Canada Line - Canada Line From Conception To Realization: Timeline

Canada Line From Conception To Realization: Timeline

• Between 1990 and 1992, BC Transit and N.D.Lea Consultants studied Intermediate Capacity Transit System options in the Vancouver-Richmond Corridor.
• From September 1991 through August 1993 the TRANSPORT 2021 Steering Committee carried out an extensive program of research and public consultation to create "A Long Range Transportation Plan for Greater Vancouver". Under Project Director M.L. (Martin Crilly) a comprehensive transportation investment and financing strategy was envisioned for the region. Until today all existing and proposed road and transit investments have been put forth in this plan. The plan calls for the provision of an Intermediate Capacity Transit System from Richmond to Vancouver Central Business District.
• In fall of 1994 N.D.Lea and Delcan Consultants carried out studies examining technologies, operating feasibility, ridership, capital and operating cost, traffic impacts and development potential in three corridors including the Richmond-Vancouver corridor. These studies were prepared as input into BC Transit's 10-Year Development Plan. These studies did not include a spur line to the Vancouver International Airport
• In 1995, BC Transit (a crown corporation responsible for public transit) expressed desire to create a special service of either Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) or Automated Rapid Transit (ART) service connecting the cities of Richmond, Vancouver, and the Vancouver International Airport in one of the transit improvement plans.
  • Underground rights-of-way were reserved at the Concord Pacific development close to the Cambie bridge.
• From mid-1997 to mid-1998 a number of different routes for Vancouver-Airport/Richmond were evaluated for BRT and the preferred route and station locations were selected.
• June 24, 1998, Minister in Charge of B.C.Transit, Joy McPhail announces plans to build Vancouver-Richmond ALRT. "The new line would link Richmond city centre, the airport and Downtown Vancouver—probably running north-south through Vancouver along the Cambie Street corridor." "MacPhail said the province wants to accelerate the construction of rapid transit to Richmond as part of a bid to bring the 2010 Winter Olympics to the Lower Mainland."
• In 1999 detailed design of the Vancouver-Airport/Richmond BRT was carried out.
• On April 1, 1999, The Greater Vancouver Transportation Authority, better known as TransLink is created under the direction of CEO Ken Dobell, previously City Manager for the City of Vancouver.
• In April 2000 TransLink adopts Strategic Transportation Plan 2000–2005. The plan notes that future transit lines have equal priority, and recommends the planning and design of a Richmond/Airport/Vancouver (RAV) rapid transit line.
• May 2000, Approval of RAV study, while construction had begun on the BRT Service between Richmond Center, Airport Station and Downtown Vancouver.
• Sometime in 2000, a Transport Canada report on rail access to the airport estimated it would cost $1.3 billion for SkyTrain expansion using the Cambie route and $738 million for a light rail system along Arbutus.
• In December 2000, TransLink received the report on public/Private partnerships for road and transportation Infrastructure, the model that would be used to finance, construct, and operate the new Canada Line.
• On April 1, 2001, bus operators and other CMBC employees go on strike delaying full implementation of Vancouver-Airport/Richmond BRT by four months.
• That same month, re-affirmation at TransLink of a Vancouver/Richmond line including a connection to the airport, and approval of recommendation of TransLink CEO that based on greater benefits from private sector perspective and community concerns, at-grade rail transit be excluded from further analysis and that analysis in Vancouver be restricted to underground options.
• On August 1, 2001, BRT service, known as the 98 B-Line, commences service in the corridor ultimately carrying over 20,000 passengers per day, while plans were already under way for an ART service to replace it. This proposed service was projected to carry over 100,000 passengers per day.
• On December 10, 2001, the Canadian government under Jean Chrétien announced over $2.0 billion dollars in funding for large infrastructure projects; the Canada Strategic Infrastructure Fund established by this budget would fund the Federal government contribution of the Canada Line. The government stipulated that the fund promote Private-Public Partnerships (P3) where appropriate.
• In April 2002 work was started on the third phase; the Project Definition phase. This ten month task consisted of a technical evaluation to determine if it was possible to build the line by 2010.
• In 2003, ten companies or consortia submitted 'Expressions of Interest' in this project.
• In December 2003, this was short listed down to three who were given a 'Request for Proposal'. These three consortia were:
  • RAVLink Transportation, which included Fluor Canada, Siemens AG Canada, MTR Corporation, and Balfour Beatty Capital Projects,
  • RAVxpress, which included Bombardier, AMEC, Bouygues Travaux Publics, and Bilfinger Berger, and
  • SNC-Lavalin/Serco, which included SNC-Lavalin and Serco.
• On April 16, 2004, Federal government under PM Paul Martin increases funding promise from $300 million to $450 million.
• On June 10, 2004, the provincial government restates its commitment to the Canada line from $300 to $370 million and earmarks $170 million toward the Evergreen Line.
• On June 30, 2004, after twice voting to cancel the project, the TransLink Board approved the RAV line but maintained the right to cancel the project if none of the bids meet the approved budget of $1.35 billion.
• On November 19, 2004, RAVCO recommended that the SNC-Lavalin/Serco (now known collectively as InTransitBC) proposal for a fully automated, grade-separated system be accepted. This 'Best and Final Offer' bid was $343 million over the approved budget. The project was, however, brought to within the funding allowance, through various cost trimming measures, including design changes, the contractor agreeing to lower their bid, and the province contributing another $65 million.
• On December 1, 2004, the TransLink board gave final approval for the project.
• On July 29, 2005, the final contract to design, build and operate the RAV Line was signed between InTransitBC and TransLink. Serco is no longer a partner to InTransitBC and 2 pension funds have been brought into the partnership.
• In October 2005, the utilities relocation and roadwork was started.
• On November 25, 2005, the design of the new trains was unveiled and Hyundai Rotem was announced as the supplier of the trains. It was announced that the new line would be called the Canada Line as a funding condition from the Federal Government.
• The line opened at 1 pm local time on August 17, 2009, on budget and three and a half months ahead of schedule, and six months ahead of the 2010 Winter Olympics held in Vancouver. It began normal revenue service on the following day.
• On September 30, 2009, it was announced that the Canada Line had seen an average of 82,500 passengers per day since opening, putting it well on track to reach its ridership target of 100,000 per day within two years.
• On December 28, 2009, it was revealed that the average daily ridership (including weekends) has grown to 93,000, and has occasionally exceeded 100,000, three years ahead of expectations.
• On February 5, 2010, ridership reached a (then) record of 135,000 during a campaign to encourage residents to use transit prior to the Olympics. Further single-day records included 157,000 on February 11, 2010, and 210,000 on February 15, 2010 with all 20 trains running.
• Overall, the 2010 Winter Olympics saw the Canada Line's ridership increase 118 per cent to an average of 228,190 per day for 17 days, with a single-day record of 287,400 on February 19, 2010. Its regular non-Olympic ridership was stated as being 104,674 per weekday.
• In February 2011, Translink revealed that the average daily ridership of the Canada Line had grown to 110,000 per day.