A Horseshoe Bay SkyTrain line to North Vancouver and Downtown Vancouver?

"A SkyTrain from downtown to Horseshoe Bay would provide a solution to the North Shore’s traffic crisis,..." https://www.vancouverisawesome.com/highlights/letter-horseshoe-bay-skytrain-north-vancouver-7753960

When the decision and implementation to put a major ferry terminal at Horseshoe_Bay in West_Vancouver was done, there didn't seem to be any sense of proper long-range urban transportation planning. It didn't matter if it was 2010 or 2020, there still seemed to be no need to build or at least an official plan for a rail rapid transit connection between the Horseshoe+Bay+ferry+terminal, Park Royal, downtown Vancouver and YVR.

https://www.vancouversnorthshore.com/neighbourhood/horseshoe-bay

https://www.bcferries.com/routes-fares/schedules/daily/HSB-NAN

The lack of an official plan to eventually link the Horseshoe_Bay_ferry_terminal and the Tsawwassen_ferry_terminal to YVR might as well be just another science fiction story.

The Greater Victoria, Swartz_Bay_ferry_terminal should also have a long-term plan for an intercity rail link to Downtown_Victoria and connect with the Duke_Point_ferry_terminal and the Departure_Bay_ferry_terminal in Nanaimo.

For some reason, Vancouver, Victoria and BC in general, doesn't seem to want to be a leader in transportation planning & development.

https://jfdatalinks.blogspot.com/search?q=SkyTrain-Canada+Line

https://jfdatalinks.blogspot.com/search?q=Horseshoe+Bay

Big upgrades coming to Horseshoe Bay ferry terminal in West Vancouver

 https://www.nsnews.com/local-news/big-upgrades-coming-to-horseshoe-bay-ferry-terminal-in-west-vancouver-10286391

https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/bc-ferries-horseshoe-bay-terminal-upgrades

Its such utter foolishness & inept planning to not have a rail rapid transit line between the Horseshoe+Bay+ferry+terminal and downtown Vancouver, but this is backwards BC.

https://jfdatalinks.blogspot.com/search?q=Horseshoe+Bay

Capilano Mall redevelopment

 https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/capilano-mall-redevelopment-concept-proposal-north-vancouver-ocp

https://www.realestatenorthshore.com/news/market-minute/capilano-malls-big-makeover/

https://www.nsnews.com/local-business/new-capilano-mall-design-concept-includes-11-towers-in-two-distinct-neighbourhoods-9909160

https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/capilano-mall-north-vancouver-redevelopment-concept-quadreal

https://vancouvermarket.ca/2024/11/29/vision-for-capilano-mall-redevelopment-includes-11-towers-up-to-3100-units/

https://www.google.com/search?q=Bus+from+Horseshoe+Bay+to+Deep+Cove&sca_esv=e3d65ffe3d8fa1f9&rlz=1C1GCEA_enCA1111CA1111&ei=AJNUaNKBDY-A0PEP6e-DAQ&ved=0ahUKEwjSgbiAyP6NAxUPADQIHen3IAAQ4dUDCBA&uact=5&oq=Bus+from+Horseshoe+Bay+to+Deep+Cove&gs_lp=Egxnd3Mtd2l6LXNlcnAiI0J1cyBmcm9tIEhvcnNlc2hvZSBCYXkgdG8gRGVlcCBDb3ZlMgUQIRigATIFECEYoAFIzbsBUPAOWMGhAXAEeACQAQCYAXmgAe4NqgEEMTkuM7gBA8gBAPgBAZgCFaACnAzCAgoQABiwAxjWBBhHwgIIEAAYogQYiQXCAggQABiABBiiBMICBRAAGO8FwgIEECEYCpgDAIgGAZAGCJIHBDE3LjSgB8BfsgcEMTMuNLgHiQzCBwcwLjUuOS43yAdz&sclient=gws-wiz-serp

