40 years since Expo 86: Has B.C. transit lived up to its fame?
The SkyTrain debuted at the Expo 86 world fair, but the region struggles with transit gaps today
The SkyTrain serves more than 349,000 weekday riders across Metro Vancouver. (Submitted/TransLink)
Every day, thousands of residents rely on public transit to attend school, work, and get around their community.
Originally built for the Expo 86 world fair, Vancouver’s SkyTrain transformed an attraction into a necessity for residents.
The first SkyTrain stations connected Vancouver, Burnaby, and New Westminster. Today, the system has expanded to three lines and across Metro Vancouver.
In 2024, TransLink reported that the Expo and Millennium Lines averaged nearly 349,000 weekday boardings. The regional transit authority has the second highest transit per capita ridership in Canada — only furthering its importance.
The first SkyTrain stations were inspired by the Vienna U-Bahn metro rail in Austria. Though the design has been updated since, it still maintains some European details.
One of the main advantages of the SkyTrain system is its automation. It provides frequent service, but also helps transit users by saving money, limits traffic, and aids our climate with lower fuel emissions.
The SkyTrain system also boosts business and infrastructure development, growing the region’s economy. Many companies build offices and housing around SkyTrain stations, creating full-fledged communities around a transit corridor.
However, critics argue that TransLink’s projects aren’t reflective of what residents need. During rush hour, the SkyTrain becomes extremely crowded, lessening comfort and accessibility.
Even though the SkyTrain connects Vancouver with other high-volume locations like Vancouver International Airport and Surrey, it can’t take you everywhere. And yet, transit expansion is a slow process, often because of bureaucracy.
Compared to Vancouver, other big cities’ transit systems are better automated and have more frequent services. Seattle’s Sound Transit has the Link light rail, which connects to suburban areas. It makes accessing jobs, schools, and public services easier for people.
After 40 years, TransLink’s SkyTrain is a necessity for residents to attend school and work — but the need for better transit grows. Whether this demand will be met depends on how successful the SkyTrain continues to be, and whether B.C. can continue the transit vision presented during Expo 86.
