CAMPAIGN UPDATE ／ 2020 PROVINCIAL ELECTIONS
B.C. PROVINCIAL ELECTION 2020: your VOTE matters!!!
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 24th
is the final day to VOTE for your next provincial government!!!
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – October 23, 2020 – Surrey, BC
Why is building the Surrey-Langley SkyTrain more important than ever?
The time for SkyTrain is now. B.C.’s economy has been battered by the COVID-19 pandemic. Unemployment has risen to record highs, and housing costs are a huge challenge. The lack of a rapid transit backbone has made us reliant on our cars, at a high expense: on average, we now pay 2-3x as much to get around compared to those living in areas well-served by SkyTrain. Building the full Surrey-Langley SkyTrain secures our prosperity through the pandemic: not only will it provide much-needed construction jobs to boost the local economy, but it will give us crucial access to education and job opportunities throughout the region—via fast, frequent and reliable automated trains.
How does this election affect the Surrey-Langley SkyTrain?
The Mayors’ Council has endorsed the Surrey-Langley SkyTrain as the region’s next major rapid transit investment and is committed to building all 16 kilometres within the region’s current 10-year-vision. However, regional mayors have only been able to secure the $1.6 billion in funding from the previous LRT plan, and TransLink has determined this will be enough to build as far as 166 Street in Fleetwood. This funding is still subject to a business case approval, which was delayed due to the onset of COVID-19.
To complete the remaining segment to Langley City, an additional $1.5 billion in funding must be secured from all relevant partners. TransLink’s CEO has noted the possibility of completing the entire project to Langley in a single phase, but only if the remaining $1.5 billion is secured, which must be done as soon as possible.
In order to build the full 16 kilometre Surrey-Langley SkyTrain by 2025, the next provincial government must do the following:
☑ Approve the Surrey-Langley SkyTrain business case (and initial $1.6 billion in funding to 166 Street in Fleetwood).
☑ Commit, in budget, to the provincial share of the remaining $1.5 billion to Langley City.
☑ Complete the full Surrey-Langley SkyTrain in a single phase (instead of two phases).
☑ Prioritize the Surrey-Langley SkyTrain and ensure that other transportation projects do not cause delays.
☑ Support TransLink operations so that it remains in good financial standing and can deliver the region’s funding share.
How do the parties do on commitments for the Surrey-Langley SkyTrain?
Since the start of this election period, SkyTrain for Surrey has been monitoring party platforms, party announcements, debates, and candidate statements on developments regarding the Surrey-Langley SkyTrain. As of October 23, 2020, we rate the below four provincial parties on this issue as follows:
 |  |  |  | |
| Approving the SLS business case | YES will approve | YES will approve | LIKELY indicated support | YES will approve |
| Committing funds from Fleetwood to Langley | YES will make SLS a provincial capital project | LIKELY committed to Mayors’ vision | UNCERTAIN has indicated support but not $ in budget | YES is in support of the full project |
| Completing the SLS in a single phase | YES all 16km through provincial project | LIKELY committed to Mayors’ vision | UNLIKELY has not made a specific commitment | YES is in support of the full project |
| Prioritizing SLS to ensure it can proceed without delays | YES has indicated SLS is the next priority | YES Mayors’ vision sets SLS as the next transpo priority | UNLIKELY Massey Bridge + highway projects could delay SLS | YES prioritize SLS first, then push for new transit to E. Langley, Fraser Valley |
| Keeping TransLink in good financial shape | YES extensive pre-election support to be retained | YES extensive support retained + financing reform | UNCERTAIN lack of response when asked by Mayors’ Council | LIKELY given specific support for SLS; otherwise no particular position |
| Strongest commitment to building the Surrey-Langley SkyTrain: BC NDP |
View the PDF copy of our guide below:
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]