Canada Line could be paid off sooner than expected

VANCOUVER (NEWS1130) - The Canada Line is approaching its first anniversary with higher than expected ridership numbers and if strong ridership continues, the rapid transit line could be paid off sooner than expected.

Right now, about 100,000 people are riding the Canada Line each day - something that wasn't supposed to happen for a few more years.

Originally, TransLink was expecting to pay off its $2-billion debt by 2025, but now it's on track to pay it off by 2022. If ridership numbers continue to go up - it could be even sooner that.

CEO of TransLink, Ian Jarvis, says the Canada Line's early success can be credited to the route it serves, the effective way it was integrated into the rest of the system and its strong performance during the Olympics.