With just three weeks to go until Canada votes, a key B.C. battleground got a major election commitment today.
The Conservatives are honing in on the Lower Mainland and promising to help fund a $2.1 billion light rail system (LRT) in Surrey if they are re-elected.
The former mayor of Surrey and federal conservative candidate Dianne Watts made the announcement on behalf of the conservatives, pledging $700 million for Surrey’s LRT project. The conservatives say they have the best plan on the table.
“We actually have the funds. We actually have the program through which the funds are going to be delivered and we’re able to deliver this project without raising taxes or running deficits,” said Industry Minister James Moore.
“The other political parties can promise the moon, if they like, which Mr. Trudeau has. But we don’t believe we should be driving this country into further deficits and into higher taxes.”
The announcement was made at Surrey City Central’s Concord Pacific Office, which is a rapidly growing area of the city.
The light rail would link the city centre to Newton, Guilford and Langley. The project is to be split three ways between the federal and provincial government and TransLink.
But funding hopes for TransLink is now in question after a proposed 0.5 per cent sales tax was voted down.
“In the meantime there are funding and financing options,” said Surrey Mayor Linda Hepner. “So I could look at financing option, not unlike the Canada Line.”
Hepner said she is still sticking by her deadline that construction for light rail will begin by 2018.
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