WATCH: BC Greens unveil plan to expand public transit, support tourism industry

The BC Greens have unveiled their plans to expand public transit across British Columbia and support the province's tourism industry.

West Vancouver-Sea to Sky candidate Jeremy Valeriote provided a breakdown during a press conference in Whistler on Friday.

"We have to make sure that British Columbians across this province are able to take advantage of transportation connections," Valeriote said, "but we know that some of the biggest hurdles for communities attempting to deliver fast, frequent transit is unstable government funding."

He took aim at BC NDP leader David Eby for vowing to slash gas taxes — a major source of transit funding — "without explaining how he'd make it up."

Valeriote argued that BC has the opportunities to bring back passenger rail and expand ferry services, but "what's missing is political will."

He explained that, if elected, a BC Greens government would protect existing rail corridors while government and partners study how best to implement passenger services, work with Ottawa to ensure BC gets the same ferry funding as Atlantic Canada, build and maintain ferries locally, and ensure there are buses up and down the Sea to Sky within the first year.

The party has also vowed to make transit free, though Valeriote said such a program would take time and a stable funding model to implement, and that it would start with those under 25 and over 65.

"I know free transit is a big swing," he noted. "But that's what the BC Greens do; we put bold ideas in front of the electorate, and they often get adopted."

On tourism, Valeriote said the BC Greens would increase annual funding for BC Parks and Recreation Sites and Trails BC by 50%, from $76 million to $114 million, create a $30 million annual Outdoor Recreation Infrastructure Fund for five years to "build and improve trails, campsites, day-use areas and other public recreation infrastructure across BC," and fund workforce housing in tourism-dependent communities.

Everything would be done in collaboration with First Nations.

Valeriote questioned why tourism is often overlooked by government even though it contributes massively to the economy.

"Imagine what the tourism sector could do with the long-term stability of predictable provincial support," he said.