Calgary city council has approved the first phase of the Green Line LRT project, but brought with it some harsh criticism.
The proposal was passed with a 12-3 vote, with only Joe Magliocca, Andre Chabot and Ward Sutherland in opposition.
But the strongest voice against the 20 km, $4.65B plan came from Calgary-Nose Hill MP Michelle Rempel.
“I think that Calgary city council has a lot of explaining to do,” she said in a statement on Facebook. “They are trying to build something out that does not even come close to serving my constituents or other constituents of my colleagues that it was supposed to. That’s wrong.”
Calgary and the federal government have already committed $1.5B to the project, but officials will now need to ask the province for even more funding.
Costs ballooned once tunneling in the downtown core was more closely examined.
Rempel calls that request ‘crazy’ and says Calgary council should be held accountable.
The mayor says federal politicians were part of the push for a new LRT line instead of a bus light transit system network.
Construction is set to begin in three years with a completion for Phase One scheduled for 2026.
