The Lower Mainland’s transit provider is set to receive a massive lifeline, as the federal government announced on Wednesday it’s investing more than $825 million into TransLink.
In a joint statement between Sean Fraser, federal minister of housing, infrastructure and communities; Anne Kang, B.C.’s minister of municipal affairs; and Trish Mandewo, the president of the Union of BC Municipalities (UBCM), the feds shared it will be investing $1.6 billion into local B.C. communities over the next five years.
The government shared TransLink will receive a total of $825.3 million alone, with local governments and projects set to receive the remainder.
“Together we have finalized a new Canada Community-Building Fund (CCBF) agreement that will continue to provide predictable, long-term, and stable funding to local governments across British Columbia. The renewal of this agreement means that the critical infrastructure that supports housing will continue to be built, maintained, and expanded,” the joint statement said.
“Upgrading municipal infrastructure that people rely on is an important part of addressing the housing crisis. Community growth needs affordable homes as well as infrastructure, such as public transit, recreation centres, and modern water and wastewater systems,” it continued.
The funding comes after the TransLink Mayors’ Council sounded the alarm repeatedly over the last year, with claims of underfunding and under-resourcing as the region sees massive population growth.
The council chair, Port Coquitlam Mayor Brad West, shared in February that he was disappointed to see a lack of new transit projects outlined for Metro Vancouver in B.C.’s 2024 budget. West said at that time that if TransLink didn’t get more funding soon, it would have to look at service cuts starting in 2026.
The B.C. government in April announced it would be investing $300 million into the transit service for more buses and SeaBus services.
The feds explained Wednesday that the funding will be distributed in three streams, including the Strategic Priorities Fund, the Metro Vancouver Regional Fund, and the Community Works Fund.
“We are taking a collaborative approach to building more inclusive and connected communities by creating the public infrastructure that British Columbians need,” the statement said.
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