EDMONTON, Alberta – The Government of Canada is providing more than C$1 billion for two Edmonton light rail expansion projects through the Investing in Canada infrastructure plan. Additionally, the Government of Alberta is contributing about C$1.17 billion through the Climate Leadership Plan, and the City of Edmonton is providing about C$706 million.
The Valley Line West LRT project consists of the second and next stage of the Valley Line construction. The project involves extending the line by about 8.7 miles from downtown Edmonton to the west-end community of Lewis Farms.
The Metro Line Northwest LRT Extension project is the first stage of an expansion of the Metro Line and involves extending the line by about 1 mile from the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology to the Blatchford development.
Both projects are still in the planning stage.
The Government of Canada is investing more than C$180 billion in 12 years in public transit projects, green infrastructure, social infrastructure, trade and transportation routes, and Canada’s rural and northern communities from the Investing in Canada infrastructure plan. About C$28.7 billion of this funding is supporting public transit projects, including C$5 billion available for investment through the Canada Infrastructure Bank.
– From a Transport Canada press release
Canada has a federal election this fall. The currently governing Liberal Party is very unpopular in Alberta because it has failed to deliver on energy projects critical to the Alberta economy. The Liberal Party leadership is entangled in a scandal involving alleged attempts by the Prime Minister’s Office to influence prosecution of a criminal matter against a Quebec based company. The Liberal Party has deep roots in Quebec and the Prime Minister represents a riding in Quebec. The Prime Minister and the Party are looking for good news stories and distraction.
Canadians are generally in favour of public transit and support spending on building them. I expect they will be built.
The next federal and provincial administration will cancel all this under the guise of a tax break, I almost guarantee it.
Three billion loonies for how much rail? Hope someone rides it.
Anna. Why doesn’t US do this? We do do it. Light rail exists in Milwaukee, Washington, Saint Louis/ East Saint Louis, Boston, North Jersey, Philly, Miami, Denver, Phoenix, Portland, SanFran, New Orleans, Memphis and probably six or eight more I don’t have off the top of my head.
The population of Canada is about a tenth that of the United States. The Canadian dollar is worth approximately 75 cents US. C$180B is worth about US$130B.
Scaling by population this is US$1.3T over 12 years.
If the Canadians can do it why cannot the United States?
The above comments are general in nature and do not form the basis for an attorney/client relationship. They do not constitute legal advice. I am not your attorney. Find your own damn lawyer.
Being from the Edmonton area, I am close this project. This Valley Line Light Rail build has been running over-budget, and constructed very slowly. Like other North American Cities, ridership seems to be declining on the existing system (Including North America’s first Light Rail Line built in 1978) and the costs on building the new ROW seems to keep growing. I am a light rail fan, and hope it all gets built, but it’s become a political boondoggle up here.