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Dec 9, 2021 – Time To Pin A Price Tag On Green Line

Over four and a half years after it was first announced the Green Line LRT would need to be built in stages, the LRT on the Green Foundation is calling on the City of Calgary to finally release a price tag for the entire project. The need to know the total cost of construction to build Green Line from Keystone (160th Ave N) to Seton has become more pressing with the passage this week of Bill 73 in the Alberta Legislature. Bill 73, the Infrastructure Accountability Act, requires the creation of a 20-year strategic capital plan for the Alberta Government within the next year.

“There is absolutely no good reason why the completion of the Green Line LRT from Keystone to Seton shouldn’t top the Alberta Government’s 20 year strategic capital plan,” said Jeff Binks, president of LRT on the Green. “The goal for Green Line has always been to start building and then keep building until the line is complete however the price tag for construction beyond Stage 1 is still a mystery. Until that number is shared with Calgarians, as well as prospective funding partners, the odds are slim we will see further financial commitments to the project.”

One of the criteria listed in Bill 73 for submitting capital planning submissions is that the full life-cycle cost of a project must be provided. Submissions are to be prepared by the Minister responsible for a specific portfolio. The passage of Bill 73 at the provincial level follows the creation of a permanent annual public transit fund by the federal government that is set to begin in the year 2026. Combined, the two programs will offer a make a substantial amount of funding available for projects like the Green Line.

“It’s been over four years since Calgarians first learned the original $4.9 billion budget wasn’t adequate and that Green Line would have to be built in stages. We are asking City Council to help us push for a final figure on the cost to complete construction. Without a total price tag it is doubtful Green Line will appear on the 20 year strategic capital plan and Calgarians can’t afford to have that train leave the station without the city’s top infrastructure priority onboard. We have one year and the clock is now ticking.” concluded Binks.

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June 16, 2021 – Green Line Still Stalled at 1 Year Mark

Calgary, Alberta – June 16th, 2021 –

Today marks the one year anniversary since Calgary City Council approved the Stage 1 plan for the Green Line LRT. Since then, procurement was started and then stopped and delays mounted as a provincial review of the project dragged on for months. That review concluded in late May with a revised business case being approved by the Green Line Board and submitted to the Alberta Government. A new procurement strategy was also announced. However with one day remaining in the spring legislature sitting, there is still no official approval of the new business case by the provincial government.

“After an entire year of delays due to the provincial review and with only a single day remaining in the spring legislature session, it’s time for Premier Kenney to deliver more than just soothing words about the Green Line,” said Jeff Binks, president of LRT on the Green. “We’ve had two years of positive talking points but I challenge anyone to find a firm action this government has made to show they fully support this project and want it to move forward. The Premier can change that tomorrow by announcing approval of the business case before the summer break and commit his government to removing the 90 day cancellation clause once federal sign off is complete.”

The 90 day cancellation clause for Green Line funding was introduced through legislation shortly after the UCP government was elected. It has been reported that market sounding conducted by the City of Calgary with prospective bidders revealed the clause had eroded market confidence in the project and would result in cost escalations as greater risk premiums would be built into bids. The Green Line Board of Directors has stated that they want to move forward with a new procurement strategy that will see the Shepard to Eau Claire segment of the project put out to tender as one large contract. Any cost escalations to this segment will impact the City of Calgary’s ability to build the Eau Claire to 16th Ave segment north of the Bow River.

“Minister McIver’s technical people signed off on all the technical issues with Green Line three weeks ago. A new business case and a new procurement strategy were signed off by the Green Line Board shortly after. One would hope the Premier has been continuously kept up to date on how the review of the largest infrastructure project in Alberta’s history has progressed. There should be nothing stopping him from signing off on the new business case before the legislature rises tomorrow.” concluded Binks.

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April 13, 2021 – Train in Ten Green Line Challenge Issued

A local advocacy group is issuing a challenge to provincial and federal politicians to ‘deliver the train in ten’. With a resolution to the Green Line Stage 1 construction delay expected soon, the LRT on the Green Foundation is calling on all of Alberta’s provincial political parties to commit to restoring the $400 million per year of light rail funding to Calgary and Edmonton that had been scheduled to begin in 2027. It is also calling on Calgary’s federal Conservative caucus to commit to keeping the $3 billion per year of big city transit funding that was announced by the Liberal government earlier this year should they win the next election.

