TransLink to receive over $1.5 billion over ten years for public transit projects in the Metro Vancouver region Français

VANCOUVER, BC, March 21, 2025 /CNW/ - The federal government is investing in public transit projects across the country to ensure that more Canadians connected to jobs, services, and their communities. These sustained infrastructure investments are key to growing the strongest economy in the G7.

Today, the Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson, Minister of Energy and Natural Resources, on behalf of the Honourable Nathaniel Erskine-Smith, Minister of Housing, Infrastructure and Communities, Mike Farnworth, British Columbia's Minister of Transportation and Transit, and Kevin Quinn, Chief Executive Officer of TransLink, announced a federal investment of more than $1.5 billion over ten years in public transit funding for Metro Vancouver through the creation of a Metro-Region Agreement, starting in 2026.

Under the Metro-Region Agreement stream of the new Canada Public Transit Fund, the federal government is providing long-term, predictable funding for the growth and maintenance of public transit in the Metro Vancouver region. Metro Vancouver's public transit network is one of the busiest in Canada, connecting  the municipalities within the region with bus, SkyTrain, West Coast Express and SeaBus services.

The Metro-Region Agreement will also look to accelerate the positive role that public transit can play in creating sustainable, inclusive, and prosperous communities. The Agreement will help ensure that all orders of government are aligned in their efforts to get the most out of investments in public transit to create more complete, transit-oriented communities, improve the housing supply and affordability, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

This 10-year funding commitment complements the recently announced $663 million investment for TransLink under the Baseline stream of the CPTF and builds on great investments in the region, including over $2.1 billion in support of the Surrey-Langley Skytrain and the Millennium Line Broadway Extension projects.

Quotes

"Today's announcement is the first Metro-Region Agreement under the new Canada Public Transit Fund. This significant, long-term funding is designed to meet the needs of a growing modern region by providing long-term, stable funding to support high quality and affordable public transit, and improve housing supply in the area. Public transit creates sustainable, inclusive and prosperous communities and makes a real difference in people's lives today and for generations to come."

The Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson, Minister of Energy and Natural Resources, on behalf of the Honourable Nathaniel Erskine-Smith, Minister of Housing, Infrastructure and Communities

"We welcome this federal investment in Metro Vancouver transit. Maintaining and growing a reliable, effective transit network requires cooperation from all levels of government, and so it is important our federal partners are at the table".

The Honourable Mike Farnworth, British Columbia's Minister of Transportation and Transit

"The Government of Canada has been an important and valued partner in expanding our transit system and we look forward to continuing that partnership through the Metro-Region Agreement. Investing in public transit is crucial to economic prosperity, and TransLink continues to work with all levels of government to secure funding for the Access for Everyone Plan to expand transit and support the growing needs of Metro Vancouver residents."

Kevin Quinn, TransLink Chief Executive Officer

Quick Facts

• TransLink will receive $1.529 billion over ten years from 2026 to 2036. Federal funding is conditional on the signing of a funding agreement.
• The Metro Vancouver Region consists of 21 municipalities and 10 local First Nations.
• Since 2015, the federal government has committed over $30 billion for public transit and active transportation projects. These historic investments have resulted in close to 2000 projects across the country.
• The Canada Public Transit Fund (CPTF) is the largest public transit investment in Canadian history. Starting in 2026-27, the Fund will provide an average of $3 billion a year in permanent funding and is designed to meet the unique needs of communities of all sizes - from large metropolitan areas to mid-size and smaller communities, including rural, remote, northern and Indigenous communities.
• The CPTF supports transit and active transportation investments through three streams: Metro-Region Agreement, Baseline Funding, and Targeted Funding.
• The Metro-Region Agreement stream encourages long-term integrated planning within large urban areas and supports a wide variety of projects, from building new subways and dedicated bus lines, to maintaining and sustaining existing transit system in a state of good repair.

Associated Links

• Canada Public Transit Fund
• Ensuring long-term predictable public transit funding for TransLink with more than $663 million through the Canada Public Transit Fund
• Housing and Infrastructure Project Map

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Web: Infrastructure Canada

SOURCE Department of Housing, Infrastructure and Communities

Contacts: For more information (media only), please contact: Sofia Ouslis, Press Secretary, Office of the Minister of Housing, Infrastructure and Communities, [email protected]; Media Relations: Housing, Infrastructure and Communities Canada, 613-960-9251, Toll free: 1-877-250-7154, Email: [email protected]; Media Relations: TransLink, [email protected]