TransLink CEO Ian Jarvis wasn鈥檛 prepared to discuss whether 91原创 gives more to the regional transportation authority than it gets, when he took questions at Tuesday鈥檚 Greater 91原创 Chamber of Commerce meeting.

Guest speaker was TransLink chief operating officer Doug Kelsey, but Jarvis also attended, in part because TransLink has been under intense scrutiny in recent weeks.

He had also said earlier Tuesday that a from 91原创 to Lougheed station was being put on hold temporarily.

The CEO was asked if 91原创 taxpayers received a level of service in proportion to the taxes they pay for TransLink.

He replied that he didn鈥檛 want to get into that aspect of TransLink鈥檚 service.

鈥淭hat鈥檚 a bit of a rabbit hole you go down,鈥� he said.

Jarvis emphasized that TransLink is a regional agency and needs to take a regional perspective in all its decisions. He said the bus service over the new PortMann Bridge was being put on hold because TransLink is undergoing a provincial audit and looking for cost savings.

It also has to figure out how it can fund any service expansion south of the Fraser, as all mayors but three (from the two 91原创s and white Rock) voted last week against adding additional property taxes to pay for it.

Asked after the meeting how long the 鈥渉old鈥� might last, he said he didn鈥檛 think it would be long 鈥� perhaps four months.

He expects the provincial audit to get underway quickly, and TransLink administrators will be looking for cost savings right away.

Both Jarvis and Kelsey emphasized that TransLink is well-run, noting that Time magazine said after the 2010 Winter Olympics that the system was 鈥渟carily efficient.鈥�

Kelsey acknowledged that bus service in 91原创 isn鈥檛 up to the levels enjoyed in other parts of the region.

鈥淲e all know the south of the Fraser region is not being served the way it should be,鈥� he said in his opening remarks.