By Surbhi Gogia
Construction of new projects for the development of a community depends on working relationship of municipal, provincial and Federal government. Lauding the efforts of Surrey’s Mayor and the City Council, BC Minister of Transportation and infrastructure Rob Fleming said that Surrey was able to keepthe collaborative relation between the municipal and provincial governmentin order to keep major construction projects on aggressive pace as we recover from the effects of Covid 19 and restore our economic activity.
Fleming was updating media in a Roundtable conference at Civic Hotel about his meeting with Surrey’s Mayor Doug McCallum and city councillors. He was accompanied by Bowinn Ma, Minister of State for Infrastructure and Surrey MLAs Jinny Sims, Rachna Singh, Jagrup Brar, Garry Begg and Mike Starchuk. Fleming was visiting the cityfordiscussing the progress of projects like construction of the new Puttollo Bridge, Surrey’s new hospital, Surrey Langley Skytrain and other minor projects important for Surrey’s transporting network.
Surrey is one of the fastest growing cities of the province every month adding around 1000 immigrants. In order to keep pace with the growing population, the City’s infrastructure needed a boost. Fleming said that he was proud of BC NDP government investing in major projects that were almost ignored by the previous governments like replacement of Puttollo Bridge which is a lifeline for the people of Surrey and connects the city with other municipalities. “I looked at the previous government they had no fund or any plan. They would have kept this dangerous bridge. Our government is proud to be funding this bridge.”
He informed that the foundation work of the new bridge is “near completion” and the bridge will be constructed around the given timeline. He credited both provincial and municipal government’s efforts for building Surrey’s new infrastructure.
“You get infrastructure built more quickly when you work with not against elected officials. That is the message we heard loud and clear today from Mayor McCallum and his council who demonstrated that progress. I worked with his team as the education minister to eliminate portables in Surrey. It was made possible by them coming to the table by reducing permitting time and by us coming to the table reducing our approval times. Same thing is with the construction.”
The existing bridge will be removed after the new bridge is completed and open to traffic. The $1.377-billion project remains on budget. It is estimated the Pattullo Bridge replacement project will create more than 7,000 direct and indirect jobs, supporting economic development within the region and beyond.
Fleming also updated media about the recent round of meetings with various organizations representing truckers’ including West Coast Trucking Association demanding better road conditions for the truckers. “We have heard some of their concerns. We certainly have added to maintenance contractors budget additional funds to repair immediately things like potholes.”
Acknowledging the important role truckers play in the movement of goods and keeping the economy running, he said government was taking efforts to improves conditions and facilities for truckers for truckers, modernize facilities, increase number of restrooms along highways for them to feel safe while driving in all weather conditions.
MLA Starchuck clarified confusion surrounding new Surrey hospital. Opposition Liberal leader had recently called the new Surrey hospital Urgent Care Centre instead of a full fledged hospital. Starchuck said, “An urgent primary care centre does not have an emergency ward, doesn’t have operating rooms. And from the pricing point of view an urgent care center will cost 3 million dollars not 1.66 billion dollars that the BC government has promised for the new hospital in Surrey. Hospital that is coming has 168 beds, emergency department, CT scans, MRI, pharmacy on top of that there is cancer centre that had cancer radiation therapy, radiation therapy. It is the second biggest projects in terms of hospitals in BC.”
The pace of school construction in Surrey, according to the minister, was high too. MLA Sims informed that projects have been expedited in her riding too. “Sullivan Secondary school is having close to 800 new seats. Surrey is a fast-growing city and it is amazing that in such a short time over 12000 spots either completed or are in process of being completed.”
Updating media on the progress of Surrey Langley Skytrain,he said he specifically wanted to extend thank to the city of Surrey for immediately beginning construction to widen sections of Fraser Highway along the new SkyTrain route. This early work was done to expedite the construction of the $4-billion Surrey Langley SkyTrain when work begins on the rapid transit project.
“Work is happening to relocate utilities along the Fraser Highway, and the City of Surrey is widening sections of the highway to accommodate the future guideway,” he added.
The Surrey Langley SkyTrain project will extend the Expo Line 16 kilometres along Fraser Highway on an elevated guideway from King George SkyTrain Station in Surrey to 203 St in Langley City. It includes eight stations, three bus exchanges, park and ride spaces, and new SkyTrain vehicles.
“That’s two full years earlier than originally contemplated,” Fleming said. By constructing this project in one phase instead of two, it will enable the Province to open the extension in 2028 – a full two years earlier than if it was built in multiple stages. Building Surrey Langley SkyTrain as a single project will also save the Province about $500 million.
“It’s very wonderful to think about the connections between Surrey and Langley. When this is completed you’ll be able to commute from King George Station in Surrey to the end station in Langley, eight stations further, in just 23 minutes.”
In the closing remarks the minister said that Surrey was an important part of BC government’s growth plan and for that reason unlike previous government current NDP government has taken efforts to build major projects, create jobs,eliminate tolls, bring childcare down to 20 dollars a day which sometimes back was 80 dollars.
