13 October 2026
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Kareem Allam Backs Former Mayor Kennedy Stewart's Criticism of Ken Sim Over Failure to Advance SkyTrain to UBC
Vancouver Liberal mayoral candidate calls stalled extension one of Sim's biggest missed opportunities and proposes new regional agreement with Surrey to advance rapid transit
VANCOUVER, BC - Vancouver Liberal mayoral candidate Kareem Allam is backing former Mayor Kennedy Stewart's criticism of Ken Sim's failure to advance the SkyTrain extension to UBC, calling it one of the biggest missed opportunities of Sim's four years in office.
In a September 25 Coastal Front podcast, Stewart described how his administration brought together the City of Vancouver, UBC, First Nations and senior governments to advance the project, and criticized Sim for failing to build on that progress.
"I can attest that what Kennedy Stewart asserts is true. I received those briefings during the transition between governments. It's not often you hear political opponents acknowledging the work of their predecessors, but Kennedy Stewart deserves credit for bringing the partners together on SkyTrain to UBC," said Allam.
"This is the biggest missed opportunity of Ken Sim's administration. He inherited a project with real momentum, senior level commitments to help fund planning, and a regional consensus that SkyTrain to UBC needed to happen. Four years later, we're still waiting."
In 2019, Vancouver, UBC and the Musqueam, Squamish and Tsleil-Waututh Development Corporation signed a historic agreement to jointly pursue the extension. In 2021, the federal and provincial governments committed to helping fund the next stage of planning and business case development. In 2022, TransLink's Mayors' Council identified SkyTrain to UBC as a regional priority.
"Ken Sim promised to make SkyTrain to UBC a priority when he ran for mayor in 2022. Vancouverites deserve to know what happened to that promise," said Allam.
Allam said extending SkyTrain to UBC has been one of his top priorities throughout the campaign.
"One of the reasons I've campaigned so hard on SkyTrain to UBC is that I want to get it back to the top of the agenda. UBC is one of the region's largest commuter destinations. This is about building more housing, reducing congestion, creating economic opportunities and connecting people across Metro Vancouver."
Allam said delivering major infrastructure requires sustained political leadership and cooperation across governments, something he says has been missing under Sim.
"You don't get a SkyTrain extension built by making announcements. You get it built by bringing together the federal and provincial governments, TransLink, other municipalities, First Nations and the university. And you have to show up at the TransLink and Metro Vancouver tables and do the hard work of building agreements," said Allam.
"Ken Sim attended only about a quarter of Metro Vancouver meetings in 2024, then announced he would stop attending altogether. That's no way to build the regional partnerships needed to deliver major infrastructure."
Allam also proposed pursuing a new regional rapid transit agreement with Surrey, advancing SkyTrain to UBC alongside improved rapid transit on King George Boulevard.
"We should be working with Surrey, not competing with Surrey. I want to work with Surrey's mayor and council on an agreement that advances both cities' rapid transit priorities, including the commitments to improved service along King George Boulevard. That's how we build the regional support needed to secure provincial and federal investment."
Allam said Vancouver needs a mayor who will make major infrastructure a priority again.
"For decades, Vancouver made big decisions that shaped our future. We built SkyTrain, expanded our transit network and connected communities. We need to recover that ambition."
"Ken Sim has had four years. It's time to get SkyTrain to UBC moving again."
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