The Conservative Party of Canada has made a big election promise, but it does come with some strings attached.
The party, as a part of their federal election platform, said it would commit to helping fund the full Green Line from North Pointe (furthest north station) to Seton.
A release posted on Calgary Nose Hill Conservative candidate Michelle Rempel Garner’s website indicated the party’s support for the Green Line LRT.
“Calgarians need reliable access to public transit – and that’s exactly what a Conservative government will deliver,” said CPC leader Erin O’Toole, in the prepared release.
“I am proud to support a project that will create jobs in a community that has been hit hard by both an economic and health crisis, and ensure we fuel a strong recovery for the city.”
Earlier this year, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was in Calgary just prior to the federal election call to reiterate funding support for the current $5 billion project.
In the CPC release, it stated that the project has been dramatically reduced in scope and suffered ballooning costs due to Liberal inaction.
The City of Calgary and the UCP provincial government were in a review stage for more than a year after the alignment was initially approved at Calgary city council in June 2020. Calgary had to suspend procurement in December 2020 because the project was still under review by the Alberta government.
The project approval by the Alberta government was necessary to apply for the official federal funding request.
Rempel Garner applauds the announcement
There are some conditions on the funding in the announcement posted to Rempel’s site. The last point may inhibit the prior three given past history on the project.
Rempel Garner said watching the delays and the project costs rise has been “heartbreaking for me and my community.”
“North Central Calgary is one of the most underserved parts of the city when it comes to public transit. This critical infrastructure is needed to promote social inclusion, equity, economic growth, and reduce GHG emissions in Calgary,” she said in a prepared statement.
Utility relocation work is set to begin later this fall in the downtown and Beltline. Recently, the Green Line revamped their website and added new social media channels to track the project’s progress.