https://www.google.com/maps/place/Park+Royal+Shopping+Centre/@49.3215815,-123.140681,4438m/data=!3m2!1e3!5s0x54866e21b91a48ed:0x881f1844f26c98ec!4m15!1m8!3m7!1s0x548673f143a94fb3:0xbb9196ea9b81f38b!2sVancouver,+BC!3b1!8m2!3d49.2827291!4d-123.1207375!16zL20vMDgwaDI!3m5!1s0x54866e21a9e5b05d:0x1efd06dca728ade9!8m2!3d49.3254254!4d-123.1352761!16zL20vMGIxMjA5?entry=ttu&g_ep=EgoyMDI1MDYxNi4wIKXMDSoASAFQAw%3D%3D

https://www.google.com/maps/place/Capilano+Mall

https://jfdatalinks.blogspot.com/search?q=Horseshoe+Bay

Horseshoe Bay upgrades

 https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/bc-ferries-passenger-booking-changes-horseshoe-bay-upgrades

Its very strange that there wasn't any proper planning to have a train connecting the Horseshoe+Bay+ferry+terminal, YVR and the Tsawwassen+ferry+terminal.

https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/bc-ferries-popular-route-busy-weekend

Unfortunatly, it was difficult enough just to have a 2 car SkyTrain-Canada+Line between Vancouver & Richmond, nevermind the Tsawwassen ferry terminal.

Broken BC Ferry leaves passengers stranded for hours in water off Horseshoe Bay

 https://globalnews.ca/news/11142040/broken-bc-ferry-passengers-stranded-horseshoe-bay/

https://vancouversun.com/news/tugboat-bc-ferry-mechanical-failure-easter-horseshoe-bay

Horseshoe Bay ferry terminal

Why have a proper high capacity rail line connecting the Horseshoe_Bay_ferry_terminal to YVR, when so much traffic is funneled into the narrow 3 lane Lions+Gate+Bridge and the inadequate 4 lane Oak Street Bridge?

https://www.cbc.ca/player/play/video/9.6578199

https://jfdatalinks.blogspot.com/search?q=Horseshoe+Bay+ferry+terminal

BC Government orders West Vancouver to expand community plans for more housing

 https://www.nsnews.com/local-news/province-orders-west-vancouver-to-expand-community-plans-for-more-housing-10697660

There should have been an official plan to extend the Canada embarrassment Line to the Park+Royal+Shopping+Centre and the Horseshoe+Bay ferry terminal. Unfortunatly, Vancouver and the metropolitan region isn't a normal city with proper urban transportation planning. 

While a rapid bus line connecting Metrotown+to+Park+Royal is a good idea, a rapid rail transit line between the Horseshoe+Bay+ferry+terminal and downtown Vancouver must be considered an essential link, someday.

City of North Vancouver Top’s List of Canada’s Liveable Cities in 2024

 https://www.cnv.org/City-Hall/News-Room/News-Releases/2024/12/12/City-of-North-Vancouver-Top%E2%80%99s-List-of-Canada%E2%80%99s-Liveable-Cities-in-2024

There is North_Vancouver_(city) and then there is North_Vancouver_(district_municipality).

https://dailyhive.com/canada/canada-most-liveable-cities-ranking-2024

As long as you have everything you need on the North Shore, you are fine. Otherwise, you will be punished for using the inadequate The+Lion+Bridge+and+The+Iron+Bridge.

https://www.upperlonsdale.ca/blog/87130/north-vancouver-ranked-1-in-canada

https://www.theglobeandmail.com/investing/article-canada-most-livable-city-north-vancouver/

Unfortunatly, transportation planners haven't seen a need to link Horseshoe Bay and Park Royal with downtown Vancouver. Indeed, a direct LRT connection from the North_Shore_of Greater_Vancouver to YVR might as well be part of a Sci-Fi story. However, multigenerational congestive planning in Vancouver is a harsh reality.

A 3 lane Lion Bridge never had any bus tunnels & especially an LRT line built far under it. The bridge is too narrow to accommodate one, let alone 2 proper bus lanes. This is the finest in BC bottleneck stagnation planning. 

