Surrey SkyTrain Extension: Mayors’ Council Meets To Consider Work Plan

Mayors are currently debating the work plan for the Surrey SkyTrain, cost of this project is major concern by majority mayors..

WATCH IT LIVE HERE:

LIVE: Mayors' Council Meeting – December 13, 2018 https://t.co/VNYOuQs6VX

— TransLink BC (@TransLink) December 13, 2018

Amendment is voted on -- and TIED!
Voting against:
Vancouver
Surrey
Delta
Langley
Tsawwassen First Nation@jonathanxcote checking - a tie vote is a defeat.
Tsawwassen... throwing its weight around.

— Jon Woodward (@ctv_jon) December 13, 2018

And you guessed it - McCallum calls for another weighted vote on the full motion. @Mike4DNVMayor says "You're going to have to drop stations down in Farmer Bob's field." He says he'd rather focus on projects that are viable.

— Jon Woodward (@ctv_jon) December 13, 2018

And the weighted vote again results in a lot of opposition... but a pass, according to Cote. Seems like McCallum has gotten most of what he wants -- although he's going to have to figure out an agreement to compensate the region.

— Jon Woodward (@ctv_jon) December 13, 2018

Discussion at @TransLink mayors’ council: if #skytrain is built only to Fleetwood, is it a viable project? 1.6 B the mayors are told would only get trains to #Fleetwood @CKNW @GlobalBC @SurreyMayor @CityofSurrey @daka_x @PhilipAguirre5 @Cloverdale_BC @Newton_BIA

— Janet Brown (@JanetBrown980) December 13, 2018

Fun mayors' council intrigue aside, we still don't know:

1) if the original estimate for Langley SkyTrain budget holds
2) how/when TransLink will get the extra billion for the Langley line if needed
3) what will happen if TransLink says it has to be built in two stages

— Justin McElroy (@j_mcelroy) December 13, 2018

Thank you to the awesome people at the Mayors council meeting today for this action shot of me speaking about LRT! 🙂 #SurreyBC #Translink pic.twitter.com/1piog6xz7Z

— Deepak Sharma (@DeepakSharma_90) December 13, 2018

Stewart moves Translink proceed only on planning and design, not development. McCallum refuses, calling for a recorded and weighted vote (I sense some kind of drinking game on that phrase.) Another mayor warns McCallum: "Don't snatch defeat from the jaws of victory."

— Jon Woodward (@ctv_jon) December 13, 2018