More government funding is on its way for public transit in the region.
On Monday, the provincial and federal governments announced more than $4.1 billion in funding from Ottawa over the next 10 years for infrastructure projects that will be cost-shared with the province, municipalities and other partners.
“Signing this new 10-year bilateral agreement with the Government of Canada means more people in B.C. stand to benefit from record infrastructure investment — nearly $10 billion in partnership with all levels of government,” Claire Trevena, provincial minister of transportation and infrastructure said in making the announcement.
Across the country, more than $33 billion in federal funding will be invested through similar agreements with the provinces and territories.
“Long-term investments in infrastructure are key to building a strong Canada — connecting people, creating good jobs for the middle class, and building our economy and communities for the future,” said Amarjeet Sohi, federal minister of infrastructure and communities. “We are pleased to have reached a new agreement with British Columbia to invest in infrastructure projects that will benefit all communities for years to come.”
Just last month, the province and the Mayor’s Council on Regional Transportation announced $7 billion in infrastructure funding to pay for phase two of the council’s 10-year plan, which includes the expansion of the Millennium Line along Broadway to Arbutus, expanded capacity on the existing Expo and Millennium lines and the construction of a light rail line in Surrey, as well as increases in bus and HandyDART services, and improvements to sidewalks, bikeways, multi-use paths and roadways.
Burnaby Mayor Derek Corrigan, who also chairs the Mayor’s Council, called Monday’s announcement a “ground-breaking event in our communities.”
“I know that the cooperation between the mayors, cooperation with the province and the cooperation with the federal government is something that is going to continue to build our communities in the long run,” he said. “This is just the beginning of the investments that we’ll see over the next decade. This is just the beginning of what we see as a bright future for the Lower Mainland.”
TransLink CEO Kevin Desmond issued a statement following Monday’s announcement: “Today’s agreement represents another milestone on the path toward a fully funded Phase Two of the Mayor’s 10-Year Vision,” he said. “This agreement between the Province of B.C. and the federal government move us even closer to being able to deliver a whole host of transit and transportation improvements which will keep our region livable for years to come… I’m excited to work with our partners at the federal, provincial and municipal levels delivering this vision. I thank the province and the federal government for acting to make our plans reality.”
Last month, Desmond said construction of the Millennium Line expansion to Arbutus Street and the Surrey light rail is expected to begin in late 2019 or early 2020.
“Our current projections would be the Broadway subway operational by 2025 and the Surrey light rail, the first 10-and-a-half kilometres, operational by 2024,” he said.
The next step in the process is public consultation starting in April and into May before the plan goes back to the mayor’s council for approval in June.
