Even as the Green Line Program is winding down, there is only one taxpayer and it is my responsibility to find a way to ensure a carefully considered rail solution can be delivered to Calgarians in a timely & cost-effective manner. That’s why I reached out to the Government of Alberta again, following our September 17 meeting of Council, to try and preserve good work that has already been done.
In the subsequent conversations we have had between the City and the Province, there has been progress made. Our Administration teams have been working to find ways to maintain any relevant contracts that can advance a north-south rail solution in a manner that saves taxpayer dollars and saves time in delivery of the project.
On October 10, Minister Dreeshen and I issued a joint statement that the Government of Alberta had recommitted its $1.53 billion to creating a replacement for the Green Line, and our teams are working on keeping the design work alive that will save up to 700 jobs and progress design on the line from 4th Street SE to Shepard.
We find ourselves here because the Government of Alberta no longer believes in the original Green Line Program and alignment that we had agreed upon as three orders of government in 2021. They have pulled their funding and that brought the Green Line as we know it to an end.
Minister Dreeshen and Premier Smith are opposed to the existing downtown alignment and have engaged their own consultant to find an alternative option. Because I was worried that the Province’s anticipated December 2024 timeline for a consultant’s report with a new alignment would jeopardize so much good work that has already been done, I engaged with them repeatedly to find a way to keep the low floor rail cars in play, as well as design work done to date that meets with their new plan.
It’s also important to note that whatever alignment the Province proposes in December will need to be reviewed by City Council and the federal government to see if it abides by the conditions of the original funding source.
I remain hopeful that the Province will also see that there is only one taxpayer and try to salvage components of the now defunct Green Line Program we had progressed over time. We have already moved utilities, begun construction on an LRT bridge in the south, and purchased land all along the line. We cannot throw this all away.
For these reasons, I stay engaged with the Government of Alberta to see what kind of rail solution we can advance in Calgary that saves money and time, without sacrificing downtown property values and a quality rider experience.
If you’re interested in more on how we got here, these are my thoughts from September 16, as shared on social media, the day prior to Council’s important vote on winding down the Green Line Program as we knew it.