At the Edge of Northern Wilderness

I was messaging with a friend about transit this afternoon. I mentioned that our SkyTrain system seems near capacity most of the day this year. This seems like a new phenomenon. We often have to wait for a full train arriving from Surrey, BC to pass before we board one headed to downtown Vancouver. 

(We live in the small city of New Westminster between Surrey and Burnaby.  Its label is not visible at this zoom level on the map.)

 

One can easily see how the region's growth is restricted by geography.  On this Google Map, the Fraser Valley is the only direction in which the area can expand.  The distance between Vancouver and Chilliwack is around 100 km or 60 miles.  Surrey is located just across the river from us.  It is expected to have a larger population than Vancouver either next year or in 2027.