Editing SkyTrain (Vancouver) (section)

== Future expansion ==
Several possible expansions to the SkyTrain network have been announced. In 2005, TransLink released a ten-year outlook outlining a potential line to the [[University of British Columbia]] (UBC) and further expansion of the Expo Line into Surrey.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.translink.bc.ca/files/pdf/10year_project-summary.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050902145713/http://www.translink.bc.ca/files/pdf/10year_project-summary.pdf |archive-date=September 2, 2005 |title=TransLink Three-Year Plan and Ten-Year Outlook}}</ref> In 2011, two separate rapid transit studies have given further examination and consultation into rapid transit options for expansion for the UBC–Broadway corridor, and Surrey and the South of Fraser region.<ref>{{cite web |title=UBC Line Rapid Transit Study – Alternative Designs |url=http://www.translink.ca/en/Be-Part-of-the-Plan/Public-Consultation/UBC-Line-Rapid-Transit-Study/Alternative-Designs.aspx |publisher=TransLink |access-date=April 21, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150904113844/http://www.translink.ca/en/Be-Part-of-the-Plan/Public-Consultation/UBC-Line-Rapid-Transit-Study/Alternative-Designs.aspx |archive-date=September 4, 2015}}</ref> Expo Line capacity upgrades are also being planned to meet future demand.

A pair of expansions—the Broadway corridor extension and the Expo Line to Langley—began construction in the early 2020s alongside the addition of 235 new cars and upgrades to SkyTrain facilities.<ref>{{cite news |last=Tung |first=Allen |date=September 26, 2023 |title=TransLink embarks on transformative SkyTrain Expansion Program |url=https://buzzer.translink.ca/2023/09/translink-embarks-on-transformative-skytrain-expansion-program/ |work=The Buzzer |publisher=TransLink |accessdate=September 27, 2023}}</ref><ref name=":3">{{Cite web |date=May 28, 2024 |title=Alstom will supply 6 additional Vancouver SkyTrain Mark V trains |url=https://www.alstom.com/press-releases-news/2024/5/alstom-will-supply-6-additional-vancouver-skytrain-mark-v-trains |access-date=May 28, 2024 |website=Alstom.com}}</ref>

===Broadway corridor extension<span id="broadwayextension"></span><span id="Broadway corridor extension"></span>===
{{Main|Millennium Line#Broadway extension}}

Early proposals planned to extend SkyTrain west along the Broadway corridor, but stopped well short of UBC because of the cost, estimated at $700{{nbsp}}million in 1999.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://vancouver.ca/engsvcs/transport/rto/millennium_extension.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060207233528/http://vancouver.ca/engsvcs/transport/rto/millennium_extension.htm |archive-date=February 7, 2006 |title=Rapid Transit Office Millennium Line Extension |publisher=City of Vancouver |access-date=December 15, 2006}}</ref> However, the Provincial Transit Plan, released in February 2008, included funding for the entire Broadway corridor to UBC. The line would replace the region's busiest bus routes, where over 100,000 trips are made daily. The line would also include an interchange with the Canada Line at Cambie Street. In 2008, the new line was estimated to cost $2.8{{nbsp}}billion, with an expected completion date of 2020.<ref name="PTP" />

Government statements suggested that the UBC line would be an extension of the SkyTrain network from VCC–Clark station via elevated platforms or a tunnel along Broadway ending at [[University of British Columbia Vancouver]]. This would mean that riders travelling from Coquitlam to UBC would not need to change trains, as Millennium Line trains would continue to UBC from Lafarge Lake–Douglas station. Riders from the Evergreen Extension east of Commercial–Broadway station would also have a secondary route to downtown with the option of transferring to the Canada Line instead of the Expo Line. However, light rail and higher-capacity [[bus rapid transit]] were also proposed.<ref>{{cite web |title=Rapid Transit Principles for the Broadway Corridor and the UBC Line Rapid Transit Study |url=https://council.vancouver.ca/20100122/documents/penv1.pdf |publisher=City of Vancouver |access-date=April 10, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160314081128/http://council.vancouver.ca/20100122/documents/penv1.pdf |archive-date=March 14, 2016 |url-status=live}}</ref>

