B.C. Conservatives pledge to scrap Massey Tunnel, build 10-lane bridge instead
Conservative leader Lorne Doerkson vows to replace the NDP's $8.5B tunnel project with a Richmond-Delta bridge, claiming it will cut commute times by up to 30 minutes.
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British Columbia's Conservative Party will scrap the NDP's eight-lane tunnel replacement and build a 10-lane bridge between Richmond and Delta instead, leader Lorne Doerkson announced Thursday.
Doerkson said the bridge would cut commute times by up to 30 minutes and help businesses move goods more efficiently. "Families in the Lower Mainland are stuck in traffic every day because the NDP cancelled a bridge that should already be open. My government will build it, on time and on budget," he said.
The Conservatives claim the bridge design already has an environmental certificate and would cost less than the tunnel while being built sooner using B.C. experts. They have not provided specific cost estimates or completion dates.
The current tunnel project, announced by the NDP in August 2021 as the Fraser River Tunnel Project, carries an $8.5 billion price tag—nearly double the 2021 estimate of $4.15 billion. The project is now expected to open in September 2031, with major construction set to begin in 2027. Pre-construction work is underway, with 200 workers currently on site. The NDP government secured $3 billion in federal funding for the tunnel.
A previous Conservative-era bridge proposal, developed by the BC Liberal government, was estimated at $3.5 billion with a planned completion of 2022. The NDP scrapped that plan in 2017.
The Conservatives also committed Thursday to complete Surrey Hospital in Cloverdale (set to open early 2030) and build a new Women and Children's Hospital in Surrey.
What would a 10-lane bridge actually cost, and who would fund the difference if federal money designated for the tunnel doesn't transfer?
If the bridge design already exists with environmental approval, why wasn't this option pursued by the NDP or reconsidered during the tunnel's cost escalation?
How would the bridge handle the same regional demand without transit integration that the tunnel's design includes?
We'll update this story as answers emerge.
The facts
What does the B.C. Conservative Party propose to replace the Massey Tunnel with?
A 10-lane bridge between Richmond and Delta, according to Conservative leader Lorne Doerkson's announcement on Thursday, October 15, 2026.
How much is the NDP's current tunnel project expected to cost?
The Fraser River Tunnel Project carries an $8.5 billion price tag, nearly double the 2021 estimate of $4.15 billion.
When is the NDP's tunnel project expected to open?
The tunnel is now expected to open in September 2031, with major construction set to begin in 2027.
