There's no new funding and no clear timeline yet, but B.C.'s transportation minister insists long-awaited rapid transit extensions in Surrey and Vancouver will be built.

Kevin Falcon announced yesterday the province and TransLink will split the $10-million planning costs for new studies that will examine extending the Millennium SkyTrain line west to UBC and stretching the Expo Line to include Guildford and the Fraser Highway.

It's the first step in getting the much-discussed projects underway. But with TransLink facing a $103-million budget shortfall next year just to meet existing services and no new funding on the immediate horizon, yesterday's announcement didn't come without criticism.

"Ten million dollars is nothing compared to what's really necessary in order to maintain the present transit system, let alone build anything new," said Surrey Whalley NDP MLA Bruce Ralston.

TransLink CEO Tom Prendergast acknowledged the ongoing funding issues.

"It's all predicated on us getting funding to support our 10-year plan," Prendergast said. "If we don't get our funding, it will be very difficult, if not impossible, for us to do these [projects]."

Prendergast pegged the cost of building the six-kilometre SkyTrain extension in Surrey would be over $1 billion, while a 12-kilometre extension to UBC could reach $3 billion.

TransLink's entire budget for 2009 is $1.3 billion.

Irwin Loy reports for Vancouver's 24 hours.