In 2011, with the UBC Line Rapid Transit Study, SkyTrain was evaluated as a possible technology for rapid transit expansion along the Broadway corridor to UBC, along with light rail transit and bus rapid Transit. The June 2014 plan proposes a first phase that would extend the Millennium Line from VCC–Clark station to Arbutus Street using SkyTrain technology, with an interchange with the Canada Line at [[Broadway–City Hall station]]; a second phase would see the line extended from Arbutus to UBC.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.translink.ca/Plans-and-Projects/Rapid-Transit-Projects/Broadway-Subway-Project.aspx |title=Broadway Subway Project |publisher=TransLink |access-date=April 8, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190325033721/https://www.translink.ca/Plans-and-Projects/Rapid-Transit-Projects/Broadway-Subway-Project.aspx |archive-date=March 25, 2019 |url-status=live}}</ref> [[TransLink (British Columbia)#2015 plebiscite|A plebiscite]] to raise 25 percent of the funds required for the Broadway extension to Arbutus, among other transit expansion plans, was defeated in 2015.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/british-columbia/transit-results/article25228292/ |title=Vancouver-region voters reject sales-tax hike to fund transit projects |work=The Globe and Mail |date=July 2, 2015 |first=Frances |last=Bula |access-date=September 1, 2017 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170224010517/https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/british-columbia/transit-results/article25228292/ |archive-date=February 24, 2017}}</ref>

On March 16, 2018, the provincial government approved the construction of an extension of the Millennium Line underneath Broadway, which will extend the line underground west to Arbutus Street, while adding six new stations. Early work was slated to begin in 2019 with a completion date set for 2025.<ref>{{cite news |first=Kenneth |last=Chan |title=It's official: Broadway Subway and Surrey LRT will be built in $7-billion transit plan |url=https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/translink-mayors-council-broadway-subway-surrey-lrt-march-2018 |work=Daily Hive Vancouver |date=March 16, 2018 |access-date=March 17, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180317033101/http://dailyhive.com/vancouver/translink-mayors-council-broadway-subway-surrey-lrt-march-2018 |archive-date=March 17, 2018 |url-status=live}}</ref> On April 19, 2018, the UBC Board of Governors indicated it would consider contributing funds towards accelerating the extension of the Millennium Line from its new planned terminus at Arbutus to the university.<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://news.ubc.ca/2018/04/19/ubc-to-advocate-completion-of-rapid-transit-to-campus/ |title=UBC to advocate completion of rapid transit to campus |date=April 19, 2018 |work=UBC News |access-date=April 22, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180422132938/https://news.ubc.ca/2018/04/19/ubc-to-advocate-completion-of-rapid-transit-to-campus/ |archive-date=April 22, 2018 |url-status=live}}</ref>

On January 30, 2019, [[Vancouver City Council]] endorsed building the line underground all the way to UBC.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.thestar.com/vancouver/2019/01/30/vancouver-moves-forward-on-38-billion-subway-extension-to-ubc.html |title=Vancouver moves forward on $3.8{{nbsp}}billion subway extension to UBC |website=[[Toronto Star]] |date=January 30, 2019 |access-date=January 31, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190201065628/https://www.thestar.com/vancouver/2019/01/30/vancouver-moves-forward-on-38-billion-subway-extension-to-ubc.html |archive-date=February 1, 2019 |url-status=live}}</ref>

On July 17, 2020, the British Columbia government announced that the [[Acciona]]–Ghella Joint Venture Company had been selected to receive the design–build contract for the Broadway extension.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Smith|first1=Charlie|date=July 17, 2020|title=B.C. government announces who will design, build, and partially finance Broadway Subway Project|work=The Georgia Straight|url=https://www.straight.com/news/bc-government-announces-who-will-design-build-and-partially-finance-broadway-subway-project|access-date=September 4, 2020}}</ref> Premier John Horgan confirmed on September 4, 2020, that construction would proceed in the fourth quarter of 2020 despite the ongoing [[COVID-19 pandemic in British Columbia]]. Horgan also confirmed that the extension is expected to be in service by 2025. Transportation Minister Claire Trevena also stated that there were no immediate plans to extend the line towards the UBC campus.<ref>{{cite news|date=September 4, 2020|title=Construction on Broadway SkyTrain project to begin this fall|work=CBC News|url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/broadway-subway-construction-2020-vancouver-1.5711005|access-date=September 4, 2020}}</ref>

