Province committed to Calgary Green Line LRT project with 'above-ground' plan

Artist rendering of the Green Line LRT project.

Alberta’s premier has reaffirmed her commitment to Calgary’s Green Line LRT as long as the project matches the province’s new above-ground vision.

Calgary Mayor Jyoti Gondek and Premier Danielle Smith met on Monday to discuss the project.

“(The) premier reiterated that their desire is to get from Seton up to the event centre and then figure out how to tie into the Blue and Red Lines,” Gondek said Tuesday.

“It was reiterated that they are not interested in tunnels downtown, so we’re at the same place.”

“Premier Danielle Smith and Minister Devin Dreeshen met with Mayor Gondek yesterday regarding the Green Line and reaffirmed that she remains committed to the project and a new above-ground alignment that will benefit more Calgarians,” Savannah Johannsen, a spokesperson with the premier’s office, said in an emailed statement.

Last week, councillors voted to start the process to 'wind down' the $6.2-billion Green Line and transfer the cost and risk to the provincial government.

The decision was made after Devin Dreeshen, Alberta's transportation minister, outlined "serious concerns" the province has with the updated plan for Phase 1 of the Green Line in a letter.

The letter said the province would no longer provide its $1.5 billion share of funding for the project and outlined a plan to launch an independent review to suggest alternate alignment and costing proposals.

Gondek says the province expects to have the consultants report on the project by the end of December, at which time they will make it public and share it with the city.

“Anytime we have pointed to reports that we have provided in the past, particularly talking about Seventh Avenue being at capacity, and running a new line into there would mean people wouldn’t have trains to get onto, we’ve been asked to wait until December when the consultants report comes,” Gondek said.

Council is set to discuss options for winding down the project on Sept. 17. The mayor said the information from that meeting will also be shared with the province.

No further meetings are planned with the province, but Gondek said the city would likely follow up after Sept. 17.

In July, Calgary councillors approved an updated plan for the first phase of the Green Line, which was shorter and costlier than originally proposed. Phase 1 of the project was supposed to cost $5.5 billion for an 18-kilometre stretch from Eau Claire to Shepard in the Southeast.

Due to delays and escalating costs, the project was approved to run from Eau Claire to Lynnwood/Millican for $6.248 billion.

The updated scope for Phase 1 meant there would be five fewer stations in the southeast and the Centre Street station would be deferred.

With files from CTV News Calgary’s Jordan Kanygin