In a display of his commitment to the residents of Abbotsford South-Langley and the greater South of Fraser region, Mike de Jong is showing his knowledge of the issues and what is needed to make the lives of our residents so much better. Knowing first hand, our communities’ significant needs and its deficits, and having an MP that knows how to solve those problems is critical!
Mike de Jong – “I am making this commitment for three main reasons”–
1) Environment (improving the air quality in the Fraser Valley Airshed is critical.)
2) Transportation and public transit (removing cars off of Highway #1 is critical.)
3) Housing (Effective, affordable and convenient transit is required to support the ever-increasing growth and demand for housing throughout the South of Fraser region.)
This initiative will correct these serious issues in a very significant way. Mike de Jong made this announcement at last weeks’ All-Candidate’s meeting in Aldergrove – a meeting, I might add, that the Conservative candidate failed to show up!
So, what is this Rail Corridor that Mike de Jong is talking about? The public have available to them a publicly owned 99 KM rail corridor, with protected passenger rights at no-cost for its use, running between the Pattullo Bridge SkyTrain station and the City of Chilliwack. This rail corridor connects 16 Communities, 14 post-secondary institutions, the Abbotsford International Airport, major industrial parks, Tourism and Agri-Tourism through a Spine and Rib transit system similar to what was done in Metro Vancouver with SkyTrain connecting to local bus routes. This rail corridor by design protects our Fraser Valley agricultural land base at a very affordable (all in) cost of $18.6 M per KM vs $437.5 M per KM for the Surrey to Langley SkyTrain? A reactivated Interurban’s per capita cost is $1,541 vs $35,000 per capita for Surrey to Langley SkyTrain! It can be up and running in 3 – 4 years maximum.
The best way to understand this priceless opportunity is to watch the following video that creatively tells the whole story and why it just makes common sense –
4 Minute Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GQR5c_8oyDA&t=18s
Unprecedented Support? ResearchCo Poll – 88% Public Support N. Delta to Chilliwack (May 2021), All Post Secondary Institutions (South of Fraser Community Rail Task Force (2009), All South of Fraser Cities and Municipalities, LMLGA (Lower Mainland Local Government Association) unanimous support (2024), Surrey Board of Trade, Hydrogen B.C., B.C. Indigenous Housing Society, Brad West Chair TransLink Mayors Council, B.C. Premier John Horgan Sept./22, UBC Professor Patrick Condon, UBCO Professor Gordon Lovegrove.
Mike de Jong – “I am in receipt of three critical documents that support my position. I have received and thoroughly reviewed – 1) The B.C. Hydro / CP Rail Master Agreement (circa 1988), 2) The B.C. Government Fraser Valley Regional Rail Pre-Feasibility Study (circa July 8th, 2022) and 3) The SFCRS Community Business Case (circa June /23). All of these reinforce this outstanding opportunity.”
Mike de Jong – “Why have we not acted? I will take action in Ottawa as your Member of Parliament using my 30 years of long-standing knowledge, connections and relationships to see this project through. If a corridor and opportunity like this was available in Greater Toronto, it would have been in operation years ago.”
For additional information go to the following sites –
South Fraser Community Rail Society Web Site
https://www.southfrasercommunityrail.ca/
South Fraser Community Rail Society Facebook site:
https://www.facebook.com/connectthevalley
South Fraser Community Rail Society You Tube Channel:
https://www.youtube.com/@southfrasercommunityrail5797
Please share the above BLOG Post with neighbors, friends and relatives – it is a factual read!
Rick Green – Former Mayor of the Township of Langley
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