SkyTrain To Rootin Tootin Newton? It Must Be Election Time
It is the silly season folks and the NDP and Conservatives have made promises to build more SkyTrain and why not, as politcal promises are easily made but much harder to keep.
The first question I will ask is the cost?
Based on the Langley extension, around $3.2 billion, not including cars, signalling, added electrical supply and more.
Second question I will ask, Funding?
Ah yes funding, a pesky little question to ask because Bombardier no longer owns the propitiatory cars that operate on the Expo Line and Alstom, who now owns the proprietary system, is in the process of selling the production facility (and the all important test track) in Kingston; with Ottawa opting out funding this line altogether. Ceasing production are they?
Do I hear ALTO, that $80 billion, 300km high speed rail line connecting Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal and Quebec City.
Then there is Vancouver, with a current $3.5 billion subway to nowhere under Broadway, with provincial promises to complete it to UBC. Oh and that is another $8 billion – chump change at election time.
For the same cost of a 8 km extension to Rootin Tootin Newton, we could build around 60km of modern LRT for Surrey, but of course its the photo ops and 10 second sound bites that come with SkyTrain that is important, especially around election time.
Does anyone remember former Vancouver mayor, Kennedy Stewart’s SkyTrain loop line for Vancouver?
Remember, promises, promises…………….
BC NDP, BC Conservatives support expanding SkyTrain to Newton
By Amy Judd Global News
Posted October 20, 2026
Surrey is shaping up to be a major battleground in the upcoming provincial election and now B.C.’s two biggest parties are expressing support for expanding the SkyTrain to Newton.
The city’s newly elected mayor, Doug McCallum, said in a statement that only the BC Conservatives have committed to the expansion, while the BC NDP “offered a meeting.”
One of McCallum’s campaign promises was to connect Newton on the SkyTrain line.
Eby was asked about the mayor-elect’s comments during a press conference on Tuesday morning.
“It’s important for British Columbians to know that whether it’s our commitment to work with the new mayor in Surrey, to build that SkyTrain in Newton, or whether it is the Massey Tunnel Project in the Lower Mainland, or whether it’s right here in Kelowna, to build up that sixth floor of the hospital, that we’re building this province,” Eby said.
He added that the BC NDP has set aside $250 million in their platform for a transit expansion to Newton and they have set that money aside.
The city’s newly elected mayor, Doug McCallum, said in a statement that only the BC Conservatives have committed to the expansion, while the BC NDP “offered a meeting.”
One of McCallum’s campaign promises was to connect Newton on the SkyTrain line.
Eby was asked about the mayor-elect’s comments during a press conference on Tuesday morning.
“It’s important for British Columbians to know that whether it’s our commitment to work with the new mayor in Surrey, to build that SkyTrain in Newton, or whether it is the Massey Tunnel Project in the Lower Mainland, or whether it’s right here in Kelowna, to build up that sixth floor of the hospital, that we’re building this province,” Eby said.
He added that the BC NDP has set aside $250 million in their platform for a transit expansion to Newton and they have set that money aside.
Just as a reminder for the cost of a 8 km SkyTrain line, Surrey could build around 60 km of modern light rail, but politcans only care about transit at election time!
