Premier-designate Lorne Doerkson has ordered outgoing officials to stop work on the replacement tunnel across the Fraser River so the project can pivot back to a bridge.
This move fulfills a core Conservative campaign promise to scrap the current eight-lane tunnel under construction between Richmond and Delta. The original plan called for a ten-lane bridge first proposed by the B.C. Liberals in 2013 and dropped by the NDP in 2017. Doerkson takes over as premier next week.
The tunnel budget has ballooned to at least $8.5 billion, more than double the original projected cost. The premier-designate has not ruled out penalties for cancelling current construction contracts.
Uncertainty surrounds cancellation fees, with analysis suggesting costs may be minimal after the original consortium was dismissed last summer. A new environmental assessment also remains a potential hurdle since the previous certificate expired in 2022.