Broadway subway stations set to open in 2027

In an update on Vancouver’s Broadway subway project, the provincial government confirmed the anticipated opening for the fall of 2027.

During the update on Monday morning, representatives of the media got to see the twin tunnels in which the SkyTrain will run once completed.

BC’s Transportation and Transit Minister, Mike Farnworth, says during a guided tour of the massive construction zone, that the rails are now being pulled through both tunnels.

“You can see by the size of the tunnel just how big this project is,” he said during the tour.

Once completed, he says, the line will operate at three times the capacity of the 99 B-Line. “It is going to be a significant improvement,” he said.

“It is a $2.95 billion project. You are dealing with underground construction that is a lot different than building above ground,” Farnworth highlighted.

The ministry says that the Millennium line extension will significantly increase the amount of people accessing the densely populated area around Broadway.

Businesses carry the weight of delayed project

A closer look at the numbers, however, tells us that the project is $127 million over budget and about two years behind the original schedule.

The later timeline has been weighing on businesses around Broadway which have been dealing with construction for some years now.

While some businesses said the construction was bearable, others said that they have had to lay off staff.

“We have lost 40 per cent of our sales,” said Matthew Greenwood, co-owner of a nearby store. “We used to have 12 employees, now we have three.”

Businesses affected by the Broadway subway project agree that the opening could not come soon enough.

“We can not have any more delays,” said Devin Ma, general manager of a restaurant on Broadway.

Project will increase capacity by 27 per cent

Over a distance of 5.7 kilometers, six underground stations are currently being built, including a direct underground connection to the Canada Line at Cambie Street.

The extension will go from VCC-Clark Station all the way down Broadway towards Arbutus. From there, the 99 B-Line will continue to transport transit passengers to the University of British Columbia.

Farnworth explains that the extension of the Millennium subway line — together with the completion of the Surrey Langley SkyTrain project — will increase the capacity of the SkyTrain system by more than 27 per cent.

— With files from Jack Rabb.