PM pledges $350M for Evergreen rapid transit line

The federal government will contribute another $350 million to build theEvergreen rapid transit line in Metro Vancouver, Prime Minister Stephen Harper said Thursday morning in Burnaby.

Harper said given the global recession, it's crucial that government contributes to major infrastructure projects thatput Canadians to work.

"In the short term, we are creating thousands of direct jobs in the Metro Vancouver economy. At the same time, we are working together to ensure that local families and businesses have access to an expanded, efficient and environmentally sustainable transit system that will help Vancouver attract and keep the jobs of the future," said Harper.

Once completed, the 11-kilometre rapid transit line will run from the Lougheed Town Centre in Burnaby to the Coquitlam Town Centre, via Port Moody.

Construction on the Evergreen Line project is expected to start in 2010 and be completed in 2014. The project will use the same technology as Vancouver's SkyTrain and be fully integrated into the existing system, according to a statement released by the province.

When added to Ottawa's previous commitment of $67 million, Thursday's announcementraises the total federal contribution to $417 million.

$200M funding shortfall

B.C. Premier Gordon Campbell was on hand to welcome the federal investment. Funding for the line had been promised in the recent federal budget, but not thedollar figure.

"The Evergreen Line will mean more than 8,000 direct and indirect jobs during construction as well as an expanded public transit system, new economic opportunities and improved quality of life in Metro Vancouver," said Campbell.

The province has committed $410 million to the project, and TransLink has pledged $400 million.

The project is still estimated to be almost $173 million short of its expected cost of $1.4 billion.

Coquitlam MLA Diane Thorne is concerned that TransLink, whichis facing a yearly deficit of $100 million,won't be able tomeetits funding commitment. She also charged that Thursday's announcement was nothing new.

"Today marks the fifth time the Campbell government has promised the Evergreen Line," says Thorne. "The last thing we need is more announcements, photo-ops, broken promises and delays. We need Campbell to stop stalling and finally start construction on a route he promised over five years ago."

The remaining $173 million will be funded by project partners, including a possible public-private partnership and potentially through transit-oriented land development, said a statement fromthe province.