First-of-its-kind program has provided nearly 7,000 transit passes to the region in one year

NEW WESTMINSTER, BC – Launched one year ago, TransLink’s Transit-Friendly Employer (TFE) program has now certified 28 local organizations. Collectively, these employers have provided nearly 7,000 subsidized transit passes to employees in the region.

TFE recognizes leading local employers with a certification stamp for supporting transit and contributing to a cleaner environment. For employers, providing subsidized transit passes to employees helps organizations increase their recruitment and retention. The TFE program also helps make employee travel easy, affordable, and climate friendly.

This fall, twelve organizations have been newly certified in the program – including Vancouver Coastal Health, Grouse Mountain, Canfor, Vivreau Canada, and Rivian Automotive.

To become a Transit-Friendly Employer, organizations must subsidize at least 50 per cent of the cost of an employee’s transit pass, while employees pay the remainder. Large companies – with over 200 staff – need to sign up at least 10 per cent of employees. For smaller employers, a minimum 25 per cent of employees must enroll.

TFE is part of TransLink for Organizations, which continues to provide sustainable travel solutions for workers across the region. As employee commuting can often contribute to significant greenhouse gas emissions, TFE offers an opportunity to reduce the carbon footprint of Metro Vancouver businesses.

Quick Facts:

• 20% of work trips in the region are made on public transit.
• If every TFE transit pass holder drove a car instead, there would be around 7,000 extra cars on the road – roughly equivalent to a line of cars from downtown Vancouver to Tsawwassen Ferry Terminal.
• Metro Vancouver employee parking lots can range as high as $115 per month.
• 75% of employers that approached TransLink about the TFE program indicated an immediate interest in providing transit benefits to staff.

Visit translink.ca/transitfriendly to learn more and become a Transit-Friendly Employer.

Quotes:

Kevin Quinn, CEO, TransLink –
“We’re encouraged to see more local companies joining the transit-friendly movement! By partnering with leading organizations, we’ve helped provide transit options for 7,000 employees across the region. TransLink will continue working with organizations around Metro Vancouver to reduce our collective carbon footprint by providing innovative solutions such as the Transit-Friendly Employer Program.”

Stacy Sprague, Executive Director, Vancouver Coastal Health –
"We consider this transit subsidy program not only an investment in our people, but also an investment in the health of our planet. It supports employee retention, recruitment, and well-being. As a values-based organization, this initiative aligns with our commitment to planetary health and to caring for our staff and medical staff, as well as the people we serve throughout the VCH region.”

Katy Player, Vice-President of People, Canfor –
“As part of our efforts to enhance our employee experience at Canfor, we recently moved our Vancouver office to its new Mount Pleasant location. We were looking for an area that had several mass transit adjacencies in a more vibrant neighbourhood. We decided to offer transit benefits to our employees to help them take full advantage of their new commuting options and better align employee benefits with our sustainability goals.”

Jonathan Pike, Director of Operations, West Point Grey Academy – 
“We’re always searching for new ways to be more sustainable – whether it's refining our recycling programs or looking at how our staff get to school – because it makes us a healthier organization. Employers might be surprised by the staff benefits these sorts of programs offer in terms of engagement; there’s a buzz about them and they can do wonders for your work culture.”

More information:
Transit-Friendly Employer video
Transit-Friendly Employer webpage
TransLink for Organizations webpage

Media contact:
TransLink Media Relations
E: media@translink.ca