A report on the feasibility of a high-speed rail system to link Alberta’s two largest cities was presented in the legislature on Friday and suggests that the province wait to invest in the project until there is a large enough population to make it profitable.

The province has been looking into an HSR system over the past few decades and has invested in a number of studies on its feasibility since 1975.

Several reports were commissioned between 2004 and 2013 to analyze things like capital and operating costs, financial structure alternatives, technology and alignment options, socio-economic benefits, and ridership and revenue forecasts.

A Standing Committee was stuck to consider the information and learned that the population and traffic levels along the Edmonton-Calgary corridor are not sufficient to support the system at this time.

MLA for Calgary-East and Standing Committee chair, Moe Amery says they have consulted with a number of groups over the past six months.

“We had three public hearings, one in Calgary, one in Edmonton and one in Red Deer and we have received over 75 written submissions and from day one we have promised to submit a report reflecting exactly what we’ve heard from the public and from the stakeholders and we submitted five recommendations,” said Amery.

Standing Committee five recommendations:
 

  1. The Government of Alberta should not invest in a high-speed rail transit system in the Edmonton-Calgary corridor at this time because the population of the corridor is not sufficient to support the profitable operation of such a system.
  2. The Government of Alberta should include in its long-term transportation infrastructure strategic plan the expansion of light-rail transit and the development of regional transportation systems.
  3. As part of the long-term transportation infrastructure strategic plan, the Government of Alberta should identify a greenfield transportation/utility corridor between Calgary and Edmonton to assist in future transportation infrastructure planning with capacity for a potential high-speed rail transit system.
  4. The Government of Alberta should begin the process of acquiring land for a transportation/utility corridor right-of-way between Calgary and Edmonton, as budgets warrant, following public consultation with affected landowners, including Aboriginal groups.
  5. The Government of Alberta should investigate the development of a regulatory model to allow for private investors who can raise both the capital for high-speed infrastructure.

“This is a really good idea, however, as a province, we’re not ready for it right now. We don’t have the population base to support it, but we should plan for the future,” said Amery.

To view the complete report, click HERE or scroll the document below.