Article – After a young man’s fatal fall from a SkyTrain platform last month, his mother has launched a passionate campaign for improved transit safety measures across Metro Vancouver’s rapid transit system.
Karen Miller still struggles to speak about her son without tears welling in her eyes. Twenty-three-year-old Jason Miller died on April 12 after falling onto the tracks at New Westminster SkyTrain station. The incident has transformed Karen from a grieving mother into an advocate for transit safety.
“No parent should ever have to bury their child because of something so preventable,” Miller told me during our conversation at a coffee shop near her Burnaby home. “Those platform edge doors would have saved my son’s life.”
Jason, who had been diagnosed with epilepsy in his teens, was waiting for a train when he experienced a seizure that sent him tumbling onto the tracks. Despite emergency responders arriving within minutes, he succumbed to his injuries at Royal Columbian Hospital.
TransLink, Metro Vancouver’s transportation authority, has faced mounting questions about platform safety following three deaths on the system in the past year alone. The Canada Line, the newest addition to the SkyTrain network, features platform edge doors at its underground stations, but the older Expo and Millennium lines remain without these protective barriers.
According to TransLink data obtained through a freedom of information request, there have been 37 incidents of people falling or jumping onto tracks since 2018. Eight of these resulted in fatalities, while dozens more caused serious injuries and significant service disruptions.
Dr. Emma Sanchez, a transit safety expert at the University of British Columbia, points to international examples of successful barrier implementations. “Cities like Singapore, Hong Kong, and Paris have retrofitted older stations with platform screen doors,” she explained. “The initial investment is substantial, but the prevention of deaths and service interruptions creates long-term value.”
The estimated cost for installing barriers across the existing SkyTrain network ranges between $250 million and $400 million, according to a 2019 TransLink feasibility study that was never publicly released but was reviewed for this article.
Miller has started a petition that has gathered over 15,000 signatures in just two weeks. Her campaign has caught the attention of provincial officials, including B.C. Transportation Minister Rob Fleming.
“We’re carefully reviewing all safety options for our transit system,” Fleming said in a statement to Mediawall.news. “The loss of any life is tragic, and we’re committed to working with TransLink to prevent such incidents in the future.”
For SkyTrain users like Samantha Chen, a daily commuter from Surrey, the lack of barriers creates ongoing anxiety. “I always stand with my back against the wall, especially when platforms get crowded,” she said. “I’ve seen people standing too close to the edge, and it makes me nervous every time.”
Transit advocacy groups have joined Miller’s call for action. Better Transit BC spokesperson Jordan Williams argues that platform barriers should be considered essential infrastructure, not optional upgrades.
“When we design roads, we include guardrails as a basic safety feature,” Williams said. “Why wouldn’t we apply the same standard to transit platforms where thousands of people stand inches from moving trains every day?”
The barriers would serve multiple purposes beyond preventing accidental falls. They reduce the risk of suicide attempts, prevent objects from being thrown onto tracks, and improve climate control in underground stations. They’ve also been shown to reduce track fires and decrease service delays.
TransLink CEO Kevin Quinn acknowledged the concerns in a recent board meeting. “Platform safety is absolutely on our radar,” Quinn stated. “We’re exploring various technologies and approaches as part of our system upgrade planning.”
However, critics argue that “exploring” isn’t enough when lives are at stake. New Westminster city councillor Ruby Campbell has been pushing for immediate action rather than further studies.
“Every delay means more risk for transit users,” Campbell said during a council meeting where she introduced a motion supporting platform barriers. “This isn’t just about preventing tragedies—it’s about showing that we value the safety of every person who uses our transit system.”
For Karen Miller, the campaign has become a way to channel her grief into something meaningful. She’s organized community meetings, spoken at transit board hearings, and met with engineers who specialize in transit safety systems.
“Jason was such a kind soul—always looking out for others,” Miller said, showing me a photo of her smiling son from her wallet. “He’d want me to make sure this doesn’t happen to anyone else.”
As TransLink embarks on expansion projects including the Broadway and Surrey extensions, advocates argue that platform barriers should be incorporated into new station designs from the outset, while a phased approach could address existing stations.
The movement has gained momentum on social media under the hashtag #BarriersForJason, with transit users sharing their own near-miss experiences and safety concerns.
For now, Karen Miller continues her campaign one signature at a time, determined that her son’s death will lead to meaningful change for the thousands of Metro Vancouver residents who rely on the SkyTrain every day.
“I can’t bring Jason back,” she said, her voice breaking slightly. “But I can make sure his story saves others. That’s what keeps me going.”
