B.C. buys 14 properties for housing near site of future Surrey SkyTrain station

The B.C. government has purchased 14 properties to serve as the future site for 700 homes in Surrey near the future Surrey-Langley SkyTrain line.

The properties account for about 1.6 hectares of land, which will include the future 152 Street Station and accompanying development.

Along with housing, the properties will also include space for grocery stores, retail and commercial space, child care and educational services.

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“From the beginning of the Surrey-Langley SkyTrain planning process, we recognized the tremendous potential to include housing and amenities for people near these station locations,” Transportation Minister Rob Fleming said.

“We made the necessary legislative changes so we could buy land to support transit-oriented developments along the route, and today’s announcement is the latest example of us delivering on that promise.”

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The B.C. government’s housing policy has focused heavily on transit-oriented development, including recent legislative changes requiring municipalities to allow higher density near transit hubs including SkyTrain.

The policy also includes buying land near transit hubs.

“I’m really looking forward to seeing the plans in the future because this is going to be big for the citizens of Surrey,” Surrey City Councillor Doug Elford said.

But with the massive changes coming and work already underway in preparation for the new SkyTrain line, some businesses along Fraser Highway say they’re already grappling with the growing pains.

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“(They’re) always blocking one road completely, both lanes, having one lane open to go and one lane open to come, and a lot of times they’ve got this intersection closed,” said Johnny Gorgis with Gorgeous Beauty Salon.

“A lot of clientele they don’t want to do circling around.”

The business was relying on a generator on Thursday, due to a scheduled BC Hydro power outage.

Gorgis said with construction expected to last at least five years, the project has them worried about the future of their business.

The Surrey purchase is the province’s fourth transit-oriented development, along with projects in Port Moody, Saanich and North Vancouver.

The province revealed in August that the cost to complete the Surrey-Langley SkyTrain line had increased by 50 per cent to nearly $6 billion, with an expected service date of late 2029.