Detail script for 14 / MUNICIPAL COMMITMENTS
‘Municipal Funds are already in the Bank’
White Rock City Hall from website; see link
Surrey City Hall from website; see link
October 2014 – The City of White Rock tabled an initial study into the relocation of the BNSF rail line away from the current waterfront location. This study was prepared by Mary-Jane Bennett, lawyer and transportation consultant/journalist. For her background, see comments in the Index line of this website under ‘About’. The report has a strong emphases on SAFETY and the ultimate application to the TSB under the Rail Relocation and Crossing Act. For the report, see Ref #1.
October 2015 – The City of Surrey Council authorized staff to initiate discussions with the City of White Rock and the Province of BC to develop a cost-sharing agreement for the technical study and consultation work required to confirm a single preferred rail relocation alignment and to report back before proceeding. For the report, see Ref #3.
January 2016 – The City of Surrey tabled a report by Mary-Jane Bennett, lawyer and transportation consultant/journalist. While the report touched on some prior reporting, its main focus was on ECONOMIC issues/opportunities and partner cost-sharing; For the report, see Ref #4.
May 2016 – The City of White Rock tabled a major report by then Mayor Wayne Baldwin, sent to Transportation Ministries of BC [Todd Stone] and Federal [Marc Garneau] plus 18 other stakeholders. The report has a strong emphasis on SAFETY. The key phrase important for all to remember is “We are absolutely convinced that this not a question of if a disaster will occur but a question of when it will occur”. For the report, see Ref #5.
During 2016 – The City of White Rock budgeted $75,000 for the feasibility study and the City of Surrey budgeted $225,000 for the same study.
Nov 2019 plus Feb 2020 – we met with mayors and alderpersons from both cities.
On June 26, 2020, we met with an expanded group including the provincial MLA, federal MP, and SFN Chief … the positivity in the meeting and the determination for action in moving this RR ahead, is encouraging.
The Fall of 2020 found us as advocates making great progress with the ‘Expanded Mayors Group’ and taking this to concurrence and commitment from all levels of Government on the Semiahmoo Peninsula … this has a lot of moving parts to it especially with Covid-19, and we refer the reader to the December 28th 2020 newsletter which explains all of this in more detail, and suggests where we would like to go in 2021 … we are moving along, albeit at a C-19 snails pace … the newsletters are all documented in the ‘newsletter’ section of the index of this website.