MEDIA RELEASE
Surrey and Langley elect SkyTrain-supportive MPs
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – October 22, 2019 – Surrey, BC
The proposed Surrey-Langley SkyTrain (SLS) extension could see major funding developments as a result of the 2019 federal elections. In 6 out of 6 Surrey and Langley ridings, constituents have elected candidates who publicly stated their support for the Surrey-Langley SkyTrain.
As eager South of Fraser voters headed to the polls on Monday, it’s important to note the strong visibility of transit expansion (and specifically the proposed Surrey-Langley SkyTrain) throughout the campaign period as an election issue. Federal parties were urged by the region’s Mayors’ Council to commit to introducing stable, permanent funding for transit projects. Strong calls by the Mayors’ Council and numerous advocacy groups resulted in three federal parties (the Liberals, NDP and Greens) committing to a permanent transit fund in their official platforms.
The election of Justin Trudeau’s Liberals in a minority government creates major opportunities for transit expansion in South-of-Fraser cities. With Jagmeet Singh’s NDP expected to hold the balance of power, Liberal and NDP MPs wield a position of power that would enable them to introduce a permanent transit fund, which both parties had committed to during the elections. The Mayors’ Council has noted that a permanent transit fund would enable TransLink to complete the 10-year vision and build a full 16 kilometre SkyTrain extension to Langley by 2025.
In addition, the benefits of permanent funding for transit should not be understated. Permanent funding will provide cash-flow for future transit expansions and enable projects such as SkyTrain along King George Boulevard to Newton to sooner become a reality.
Summary of SkyTrain support among South-Of-Fraser MPs:
| Riding | Candidate Elected (party) | Notes |
| Surrey-Centre | Randeep Singh Sarai (Liberal) | Liberal platform supports permanent funding for transit. Sarai reiterated his support for SkyTrain to Langley in a recent video in Punjabi. [1] |
| Surrey-Newton | Sukh Dhaliwal (Liberal) | Liberal platform supports permanent funding for transit. Dhaliwal has said he will join colleagues in pushing for SLS. [1] |
| Fleetwood-Port Kells | Ken Hardie (Liberal) | Liberal Platform supports permanent transit funding. Hardie has said he will push for extra funding for full SLS to Langley. [1] |
| Cloverdale-Langley City | Tamara Jansen (Conservative) | Supports federal funding of full SLS. Stated that as MP she “will fight for predictable and stable funding for mass transit, including the SkyTrain expansion”. [1] |
| Langley-Aldergrove | Tako Van Popta (Conservative) | Supports federal funding of full SLS. Considers himself “strong advocate for SkyTrain to Langley”, noting it will reduce congestion + lower carbon footprint. [1][2] |
| South Surrey-White Rock | Kerry Lynne-Findlay (Conservative) | Has stated she would “champion” SkyTrain extension to Langley, and connecting transit service to that transportation spine from South Surrey. [1] |
About SkyTrain for Surrey
SkyTrain for Surrey is the community organization that advocated for the Surrey-Langley SkyTrain extension, and continues to push for high-quality rapid transit projects in Surrey and Langley. We began as a petition calling for the scrapping of a street-level LRT proposal, which eventually amassed more than 6,000 signatures, and later contributed to making SkyTrain an election issue as a registered third-party advertiser. SkyTrain for Surrey continues to call for high-quality projects that offer a positive return-on-investment and recognize the rapidly increasing demand for transit.
Media Contact:
Daryl Dela Cruz – Founder, SkyTrain for Surrey
Phone: +1 604 329 3529, [email protected]