Airport rail service kicks off Calgary city council's 2025 meetings

Calgary city council is back for the first meeting of 2025, with a committee getting a look at the possibility of train service to the airport.

The route is part of a briefing for the infrastructure and planning committee on Wednesday about the Airport Rail Connection Study currently underway.

According to this new preferred route, there would be a train that runs east to west connecting an extended Green Line to the Blue Line, which would stop at the airport.

Councillors say the lofty plan needs co-operation from the federal and provincial governments.

"There are many competing rail priorities. There's a regional rail, there's the Blue Line extension, there's the airport connector and there's only so much space," said Coun. Jasmine Mian.

"And so I think, as the airport, they're not going to want to have all of these different lines coming in if we (need to) collaborate and work together."

The study builds on findings from the 2020 Airport Transit Line Study, which found 60 per cent of demand for airport service came from northeast and northwest Calgary communities.

The city says this new proposed alignment would have a phased implementation strategy, with the east route being the first priority.

The new alignment also leaves the possibility of tying it into a privately run high-speed regional rail line from downtown to Edmonton.

The plan, however, is still open-ended as to who would own, operate and fund the line.

The Airport Rail Connection Study's final report is set to come out later this year, so Wednesday's briefing is just an update on it.

The city partnered with the Alberta government on the study, which is paid for by a $3-million grant.

"Additionally, we've already approved and are funding the Blue Line extension, which will bring LRT service closer to the airport by extending further north," reads a statement from Alberta Transportation Minister Devin Dreeshen.

"This project demonstrates our commitment to strengthening Calgary's transit system while laying the groundwork for future expansions, including a potential direct rail link to YYC."

The Calgary Airport Authority, Canadian Pacific Kansas City and the Canadian Infrastructure Bank are also part of the study.

The Calgary Airport Authority says the rail line would be a critical connector and a major economic driver.