More than two dozen new SkyTrain rail cars, a new SeaBus, station upgrades, and planning and design for two new transit projects are all on the way for Metro Vancouver as a result of a C$740 million infrastructure deal announced yesterday by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Premier Christy Clark, and regional mayors.
“Anyone who takes transit and SkyTrain knows that during peak hours you’re jammed into those trains,” said Port Coquitlam Mayor Greg Moore, spokesperson for the regional mayors’ council. “This will provide some relief on the system.”
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The deal, which combines $370 million in federal, $246 million in provincial, and $125 million in local funding, is the first announced under Ottawa’s new Public Transit Infrastructure Fund. Moore said regional mayors are already thinking about a second phase of funding for a 10-year, $7.5-billion system expansion plan they finalized in 2013.
