Governments outline $1.4B contribution for 150 new SkyTrain cars

Theprovincial and federal governments have provided details outlininghowtheir new transit fundingwill help pay for200 new SkyTrain cars for TransLink's Expo and Millennium Lines in Metro Vancouver.

TransLink previously announced plans to add new cars to its fleet as part of its 10-year vision.

A joint government announcement Thursday detailedthe previously-announced $1.47-billion investment that will help pay for the cars: 150 of which will replace aging carsand 50 that will be added to increase capacity.

A statement from the province said it's contributing $579 millionfor the new additions while the federal government will pay $493 million. TransLink is contributing $397 million.

The new cars will increase SkyTrain's capacity by 5,000 passenger at peak times, the statement said. The old cars being replaced date back to 1986 and arenearing the end of their life cycle.

In January, TransLink asked the public what it would like to see in the new cars, looking for feedback on several design options. It said the200 new cars would account for about half the SkyTrain fleet.

At the time, the corporation saidit expectedthe cars to begin arriving in 2023 or 2024.

Multiple transit topics, including the new SkyTrain cars,were discussed Thursday at the monthly Mayors' Council meeting.

OneTransLink report presented at the meeting noted support for a proposed SkyTrain between Langley and Surrey with 85per cent support from residents of those cities and 84 per cent from people living in other parts of Metro Vancouver.