Metrotown to North Shore Rapid Transit

To provide more reliable transportation options across the Burrard Inlet, rapid transit options are being considered between Metrotown and the North Shore (MNS), by way of the Second Narrows Crossing.

A rapid transit connection aims to improve the challenges to mobility and access to neighbourhoods and businesses caused by traffic congestion on the Lions Gate and Second Narrows bridges.

What's happeningNext steps to rapid transit

TransLink is advancing this work through:

Extending the R2 RapidBus from Phibbs Exchange to Metrotown (starting service in 2027).
Planning for Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) to upgrade the R2 RapidBus.
Studying the long-term rapid transit needs along this corridor in the coming years.

TransLink conducted public engagement on the Metrotown to North Shore Bus Rapid Transit route options in Vancouver and Burnaby in Summer 2025. Engagement results will be shared later in 2026.

Background
Since 2018, the Province of BC and the North Shore Connects partnership have each led studies exploring different options for Burrard Inlet rapid transit.

Building on this work, TransLink approved Transport 2050 and the Access for Everyone Plan (Transport 2050 10-Year Priorities) in 2022. The Access for Everyone Plan identifies transit improvements between Park Royal and Metrotown as a priority route that will:
- Connect major destinations such as:
  - Park Royal
  - Lower Lonsdale
  - Phibbs Exchange
  - PNE/Hastings Park
  - Burnaby Heights
  - Depending on the final route, could include:
    
    Brentwood
    
    BCIT
    
    Metrotown
- Provide a direct connection between the North Shore and both the Expo and Millennium lines
Why we should have rapid transit across the inlet
Traffic congestion on the Lions Gate and Second Narrows Bridges has significant impacts on communities and businesses on both sides of the Burrard Inlet. Traffic on the bridges:
- Leads to backups onto city streets
- Limits mobility within neighbourhoods near the bridges
- Can affect quality of life
A lack of reliable transportation across the inlet:
- Poses challenges to attract and retain employees
- Delays to interregional and port-related goods movement using Highway 1
Because the presence of Highway 1 and the Port of Vancouver, this traffic congestion has implications for the economic growth of the region, province, and country.
Related studies
- Burrard Inlet Rapid Transit Benefits Assessment (August 2021)
- Burrard Inlet Rapid Transit Study, Stage 2 Engineering Review (September 9, 2020)

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Metrotown to North Shore Rapid Transit

What's happeningNext steps to rapid transit

Background

Why we should have rapid transit across the inlet

Related studies

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