Achi news desk-
The Alberta government has laid the path ahead for an ambitious passenger rail system it says has “tremendous potential” for the province.
On Monday, Premier Danielle Smith and Transport Minister Devin Dreeshen unveiled the UCP government’s passenger rail master plan, a series of steps it will take to “build the best passenger rail system for the province.”
The vision includes:
- A commuter rail system for the Calgary area connecting neighboring communities and connecting them to Calgary International Airport and downtown;
- A commuter rail system for the Edmonton area connecting neighboring communities and connecting them to Edmonton International Airport and downtown;
- Regional railways from Calgary and Edmonton to the national parks;
- A regional rail line between Calgary and Edmonton, with a local transit hub at Red Deer;
- Municipal-led LRT systems in Calgary and Edmonton that connect to the provincial passenger rail system; a
- Rail hubs in Alberta’s major cities provide connections between commuter rail systems, regional rail routes and municipally-led mass transit systems.
The province’s strategy is also expected to introduce an Alberta-led “Metrolinx-like” Crown corporation to develop the infrastructure and oversee the day-to-day operations associated with the rail network.
A request for proposal for Alberta’s passenger rail master plan will be issued this summer and the government expects to add further investment to the project in the 2025 and 2026 Budgets.
If the strategy moves forward, the province says it expects to start construction in 2027.
There is no information on how much the network will cost.