The Iron_Bridge was built too narrow for an urban TCH crossing. Unfortunatly, no one planned or designed it to eventually have a lower deck for buses, trains & trucks.

https://www.cnv.org/streets-transportation/travel-options/transit A bus and truck bridge should have been built next to the Iron Bridge, decades ago. Why do that, when you can cram everything into just 3 lanes each way? 

https://www.nsnews.com/local-news/north-shore-bus-rapid-transit-at-the-front-of-the-line-translink-says-7843788

https://www.translink.ca/plans-and-projects/projects/rapid-transit-projects/bus-rapid-transit

https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/north-shore-skytrain-burrard-inlet-rapid-transit-brt-lrt-study

https://www.burnabynow.com/local-news/opinion-lrt-remains-the-best-option-for-north-shore-rapid-transit-9643033 Of course a train would be able to move many more people efficiently. 

https://jfdatalinks.blogspot.com/search?q=Horseshoe+Bay  

https://jfdatalinks.blogspot.com/search?q=North+Shore

Vancouver harbour sailings

 https://www.vancouverisawesome.com/travel/vancouver-cruises-top-harbour-sailings-2025-11093357  

The SeaBus and the Aqua-Bus just aren't enough, there needs to be more capacity.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SeaBus , https://theaquabus.com/

https://www.translink.ca/schedules-and-maps/seabus 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SeaBus#Service Ideally, there should be a daytime departure every 5 minutes & 10 minutes during the evening.

https://www.translink.ca/schedules-and-maps/line/seabus/direction/0/schedule 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SeaBus#History

As of 2025, there still isn't a Downtown to Deep+Cove ferry and not in 2026 either. Thus, the 6 lane Iron+Bridge will still be overloaded. Had the bridge been constructed to have very wide shoulders, there could have been an efficient bus lane each way. Instead, any bus is stuck in the almost perpetual traffic jam. A Boundary+Road Bridge could make for an excellent bus and HOV lane crossing consisting of at least 4 lanes, with a provision for a middle rail section.

Of course there is no ferry from Downtown+Vancouver to the Horseshoe+Bay+ferry+terminal. Just like there is no train from Horseshoe+Bay to Deep+Cove and to the Tri-Cities. 

It's strange that the North-Shore didn't keep up with improving its passenger rail system.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_Shore_(Greater_Vancouver) , https://monova.ca/the-story-of-streetcar-153/

https://jfdatalinks.blogspot.com/search?q=Tri-Cities

TCH in Greater Vancouver, BC vs. Montreal

Apr 24, 2016

Starting in Surrey, BC, head west on BC Highway 1 (Trans-Canada Highway) through Metro Vancouver. The video ends just north of Horseshoe Bay.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3JhfC4eY9L8

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trans-Canada_Highway#British_Columbia

https://www.britannica.com/topic/Trans-Canada-Highway

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trans-Canada_Highway

https://tc.canada.ca/en/corporate-services/policies/trans-canada-highway  

Of course Horseshoe+Bay is one of the bottlenecks on the BC part of the TCH.

https://www.communitystories.ca/v2/pont-tunnel-louis-hippolyte-lafontaine_bridge/story/the-trans-canada-highway  

Is the Tsawwassen Mills (mall) set for an expansion?

 https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/tsawwassen-mills-expansion-dining-entertainment-upgrades

https://www.destinationvancouver.com/things-to-do/tsawwassen-mills-central-walk-tsawwassen-mills-inc

https://vancouversun.com/news/bc-billionaire-mall-owner-seeks-hudsons-bay-leases

https://centralwalk.com/tsawwassen-mills/

https://www.stantec.com/en/projects/canada-projects/t/tsawwassen-mills

https://www.tsawwassenmills.com/

Its mindboggeling that there doesn't seem to be a proper regional rail transportation plan to connect Tsawwassen+Mills with the Tsawwassen+ferry+terminal, Richmond and YVR. Of course there doesn't seem to be a proper regional rail plan to connect Vancouver with the Park_Royal_Shopping_Centre and the Horseshoe+Bay+ferry+terminal, as well. 

The lack of vision to link both ferry terminals with the airport is a fine example of inept planning in BC. 

The Lion Bridge and The Iron Bridge

https://jfdatalinks.blogspot.com/search?q=Lion+Bridge As of 2025, still no official plan for a train tunnel and a bus & HOV tunnel. A 3-4 track train tunnel and a 6-8 lane road tunnel would actually improve that absurd 3 lane crossing area.  

https://jfdatalinks.blogspot.com/search?q=Iron+Bridge As of 2025, still no official construction plan to add a 4 lane bus & HOV bridge, plus a 3-4 track rapid transit train bridge. 

