The Costs and Benefits of the Canada Line

A new rail line connecting Vancouver to its airport is highly anticipated in the region. The costs and construction disturbances, are causing some concern, however.

1 minute read

August 17, 2009, 2:00 PM PDT

By Nate Berg

The $2 billion rail line is now open.

"The Canada Line runs 19 kilometres between downtown Vancouver and Richmond, and it seems there are similar anticipations along every stretch of that line about the expected impact of the transit system – the first such system in Canada to link a city to its airport.

Work on the line has been a nightmare for businesses – particularly in the Cambie Street Village area, where merchant Susan Heyes won $600,000 in court-ordered damages for the impact of the same disruptive construction methods that drove away Alliance students. Lingering questions remain about cuts in bus service as a result of the line, and its impact on the bottom line of regional transit provider TransLink, which will effectively have to subsidize the system through at least 2013 before it breaks even."

FULL STORY: A province's hopes riding on the Canada Line

Monday, August 17, 2009 in The Globe and Mail

Infrastructure Transportation British Columbia Rail Airports Vancouver Canada Line View More

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