The BC NDP says if reelected, it will bring rapid transit to the North Shore.
It’s just the latest announcement from the incumbent party as it looks to pick up votes in the upcoming provincial election.
NDP candidates Bowinn Ma, Susie Chant, and Sara Eftekhar shared the details Tuesday morning, saying it will “alleviate congestion on the North Shore and provide critical connectivity for commuters.”
The NDP says the project will begin with a Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) line from West Vancouver to Burnaby.
“A new rapid transit line between Park Royal and Metrotown means that people will have more choices about how they get on, off, and around the North Shore,” said Ma, NDP candidate for North Vancouver-Lonsdale. “This new high-efficiency service will help get people where they’re going, faster, and sooner as we also drive forward with work on longer-term expansion, like fixed light rail or Skytrain.”
A BRT differs from existing bus routes in the region in that it’s entirely separated from traffic.
The promise comes as the mayors of the city and district of North Vancouver and West Vancouver are set to gather Tuesday morning with local business leaders hoping to push provincial candidates to make transit a top election issue.
City of North Vancouver Mayor Linda Buchanan says officials have worked hard to keep rapid transit for the North Shore a priority, but the system is now facing potential cuts, and without provincial government funding, the transit system as a whole is under threat.
“We are sounding the alarm. North Shore residents, employers, and workers have had enough of traffic congestion and overcrowding on buses,” said Buchanan in an early morning statement.
Officials say a recent Mayors’ Council survey found 77 per cent of North Shore residents “believe transit is an important election issue and a majority are concerned about possible cuts.”
A news conference is set to begin at 10:30 a.m. at the Shipyards.
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