The B.C. Ministry of environment announced Thursday February 9 that it has approved a certificate that gives the province the green light to proceed with building a new $3.5 billion 10-lane toll bridge.
The new bridge would take traffic along Highway 99 across the south arm of the Fraser River from Richmond to Delta. The city of Richmond is opposed to the project; Delta supports the project.
Once built, the George Massey tunnel would be decommissioned. The certificate has 33 conditions attached, including requirements for a management plan to minimize the impact on fish and fish habitat.
While most mayors on Metro Vancouver don’t support the project, the business community in the Lower Mainland generally does.
The Greater Vancouver Board of Trade says the Highway 99 south corridor is one of the most important highway corridors in British Columbia, since it connects the Lower Mainland to the U.S. border, BC Ferries’ Tsawwassen terminal and the Deltaport container terminal.