The provincial government announced on November 24, 2022, that the opening of the extension would be pushed back to early 2026 owing to a labour dispute affecting concrete workers which took place that June.<ref name=":22">{{Cite web |last=Chan |first=Kenneth |date=November 24, 2022 |title=Broadway Subway opening delayed to 2026 |url=https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/broadway-subway-skytrain-millennium-line-extension-opening-date |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221125034617/https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/broadway-subway-skytrain-millennium-line-extension-opening-date |archive-date=November 25, 2022 |access-date=November 25, 2022 |website=Daily Hive Vancouver |language=en}}</ref> On May 24, 2024, the provincial government announced that the extension opening would be further delayed to late 2027, due to various delays which occurred during the tunnel-boring process.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Chan |first=Kenneth |date=May 24, 2024 |title=Broadway Subway opening further delayed until Fall 2027 |url=https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/broadway-subway-skytrain-opening-delayed-2027 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240524202408/https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/broadway-subway-skytrain-opening-delayed-2027 |archive-date=May 24, 2024 |access-date=May 28, 2024 |website=Daily Hive Vancouver |language=en}}</ref>

=== Expo Line extension ===
{{Main|Expo Line (SkyTrain)#Surrey–Langley extension}}
The 2008 Provincial Transit Plan included a {{convert|6|km|adj=on|}} extension of the Expo Line from King George station in Surrey east to [[Guildford, British Columbia|Guildford]], then along 152 Street to [[Fraser Highway]] and southeast to 168 Street; a further extension to [[Willowbrook Shopping Centre]] in [[Langley City]] was also included in the plan.<ref name="surreyleader">{{cite web |first=Jeff |last=Nagel |title=More SkyTrains for Surrey |work=Surrey Leader |date=January 16, 2008 |url=http://www.bclocalnews.com/surrey_area/surreyleader/news/More_SkyTrains_for_Surrey.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080120191344/http://www.bclocalnews.com/surrey_area/surreyleader/news/More_SkyTrains_for_Surrey.html |archive-date=January 20, 2008 |access-date=January 25, 2008}}</ref> After a period of time where SkyTrain, [[light rail transit]], and bus rapid transit were considered for service expansion,<ref>{{cite web |title=Rapid Transit Principles for the Broadway Corridor and the UBC Line Rapid Transit Study |url=http://www.translink.ca/en/Be-Part-of-the-Plan/Rapid-Transit-Projects/Surrey-Rapid-Transit-Study.aspx |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120113171236/http://www.translink.ca/en/Be-Part-of-the-Plan/Rapid-Transit-Projects/Surrey-Rapid-Transit-Study.aspx |archive-date=January 13, 2012 |publisher=TransLink |access-date=November 17, 2011}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Nagel |first=Jeff |date=June 7, 2016 |title=Line to Langley may still be SkyTrain: TransLink CEO |url=https://www.abbynews.com/news/line-to-langley-may-still-be-skytrain-translink-ceo/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181130113041/https://www.abbynews.com/news/line-to-langley-may-still-be-skytrain-translink-ceo/ |archive-date=November 30, 2018 |access-date=February 13, 2018 |website=[[Abbotsford News]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=McElroy |first=Justin |date=November 15, 2018 |title=Metro Vancouver mayors agree to suspend Surrey LRT, start process for SkyTrain to Langley |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/metro-vancouver-mayors-council-first-meeting-mccallum-1.4907048 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211204173558/https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/metro-vancouver-mayors-council-first-meeting-mccallum-1.4907048 |archive-date=December 4, 2021 |access-date=November 30, 2018 |website=CBC News}}</ref> federal funding was secured in 2021 to build a {{convert|16|km|adj=on|}} SkyTrain extension to Langley City at a total cost (shared between the federal government, provincial government, and TransLink) between $3.8 and $3.95{{nbsp}}billion.<ref name=":02">{{Cite web|last=Chan|first=Kenneth|date=July 9, 2021|title=Trudeau announces $1.3{{nbsp}}billion for Surrey-Langley SkyTrain, confirms UBC support {{!}} Urbanized|url=https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/surrey-langley-skytrain-funding-provincial-federal-trudeau-horgan|access-date=July 11, 2021|website=DailyHive}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Weichel|first=Andrew|date=July 9, 2021|title=Federal government providing up to $1.3{{nbsp}}billion for Surrey-Langley SkyTrain extension|url=https://bc.ctvnews.ca/federal-government-providing-up-to-1-3-billion-for-surrey-langley-skytrain-extension-1.5502944|access-date=July 9, 2021|website=CTV News Vancouver}}</ref> In July 2022, the extension received approval from the provincial government to be built in one single phase, opening in 2028 with eight stations.<ref>{{cite web|title=16-km-long Surrey-Langley SkyTrain extension receives full provincial and federal approval|url=https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/surrey-langley-skytrain-business-case-approved-new|last=Chan|first=Kenneth|work=Daily Hive|date=July 14, 2022|accessdate=July 20, 2022}}</ref> Procurement for private contractors began in October 2022 and was scheduled to end with the selection of winning bids by December 2023. The project was divided into three general contracts—the guideway, stations, and electrical systems.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Chan |first=Kenneth |date=October 11, 2022 |title=Bidding process begins for $475 million contract to build Surrey-Langley SkyTrain's eight stations |url=https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/surrey-langley-skytrain-station-construction-bidding-contract |work=Daily Hive |access-date=2022-10-28}}</ref> Construction began in November 2024 and is, {{As of|2025|lc=y|post=,}} expected to be completed in 2029.<ref>{{cite web |last=Chan |first=Kenneth |url=https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/surrey-langley-skytrain-construction-begins |title=It's official: Major construction now underway on 16-km-long Surrey-Langley SkyTrain |work=Daily Hive |date=January 6, 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250106233727/https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/surrey-langley-skytrain-construction-begins |archive-date=January 6, 2025 |access-date=January 19, 2025 |url-status=live}}</ref>

