Maple Ridge-Pitt Meadows MLA candidates exchanged barbs after the BC NDP promised Bus Rapid Transit between Maple Ridge and Langley if elected in the Oct. 19 general election.
Conservative candidate Mike Morden retorted that the line was already promised by TransLink a long time ago.
The BC NDP announced their government plans a new rapid transit corridor to fight traffic congestion, with a route running down 200th Street, across the Golden Ears Bridge and down the Lougheed Highway to Haney.
“To meet the needs of our growing community, we need to expand infrastructure like safe public transit,” said Lisa Beare, BC NDP candidate for Maple Ridge-Pitt Meadows.
“The BC NDP is taking on this challenge by investing in fast, frequent, and reliable transportation infrastructure," she added. "John Rustad would bring back tolls, cancel infrastructure projects and cut transit, making traffic worse. People can’t afford that right now.”
Morden, who is running against Beare in Maple Ridge-Pitt Meadows called the announcement "old news" that was approved by the TransLink Mayors Council in 2022, as part of the Transport 2050 Plan.
In November 2023, TransLink announced the Maple Ridge-Langley route was one of three approved in the Lower Mainland.
"If the NDP's intent is to reduce congestion, why haven’t they approved the $100 million to fix the Golden Ears Bridge interchange problem?" asked Morden. "Further, why haven’t they proceeded with the approved four-laning, which I got as mayor in 2022, at the north end of the Golden Ears Bridge?"
"This $15 million investment would immediately alleviate traffic congestion for Pitt Meadows and Maple Ridge commuters – ironically, this is the same amount being wasted every day in interest payments on Eby’s $100 billion deficit," added Morden.
He said the NDP has failed to deliver important improvements needed to support high-growth communities and the Pitt Meadows Regional Airport.
