B.C. minister touts benefits of 3B Broadway Subway Project as businesses ask for support
B.C.'s transport minister talked up the benefits of the $2.95 billion Broadway Subway SkyTrain extension at a Monday photo op — but businesses say there's been little support for them as the delayed project looks to hit its 2027 completion date.
The Broadway Subway Project aims to extend the Millennium Line by 5.7 kilometres, bringing the SkyTrain west from VCC-Clark station to Arbutus.
And while it was initially supposed to cost $2.83 billion and come online this year, two delays have pushed the project to 2027, and the price has shot up to $2.95 billion.
Businesses along Broadway who have had to deal with construction for five years say they're hanging by a thread, even as the province continues to say it will help alleviate pressure on Metro Vancouver's transit system.
"As with all projects, there's always challenges," Transport Minister Mike Farnworth said. "There's issues that will come up, just because of the nature of the location, and events that do happen."
Farnworth says the extension will increase the capacity of the SkyTrain system by 27 per cent, and would carry three times the capacity of the 99 bus line, which has long been the region's busiest route.
"The time to get from VCC-Clark down to Arbutus will only be 11 minutes," he said.
"So that is going to be a significant improvement, in terms of people's commuting experience, on the transit system."
Farnworth acknowledged the problems the project has faced that has led to a two-year delay. The challenges included labour disputes and problems faced by tunnel boring machines along the Broadway corridor.
"We're on time to have it open in 2027," he insisted.
Businesses ask for support
Farnworth said the Broadway Subway Project, which is funded by the province, has been in touch with local businesses on a daily basis over their concerns.
But some of them say they've had to close up shop due to ongoing street construction.
"I was forced to remortgage my home on two occasions and eventually was forced to sell my condo because of the drop in sales," said Allen Ingram, the owner of Home on the Range Organics.
Ingram ended up having to close his Broadway location a month and a half ago and has shifted to primarily selling his products online, in addition to a new production kitchen on the Sunshine Coast.
"It's without the woes of any construction, and it's a lovely place to be," he said. "So on a personal level, it feels a lot better to be removed from what we were going through in Vancouver."
Neil Wyles, the executive director of the Mount Pleasant Business Improvement Association, says that he was seeing 50 per cent business vacancies along Broadway from Alberta Street to Kingsway — which he largely attributed to the reduction in foot traffic from subway construction.
"We've talked to all of the politicians and everyone seems to be very, very, very sympathetic," he said.
"But at the end of the day, there's been zero support for these businesses."
Wyles said that businesses had been "hanging on by their fingernails" since subway construction started in 2020, and he is pushing for a tax break for stores affected by construction.
"There's no guarantee that your store is going to just be flooded with people because of the Broadway line," Wyles said, when asked whether businesses can expect an uptick in foot traffic when the project is online.
"I could not, in good conscience, go into one of my businesses and say, 'But it'll be worth it. It'll be totally worth it, man... I don't think that's true."
