Delta has an ally when it comes to promoting light rail.
That was a guarantee made by Delta Liberal MP Carla Qualtrough during her presentation to Delta council Monday afternoon as she highlighted a series of federal funding announcements and other initiatives that have benefitted the riding since her party formed government.
"You have an ally in me, so I'm certainly happy to be a champion on that as well," said Qualtrough.
Mayor Lois Jackson brought up the subject during discussion on the bridge to replace the George Massey Tunnel.
"I'm hoping it will happen one day. There's talk of extending the lines to where the people are in Delta, in Tsawwassen, ferry terminal, White Rock was mentioned and, of course, Langley and out in the valley," said Qualtrough. "It may be that during this next couple of years, while there's still infrastructure money, it's really something for us to look at in terms of light rail over the new bridge.
"I think we can get an awful lot of people out of their cars if they want to go to downtown or into Richmond, or side step to Burnaby," she suggested.
The 10-lane bridge is to be built to accommodate rapid transit, although the province has not committed to any timeline for rapid transit coming to Delta, South Surrey and White Rock.
Qualtrough agreed having rapid transit extend to Delta and the valley one day should be a priority.
Later on Monday, during council's evening session, Jackson reiterated her dream to see the Canada Line cross the river during her annual state of the municipality address.
"Maybe, one day," she said.
When the budget was announced last week, Qualtrough said that while the bridge is not in the government's infrastructure plans, the project could get assistance through Infrastructure Canada and Innovation with a new infrastructure bank, something she reiterated during her presentation this week.
Qualtrough also went over a few of the other infrastructure investments her government has made in Delta, including the Highway 91 and 72nd Avenue interchange, corridor improvements for highways 91 and 17 as well as a rush hour lane for the Alex Fraser Bridge.
