Calgary’s mayor is pushing back after the latest comments from the province’s transportation minister where he seemed to present an ultimatum on the Green Line LRT project.
Jyoti Gondek’s responses comes after Alberta Transportation and Economic Corridor Minister Devin Dreeshen suggested the on again, off again project could be off again for good if the city doesn’t sign off on a plan expected to be presented in December.
“We will see what alignment is brought forward this December, and remember, council has already given clear direction on what we expect to see in that alignment,” said Gondek on Friday. “So, we’ll see what comes and we’ll make our decision from there.”
On Sept. 3, the Alberta government pulled its more than $1.5 billion in funding for the Green Line, bringing the project to a halt. Weeks later, after discussions with Calgary City Council, the province recommitted funding and both sides agreed to a December deadline to possibly kick-start the project once again.
“I think all Calgarian’s are feeling the pressure and I think council is trying to do its very best together with administration to deliver the best possible value to Calgarians,” says the mayor.
Ward 10 city councillor Andre Chabot remains hopeful both sides can see the project through.
“At the end of the day, whatever the costs end up being, if we can at least agree to the principles of one third, one third, one third, I think at the end of the day we’ll be able to come to an agreement,” he says.
In a statement to CityNews, Dreeshen says the province originally set guidelines for three conditions where the Green Line must connect to the Red and Blue Lines, the new event centre, and must extend as far south as possible.
“The city stepped out of bounds when they shortened the alignment,” reads the statement. “The ball will be back in the City’s hands when AECOM develops a longer alignment in December that stretches farther south.”
AECOM is currently working on a revised downtown alignment on behalf of the province, which says the new plan will be either at-grade or elevated and extend southeast to Shepard Station near the communities of McKenzie Towne and New Brighton.
“I’m happy to engage with the rules of the game, but we have to abide by them,” says Gondek.
The beleaguered project has been mired in drama for the last month, after the province said it was no longer going to take care of its share of the project’s funding.
Calgary council voted 10-5 mid-September to wind down the project, which was estimated to cost over $2.1 billion and impact more than 1,000 jobs.
The province’s biggest criticism was the fact the project had shrunk in size with a bigger price tag attached. In July, council learned the total capital budget for the project had ballooned to more than $6.2 billion, but that the line would only be built as far as Lynwood/Millican, instead of Shepard.
City officials have previously said pausing the project would cost up to $30 million a month.