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2 days ago
- Yahoo
B.C. minister touts benefits of 3B Broadway Subway Project as businesses ask for support
B.C.'s transport minister talked up the benefits of the $2.95 billion Broadway Subway SkyTrain extension at a Monday photo op — but businesses say there's been little support for them as the delayed project looks to hit its 2027 completion date. The Broadway Subway Project aims to extend the Millennium Line by 5.7 kilometres, bringing the SkyTrain west from VCC-Clark station to Arbutus. And while it was initially supposed to cost $2.83 billion and come online this year, two delays have pushed the project to 2027, and the price has shot up to $2.95 billion. Businesses along Broadway who have had to deal with construction for five years say they're hanging by a thread, even as the province continues to say it will help alleviate pressure on Metro Vancouver's transit system. "As with all projects, there's always challenges," Transport Minister Mike Farnworth said. "There's issues that will come up, just because of the nature of the location, and events that do happen." Farnworth says the extension will increase the capacity of the SkyTrain system by 27 per cent, and would carry three times the capacity of the 99 bus line, which has long been the region's busiest route. "The time to get from VCC-Clark down to Arbutus will only be 11 minutes," he said. "So that is going to be a significant improvement, in terms of people's commuting experience, on the transit system." Farnworth acknowledged the problems the project has faced that has led to a two-year delay. The challenges included labour disputes and problems faced by tunnel boring machines along the Broadway corridor. "We're on time to have it open in 2027," he insisted. Businesses ask for support Farnworth said the Broadway Subway Project, which is funded by the province, has been in touch with local businesses on a daily basis over their concerns. But some of them say they've had to close up shop due to ongoing street construction. "I was forced to remortgage my home on two occasions and eventually was forced to sell my condo because of the drop in sales," said Allen Ingram, the owner of Home on the Range Organics. Ingram ended up having to close his Broadway location a month and a half ago and has shifted to primarily selling his products online, in addition to a new production kitchen on the Sunshine Coast. "It's without the woes of any construction, and it's a lovely place to be," he said. "So on a personal level, it feels a lot better to be removed from what we were going through in Vancouver." Neil Wyles, the executive director of the Mount Pleasant Business Improvement Association, says that he was seeing 50 per cent business vacancies along Broadway from Alberta Street to Kingsway — which he largely attributed to the reduction in foot traffic from subway construction. "We've talked to all of the politicians and everyone seems to be very, very, very sympathetic," he said. "But at the end of the day, there's been zero support for these businesses." Wyles said that businesses had been "hanging on by their fingernails" since subway construction started in 2020, and he is pushing for a tax break for stores affected by construction. "There's no guarantee that your store is going to just be flooded with people because of the Broadway line," Wyles said, when asked whether businesses can expect an uptick in foot traffic when the project is online. "I could not, in good conscience, go into one of my businesses and say, 'But it'll be worth it. It'll be totally worth it, man... I don't think that's true."
Hamilton Spectator
3 days ago
- Hamilton Spectator
B.C. provides peek into $2.95B SkyTrain tunnel, set to open in 2027
VANCOUVER - The British Columbia government has provided a glimpse of progress on the Broadway subway tunnel, which is set to expand Metro Vancouver's SkyTrain capacity significantly in 2027. Transportation Minister Mike Farnworth led a media tour of the construction of the tunnel, part of a 5.7-kilometre extension of the SkyTrain Millennium Line from VCC-Clark Station to Arbutus Street on Vancouver's West Side. Farnworth says the $2.95-billion construction project also features a 700-metre stretch of elevated track before the route plunges under Broadway, and about 750 workers are involved. He says the new Millennium Line extension and its six stations will be able to carry triple the capacity of the 99-B rapid bus service currently operating the route. The cost of the project is slightly more than previous estimates, but Farnworth says small overruns are common in underground construction but it's largely been kept under control. He adds that the Millennium Line extension is on track to open on time in the fall of 2027. The Millennium Line extension and an extension of the Expo Line to Langley are slated to expand SkyTrain capacity by more than 27 per cent. This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 2, 2025. Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
Hamilton Spectator
7 days ago
- Hamilton Spectator
As allies turn on B.C. NDP, house leader Farnworth celebrates ‘great session'
