The Metro Vancouver mayors spoke out against the replacement plan in June 2016, marking "the first time the mayors, who make up the Metro Vancouver Board, have spoken out collectively against the $3.5-billion crossing." The mayors sent a letter to the B.C. government and the federal Minister of Environment and Climate Change, Catherine McKenna, to get the federal government to do an environmental review of the project. In February 2017, the federal government denied the request of the mayors for a federal review. The official groundbreaking for the project took place on April 5, 2017 and was met with protesters.