Close X
Friday, November 29, 2024
ADVT 
National

The costs of a Metro Vancouver SkyTrain extension jump by $1.9B and it's a year late

Darpan News Desk The Canadian Press, 16 Aug, 2024 09:40 AM
  • The costs of a Metro Vancouver SkyTrain extension jump by $1.9B and it's a year late

The total cost of building the Surrey-Langley SkyTrain extension in Metro Vancouver has soared by $2 billion and the project has been delayed for a year.

The Transportation Ministry says in a statement the budget of the 16-kilometre extension of the SkyTrain into Langley is now estimated at $5.996 billion, up from the original $4 billion projected. 

The project was to be moving passengers in 2028, but the ministry now says it is expected to be in service in late 2029, with the delays attributed to the "current market climate."

The ministry says the project is being built during a time of “significant market challenges” in B.C., and the costs of the project reflect rising inflation and labour-market challenges. 

Once completed, the ministry says the commute from Langley into downtown Vancouver would be just over an hour. 

The ballooning costs drew criticism from B.C. Conservative Leader John Rustad, who says the $2 billion increase is an “absolute disgrace," and shows the NDP government’s inability to manage a major infrastructure project. 

MORE National ARTICLES

Downtown Eastside social housing project expands to four lots, with health services

Downtown Eastside social housing project expands to four lots, with health services
B.C. Housing Minister Ravi Kahlon says the proposed development at the 300-block of East Hastings Street at the former site of a Buddhist temple will be expanded after a donation of adjacent land from the charitable 625 Powell Street Foundation.

Downtown Eastside social housing project expands to four lots, with health services

Fatal crash in Vancouver

Fatal crash in Vancouver
Police in Vancouver say a 27-year-old man is dead after he was struck by a car while riding his motorcycle yesterday. They say the motorcyclist was riding south on Arbutus Street toward West 21st Avenue just before 9:30 p-m when he collided with a grey Honda C-R-V.

Fatal crash in Vancouver

Early morning shooting in Newton

Early morning shooting in Newton
Police in Surrey say one man has been taken to hospital with serious injuries after an early morning shooting in the Newton area. R-C-M-P say officers got the call at around 5:30 a-m about a man suffering from a gunshot wound in a parking lot on 122nd Street near 72nd Avenue.

Early morning shooting in Newton

Vancouver Island to see $3B in BC Hydro upgrades, expansion over the next decade

Vancouver Island to see $3B in BC Hydro upgrades, expansion over the next decade
Energy Minister Josie Osborne says the BC Hydro projects will create thousands of jobs over the next decade and ensure the region has enough clean, affordable and reliable electricity to power homes, businesses and the economy.

Vancouver Island to see $3B in BC Hydro upgrades, expansion over the next decade

Foreign streaming services challenge requirement to pay into fund for Canadian news

Foreign streaming services challenge requirement to pay into fund for Canadian news
The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission said in June that foreign streamers must contribute five per cent of their annual Canadian revenues into a fund devoted to producing Canadian content, including local TV and radio news, as well as Indigenous and French-language content.

Foreign streaming services challenge requirement to pay into fund for Canadian news

Canadian unemployment rate rose to 6.4% in June as jobs market stalls

Canadian unemployment rate rose to 6.4% in June as jobs market stalls
Statistics Canada said Friday the unemployment rate came in at 6.4 per cent for the month, up from 6.2 per cent in May, as the size of the labour force grew. The June result was the highest reading for the unemployment rate since January 2022 when it was 6.5 per cent.

Canadian unemployment rate rose to 6.4% in June as jobs market stalls