Why a 3-4 track train tunnel or bridge? Someday, enough sensible people might realize the benefit and importance of having a train linking the Horseshoe+Bay+ferry+terminal to YVR and to the Tsawwassen+ferry+terminal. 

Unfortunatly, when so much money was wasted on a $HIT-PIPE and a $HIT-BOX, more money was lost that could have gone towards improving transit to & from the North Shore.

https://jfdatalinks.blogspot.com/search?q=The+Lion+Bridge+and+The+Iron+Bridge 

https://jfdatalinks.blogspot.com/search?q=Lions+Gate+Bridge

Taking a second look at a third crossing for the North Shore

 https://www.nsnews.com/opinion/eve-lazarus-taking-a-second-look-at-third-crossings-for-the-north-shore-11084045

You couldn't have a worse congestion scenario there. 

https://www.westernstandard.news/topic/lions-gate-bridge An enduring 3 lane pathetic joke of a bridge! No bus & HOV tunnel & especially no train tunnel around there.

https://www.westernstandard.news/topic/ironworkers-memorial-bridge A 6 lane crossing that should have had at least 2 emegency lanes & 2 wide shoulders for future dmand. No bus & HOV bridge & especially no train bridge around there.

No one ever stopped the Horseshoe+Bay+ferry+terminal from being built. However, its like various people have done their damndest to make sure that no express bus lanes & no HOV lanes cross the inlet, & especially no rail rapid transit. It's so sad that the congestive planning folks keep rising to the top of the B$.

https://vancouversun.com/news/local-news/this-week-in-history-1967-wacky-bennett-and-tom-terrific-team-up-to-push-for-a-third-crossing

The Battle continues over Vancouver Aquatic Centre

 https://globalnews.ca/video/11480236/battle-continues-over-vancouver-aquatic-centre-renovations 

There isn't officially a Vancouver Mind Virus (VMV), but somehow through the decades, the KEEP VANCOUVER SMAL AND BACKWARDS mentality keeps manifesting.

https://cityhallwatch.wordpress.com/2025/10/15/aquatic-centre-25vs50m-officials-misled "This scandal exposes how Vancouver’s development approval processes can be corrupted if staff predetermine outcomes and manufacture justifications rather than conducting evidence-based analysis. If municipal staff can systematically mislead elected representatives on a project this significant—with technical evidence this clear—what other decisions have been corrupted in the past or could be corrupted in the future?"

Why have a modern full-size pool, when there can be a half size, Half-A$$ED pool? That's the VMV resurfacing again.

https://vancouversun.com/news/proposed-vancouver-aquatic-centre-seeks-height-density-relaxations "Swimmers have mounted a court petition over plans to replace the 50-metre Olympic-sized pool with one half that length"

A scaled down Vancouver+Aquatic+Centre is part of the pay more to get less mentality. One of the most obvious ways to perpetuate the BC antigrowth agenda is to go backwards and build smaller infrastructure. Where does the money go if it's not always going towards proper big city size infrastructure?

Half sized buildings, half sized trains, half sized bridges, that's the VMV & BCMV in action. 

https://jfdatalinks.blogspot.com/search?q=SHIT-BOX 

https://jfdatalinks.blogspot.com/search?q=Lions+Gate+Bridge An absurd 3 lane bridge without a parallel bus and train tunnel to help relieve this quintessential chokepoint. 

https://jfdatalinks.blogspot.com/search?q=Canada+Line A 2 car train that should have started with 5 cars, but can only be expanded into a 2.5 car train, someday. 

https://jfdatalinks.blogspot.com/search?q=Richmond-Delta+Tunnel No provision for a train tunnel, because that would make it easier to have a line connecting YVR with the Tsawwassen+ferry+terminal. Just like there is no desire to have a train between YVR and the Horseshoe+Bay+ferry+terminal.

This Vancouver and BC Mind Virus is horrible, because it keeps stunting the potential of BC by watering down the infrastructure.

