Richmond Chamber Reacts to George Massey Tunnel Announcement

RICHMOND, B.C. — The Richmond Chamber of Commerce is pleased to see a decision on the long-anticipated replacement of the George Massey Tunnel. Wednesday morning, Minister Rob Fleming announced the Province will be moving forward to build an eight-lane immersed tube tunnel, estimated to be completed in 2030, at a cost of $4.15 billion.

“For the thousands of Richmond workers, employers, and residents, today’s announcement is a positive development,” said Dan Baxter, the organization’s President and CEO. “In the past, our membership has been vocal in its advocacy for a bridge option, which could have been completed by amending existing environmental approvals and was estimated to cost $0.5 – $1.5 billion less than a tunnel. For the people travelling this corridor, this movement forward is a significant step in the right direction,” Baxter continued.

The Richmond Chamber of Commerce has been an active proponent for a replacement to the George Massey Tunnel for over a decade. The eight-lane tunnel, built to modern seismic safety standards, will include active transportation options and a dedicated transit lane in each direction, giving commuters much needed options to reliably access Richmond and neighbouring municipalities.

“We look forward to working with the Province, the Federal government, and the City of Richmond as this project moves forward, to ensure the pressing needs of Richmond’s workers and employers are met,” concluded Baxter.

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The Richmond Chamber of Commerce is a broad-based non-profit membership association, celebrating over 90 years of commitment to make Richmond the most prosperous and favorable place to do business