The Katzie First Nation and the City of Pitt Meadows are concerned Canadian Pacific Kansas City Railway, (CPKC) intends to increase track capacity, without adjusting the grade at the Harris Road crossing.
On Feb. 6, a letter was drafted to: Peter Xotta, president and CEO of the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority; Jeff Edwards, AVP market and demand management with Canadian Pacific Kansas City Rail; Pablo Rodriguez, federal Minister of Transport; and Rob Fleming, B.C. Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure – voicing their concerns with that component of the Pitt Meadows Road and Rail Improvements Project, (PMRRIP), and a desire to find a solution to the funding shortfall which left the project in limbo.
Early 2023 the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority announced the projected cost of constructing an underpass at the Harris Road rail crossing had tripled its original estimate.
The original estimate of $63.3 million had ballooned to around $195 million and they asked the City of Pitt Meadows to chip in 25 per cent of the total cost, up to a maximum of $49.6 million.
Devan Fitch, program director for the port authority, had suggested to switch to an overpass which was rejected by the city because of negative impacts an overpass would have on the community.
“The rail component and the grade separation have always been intended to be completed together under the PMRRIP,” said Katzie Chief candidate Grace George.
“We cannot support anything that enhances CPKC’s mainline track capacity without mitigating the significant impacts, risks and challenges faced by our residents from existing and future rail traffic at Harris Road. Eliminating the at-grade crossing at Harris Road is an important part of that,” added George.
City of Pitt Meadows Mayor Nicole MacDonald stands in solidarity with the Katzie First Nation, saying the at-grade crossing is one of the busiest in the Lower Mainland.
The letter also states that it is one of the top three per cent highest risk railway crossings in Canada, “raising significant safety and quality of life concerns for Katzie First Nation and the City of Pit Meadows.”
READ MORE: Pitt Meadows residents speak out against requested $50 million for Harris Road underpass
Currently, the letter explains, there is up to 28 freight or 3.5 hours of blockage at the Harris Road crossing on any given weekday, “which limits access for emergency vehicles and has significant impacts for our residents’ commutes, including for access to essential services.”
“By 2030, it is predicted that train volumes will double, resulting in over 7.5 hours per day of blockages at the Harris Road rail crossing,” it read.
The letter also explained that Harris Road is the main route to the Katzie First Nation, in addition to being the primary access point between the Katzie IR1 and the rest of the territory to the north where members go to “hunt, fish, harvest, and practice their culture.”
George and MacDonald end the letter by asking all bodies who have roles to play in the project to work together, “collaboratively and creatively, to identify how to fund and support the grade separation project at Harris Road.”
ALSO: Pitt Meadows council continues working on underpass funding
Terry Cunha, spokesperson for CPKC, said only that CPKC remains “engaged with the stakeholders on the Harris Road project.”
Transport Canada responded by saying the Government of Canada recognizes the national importance of this project, “for increasing the fluidity and reliability of our supply chain,” in addition to the needs of the surrounding community including improving congestion and safety. A contribution of $71.2 million was made to the Harris Road Underpass and Kennedy Road Overpass project in 2018 and the government has committed to an additional $22.3 million to address the cost overruns that were identified in 2022.
“We understand that further cost overruns have since been identified and further rescoping of the project is needed,” said a spokesperson for the federal ministry, noting they are committed to the project and working with the city, Katzie First Nation, and the province to finding a solution.
Vancouver Fraser Port Authority said they still believe the project will bring “significant benefits to Canada’s trade network and local communities.”
“However, with costs currently more than triple the original estimate, additional funding must be secured for the project to proceed to further design and construction,” said a spokesperson for the port authority, adding that they will also continue to work with project partners, stakeholders and First Nations, “to seek a path forward for the project.”
The B.C. Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure noted that neither the CPKC rail line through Pitt Meadows, nor the section of Harris Road that the line bisects, are within provincial jurisdiction. However, the ministry said, they have, “endeavored to bring the parties together to discuss solutions that could support a municipal grade separation project.”
“The Province is hopeful that further discussions can achieve an outcome beneficial to Pitt Meadows residents and Katzie First Nation to improve community safety and traffic flow as well as support regional economic development and optimization of Western Canada’s supply chain.”