Burnaby City Council endorses SFU gondola plan
Supporters of the proposed gondola between a Burnaby SkyTrain station and the Simon Fraser University campus gained another ally this week.
The Burnaby City Council has endorsed the proposed Burnaby Mountain Gondola, favouring the so-called "Route 1" option that would see the gondola run directly from Production Way-University Station to SFU, over the city's Forest Grove neighbourhood.
A survey conducted for TransLink in 2020 found that, while most respondents supported the gondola proposal, many residents of Forest Grove were not.
In a news release announcing the council's endorsement of Route 1, the city stressed that none of the five towers required for the proposed route would need to be built in the neighbourhood.
“The Burnaby Mountain Gondola project will create a safe and reliable transit option for Burnaby residents travelling to and from Burnaby Mountain," said Burnaby Mayor Mike Hurley in the city's release.
"By taking cars and buses off the road it will be one of the many changes we must make in our city to achieve the aggressive targets we’ve set for reducing carbon emissions,” he added. “Before endorsing this project, council stressed the importance of consultation with residents, businesses and First Nations, and we expect that dialogue to continue should this project move forward.”
SFU and the Simon Fraser Student Society have also endorsed the project, for which they've been advocating for years.
In a statement Friday, the SFSS lauded the city council's decision as "a massive win."
"After a decade of advocacy from the student body, we are able to celebrate and look forward to the positive impacts this will have for students, the SFU community, and Burnaby as a whole," said Matthew Provost, vice president of external and community affairs for the SFSS, in the statement.
The SFSS says nearly three-quarters of SFU students rely on public transit, and more than half of that group uses TransLink's number 145 bus, which the gondola would replace.
The fate of the project now rests with the Mayors' Council on Regional Transportation, which oversees TransLink and sets the transit provider's investment priorities.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Expert warns of food consumption habits amid rising prices
A new survey by Dalhousie University's Agri-Food Analytics Lab asked Canadians about their food consumption habits amid rising prices.
Documents reveal Ottawa's efforts to get Loblaw, Walmart on board with grocery code
It was evident to the federal government as early as last fall that Loblaw and Walmart might be holdouts to the grocery code of conduct, jeopardizing the project's success.
opinion The special relationship between King Charles and the Princess of Wales
Royal commentator Afua Hagan writes that when King Charles recently admitted Catherine to the Order of the Companions of Honour, it not only made history, but it reinforced the strong bond between the King and his beloved daughter-in-law.
Charlie Woods, son of Tiger, shoots 81 in U.S. Open qualifier
Charlie Woods failed to advance in a U.S. Open local qualifying event Thursday, shooting a 9-over 81 at Legacy Golf & Tennis Club.
Improve balance and build core strength with this exercise
When it comes to cardiovascular fitness, you may tend to focus on activities that move you forward, such as walking, running and cycling.
'I just want to be safe': Ukrainian man in Canada faces limbo amid consular freeze
A recent decision to restrict consular services for fighting-aged Ukrainian men has made a Ukrainian man in Canada feel less certain of his next steps — and worried he could be pulled back to the war.
B.C. tenants evicted for landlord's use after refusing large rent increase to take over neighbouring suite
Ashley Dickey and her mother rented part of the same Coquitlam duplex in three different decades under three different landlords.
Mountain guide dies after falling into a crevasse in Banff National Park
A man who fell into a crevasse while leading a backcountry ski group deep in the Canadian Rockies has died.
Dozens of U.S. deaths reveal risks of injecting sedatives into people restrained by police
The practice of giving sedatives to people detained by police has spread quietly across the U.S. over the last 15 years, built on questionable science and backed by police-aligned experts, an investigation led by The Associated Press has found.