VANCOUVER, Aug. 13, 2012 /CNW/ - The first SkyTrain faregate was installed today at Marine Drive Station. Faregates are part of the overall strategy to reduce fare evasion and increase security on Metro Vancouver's transit system.
Wai Young, Member of Parliament for Vancouver South, B.C. Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure Blair Lekstrom, and TransLink Chief Operating Officer Doug Kelsey were on hand at Marine Drive Station to commemorate this significant project milestone.
"The new faregates will make SkyTrain service safer and more secure for commuters," said MP Young. "Since 2006 the Harper government has made record investments in public transit and we will continue to help our partners improve transit service in the Lower Mainland."
"Metro Vancouver has a world class transit system and we are committed to working with the Government of Canada, local governments and TransLink to make this great system even better," said Minister Lekstrom. "Faregates will modernize the regional transit system by making transit easier and safer for everyone."
Faregates will be installed at all Canada, Expo and Millennium line stations and SeaBus terminals. Following a testing period, customers will begin transitioning to the faregates system in late spring 2013 with the system in service by fall 2013. All Evergreen Line stations will have faregates when the line opens in summer 2016.
The Government of British Columbia is providing $40 million and the Government of Canada is contributing up to $30 million from the Building Canada Fund for the up to $100 million costs of faregate equipment and station improvements. TransLink is responsible for the remaining cost.
"We're bringing a new convenience for customers, while helping to ensure every customer is paying their fare and feels safe on the system," adds Mr. Kelsey. "We are grateful to our partners in the federal and provincial governments for providing the funding to do the job."
Canada's Economic Action Plan 2012 focuses on creating new opportunities for jobs and growth, and ensuring long-term prosperity for Canadians. Strengthening infrastructure across the country is an important part of this plan. Thanks to the Government of Canada's leadership, and our strong economic and financial fundamentals, the Canadian economy has recovered from the global recession better than most other industrialized countries. Canada has been a leader among G-7 countries throughout the recovery, with more than 765,000 net new jobs created since July 2009. Find out more about the opportunities in Economic Action Plan 2012 at www.budget.gc.ca/2012/home-accueil-eng.html.
SOURCE: Government of Canada
Geneviève Sicard
Press Secretary
Office of the Honourable Denis Lebel
Minister of Transport, Infrastructure and
Communities, Ottawa
613-991-0700
Kate Trotter
Government Communications and Public Engagement
Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure
250-356-8241
Media Relations
Transport Canada, Ottawa
613-993-0055
Jason Martin
TransLink
604-216-3271
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