“Given the amount of time we have waited for construction to begin on Stage 1 of Green Line we need to ensure that once the City of Calgary starts building there is predicable funding in place to allow them to keep on building until the line is complete from north to south,” said Jeff Binks, president of LRT on the Green. “The days of Green Line delays should now be behind us once and for all. We are calling on all Alberta provincial political parties to commit to restoring the dedicated LRT funding and for Calgary’s federal Conservative caucus to commit to maintaining the recently announced federal funding should they be elected.”

The provincial funding was first announced in November of 2018 by Premier Rachel Notley as part of the ‘big city charter agreement’. It was planned to begin in 2027, just as the current $1.53 billion provincial commitment for Stage 1 was scheduled to be paid out in full. At the time it was hoped that if matching federal funding could be found, a complete build out of the Green Line would become possible. The provincial funding commitment was rescinded as part of the UCP’s first budget. The new federal funding was announced earlier this year by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and is due to begin in 2026 although the precise breakdown between major cities has yet to be announced. “With major federal transit funding due to begin in 2026, the missing provincial dollars are the only things preventing Green Line from being built out from north to south within a decade. Cancelling the provincial funding may not have seemed like a big deal last year but the game has now dramatically changed with the federal government opening its wallet. Once we start building Green Line we shouldn’t have to stop until it’s complete from north to south. It’s time for all political leaders to outline to Calgarians exactly how they’re going to deliver the train in ten.” concluded Binks.

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March 19, 2021 – Time Runs Out On Green Line Review

Calgary, Alberta – March 19th, 2021 –

The possibility that construction will begin on Stage 1 of the Green Line in 2021 is quickly entering into the realm of fantasy as the deadline passes on the three month Green Line procurement pause that was announced late last year. The pause was announced to accommodate a provincial review into the project and allow everyone involved time to try and resolve a list of concerns that was delivered to the City of Calgary in early December.

“It now seems extremely unlikely we will see shovels in the ground on Green Line in 2021. We are told talks continue but after three months there should be a workable solution to any good-faith concerns that were raised,” said Jeff Binks, president of LRT on the Green. “The powers that be need to be reminded that the Green Line is not the City of Calgary’s project and it’s not the Government of Alberta’s project. This project belongs to the citizens of Calgary. We fought for it, we’re paying for it and we are tired of being left in the dark waiting for it. We are owed an explanation as to why this project can’t ever seem to overcome the obstacles that keep popping up to get shovels in the ground.”

The latest procurement pause was due to concerns being raised by the Government of Alberta as part of their review process on the project however it is simply the latest in a long list of delays to begin construction. Last year, the project went through a contentious debate at Calgary City Council to revise the downtown portion of the project as well as the procurement process. Prior to that, the Government of Alberta used legislation to insert a 90-day ‘without cause’ cancellation clause into the funding agreement which created a large amount of uncertainty amongst the companies looking to bid on construction. Last but not least, the Government of Alberta also cancelled $400 million in annual transit funding to Calgary and Edmonton that had been announced by the previous NDP government and was a critical financial component to continuous construction and building the remaining stages of Green Line.

“It is time for the City of Calgary and the Government of Alberta to put their cards on the table and show Calgarians what’s going on. Is this actually about addressing valid concerns or is this about the Province simply wanting things done their way? If the concerns are valid what are the solutions that can get things started this year? The folks involved in these discussions may feel they have all the time in the world, but for the Calgarians that are desperate to pick up a hammer and collect a paycheque building the Green Line we are way past any reasonable deadline. Stop talking and start building.” concluded Binks.

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March 2, 2021 – Time’s Ticking on Green Line Review

Calgary, Alberta – March 2nd, 2021 –

The clock is ticking as the three month Green Line procurement pause that was announced last December enters its final two weeks. The pause was announced to accommodate a provincial review into the project and allow everyone involved time to try and resolve a list of concerns that was delivered to the City of Calgary in early December. The three month timeframe has been seen as the maximum window of time available before the start of construction would officially slip out of 2021.

“We are now getting extremely close to missing the start of Green Line construction in 2021. For the last few months work has been ongoing to resolve concerns. It’s time for all sides to show Calgarians that work,” said Jeff Binks, president of LRT on the Green. “By now it should be abundantly clear whose perspective on construction is out of step with the market consensus and what needs to be done to fix it. The reality is there will always be some level of uncertainty with a project of this size, that’s what the contingency budget is for. The only way to truly know if the cost projections are 100% accurate is to start building.”

The 2021 Green Line construction start countdown comes on the heels of last week’s provincial budget where accelerating infrastructure investment was mentioned as an important way to drive Alberta’s post-COVID economic recovery. It also comes shortly after the federal government announced a new permanent transit fund to begin in 2026. This new funding could have offered a way to complete Green Line from Keystone to Seton had the UCP government maintained the $400 million in annual transit funding to Calgary and Edmonton that was introduced by the previous NDP government and planned to begin in 2027.

