Massey Tunnel replacement to cost $8.5 billion, open in 2031

Replacing the Massey Tunnel is now expected to cost $8.5 billion — more than double the original estimate.

Transportation Minister Mike Farnworth made the announcement Monday, also revealing that construction on the project will begin in 2027 and reach completion in September 2031.

The news comes just days after Prime Minister Mark Carney and Premier David Eby signed the "Canada-BC Cooperative Prosperity Agreement," a federal-provincial partnership that ensured British Columbia receives more from Ottawa.

Included in the agreement was up to $3 billion to cover a maximum of one-third of the tunnel's capital costs.

It has been over 10 years since Victoria first unveiled plans to replace the aging span. In 2013, the BC Liberals under then-premier Christy Clark proposed a $3.5 billion bridge to replace the aging tunnel. Local mayors expressed frustration over lack of consultation, and when the BC NDP took power, Clark's successor John Horgan scrapped the bridge idea after $100 million had already been spent.

Among those who have argued that a bridge would still be the better option is BC Conservative MLA and Transportation Critic Harman Bhangu.

During an interview with Sitka Media in June following the province's decision to re-tender contracts for work on the project in order to "seek the best value" for taxpayers, he argued that a bridge would outperform a tunnel in a number of situations — especially when it comes to facilitating public transit.

"SkyTrain expansion that could have been put along the bridge would have been very key to connecting communities, especially when we're trying to get down to the valley," he said, lamenting the fact that the tunnel will only have dedicated bus lanes.

Bhangu has joined other politicians, including Delta city councillor and mayoral candidate Dylan Kruger in calling for an independent review of the project.