Richmond’s business community remains buoyed by the federal government’s continued interest in helping fund a bridge to replace the George Massey Tunnel, despite no specific mention of it in the recent budget.
Amarjeet Sohi, the federal minister of infrastructure and communities, addressed a gathering of Richmond Chamber of Commerce members last Thursday (March 24) in a question and answer session on the new Liberal government`s spending plans and told the audience Ottawa will consider pitching in for the project, which is projected to cost $3.5 billion.
While no federal funding has been committed to the bridge project, Matt Pitcairn, president and CEO of the Richmond Chamber of Commerce, said he is encouraged by the government’s commitment to infrastructure investment and looks forward to phase two of the infrastructure budget earmarked for B.C.
Phase one includes $370 million targeted for the Lower Mainland to renovate SkyTrain’s stations and aging cars.
Phase two is expected to include additional funds for major projects including the Surrey LRT and Broadway underground connection linking UBC.
Also bringing optimism is Ottawa’s pledge to increase its share of funding projects to 50 per cent of the total costs, up from one third.
The City of Richmond has questioned the project and its lack of planning to address a potential bottleneck when traffic flowing northward from the bridge encounters intersections along Oak Street that are already congested during rush hour periods.
Coun. Harold Steves, who attended the chamber event, told the News he still believes a bridge is not the right solution for easing traffic flow to and from communities south of the Fraser River through Richmond and found it telling the federal budget excluded the project, for now.
“I wasn’t surprised, but I was pleased,” Steves said. “I think they are wise not to put anything in the budget at this time simply because there (are) so many questions about the project.”
Steves said calls for a federal environmental review is at the top of that list.
But Steves added that he was not happy to hear from the minister that, while no money was immediately committed, there was a fund that could be tapped to provide the federal government`s share at a later date.
“So, he kinda sat on the fence with that one,” Steves said, adding he remains optimistic that, if environmental studies are done, the project could still be stopped in its tracks.
“It’s entirely possible that a federal environmental panel could say it’s not a go,” he said, “simply because there is so much harm that can be done to the river with the deep dredging that is planned, which is one of the consequences of removing the tunnel.”