=== Expo Line capacity expansion ===
{{Main|Expo Line (SkyTrain)#Capacity upgrades}}
Several options have been considered, planned, or implemented to improve capacity on the Expo Line, including operating longer trains, reducing operating headways, and extending station platforms beyond {{convert|80|m}}. In late 2020, TransLink ordered 41 [[Alstom]] Mark V trainsets in five-car configurations that will eventually replace older, lower-capacity trains.<ref>{{Cite web |title=TransLink to buy 205 new SkyTrain cars from Bombardier for $723 million {{!}} Urbanized |url=https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/translink-new-skytrain-cars-bombardier-alstom |access-date=August 17, 2023 |website=dailyhive.com |language=en}}</ref> Six more Alstom Mark V trainsets were ordered in May 2024, bringing the total to 47 Mark V trainsets.<ref name=":3" />

=== Coquitlam maintenance facility ===
In March 2021, it was announced that a new yard would be constructed to provide storage space and maintenance needed for the upcoming extensions of the Expo and Millennium lines.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Strandberg|first=Diane|date=March 16, 2021|title=$300-million TransLink operations centre coming to Coquitlam|url=https://www.tricitynews.com/local-news/300-million-translink-operations-centre-coming-to-coquitlam-3550031#:~:text=%24300%2Dmillion%20TransLink%20operations%20centre%20coming%20to%20Coquitlam&text=The%20plans%20are%20to%20build,a%20cost%20of%20%2482.5%20million.|access-date=March 22, 2021}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=Chan|first=Kenneth|date=March 11, 2021|title=TransLink buys 27-acre site near Braid Station for new SkyTrain maintenance centre|url=https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/225-north-road-coquitlam-skytrain-omc-maintenance-centre-translink|access-date=March 22, 2021}}</ref> This new facility is to be located near the New Westminster–Coquitlam border along North Road. The land was purchased for $82.5{{nbsp}}million, while the cost for the structure and additional tracks was estimated at an additional $300{{nbsp}}million. The new yard was expected to provide additional maintenance and space in time for the opening of the Millennium Line's [[Broadway extension (SkyTrain)|Broadway extension]] in early 2026.<ref name=":22" /> As of February 2024, the opening of the Coquitlam maintenance facility, which is expected to have a storage capacity of 145 cars, is scheduled to take place in 2027.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Chan |first=Kenneth |date=February 29, 2024 |title=This is what SkyTrain's new operations and maintenance centre will look like |url=https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/skytrain-omc4-trainyard |access-date=February 29, 2024 |website=Daily Hive Vancouver |language=en}}</ref>