Popular Vancouver outdoor pool forced to close until further notice

 https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/new-brighton-pool-closed-mechanical-issue

Its strange that the area from Horseshoe+Bay to Hope,_BC, which has over 3 million people, only has a few outdoor swimming pools. That's the, pay more and get LE$$ in BC approach to things.

https://vancouver.ca/parks-recreation-culture/swimming-pools.aspx While Vancouver has less than a million people, the Lower_Mainland of BC does have over 3 million residents.

https://604now.com/vancouver-will-be-opening-more-outdoor-swimming-pools-this-may-long-weekend Unfortunatly, the Greater Vancouver Region should have had two dozen swimming pools by now, with most of them being enclosed.

https://jfdatalinks.blogspot.com/search?q=swimming+pools

Who controls the 3 lane Lions Gate Bridge?

 https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/who-controls-the-centre-lane-on-the-lions-gate-bridge-1.7589996

The LGB has to be the worst or at least one of the worst traffic bottlenecks & chokepoints on the planet. Over the course of the past several decades, there should have been a bus and HOV tunnel and then a train tunnel close to the alignment of the LGB. 

Seven lanes of Georgia+Street funneled into a 3 lane LGB is nuts! The LGB is already a nice bike bridge, with sidewalks, but it should also be a bus bridge. That would be possible if a proper big city tunnel was built. An eight-lane-tunnel would really help the LGB.

Of course in both cases, the Lion Bridge was never expanded, twinned or duplicated & the M Tunnel (H-99) wasn't replace with a 10 lane bridge. Unfortunatly, no serious consideration for rail rapid transit was considered for both crossings. It was as if the regional & BC governments just didn't think it was that important to have a train from the Horseshoe+Bay+ferry+terminal and the Park+Royal+Shopping+Centre to Vancouver-International-Airport. Just like not having a train from the Tsawwassen+ferry+terminal and Tsawwassen+Mills to the airport. 

Despite Richmond,_British_Columbia having YVR, its as if no one really considered that Richmond should be a major intermodal transportation hub. Proper Transportation Planning has always been lacking in backwards BC.

https://www.theprogress.com/news/province-receives-business-case-for-new-massey-crossing-1911335

https://www.highway99tunnel.ca While an 8 lane tunnel is a good start as the first phase, eventually there will have to be a train, bus & bike bridge (or tunnel) next to it.

https://www.highway99tunnel.ca/project-overview-frt Then the H-99 tunnel could be 3 lanes each way with the 4th as a HOV lane. A new parallel bridge (or tunnel) could then have 2 rapid bus lanes, as well as 2 wide sidewalks & 2 wide bike-lanes. Extra width could allow for eventually 2 tracks, 2 HOV lanes, in addition to the 2 bus lanes. That would enable the H-99 tunnel to ultimately have 4 general lanes each way in a later phase. Of course it would have been better to do things correct right from the start, but that goes against the backwards BC mentality.

Its so sad that there was never a proper big city vision to have an airport+train connect to both ferry terminals. 

Selective Door Operation (SDO)

 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Selective_door_operation#UK_variations

SDO is a great way to add an extra car at both ends of a train. Thus, a 3 car train can become 5 & a 6 car train could become 8. 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/London_Underground_S7_and_S8_Stock#Features

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/London_Underground_S7_and_S8_Stock#/media/File:Articulate_section_S_stock.JPG

https://www.witpress.com/elibrary/wit-transactions-on-the-built-environment/74/12046

https://www.rssb.co.uk/research-catalogue/CatalogueItem/T686

The Chicago L can run up to an 8 car train, because that's the maximum station platform length. If the L can ever have walkthrough trains, then an 8 car train could become a 10 car train with SDO.

Stubborn Vancouver & BC just can't seem to allow for proper comprehensive transportation planning. 

Unfortunately, the multibillion dollar Canada+Line wasn't designed for significant future capacity. No five car trains, just a 2.5 car joke. There was a lack of vision to connect the Horseshoe+Bay ferry+terminal with downtown Vancouver and the airport.

https://jfdatalinks.blogspot.com/search?q=Selective+Door+Operation

Airport rail links

 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Airport_rail_link 

An airport+line should always be designed with future capacity in mind.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Airport_rail_link#Connection_types

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Airport_rail_link#High-speed_rail_and_inter-city_rail

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Airport_rail_link#Regional_rail_and_commuter_rail

 The Canada+Line is such a sad and pathetic joke. Nevermind planning for a 10 car train linking YVR with the Horseshoe+Bay+ferry+terminal and the Tsawwassen+ferry+terminal to YVR, BC opted for a half-assed little train. Apparently, its logical in backwards BC to not allow for future clearance to at least have a 5 car train connecting YVR with West Vancouver & Delta. It was difficult enough just to have a small 2 car train & eventually a 2.5 car train between Vancouver & Richmond. 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SeaTac/Airport_station While Seattle can have a 2 car short train, the SeaTac_Airport_Station was designed to accommodate a proper big city long train.

