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Feb 28,2009 Ministry Press Release
COQUITLAM – Construction of the Evergreen Line is taking a major step forward with the opening of the Evergreen Line Project Office, announced Transportation and Infrastructure Minister Kevin Falcon, federal Canadian Heritage and Official Languages Minister James Moore and TransLink CEO Tom Prendergast today. “The Evergreen Line will vastly improve transit options for people in Metro Vancouver’s northeast quadrant,” said Falcon. “It will also be a big boost to the region’s economy, providing over 8,000 direct and indirect jobs.” “The Evergreen Sky Train extension will improve the quality of life of Tri-City residents by creating more transportation choices, cutting traffic, and by reducing pollution,” said Moore. “Our government is proud to be a partner in this project.” Using SkyTrain technology, the 11-kilometre Evergreen Line will link neighbourhoods in Burnaby, Port Moody and Coquitlam and be fully integrated into the existing system, connecting directly onto the Millennium Line at Lougheed Station. “Not only is the Tri-Cities area growing, we know that it’s the destination for a third of the commuters that today drive across the Port Mann Bridge from the South of Fraser,” said Prendergast. “The Evergreen Line, linking to a new RapidBus service from Highway 1 at the Lougheed Station, has huge potential to attract substantial numbers of people from cars to rapid transit.” The Evergreen Line will provide fast and frequent service to downtown Vancouver – improving the transit network throughout Metro Vancouver and facilitating economic growth and regional job creation. The Project Office will advance the Evergreen Line Project through design and construction and will provide the public with the opportunity to learn more about the project, meet with staff, and give feedback and input as design and construction proceeds. Construction of the Evergreen Line is scheduled to begin in late 2010 and be completed in late 2014. The Evergreen Line is jointly funded by the Government of Canada (up to $416.7 million), the Government of British Columbia ($410 million) and TransLink ($400 million). Approximately $350 million of the federal contribution is from the Building Canada Fund. The $1.4-billion project is a key component of the Provincial Transit Plan. -30-
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