VICTORIA - Can a government have a 'great session' if its flagship legislation draws condemnation from a coalition of historical allies? B.C. NDP house leader Mike Farnworth thinks so, celebrating the end of the legislature's spring sitting that culminated Wednesday night with the passage of two controversial bills that fast-track infrastructure projects, thanks to rare tiebreaking votes from Speaker Raj Chouhan. 'Yeah, Bill 14 and Bill 15 were controversial,' Farnworth said Thursday after the final question period of the session. 'There were a lot of people opposed and a lot of people in favour, but we made it clear that we want to get things done in this province. The public expects us to be doing that.' The bills had become a flashpoint for the government, attracting criticism from the First Nations Leadership Council, environmentalists and some business groups. They said the fast-track bills undermined environmental standards and constitutional obligations to consult First Nations. Farnworth said the federal government and other provinces have been grappling with the same issues of how to expedite big projects amid a trade war with the United States. 'At the end of the day, we made it clear that these bills were going to get through, our agenda was going to get through this session and that is what happened.' To the very end, the bills came under fire. As legislators were sitting down to vote on Wednesday night, Farnworth's former cabinet colleague Melanie Mark added her voice to the chorus. Mark, the first First Nations woman elected to B.C.'s legislature, called the government's behaviour 'astounding and disheartening' as she accused Eby and his cabinet of 'turning their backs' on First Nations, local governments and environmentalists. 'Politics should not stand in the way of progressive policies,' Mark said in a statement. 'Trampling on Indigenous rights just ends up getting reversed in the highest courts — taxpayers will end up paying for this oversight.' Bill 14 speeds up renewable energy projects and transmission lines, while Bill 15 speeds up public and private infrastructure projects like hospitals, schools and mines. 'Former minister Mark has an opinion,' Farnworth said. 'The Nisga'a Nation came out very much in favour of the legislation. This is one of the things, where government makes decisions … there are going to be people who are not happy and people who are going to be happy.' The Nisga'a Nation is one of the few Indigenous groups to back the legislation. Among the unhappy was Chief Don Tom of the Tsartlip First Nation, who declared an end to the 'era of trust' with the government. Grand Chief Stewart Phillip of the Union of British Columbia Indian Chiefs called the bills 'unilateralism.' Terry Teegee, a B.C. Assembly of First Nations regional chief, said the bills were 'regressive.' Mark said the government should reconsider the bills, saying the province had walked back plans in the past. She pointed to a controversial $789-million plan to rebuild the Royal B.C. Museum under former premier John Horgan that the government ultimately suspended after intense criticism. 'It didn't go over as planned but former premier John Horgan had the fortitude to recalibrate, pause the project and mandate more meaningful consultation,' Mark said. Mark said Eby can do the same in this situation, which would show the government honours the Crown's duty to consult with Indigenous people. 'It's never too late to do the right thing,' she said. But Eby said Wednesday that both bills were 'critically important' because they respond to a 'rapidly evolving situation.' He said B.C.'s largest trading partner, the United States under President Donald Trump, was attacking the provincial economy in the 'name of annexing' Canada as the 51st state. And Farnworth predicted British Columbians would come to see government's perspective. 'As time goes by, people will see how it's intended to work, and a lot of the fears will, in fact, be unfounded,' Farnworth said. Stewart Prest, a political science lecturer at UBC, said Eby's government seemed 'hell-bent on being able to demonstrate vigorous action' to move the economy forward. 'But I think in doing so, they're placing a number potential landmines in their path,' he said. While they might be able to avoid them, they are already taking a toll, he added. Prest said the passage of the bills 'fragments' Eby's coalition, mobilizing groups that had broadly supported his government to instead act against it in a 'significant' way. He said the bills could potentially pit First Nations supporting particular projects against those opposed to the government granting itself additional powers through the bills. 'We are showing those divisions show up already,' Prest said, pointing to Mark's reaction. Farnworth quoted one of the bills' critics to argue that the relationships would withstand the current furor. 'Grand Chief Stewart Phillip once said that 'reconciliation is not for wimps,'' Farnworth said. 'It's not an easy road, and there will be bumps along the way, and there will be disagreements along the way. But reconciliation is a key cornerstone of our government, our party's values, and it's going to continue to be that.' Overall, the session saw the passage of 11 government bills and two private member's bills, one from the NDP, one from the Opposition Conservative Party of B.C. Eby acknowledged that government 'reduced the overall legislative agenda' during this spring session while adding more hours for debate. Farnworth said he did not see that as a failure. 'One of my key roles is to ensure, that we can come back in the fall, we have got work to do, that we have got bills ready to debate right away,' Farnworth said. B.C. Conservative Leader John Rustad was, naturally, less generous in his assessment. 'What we have seen from the government, is scrambling from crisis to crisis, and if that is what he (Farnworth) calls a great session, oh my gosh, I'm really looking forward to next spring.' This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 29, 2025. Note to readers:This is a corrected story. A previous version said Bill 14 passed by four votes. In fact, it passed by one vote.
