Work will begin on Calgary’s Green Line around the southeast terminus later this summer, with contracts already awarded on two of the initial projects.

No time will be wasted in beginning construction on the $6.25 billion line, which broke ground on June 26.  As soon as the event tear down is complete, earth movers already on site will begin stripping and grading at the site of the future Shepard maintenance and storage facility.

That’s one of two contracts already awarded on the project, according to Green Line LRT Southeast project director Wendy Tynan.

“Local firm, KLS, that’s their equipment right there. They’re ready to go,” Tynan said, pointing to the backhoe behind her.

“They’ll be mobilized after the long weekend, after we’ve cleared out the event stuff, they’re going to get going here in a couple of weeks.”

The other contract is for work at 114 Avenue and Barlow Trail, which Graham Construction is also expected to begin in mid-July, according to Tynan.

Tynan said after that, the construction and contract timeline would be determined by the “critical path” for the project. Right now, there are 14 contracts posted on the City of Calgary’s Green Line Supply and Contract Opportunities webpage.

“That’s really driving a lot of the contracting decisions, as well as some pieces just around construction windows over the rivers,” she said.  

“In total, there are 11 packages for 2026 and beyond. So, we’ll start the pre-qualification, and they’re really staggered out to go to market between 2025 and then late 2026, just based on the project.

The Green Line team has met with the Calgary Construction Association to lay out its plan for nearly $3 billion in contracts over the coming months and years.

“The industry is keen. Folks are really ready and excited to start building the project,” Tynan said.

Progress on the downtown Green Line portion

The City of Calgary is currently engaged in the function planning study for the elevated downtown portion mandated by the Government of Alberta.

Alberta Minister of Transportation and Economic Corridors, Devin Dreeshen, said that they’re still in talks with the City of Calgary to determine the best piece of land suited for the new Grand Central Station.  That’s the proposed connection point near the new Event Centre, which will serve as a launch point into downtown and also be the downtown terminus for a proposed north-south regional rail.

“There’s still more detailed design engineering work yet to be done,” he said.

“As I said, the new governance and audit just had… a meeting back in June, they are going to get a full list of the sequencing of construction… and I think that the next meeting is July 9, and we’ll get an update on the construction tenders.”

Meanwhile, Tynan said that there will be noticeable activity in southeast Calgary, and residents and businesses in the area should be prepared.

“Anyone who’s using Barlow and 114, that area across from the Deerfoot Inn and Casino, the Flying J, they’re going to see construction starting to happen in July, and then certainly more work in Ogden in the summer and around Blackfoot Trail,” she said.

“For all those years of longing for the Green Line to finally start construction, Calgarians can start moving to complaining about the construction that’s going to continue for the next six years.”

There’s a preliminary timeline of between 2031 and 2032 for completion of Calgary’s Green Line SE LRT project.