CANADA: The Premier of British Columbia Gordon Campbell announced a C$14bn transport plan which includes new metro, light rail and bus rapid transit lines on January 14.

The biggest project is a 12 km SkyTrain light metro line running parallel to congested Broadway, bisecting central Vancouver to the University of British Columbia. The C$2·8bn line would be completed by 2020.

Another major rail component is the C$1·4bn Evergreen Line, which has been under discussion for some time but not funded. According to a business case released on February 1, the 11 km line from Burnaby through Port Moody to Coquitlam is to be built as a light metro rather than light rail. This would be C$200m more expensive, but a 'SkyTrain-like' automated, grade-separated system would offer higher capacity and better integration with the current network. Two routes are being evaluated, and revenue service is scheduled for 2014.

The plan also includes a doubling of capacity on the existing Expo Line by 2009, and a 6 km extension in Surrey to be completed by 2020.

Campbell said the whole package can be financed without raising taxes. The province would contribute C$4·75bn, while the federal government would provide another C$3·1bn, although Ottawa has not made any commitments. Regional transport operator TransLink would contribute C$2·75bn, with a further C$500m coming from local authorities.