A proposed gondola for Burnaby Mountain moved one step closer to reality as Burnaby City Council voted to advance the project.

“The Burnaby Mountain Gondola project will create a safe and reliable transit option for Burnaby residents travelling to and from Burnaby Mountain. By taking cars and buses off the road it will be one of the many changes we must make in our city to achieve the aggressive targets we’ve set for reducing carbon emissions,” said Mayor Mike Hurley. “Before endorsing this project, council stressed the importance of consultation with residents, businesses and First Nations, and we expect that dialogue to continue should this project move forward.”

The Route 1 option is a straight-line route from Production Way-University Station to SFU’s Burnaby campus with a terminal near the upper bus loop. The alignment is TransLink’s preferred option and aims to increase ridership with reliable and frequent transit and reduce emissions while offering greater winter safety than the existing bus service.

The gondola is in TransLink’s Transport 2050 plan. With the approval from Burnaby Council, the gondola proposal will now be considered for inclusion in the Mayors’ Council next 10-year vision.

The need for the gondola was included as a planning project in the 2014 TransLink Mayors’ Council 10-year transportation vision. SFU is the largest travel destination in Burnaby that is not on a SkyTrain line, with 25,000 trips made daily by SFU students, staff, faculty, visitors and residents of UniverCity. Six of the top 10 busiest bus stops in Burnaby service SFU.

“This is tremendous news for SFU and for commuters across the Lower Mainland,” says SFU President Joy Johnson. “As university president, I want to thank Mayor Hurley and Burnaby City Council for their foresight and vision in moving forward with the Burnaby Mountain Gondola.”