=== University of British Columbia extension ===
On January 14, 2008, the British Columbia provincial government announced a commitment to the expansion of the Millennium Line to the [[University of British Columbia]] (UBC) by 2020 as part of a $14-billion transit spending package to address [[climate change]]. It was not clear what route the new line would take, but it was hinted that there would be less use of [[Tunnel#Cut-and-cover|cut-and-cover tunnelling]] to minimize disruption to businesses along Broadway and avoid [[Canada Line#Impact on local businesses|the same problems seen during the Canada Line construction]] along [[Cambie Street]].<ref>{{cite news |first=Vaughn |last=Palmer |title=Less than meets the eye, and light on details |url=http://www.canada.com/vancouversun/news/story.html?id=6cb8fa40-30d1-4437-aa0f-6be3080a6d95&p=2 |work=[[Vancouver Sun]] |publisher=[[CanWest Global Communications|CanWest MediaWorks Publications]] |date=January 15, 2008 |access-date=January 15, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121103191941/http://www.canada.com/vancouversun/news/story.html?id=6cb8fa40-30d1-4437-aa0f-6be3080a6d95&p=2 |archive-date=November 3, 2012}}</ref> This expansion failed to materialize. On February 15, 2019, the TransLink Mayors' Council again approved an extension of the line to the UBC campus, although funding for this continuation past Arbutus Street had not yet been secured.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/skytrain-extension-ubc-1.5021463|title=Metro Vancouver mayors vote yes on SkyTrain extension to UBC | date=February 15, 2019 |work=CBC News |access-date=February 16, 2019}}</ref> In April 2022, TransLink assessed possible route options in the UBC area, including the provision of additional pocket storage tracks near the UBC terminus owing to the distance between the university and the nearest storage yard.<ref name=":2">{{Cite web |last=Chan |first=Kenneth |date=April 19, 2022 |title=TransLink outlines proposed UBC SkyTrain route and station locations |url=https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/ubc-skytrain-route-proposed-translink-vancouver |access-date=February 29, 2024 |website=Daily Hive Vancouver |language=en}}</ref> As a result, the terminus at UBC would hypothetically be larger in size in order to accommodate the additional storage space and operational flexibility.<ref name=":2" /> In March 2023, it was announced that a contractor would be hired to put together a business case for the extension, which was to be presented in December 2024.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Detailed design and planning set to begin for UBC SkyTrain extension {{!}} Urbanized |url=https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/ubc-skytrain-extension-design-planning-business-case |access-date=2023-03-22 |website=dailyhive.com |language=en}}</ref>

=== Port Coquitlam extension ===
When the [[Evergreen Extension]] was built, the first few metres of track and a track switch for an eventual eastward extension to [[Port Coquitlam]] were built at [[Coquitlam Central station]]. Such an extension would create two branches where trains would alternate between going east to Lafarge Lake–Douglas station or Port Coquitlam. A feasibility study was conducted, started during early 2020 and running for about six months. Both Port Coquitlam mayor Brad West, Port Coquitlam's city council, and Coquitlam's city council have stated support for the extension. However, as of 2022, no funding had been secured nor a formal plan created.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/port-coquitlam-skytrain-study|title=Port Coquitlam to launch feasibility study on Skytrain Extension | date=November 28, 2019 |work=Daily Hive |access-date=November 28, 2019}}</ref>

=== North Shore connection ===
In 2019, the BC Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure announced its intention to study a rapid transit link from Vancouver's city centre to the [[North Shore (Greater Vancouver)|North Shore]], possibly in the form of SkyTrain. By March 2020, the provincial government confirmed it had selected six possible routes for a "high-capacity, fixed-link, rapid transit crossing across [[Burrard Inlet]] between Vancouver and the North Shore".<ref>{{cite web|url=https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/north-shore-vancouver-rapid-transit-study-route-options|title=6 route options for North Shore to Vancouver rapid transit line: BC government|website=Daily Hive|date=March 2, 2020|access-date=March 4, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200304004540/https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/north-shore-vancouver-rapid-transit-study-route-options|archive-date=March 4, 2020|url-status=live}}</ref> In 2022, TransLink suggested that a North Shore link would likely be created using [[bus rapid transit]] first while a concurrent feasibility study of a longer-term light rail transit or SkyTrain connection is conducted.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Chan |first1=Kenneth |title=Buses first, SkyTrain maybe later: TransLink planning bus rapid transit from Park Royal to Metrotown |url=https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/north-shore-rapid-transit-bus-rapid-transit-park-royal-metrotown-brt |website=Daily Hive |access-date=16 March 2024}}</ref>