporated under the Company Act. RTP 2000’s primary mandate is to design and construct the Millennium Line, which links Vancouver and New Westminster via the Broadway-Lougheed corridor.

TransLink commenced operation of the Millennium Line on August 31, 2002. RTP operations are to be wound up in fiscal year 2003/04.

BC Rail

The BC Railway Company is a Crown corporation with two operating units, BC Rail and BC Marine. BC Rail’s mandate is to ship goods, especially forest, energy and agricultural products. Passenger rail services were discontinued effective October 31, 2002. BC Marine comprises Vancouver Wharves, the Casco Terminal and Canadian Stevedoring. In 2002, the corporation announced its intention to seek a private sector buyer for BC Marine.

BC Rail web site: http://www.bcrail.com

Motor Carrier Commission

The Motor Carrier Commission is responsible for regulating commercial passenger carriers, such as taxis and buses. Every commercial passenger carrier that operates in British Columbia must hold a motor carrier license, along with a motor carrier certificate and plate for each vehicle in the carrier’s fleet. Commissioners examine applications for new and altered motor carrier licenses.

Motor Carrier Commission web site: http://www.th.gov.bc.ca/mcc/mcc.htm