It's not quite BOGO and there are no Air Miles attached but there are plenty of other incentives for signing up with the province's new Port Mann Bridge toll program.
There's a great deal of sense in trying to get people to get one of those stickers that can automatically deduct payment and so far the province seems to think the reduction is affordable, at least for one (election) year.
But the deal is a bit of a sham and it won't silence critics because it doesn't address an underlying unfairness, which is that the Port Mann is part of a regional - even provincial - transportation network we all use and from which we all benefit.
Thus, everyone in Metro Vancouver should pay.
Whether that means slapping token tolls of $1 per trip on every bridge, tunnel and thoroughfare, or adding a $20 flat fee to property taxes, it hardly matters. The principle is everyone should share in the cost of an efficient transportation system.
The current system of only charging people who use the new Port Mann - placing a disproportionate burden on people who live south of the Fraser River - is unfair given the fact that many people who won't use the bridge will still get to drive on the new freeway.
Tri-City residents might balk at the suggestion that they should pay a toll or higher taxes to help pay for the new Port Mann but fairer road pricing would benefit everyone, especially if the fee generates more cash for other transportation improvements.
We are getting the Evergreen Line, a regional rapid transit system that will largely benefit Port Moody and Coquitlam residents, yet everyone will be paying through provincial, federal or regional taxes and fares.
While we don't sympathize with south-of-Fraser folks who would refuse tolls and yet benefit from cheaper housing, we do argue for a fairer road pricing system for all of Metro Vancouver.
