'Condensed timeline' puts pressure on Calgary council to approve Green Line project

Calgary Mayor Jyoti Gondek, left, makes an announcement as Alberta Premier Danielle Smith looks on, in Calgary on Oct. 5, 2023. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jeff McIntosh

With timelines tightening, Calgary city council is asking for an urgent meeting with the Alberta government to discuss a reworked plan to build a multibillion-dollar light-rail-transit line connecting the city's southeast to downtown.

The Alberta government announced its revamped Green Line proposal on Friday, saying it would save more than $1 billion, with the next step a decision from Calgary council on whether to proceed. The plan includes an elevated track instead of a tunnel downtown and five more stations.

A public presentation on the new proposal at city council Tuesday was limited, as ordered by the province for confidentiality reasons. Council was required to go behind closed doors to discuss the full details.

Mayor Jyoti Gondek said she only learned of the reworked plan at a 7 a.m. meeting with the province on Friday. Some details were released to media less than an hour later.

Council didn't receive the detailed proposal until late Friday evening.

Gondek said she told Alberta Transport Minister Devin Dreeshen there needed to be another meeting.

"We did indicate at that Friday morning meeting. I remember looking at the clock -- it's 7:38. We've had 38 minutes to digest everything you're telling me. I don't have a report in front of me. You are not going to get a decision from council on Tuesday," Gondek said.

Coun. Sonya Sharp asked if there was a timeline for a meeting.

"Was there a reach-out to the province to have a discussion before yesterday?" she asked.

Gondek replied: "We had a request in at the administration level to have a more urgent working group meeting."

Dreeshen provided a statement saying the Alberta government remains committed to working with the city to ensure the Green Line's success and to help get it approved by Calgary council.

"The new elevated alignment is better for Calgary commuters having more stations, more communities served and more riders," Dreeshen said.

"We are aware of the city’s concerns regarding timelines and will continue to work expeditiously with them."

Calgary city council voted to wind down the $6.2-billion project in September after the province said it would pull its $1.53 billion in funding without a major project overhaul.

The province contracted consulting firm AECOM in July to find alternatives to the city's latest proposal, which would have involved a tunnel through downtown and run a drastically shorter distance than previously planned.

The AECOM report lays out a longer transit line reaching to near the edge of the city and no tunnel under downtown.

The federal government has also committed $1.53 billion, but that window is closing.

"Unfortunately there's not an option for them to extend the timeline because they have a new program for transit funding that begins immediately after," said Wendy Tynan, executive director of public affairs for the Green Line.

"Our last window to retain the $1.53-billion commitment from the feds out of this existing fund that's been there is to have it approved by Mar. 31 and that was made clear."

Coun. Raj Dhaliwal asked if there was a deadline for council to make a decision.

"We need to have a recommendation in front of council and if it was approved, have time for it to go to the province to have them approve it with a new business case and then for the province to approve to get it to the federal government to approve all by March 31," Tynan said.

"It is a very condensed timeline."

Dhaliwal expressed frustration that Calgarians are being kept in the dark about an important issue.

"We talk often here about transparency. This is secrecy," he said.

"The province expects us to make a decision just because they are throwing the ball in our court.

"This is not even a ball. It's not even a puck. It's like a little ping pong ball."

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With files from Jack Farrell in Edmonton 

This report by The Canadian Press was first published on Dec. 17, 2024.