Preparations for the long-awaited construction of a new eight-lane tunnel to replace the aging and gridlock-prone Massey Tunnel are not proceeding as planned, as the British Columbia government announces it is putting the project back out to tender.
Negotiations Break Down with Cross Fraser Partnership
Transportation Minister Mike Farnworth stated on Monday afternoon that work on design and an early works agreement had been underway since September 2024 with Cross Fraser Partnership, a consortium comprising Bouygues Construction Canada, Fomento de Construcciones y Contratas Canada, and Pomerleau B.C. However, an agreement on a contract could not be reached.
Instead of re-tendering the project as a single procurement, the province is splitting it into several pieces, similar to the approach used for the Surrey Langley SkyTrain extension and the widening of Highway 1. This means contractors will bid on different sections, with multiple groups working on various portions of the project.
Timeline and Costs Remain Unchanged
Farnworth said this change should not impact the estimated start of major construction work in 2027 and that the new approach will not cost taxpayers any additional money. The last estimate placed the cost of building the new tunnel at $4.15 billion. The current target date for the new tunnel to open remains 2030.
“We’ve received good value from the contractor and have made steady progress with the design, thanks to their work. However, this project is critical to B.C.’s future, and we are taking this back to a competitive process to seek the best possible value for taxpayers,” said Farnworth.
Local Reactions
Delta councillor and mayoral candidate Dylan Kruger expressed concern on social media, calling the development a significant setback for a project that has been long discussed and is sorely needed. “This is a significant setback for one of BC’s most important transportation projects, and raises serious questions about the escalating costs for this project, and how this situation was allowed to develop in the first place,” said Kruger, calling for an independent review.
Fellow mayoral candidate Melissa Granum blamed current Mayor George Harvie and criticized Kruger’s call for a review. She argued that Delta should never have allowed the cancellation of the bridge replacement announced under the B.C. Liberals but cancelled by the NDP. “George Harvie was one of the mayors responsible for that waste of money. He publicly abandoned his commitment to a bridge crossing back in 2019, and instead threw his support behind a tunnel,” said Granum. “A tunnel that has no completion date in sight.”
More to come …
