TransLink Reannounces A Renouncement, Of A Reannouncement!

Good news everyone, the federal liberals are giving TransLink money to buy new cars and upgrade the Expo Line, yippee.

It’s not additional money of course, rather a renouncement of a renouncement.

Really, how much mileage can they get for $1.47 billion? A lot if today’s reannouncent is anything to go by.

Just to remind ourselves of the committed costs to date, I will restate the funded projects and the funding shortfalls.

Broadway subway: Funded to $2.8 billion. Real cost around $3 billion. Shortfall $200 to $300 million.

Surrey Expo line extension: Funded for $1.65 billion. Cost to go to Langley $3 billion. Shortfall $1.35 billion.

200 Mk.3 car order: $800 million plus. Funding included in the Federal financing. Shortfall $800 million plus from the two approved transit projects.

Expo & Millennium Line rehab: around $3 billion. Unfunded. Shortfall, around $3 billion.

Total funding shortfall: Over $5 billion!

As always, Translink’s numbers do not add up and the federal Liberals and the provincial NDP know this very well, but with such a dismal mainstream media in BC, renouncement of a reannouncement, of reannouncement makes big news!

New, reconditioned SkyTrain cars: Feds, province outline funding for Metro Vancouver transit

by Hana Mae Nassar

Posted May 23, 2019 10:05

BURNABY (NEWS 1130) – The federal government is outlining how the $1.47 billion it previously announced to upgrade public transit infrastructure in Metro Vancouver will be spent.

The money will go toward buying hundreds of new SkyTrain cars, as well as toward reconditioning dozens of older ones.

“It’s money that was announced back in January that we were sharing the investment with the federal government,” B.C. Minister of Transportation Claire Trevena says.

Of Thursday’s announcement, Trevena says she’s happy to be able to announce the upgrades and expansion of the Expo and Millennium lines.

“The upgrades wouldn’t happen without the commitment from all levels of government. We’re working in partnership with the federal government, and obviously with TransLink to make sure this happens. But, we do need to ensure that we are replacing the rolling stock, that we do get those extra carriages on, that we have the facilities, the storage facilities, to make sure the power system is upgraded.

“We need to get people out of their cars, we need to get them into public transportation,” Trevena adds.

The money is part of the federal government’s broader infrastructure plan, which Minister of Defence Harjit Sajjan says has been able to fund thousands of projects across Canada.

“Our investments are encouraging more people to take public transit and helping to reduce traffic congestion and air pollution,” he says.

Continued investments in communities across B.C. will help grow the local economy, Sajjan adds, as well as build more inclusive communities, all while protecting the environment and health of those living in this country.

“Here in British Columbia, we have provided and invested over $3.6 billion through our infrastructure plan to date,” Sajjan says.

-With files from Martin MacMahon

Editor’s Note: A previous version of this story quoted Minister Sajjan as saying the federal government has invested over $3.6 million to date. The minister has corrected his statement to say $3.6 billion.

Please see: http://www.railforthevalley.com/latest-news/zweisystem/adios-the-mk-1s/

Comments

4 Responses to “TransLink Reannounces A Renouncement, Of A Reannouncement!”
  1. Haveacow says:

    “But, we do need to ensure that we are replacing the rolling stock, that we do get those extra carriages on, that we have the facilities, the storage facilities, to make sure the power system is upgraded.”

    B.C. Minister of Transport, Claire Trevena.

    Well that’s a first, they are finally publicly admitting that Translink has run out of rail vehicle storage/maintenance space and the electrical system is maxed out and is in desperate need to be upgraded.

    Now they have to just admit that the most of the Skytrain’s running track, turnouts, induction rail, concrete track base and plinths, cabling (both power and communications) as well as a lot of the concrete viaduct’s need upgrades or outright replacement.

  2. zweisystem says:

    It seems TransLink and the Mayor’s Council on Transit are desperate for money and now mounted a Facebook barrage asking the people to ask the Liberals for more money.

    An unconfirmed rumour has it that both ART Movia projects are well over budget and panic is setting in at Translink, has the public is in no mood for more taxes.

    The vexing SNC Lavalin affair now have the Liberals also in a panic as they may lose all their Surrey seats, hence the reanouncement. As far as I can understand, no new money is being offered.

  3. Haveacow says:

    How much over budget? The reason I ask is that, an article about the massive public support for the Fleetwood-Langley Skytrain extension has just graced my news page. This is support from a Translink study by the way.

  4. zweisystem says:

    No actual figures, but it must be substantial because Translink is begging on Facebook for people to write letters to their MP’s for more money.

    The so called poll is from the bi weekly Surrey Now leader, which editor is a strong supporter of current mayor Doug McCallum and SkyTrain.

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