“On behalf of the citizens of Surrey, the time for new rapid transit in our city is long overdue. Let’s get this done, now”

SURREY Mayor Doug McCallum on Monday noted that March 1990 was when the Expo Line of SkyTrain crossed the Fraser River into Surrey. Thirty years later there has not been any major rapid transit expansion for BC’s fastest growing city with a population that is fast approaching 600,000 people.

“To say that Surrey has been left behind when it comes to mass transit is a gross understatement,” said McCallum. “The growth that Surrey has experienced in 30 years has been exponential and we are well on track to be the largest city in the province. Families continue to choose Surrey as the place to call home and businesses are setting up shop at a rate of 2,400 new businesses per year.”

In the most recent Council-Land Use meeting, more than $1.7 billion dollars in building projects were given approval to proceed by Surrey City Council, with the majority of new developments slated along the Surrey-Langley SkyTrain extension.

“Since the introduction of the Expo Line, Vancouver has been served with the Millennium Line, Canada Line, Evergreen Line and now the new Broadway Subway, while Surrey has received nothing,” said McCallum. “The people of Surrey are fed up with waiting while other jurisdictions that are growing at a far slower rate receive the lion share of transit funds. On behalf of the citizens of Surrey, the time for new rapid transit in our city is long overdue. Let’s get this done, now.”