Transportation and Infrastructure Minister Blair Lekstrom issued the following statement:

"I would like to thank the Mayors' Council for their hard work in developing a funding mechanism that will enable them to fund their $400-million portion of the costs of the Evergreen Line and other important transportation projects.

"The Mayors' Council and I have had many discussions over the past few weeks. I listened to their options and was pleased to offer suggestions on those options which would enable them to fund their portion of the project's cost.

"Their proposal now requires consultation with the residents of the region. We will await the outcome of the consultation process with the residents of Metro Vancouver and look forward to hearing their views on the Mayor's Council funding proposal.

"I want to thank all of the people involved - the Mayors Council and in particular the chair, Mayor Richard Walton, and vice-chair Mayor Pamela Goldsmith Jones for all of their efforts."

Contact:

Jeff Knight
Government Communications and Public Engagement
Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure
250 356-7707