The B.C. government says the cost of building the Surrey Langley SkyTrain extension will cost $2 billion more than originally estimated and take longer to build.
Citing “significant market challenges in British Columbia, across Canada, and around the world,” the province says the project will now cost almost $6 billion.
Transportation Minister Rob Fleming tells OMNI News the government is managing cost escalation pressures seen worldwide.
“Construction costs for public transit, heavy infrastructure around North America and across the world have increased coming out of the pandemic. We saw 40-year record-high inflation become embedded into the cost of materials and labor. Rates have gone up by about 20 per cent in just the last three years. So that meant that the price has gone from $4.1 billion to $5.996 billion,” said Fleming.
He says the cost is not likely to escalate again after signing contracts and claims that the province has negotiated a good deal compared to projects in Alberta and Ontario.
“They’re building in Calgary something called the Green Line. Their costs have escalated to about $500 million per kilometre for that line; the Surrey Langley SkyTrain will cost about $375 million per kilometre.”
Approved in 2022, the extensions were originally set to be complete in 2028. As of an update Thursday, the province says the “anticipated in-service date” is now set for “late 2029.”
The MLA for Surrey South and BC Conservatives party member Elenore Sturko took to social media to criticize the BC NDP and the new price tag. In a video, she says the increase is breaking news, but not shocking news.
“This stuff does not make sense. This province is absolutely financially mismanaged,” said Sturko.
Fleming says the payoff will be worth the time and money.
“Around the eight stations that are going to be part of transit-oriented development are going to provide amazing economic benefits. About 20,000 jobs will be located near those eight stations — about 100,000 homes built…within 800 meters of those eight stations. So it’s a great project for the region.”
The province says the SkyTrain expansion will extend the Expo Line 16 kilometres from King George Station in Surrey to 203 Street in the City of Langley, with eight stations and three transit exchanges.
—With files from Charlene Ling