Unlike in backwards BC, the Seattle_Central_Link Airport Station has 2 tracks. https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/26/SeaTac_light_rail_station_from_airport_parking_garage_%282010%29.jpg Most proper cities around the world plan & build big infrastructure or at least allow for future expansion clearence.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SeaTac/Airport_station#Station_layout

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RER_B#List_of_RER_B_stations

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leonardo_Express

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jazz_(Italian_EMU)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/San_Francisco_International_Airport_station

https://www.bart.gov/stations/sfia  https://www.bart.gov/guide/airport/sfo    

https://jfdatalinks.blogspot.com/search?q=airport+line

A Bus Rapid Transit route between Park Royal and Metrotown

 https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/bc-ndp-bus-rapit-transit-route-west-vancouver

Either a new bus, HOV & train bridge has to be built, or a new much wider Iron Bridge is essential. 

However, there should also be a train between Horseshoe+Bay and the Park_Royal_Shopping_Centre with a link to downtown Vancouver.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samuel-De_Champlain_Bridge A nice 8 lane bridge with 2 train tracks was possible in Montreal, because its far away from the stunted infrastructure agenda of Vancouver & the backwater BC mentality. Any new Iron Bridge should be at least as wide as the New_Champlain_Bridge_in_Montreal. 

Of course people from Vancouver are allowed to visit Montreal, but the backward BC mentality just isn't allowed to take over Quebec, Ontario or Alberta. 

https://jfdatalinks.blogspot.com/search?q=Park+Royal

Metro Vancouver regional district governance review changes

 https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/metro-vancouver-regional-district-governance-review-changes

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/metro-vancouver-treatment-plan-audit-1.7239051 Why have a train tunnel fromWest Vancouver to Waterfront_Station in Vancouver when instead, you can put a few extra billion dollars into a North Shore shit-pipe?

"The reasons behind the escalation are the subject of duelling lawsuits between the contractor Metro Vancouver fired and the regional district, but the now $3.9 billion is five times beyond the original $700 million budget Metro set a decade ago and more than double a revised $1 billion budget from 2021.

The issue’s complexity lies in the fact that Metro Vancouver’s sewage treatment services are broken up into four sewerage areas, unlike the drinking water system that is operated as a single entity.

Article content

Article content

The sewerage areas are: North Shore; Vancouver, which includes UBC and parts of Burnaby and Richmond; Lulu, which is most of Richmond and Fraser, which is most other Metro municipalities.

Article content

Article content

All municipalities pay for the capital costs of new facilities, but those within each district pay a bigger share for facilities in their own district." https://vancouversun.com/news/local-news/metro-vancouver-will-pay-for-north-shore-sewage-plant

https://www.nsnews.com/in-the-community/north-vancouver-district-asks-province-for-public-inquiry-on-sewage-plant-debacle-9777554 So much extra money will have to be paid out for a shit-box & a shit-pipe cost overrun. A few extra billion dollars could have easily paid for an improved Canada+Line and extension from downtown Vancouver to Park+Royal and the Horseshoe+Bay ferry terminal.

https://vancouversun.com/news/new-westminster-mayor-sides-with-metro-vancouver-in-surrey-spat Surrey wants to eventually become the biggest city in BC. That means not having similar restrictions that Vancouver, NW & Victoria have. Surrey wants to have taller buildings than restrictive Vancouver. First, it will have to rival Burnaby & Bellevue, WA and ultimately, Vaughan, Ontario. Instead of having 1 big downtown area, there will be a few town centres as well. 

While Surrey might want to have more autonomy, its still part of the Metro_Vancouver_Regional_District.

https://jfdatalinks.blogspot.com/search?q=SHIT-BOX