Alberta Premier Danielle Smith wants Calgary’s stalled Green Line to be built the way it was initially proposed.

During an event in Lloydminister, Alta., Smith called for the future light rapid-transit line’s downtown component to be built above ground, the Canadian Press reported. Calgary city council approved a revised plan calling for the downtown portion of the line to be below ground.

Smith was making her first public comments on the Green Line since the province pulled its share of funding for the project.

She described the Green Line as “the incredibly shrinking project,” according to the CP report.

Smith’s United Conservative Party government opposes the city’s decision to reduce the Green Line’s station total to seven from 13 but increase the budget by $700 million to $6.2 billion from $5.5 billion.

The provincial funding pull-back came after Transportation Minister Devin Dreeshen reiterated the government’s support for the $6.2-billion project in an interview with CBC on August 1.

City council has voted to direct staff to provide options by September 17 on how to wind down the project and turn it over to the provincial government.

Announced and potential commercial real estate investments have been caught in the political crossfire.

The province has committed $1.5 billion to the project, but Smith declined to say how much her government is willing to spend now, according to the CP report.

The Calgary Construction Association has stated that it is “dismayed” by the province’s decision and called on the government to get back on board with the long-awaited project. The CCA contends that the Green Line’s delayed construction is putting the project and local economy at risk.

The CCA also contends that the government’s decision to “unilaterally to claw back” its funding “sets a concerning precedent” for all future infrastructure projects across Alberta.’

In thinly veiled politicking, Smith and Dreeshen have accused Calgary’s former mayor Naheed Nenshi of failing to manage the project during his time in office. Nenshi is now the leader of the Alberta NDP, the Official Opposition in the Alberta Legislature.

He has volleyed back at the UCP government in a written statement and comments to reporters, contending that the province has put development projects and jobs in jeopardy.

The federal government, also a funding partner in the project, has expressed surprise with the province’s decision.

Rendering: City of Calgary