New, reconditioned SkyTrain cars: Feds, province outline funding for Metro Vancouver transit
Posted May 23, 2019 10:05 am.
Last Updated May 23, 2019 12:18 pm.
BURNABY (NEWS 1130) – The federal government is outlining how the $1.47 billion it previously announced to upgrade public transit infrastructure in Metro Vancouver will be spent.
The money will go toward buying hundreds of new SkyTrain cars, as well as toward reconditioning dozens of older ones.
“It’s money that was announced back in January that we were sharing the investment with the federal government,” B.C. Minister of Transportation Claire Trevena says.
Of Thursday’s announcement, Trevena says she’s happy to be able to announce the upgrades and expansion of the Expo and Millennium lines.
“The upgrades wouldn’t happen without the commitment from all levels of government. We’re working in partnership with the federal government, and obviously with TransLink to make sure this happens. But, we do need to ensure that we are replacing the rolling stock, that we do get those extra carriages on, that we have the facilities, the storage facilities, to make sure the power system is upgraded.
“We need to get people out of their cars, we need to get them into public transportation,” Trevena adds.
The money is part of the federal government’s broader infrastructure plan, which Minister of Defence Harjit Sajjan says has been able to fund thousands of projects across Canada.
“Our investments are encouraging more people to take public transit and helping to reduce traffic congestion and air pollution,” he says.
Continued investments in communities across B.C. will help grow the local economy, Sajjan adds, as well as build more inclusive communities, all while protecting the environment and health of those living in this country.
“Here in British Columbia, we have provided and invested over $3.6 billion through our infrastructure plan to date,” Sajjan says.
-With files from Martin MacMahon
Editor’s Note: A previous version of this story quoted Minister Sajjan as saying the federal government has invested over $3.6 million to date. The minister has corrected his statement to say $3.6 billion.
