Many students at UBC Vancouver face long commutes just to reach campus.
“It takes me about two and a half hours to get here,” one student shared.
“Usually, the bus ride alone is an hour for me,” added another student.
The Alma Mater Society (AMS), the university’s official student union, is increasing pressure for the expansion of the SkyTrain to UBC to shorten commute times and ease congestion.
“The 99 bus route is the busiest in the US and Canada, and the Broadway corridor ranks among the busiest transit routes in North America,” noted Solomon Yi-Kieran, the AMS Vice President of External Affairs. “The need for progress on this is clear and urgent.”
Yi-Kieran emphasized the importance of prioritizing the Millennium Line extension, which has been stalled for 17 years.
“The government announced this project in 2008 when I was just three years old. Now, those born in that year are applying to attend UBC,” he remarked.
Both TransLink and UBC have expressed support for the SkyTrain extension, highlighting its potential to bring economic benefits by better connecting housing, job opportunities, and major universities in Metro Vancouver through rapid transit.
AMS has launched a campaign on campus with a petition garnering over 14,000 signatures to advocate for the SkyTrain extension.
“It would benefit everyone by reducing waiting times and stress from long bus rides,” shared a student.
While acknowledging the project’s high cost of $8 billion, another student recognized its potential benefits.
In the upcoming weeks, the student union plans to lobby both municipal and provincial governments for support.
To advance their advocacy efforts for the SkyTrain extension, AMS will organize a rally on October 1 in front of the Nest.