A new SeaBus, shorter wait-times between SkyTrains and station upgrades were some of the promises attached to a multimillion-dollar funding announcement that will make the first phase of the regional mayors’ 10-year transit plan a reality.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, flanked by Premier Christy Clark and Vancouver Mayor Gregor Robertson, descended on TransLink’s operations centre in Burnaby for the funding announcement June 16.
“With this federal investment, provinces and municipalities will be able to invest in projects that make the most sense for their communities,” Trudeau said, addressing a packed audience of reporters, transit workers and regional politicians.
In all, there is $740 million on the table from the federal and provincial governments and TransLink to kickstart the mayors’ transit plan. The money will be spent on several items, some of which will benefit Burnaby residents. For instance, 28 new rail cars will be added to the Expo and Millennium lines, meaning more frequent service and less crowding on SkyTrain platforms.
The Edmonds operations centre, where the announcement took place, will benefit from $9 million in upgrades to make room for the expanding SkyTrain fleet.
Eighty-six million dollars will be spent on station upgrades for the Expo Line and the Canada Line, which will help accommodate the new SkyTrain cars while improving accessibility and the flow of people. The plan also includes a new SeaBus, so people can cross the water every 10 minutes during rush hour.
Phase 1 of federal funding doesn’t include expansions to bus service, a new Pattullo Bridge or improvements to walking and cycling corridors, but there’s more federal money coming.
“Remember this is just Phase 1,” Trudeau said. “We are now meeting with provinces and municipalities to develop the second phase of public transit investments to fund major new transit projects Canadians need.”
A gondola to SFU, however, is not in the cards.
“The gondola didn’t make it in the mayors’ 10-year vision,” said Robertson. “That, along with an extension right to UBC or to the PoCo SkyTrain are possible next projects. But our focus is on getting the 10-year plan fully funded and getting this set of investments built, then looking at these next investments. It would be great to have a stronger connection between SFU and UBC, by rapid transit alone. That’s a bridge ahead of us.”
Burnaby Now
