Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure Todd Stone has issued the following statement to the communities of Chase and Qualicum Beach on the province’s Neighbourhood Vehicle pilot program.

"I'm writing today to thank the mayors and councils of the Village of Chase and the Town of Qualicum Beach for joining with the Province in a pilot project to bring neighbourhood golf carts safely to British Columbia streets.

"This program was designed to provide people, particularly seniors, with more transportation options so they can stay engaged in their community and access services that make their lives better. And the Village of Chase and the Town of Qualicum Beach have been great partners as we pilot this idea in both those communities.

"In fact, we introduced this project as a pilot in these two communities to ensure that these new vehicles can be safely operated and will be a benefit to the entire community - both for the people who will use them and for those of you who will share the road with them.

"Over the last couple of months, the Province and the mayors and councils of both Qualicum Beach and Chase have collectively engaged with residents in these two communities to get feedback on the pilot project. We have received a number of ideas, and some concerns, most notably with respect to setting 30km/hour maximum speeds on roads where these vehicles would travel.

"I'm sure I speak for all of us when I say how important it is for us to listen to residents of our communities and to address their concerns. Good feedback is key to the success of a pilot project like this and we're very grateful for the input we have received to date.

"As a result of this community input, and the responsiveness of both Qualicum Beach and Chase councils, I believe it makes sense for us to take some time over the winter to address the concerns we've heard to make sure that this project is a success in the spring for your communities. This will include a re-think of the 30km/hour maximum speed limit.

"We look forward to continuing to work closely with both Chase and Qualicum Beach to ensure the feedback we receive continues to inform how we move forward with this pilot project and assists everyone in helping to make this pilot project a success."