The Corridor
A publicly owned rail corridor already connects communities across the Fraser Valley. Stretching from North Delta and Surrey through Langley, Abbotsford and Chilliwack, the historic interurban route represents a rare opportunity to rethink interregional transportation using infrastructure that already exists.
A Corridor That Already Exists
One of the biggest challenges facing passenger rail projects is securing land and building entirely new infrastructure.
The South Fraser rail corridor is different. Much of the route already exists as an established rail corridor connecting growing communities throughout the region.
This creates a unique opportunity to explore modern interregional passenger rail without starting from scratch.
Connecting Growing Communities
The Fraser Valley continues to experience rapid population growth, increasing transportation demand and greater regional connectivity between communities.
A future passenger rail line could help connect:
- Surrey
- North Delta
- Cloverdale
- Langley
- Aldergrove
- Abbotsford
- Chilliwack
Along the route, regional rail has the potential to improve access to:
- 1.3 million residents
- 14 post secondary campuses
- 16 cities and communities
- Abbotsford International Airport
- Industrial parks
- Employment
- Schools
- Shopping
- Tourism
More Than Transportation
Interregional rail is about how communities connect and grow together.
Passenger rail can support stronger interregional mobility by reducing congestion, expanding transportation options and improving connections between communities across the Fraser Valley. Reliable transportation plays an important role in accessing employment, education, healthcare and everyday opportunities throughout the region.
Major destinations already exist along the corridor, including the new Surrey Hospital and BC Cancer Centre currently under construction in Cloverdale, located directly adjacent to the rail line.
The corridor also passes near a wide range of educational and training institutions across the South Fraser region, including:
- Kwantlen Polytechnic University, Surrey Town Center
- Kwantlen Polytechnic University, Newton
- Kwantlen Polytechnic University, Cloverdale
- Kwantlen Polytechnic University, City of Langley
- Simon Fraser University Campus, Surrey Town Center
- Trinity University, Township of Langley
- University of the Fraser Valley, Abbotsford
- Aircraft Maintenance Training Center / Flight Instruction Abbotsford Airport, Abbotsford
- University of the Fraser Valley, Chilliwack
- CBSA – Canadian Border Services Agency, Chilliwack
- Canadian Forces, Chilliwack
- JIBC – Justice Institute of BC
- RCMP – Pacific Region Training Center
- CPC West
The Fraser Valley Is Changing
Communities throughout the South Fraser region are growing rapidly. Highway congestion continues to increase while travel between communities becomes more common for work, education and daily life.
Interregional passenger rail represents an opportunity to think long-term about how people move throughout the Fraser Valley in the decades ahead.
A Historic Route With Future Potential
The interurban corridor has been part of Fraser Valley history for generations.
Originally built to connect communities across the region, the corridor helped shape growth, commerce and mobility throughout the Fraser Valley.
Today, that same corridor presents an opportunity to explore how modern passenger rail could once again support regional connection and long-term transportation resilience.
The Opportunity Ahead
South Fraser Community Rail Society believes the corridor itself is one of the region’s greatest transportation opportunities.
The infrastructure exists. The communities are growing. The conversation around moder rail is evolving.