Premier Danielle Smith’s UCP government has promised to stop funding Jyoti Gondek’s Green Line LRT unless specific conditions are met.
In a letter addressed to Gondek, Alberta Transport Minister Devin Dreeshen told the widely protested mayor of Calgary that Gondek is on her own in finding the rest of the funding needed for the project due to profound financial blundering and significantly higher costs than should be the case already.
“Any cost increases or escalations will be the responsibility of the city, and no additional funding will be available for this project under any circumstances,” Dreeshen wrote.
Moreover, according to Dreeshen, “the province’s dollars to the Green Line are a go only if the Green Line is fully tied into the Smith government’s plan for trains in Alberta with Calgary as a main hub.”
The plan to vastly expand the rail network in Alberta was unveiled two weeks ago when Smith announced $9 million in funding to support the development of the Passenger Rail Master Plan this year.
As part of the plan, the government hopes to develop commuter rail systems for the Calgary and Edmonton areas that connect surrounding communities and the Calgary and Edmonton International Airports to their respective downtown areas.
Obviously, the Green Line should play a part in that system. However, the scope of the project has already been diminished, with costs rapidly piling up and the scope of the project being reduced.
According to Dreeshen, “Final cost estimates will inform the recommendations the Green Line Board will consider and provide to city council in June. City council will then determine how to manage their costs through additional funding and/or scope adjustments.”
He further states that the UCP “strongly encourages the city to carefully assess whether there are mitigating scope adjustments that can be made to the Green Line plan.”
