Sea to Sky Transit Making Progress: MLA

Province seeks stakeholder engagement for future bus, rail options

West Vancouver Sea to Sky MLA Jeremy Valeriote has confirmed his commitment to improved passenger transit in the Sea to Sky Corridor in 2025.

In light of a recent announcement by CN Rail to release its control of part of the rail line along the Sea to Sky, Valeriote and West Vancouver Sunshine Coast Sea to Sky MP Patrick Weiler released a joint statement last month calling for federal and provincial support of passenger rail services along the Sea to Sky corridor.

In a comment to The Watershed after the announcement, Valeriote said that the first priority for the corridor is improved transit services.

He pointed to the Cooperation and Responsible Government Accord (CARGA) signed at the B.C. legislature last March by the provincial New Democratic and Green parties. The transit element of the agreement states that the provincial government will commit to providing "frequent, reliable, affordable regional transit," with a focus on Sea to Sky transit in 2025.

"We won't see buses on the road in 2025, but we are moving forward with it," he said. "It's the quickest and easiest first step. There's still work to be done, but it's getting closer."

Valeriote says that the province is seeking engagement with municipalities and First Nations along the corridor to ensure everyone is working toward a shared goal. The models for funding and governance have yet to be determined, and he said that discussions will need to take place with BC Transit to establish costs. Valeriote is optimistic that more information will be forthcoming from the province this fall.

As to the potential for passenger rail along the corridor?

"In an ideal world there would be room for both," he said. "But based on the information released from CN, the rail piece is at least an 18-month process, so we are focusing on the transit piece first."

Valeriote says there are two possible options: passenger rail service through to Pemberton or a "recreational corridor" from Squamish going north. He admits that there is a lot of groundwork to cover for either option to become viable, "but at the very least there is an opportunity for that line to be used for something more than it is currently."

Public rail-based transit in the region has caught the attention of more than just politicians. The Mountain Valley Express (MVX) is a proposal from the non-profit MVX Collective Society, envisioning a 350 kilometre regional rail network connecting Metro Vancouver from Whistler to Chilliwack, via connections to ferries and existing transit.

MVX proposed rail network. Image: MVX.vision

For the moment, Valeriote says he is focused on getting the province to make good on promised transit priorities. He says that along with transit and transportation, his priorities for his constituents continue to include housing, health and cost of living.

If you have thoughts you'd like to share about the possibility of passenger transit along the Sea to Sky corridor, Valeriote can be reached toll free at his constituency office at

1 (888) 424-1658 or by email at Jeremy.Valeriote.MLA@leg.bc.ca.

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