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NEWS RELEASE |
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For Immediate Release |
Office of the Premier |
RICHMOND
– Canada Line, which provides rapid transit service between downtown
Vancouver,
Richmond and Vancouver International Airport (YVR), was officially opened
three-and-a-half
months ahead of schedule today by the Honourable Stockwell Day, Minister of
International Trade and Minister for the Asia-Pacific Gateway, Premier Gordon
Campbell and representatives of the project’s partners.
Opening ceremonies at YVR-Airport
Terminus Station included an inaugural trip between the airport, Richmond and
Vancouver’s Waterfront Station.
The $2-billion project is one of the
largest infrastructure undertakings ever completed in
British
Columbia. It will transport passengers along the 19-kilometre route from
downtown
Vancouver’s
Waterfront Station to Vancouver International Airport in just 25 minutes, and
is
projected to carry 100,000 passengers per day, eliminating 14,000 tonnes of
greenhouse
gas
emissions annually.
“On behalf of all British
Columbians, I want to thank all of the workers who built this
modern,
efficient transit line on budget and more than three months ahead of schedule,”
said
Premier Campbell. “This new line will carry millions of visitors and residents
each year,
reducing
commute times and carrying tourists and business travellers quickly and
efficiently
into our
communities. That will boost tourism, create opportunities and strengthen our
economy
for years to come.”
“Our government, under the leadership of Prime
Minister Stephen Harper, remains focused on creating jobs and delivering
results for British Columbia,” said Minister Day. “Today’s grand launch is an
example of what is achieved when all levels of government work together. The
Canada Line will mean cleaner air, fewer GHG emissions and shorter commute
times for Vancouver residents and tourists.”
The Canada Line rapid transit system
runs fully separated from traffic. With 16 stations,
two
bridges, approximately 19 kilometres of tunnel and elevated guideway, parking
and
bus
facilities, and transit capacity equivalent to 10 road lanes, the line is a
significant new
link in
the regional transportation network.
“The Canada Line is an important
piece of the region’s overall transit network,” said
TransLink
CEO Tom Prendergast. “By connecting to other transit services that operate
out of
Waterfront Station and other Canada Line stations, Canada Line makes our
transit
network
more integrated and provides faster and more convenient service. It also will
make a
significant contribution toward our greenhouse gas reduction goals and all of
the
efforts going
in to keeping Metro Vancouver’s standing as one of the most liveable places
on earth.
Congratulations are in order to all of the partners who made the line happen,
and all
of people who designed, built and delivered such a significant new addition to the
world’s
biggest, automated rapid transit system.”
The project was overseen by Canada
Line Rapid Transit Inc. (CLCO), a subsidiary of
TransLink.
The Government of Canada, Government of British Columbia, South Coast
British
Columbia Transportation Authority (TransLink), the Vancouver Airport Authority
and
InTransitBC funded the Canada Line, which is also supported by the Cities of
Vancouver
and
Richmond.
“We’re pleased to be able to now
move into operating mode for Canada Line,” noted Jane Bird, CEO, Canada Line
Rapid Transit Inc. “Completing the work three-and-a-half months
early
means we’ll be able to complete the transition from construction to full
operation
well
before the busy fall season that starts after the Labour Day long weekend. Each
person
involved
in this project should be extremely proud that they’ve built an exceptional new
system
that will serve the people who live, work and travel in Vancouver for the next
100
years.”
The Canada Line was designed and
built by InTransitBC, which will also operate and maintain the system under a
35-year contract. InTransitBC is a limited partnership company owned by
SNC-Lavalin Inc., the Investment Management Corporation of BC (bcIMC) and the
Caisse de Dépôt et Placement du Québec.
“We’re proud of the fact that this complex and
challenging project was not only completed ahead of schedule but within budget
too,” said Jean-Marc Arbaud, president and CEO of InTransitBC. “While more than
2,000 people worked on the Canada Line locally, the project
involved
companies from across Canada and around the world. Everyone involved should
take a
great deal of pride in this extraordinary achievement.”
Larry Berg, president and CEO,
Vancouver Airport Authority, noted Canada Line marks the first rapid transit
service to any major airport in the country. “We’re pleased to be the first
major
airport in Canada to provide our customers and the more than 26,000 people who
work at
YVR with convenient rapid transit service to the airport,” said Berg. “I
congratulate
the project
partners for completing such an impressive infrastructure project on budget
and ahead
of schedule.”
Today’s inaugural trip between YVR
and downtown Vancouver made stops at stations in
Richmond
and Vancouver to welcome aboard Mayor Malcolm Brodie of Richmond and
Mayor
Gregor Robertson of Vancouver.
“Richmond is known as one of the
world’s most liveable cities, and there’s no question that the benefits offered
by the Canada Line will further this reality,” said Brodie. “Our
extensive
restoration work along No. 3 Road integrates the Canada Line into the fabric
of our
city centre to offer pedestrian and transit-oriented neighbourhoods and a
vibrant,
cosmopolitan
urban destination with rich business opportunities. Canada Line will help us
towards
achieving sustainable community living, and will change how people think about
getting
to, from and around Richmond.”
“The residents of Vancouver will
benefit from the Canada Line, which will help reduce
traffic
congestion in the city and improve overall commuting times,” said Robertson.
“As part
of our goal of becoming the greenest city in the world, the City is working to
get
people
out of their cars and onto transit as much as possible. The Canada Line will
provide
a new,
sustainable public transit option that will make it easier for people to leave
their
cars at
home.”
On arrival in downtown Vancouver,
passengers were greeted at a welcoming ceremony
organized
by The Vancouver Board of Trade. The welcome signalled the start of Canada
Line’s
fare-free day, a chance for British Columbians and their families to experience
the
latest
addition to Metro Vancouver’s transit system.
-30-
Media
contacts:
|
Dale
Steeves Director
of Communications Office of
the Premier Tel: 250
387-6605 |
Melissa
Leclerc Office of
the Honourable Stockwell Day Minister
of International Trade and Minister for the Asia-Pacific Gateway 613
992-7332 |
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Dave
Crebo Communications
Director Ministry
of Transportation and Infrastructure Tel: 250
387-7787 |
Transport
Canada, Ottawa Media
Relations Tel: 613
993-0055 |
|
City of
Vancouver Corporate
Communications Tel: 604
871-6336 |
YVR Media
Relations Tel: 604
880-9815 Media_relations@yvr.ca |
|
Ted
Townsend Senior
Manager, Corporate Communications City of
Richmond Tel: 604
276-4399 Cell: 604.516.9585 ttownsend@richmond.ca |
Ken
Hardie TransLink
Communication Tel: 604
453-4606 Cell: 604
220-2450 ken.hardie@translink.ca |
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Alan
Dever Canada
Line Rapid Transit Inc. Tel: 604
484-6736 Cell: 778
233-6090 adever@canadaline.ca |
Steve
Crombie InTransitBC Tel: 604
605-5997 Cell: 604
209-0025 Steve.Crombie@intransit.bc.ca |
For more information on government
services or to subscribe to the Province’s news feeds using RSS, visit the
Province’s website at www.gov.bc.ca.
