
Calgary City Council Decision on Green Line This Month Possible: Mayor
Calgary city council’s decision on the future of the proposed Green Line LRT project could come before January 31, according to Mayor Jyoti Gondek.
The resolution became possible after an “incredibly productive” recent meeting between the city and the Alberta government, Gondek told reporters. Many commercial real estate projects have been caught in the cross-fire of a dispute between the city and province over the proposed line’s route.
“When I can share any of the details we’re working through I will definitely do that,” Gondek told reporters. “For now, we remain engaged with working group members and we’re trying to find a positive way to deliver a north-south transit line to our city.”
City council approved a scaled-down version of its originally proposed line in 2024 due to higher than expected costs. The Alberta government expressed support for it initially but then backtracked withdrew its $1.5-billion financial commitment.
The province’s revised Green Line alignment, introduced late in 2024, includes an elevated track above 10 Avenue S.E. instead of a downtown tunnel, a move that the province claims would save $1 billion and allow the line to extend further south. If the province gets its way, a downtown terminus station at the former Eau Claire Market site would also be scrapped.
However, city officials argue that the new alignment would incur an additional $1.3 billion in costs and risks.
A final decision is time-sensitive, as federal funding through the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program (ICIP) is set to expire on March 31. Discussions are ongoing, and a new business case reflecting the revised alignment must be submitted to the federal government.
“I would imagine our administrations are already piecing together what needs to be in such a business case so I think we’ll be in good shape,” Gondek said.
A confidential briefing on the working group meeting was presented to city council, but no public details were released.
Rendering: Calgary Green Line LRT
- ◦Lease
- ◦Sale/Acquisition
- ◦Development
- ◦Financing
- ◦Economy
- ◦Policy/Gov't