Funding for Calgary’s Green Line is on track as the province made official its commitment to the largest-ever infrastructure project in the city’s history.
Premier Notley, along with Alberta’s finance minister Joe Ceci and Calgary mayor Naheed Nenshi, made the announcement that an agreement for the $4.65 billion project has been signed.
“I’m very, very pleased to announce a historic agreement,” Notley said at a press conference Wednesday.
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On July 6, 2017, the province initially committed the $1.53 billion over 8 years to build Stage 1 of the Green Line. Both Notley and Nenshi said today’s update was a major step forward, despite the fact funding had been previously announced.
“The agreement locks in $3 billion, allowing Stage 1 of the Green Line LRT to officially go ahead,” said Notley, noting that the federal commitment of $1.53 billion is funneled through the province to match their contribution.
When asked if the re-announcement was connected to an upcoming provincial election, Notley said they’d hoped to have the official agreement signed last fall.
“I don’t know that it’s necessarily related to the provincial election,” she said.
“(Calgary) needed to be able to move ahead and have that agreement signed.”
Nenshi said it’s another step forward in the project.
“Today we can finally say the funding for the Green Line is official and signed,” said Nenshi.
“Now that the funding agreement is done, we can go to the market for procurement.”
Premier Notley credited the province’s Climate Leadership Plan, which includes the carbon tax, for making the funds available to contribute to the Calgary Green Line project and said that should UCP leader Jason Kenney scrap the carbon tax, but commit to funding the Green Line, their plan to do so has been vague.
“If that fund disappears, they will have to find (the money) somewhere.”
