June 6, 2019
Mayor Mike Hurley and Council City of Burnaby 4949 Canada Way Burnaby, B.C. V5G 1M2
Dear Mayor Hurley,
On behalf of the Tourism Industry Association of British Columbia (TIABC), I am writing to encourage council to find solutions to building the proposed gondola to Burnaby Mountain.
Aside from the advantages to students and staff at Simon Fraser University, the gondola would also benefit residents of Burnaby Mountain and become a significant attraction to entice tourists to enjoy the surrounding forest and parkland, as well as other amenities in Burnaby. Businesses throughout the city will benefit from a boost to the local visitor economy.
Importantly, while the gondola will ease the pressure on the overburdened bus system and the subsequent transportation problems during inclement weather, one notable advantage is the elimination of nearly 2,000 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions annually, helping the local tourism industry and other sectors move further toward environmental sustainability goals.
As you know, several studies and reports show other notable benefits of a gondola ranging from efficiency, cost-savings and the ability to transport many more passengers, to safety, reliability and economic viability. These and other factors will be increasingly important as the population of the UniverCity neighbourhood continues to grow.
For your information, TIABC advocates for the interests of tourism operators, destination marketing organizations like Tourism Burnaby, and sectors associations that represent thousands of businesses and employees throughout the province.
Mayor Hurley, if you have any questions or wish to discuss the gondola opportunity in further detail, please feel free to contact me at your convenience.
Best Regards,
Walt Judas CEO, TIABC 778-953-0620
CC: Mayor Jonathan Cote, Chair, Mayor’s Council Chris Peters, Tourism Burnaby Terry Beech, MP Peter Julian, MP Jagmeet Singh, MP Janet Routledge, MLA Anne Kang, MLA Raj Chouhan, MLA Katrina Chen, MLA