The province of British Columbia, Canada, has formally awarded three teams contracts for the Surrey Langley SkyTrain project, which it reported will cost nearly C$2 billion more and be completed one year later than anticipated. The project will extend the automated rapid transit system’s Expo Line nearly 10 miles (16 kilometers), primarily along Fraser Highway from King George Station in Surrey to 203 Street in the City of Langley in metro Vancouver (see map below).
The project includes construction of eight stations (Green Timbers, 152 Street, Fleetwood, Bakerview-166 Street, Hillcrest-184 Street, Clayton, Willowbrook and Langley City Center), as well as three transit exchanges (at Bakerview-166 Street, Willowbrook, and Langley City Center stations). It is said to be the first rapid-transit project south of the Fraser River in 30 years.
The province on Aug. 15 reported the three winning project teams:
- SkyLink Guideway Partners (SLGP) will design, build, and finance the elevated guideway and associated roadworks, utilities, and active transportation elements. It comprises Dragados Canada Inc.; Ledcor Investments Inc.; and Ledcor Mining Ltd. (The Request for Qualifications for the work was issued in January 2023, and SLGP was selected as the preferred proponent in March 2024.)
- South Fraser Station Partners (SFSP) will build the eight new stations. It consists of Aecon Constructors, a division of Aecon Construction Group Inc.; Acciona Infrastructure Canada Inc.; and Pomerleau BC Inc. (The Request for Qualifications for the work was issued in October 2022, and SFSP was selected as the preferred proponent in April 2024.)
- Transit Integrators BC (TIBC) will design and build the systems and trackwork. It includes AtkinsRéalis Major Projects Inc.; AtkinsRéalis Canada Inc.; and Western Pacific Enterprises Ltd. (The Request for Qualifications for the work was issued in November 2022, and TIBC was selected as the preferred proponent in April 2024.)
“Like all public- and private-sector infrastructure projects, the Surrey Langley SkyTrain project is being delivered during a time of significant market challenges in British Columbia, across Canada and around the world,” the province reported on Aug. 15. “The cost of the project, now [C]$5.996 billion, has been updated in response to market conditions, including rising inflation costs and key commodity escalation, supply-chain pressures, and labor-market challenges. This has resulted in higher price proposals from contractors.” Earlier estimates put the project price tag at C$3.94 billion.
The project’s business case, which the province said was approved in 2022 “prior to significant market and industry changes,” determined that the extension could be built in one stage by late 2028, two years quicker than if it was built in two stages. However, “[f]ollowing extensive planning work and impacts of the current market climate, the anticipated in-service date is late 2029,” the province reported.
Once complete, people in the region are slated to travel between Langley City and Surrey Center in approximately 22 minutes and between Langley and downtown Vancouver in just more than an hour.
Major construction is expected to begin this year. According to the province, early works have been ongoing for many months along the new SkyTrain alignment, including BC Hydro work to relocate power lines, as well as pre-construction site surveys, utilities location, geotechnical investigations, and design work.
“The populations of Surrey, Langley, and other communities across Metro Vancouver are growing quickly, and we are committed to building infrastructure to meet these needs,” said Rob Fleming, Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure. “This project will transform how people get around, helping create a more affordable, livable and greener future for people in the region.”
The population of Surrey, Langley City, and Langley is projected to increase by 420,000 people and add 147,000 new jobs by the year 2050, according to the province.
