Tuesday, April 30, 2024

Alberta wants high-speed Edmonton to Calgary train, commuter rail, in new provincial master plan

Story by Lauren Boothby • POPTMEDIA

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith, left, Transportation and Economic Corridors Minister Devin Dreeshen, Calgary Airport Authority CEO Chris Dinsdale, and Rail for Alberta Society president Justin Simaluk at the announcement of plans for Alberta passenger rail in a news conference at Heritage Park in Calgary on Monday, April 29, 2024.
© Provided by Edmonton Journal

A high-speed Edmonton to Calgary train, and commuter rails for both cities, is part of the government’s “vision” for Alberta with the promise to develop a new province-wide rail plan in the coming years.

The Alberta government on Monday confirmed its goal to develop a 15-year passenger rail master plan potentially led by a Crown corporation similar to Ontario’s Metrolinx to begin construction as early as 2027. The province began soliciting proposals Monday for a company to help bring the vision to life along with a feasibility study that lays out which routes and train technologies, and who should operate them — the public sector, private sector, or a combination. Alberta’s 2024 budget includes $9 million for this work.

While no specific route is yet promised, Transportation and Economic Corridors Minister Devin Dreeshen told Postmedia on Thursday ahead of the announcement the ultimate goal is to build a network of trains connecting the province.

“It’s taking a view of the province and how rail can be all brought together,” he said. “It’s big, it’s historic. It’s never been reviewed all at once.”

Building rail lines to and from communities surrounding Edmonton and Calgary to their downtowns, and between these cities’ downtowns and airports in a “commuter-type, Metrolinx-style network” with connections to existing LRT systems in both cities is the hope, Dreeshen said.

A high-speed regional rail line between the capital and Calgary, with a stop in Red Deer, with other “rail hubs” between connected communities, and a new line connecting Calgary with Canmore and Banff, are meant to be a part.

“It’s like a nervous system — they all have to connect together. I think if one is built the rest of the system needs to be built quickly to make sure it is a viable vision,” Dreeshen said.

More passenger rail will also alleviate congestion on highways, he added.

Premier Danielle Smith, speaking at Monday’s news conference, said this transportation plan is needed because Alberta’s population is growing. Currently with nearly 4.9 million residents, the provincial government expects this number to grow to 7.1 million by 2051.

“Expanding our roads, freeways, and highways to be six, or eight, or 10 lanes all the way across is not always feasible, nor is it always wise. In addition to our extensive road system, a more densely populated province will need a mobility system that supports our growing population with a fast, safe, and reliable choice of transportation that also meets our goals of reducing emissions,” she said

“We want to build stronger connections along Alberta’s busiest corridor and to Alberta’s top tourist destination.”

The request for expression of interest released Monday will be followed by a formal request for proposals. Bid requests for specific train lines will come later.


Would an Edmonton-Calgary train work now?


An Edmonton-Calgary high-speed train could be hydrogen-fuelled, hyperloop, magnetic, or other high-speed technologies depending on the proposals the government receives when it comes time to build each line, Dreeshen said.

But past provincial studies ruled out building it.

Dreeshen thinks a new study will have a different result because Alberta’s population is larger now, and growing, and not having enough people to take the train was the biggest issue in the past.

“There is a possibility that they say we don’t have the population to support it, but we think that we do because obviously, we are a growing population,” he said.

High-speed transit proposals offer distinct visions to connect Edmonton and Calgary

“It’s something now that we’ve grown in population, and technologies have changed and improved since then. We’re hoping we will get a different result this time.”

As for who would run these trains, Dreeshen sees the commuter networks around and into the two big cities and their airports as being run by the Crown corporation. It’s more likely the private sector could run the trains between the two largest cities, and from Calgary to Banff. Currently, there is a train connecting Edmonton to Jasper.

However, the study will determine how it rolls out, he said. Dreeshen promised the government will release the results of the study to be transparent with Albertans about how the plan proceeds.

Edmonton Global CEO Malcolm Bruce told Postmedia any plan that helps move people and services efficiently across the province is always good for the economy.

While the city already has public transit to the airport using the LRT network and a shuttle bus, Bruce said his priority for the region would be a direct airport-downtown connector, saying this is “critical” and helps to “drive economic outcomes.”

He’s also glad the province seems agnostic on technologies the trains would use.

Justin Simaluk, president of non-profit advocacy group Rail for Alberta, is optimistic and thinks this plan is different than the past because of the potential for a Crown corporation and interest from this government in making it happen.

“I think Albertans should be looking forward to having more choice in how they move across the province … it benefits everybody,” he said.

“Trains and alternative ways of transportation should be viewed as that: transportation.”

Simaluk would like to see the province run a pilot project sooner using existing rail tracks, such as the route from Airdrie to Calgary.
What about Calgary to Banff?

One project proposed in south Alberta, however, is now in limbo.

Proponents wanting to build the Calgary Airport-Banff Rail project have said the province’s inaction will mean losing out on federal funding from the Canada Infrastructure Bank which is willing to underwrite half of the $2.6-billion construction costs and use of a corridor, according to proponents.

But Dreeshen said finishing the master plan comes first. He’s confident he can facilitate funding through the federal government and won’t lose out if Alberta doesn’t move on that line quickly.

“This is a provincial vision for the province of Albertans. We want to make sure all these different rail lines fit together,” he said.

lboothby@postmedia.com

@laurby

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