“In last week’s budget the UCP laid out plans for using infrastructure investment to spark Alberta’s economy and yet the largest infrastructure project in Alberta’s history remains stalled out. Delays to construction start may not seem like a big deal when you’re sitting in an office debating numbers on a spread-sheet but to thousands of Calgarians a longer wait for a job building Green Line could be the difference between keeping their home and selling it. For many local companies a delay could be the difference between survival and collapse. Four years after the initial Council approval of Stage 1 we should be talking about how to fund the rest of Green Line, not how to start construction. The clock’s ticking to finally get shovels in the ground this year and the Province and the City are almost out of time.” concluded Binks.

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Feb 11, 2021 – Federal Funding Prompts Request For Provincial Pledge

Calgary, Alberta – February 11, 2021 – Yesterday’s historic federal transit funding announcement has prompted a Calgary advocacy group to request all of Alberta’s provincial political parties to pledge to bring back an NDP era policy that created permanent transit funding for Calgary and Edmonton. Beginning in 2026, the federal government has committed $3 billion in annual funding for transit projects for Canada’s major cities. If the federal funding was combined with a re-instated provincial funding program, the City of Calgary would be able to complete construction of the entire Green Line LRT within a decade.


“What Calgary needs is stable, predictable funding to complete expansion of our rapid transit network,” said Jeff Binks, president of the LRT on the Green Foundation. “As we look for ways to build back Alberta’s economy following the Covid-19 crisis, investing in Alberta’s cities is going to play a key role. What we want to see is a pledge from the UCP to re-instate the transit funding policy they cancelled when they first took office and for the NDP and other parties to commit to bringing back the policy should they win the next election.”

The transit funding policy was originally announced by Premier Rachel Notley on November 30, 2018. It committed $400 million per year towards long-term transit projects through the carbon levy, to be divided between Calgary and Edmonton starting in 2027. The policy was shelved by the UCP government shortly after taking office and no replacement has been announced.


“If we were to pick an ideal time to have funding available to launch the next stage of Green Line and expand the project both north and south it would be 2026. We now know federal funds will be available along this timeline. The previous provincial policy was timed perfectly to help make completing Green Line happen. If we want to attract investment and business to our province, our cities need high quality public transit. If we want to show that the environment can go hand in hand with oil and gas, we need to invest some of those revenues into transit. It’s time for the government and the official opposition to pledge to bring stable, permanent transit funding to Alberta beginning in 2027,” concluded Binks.

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December 8, 2020 – Green Line Review May Derail Construction Start

Concerns are being raised about how a lengthy provincial review of the Green Line LRT may impact the scheduled construction start of Stage 1. LRT on the Green was copied in to a recent letter addressed to Premier Jason Kenney written by Calgary City Councillor Shane Keating. In his letter, Councillor Keating discusses the fact that the provincial government still has not formally outlined concerns first raised in a letter by Minister Ric McIver almost two months ago. With the results of the provincial review still shrouded in mystery, the tight timelines needed to allow construction of Green Line to begin in 2021 may soon be unachievable.

“We know the UCP government continues to express their support for Green Line,” said Jeff Binks, president of LRT on the Green. “We also know this government was elected on a platform of ‘jobs and the economy’. Given the fact Green Line Stage 1 will create over 20,000 jobs and provide a $4.5 billion stimulus to Alberta’s economy we are left to wonder why the provincial government isn’t working day and night with the City of Calgary to find solutions to outstanding concerns so that shovels can go in the ground as scheduled next summer.”

With the RFP process for the Elbow River to Shepard segment of Stage 1 well underway any substantial changes to the project that may be requested by the provincial government at this late stage risks disrupting the procurement process and possibly delaying construction start of the project into 2022. While this past spring Calgary City Council spent several days discussing changes to the centre city and Bow River crossing portions of the Green Line before finally approving them in a 14-1 vote, it’s important to note that the segment currently out for RFP has not had any substantial changes made to it in years nor has the provincial government voiced any concerns about it in the past. It is also important to note that the current segmented procurement process was initially requested by industry to reduce costs, maximize participants and increase the chances of local Alberta companies to win contracts.

“When it comes to building Green Line we know the provincial government has a willing dance partner in the City of Calgary. Based on past statements and the goals they want to accomplish, launching construction of Green Line should be a top priority for the UCP. Whatever the reasons for the delays so far, we’re calling on Minister McIver to clear the tracks to allow construction to begin by next summer so tens of thousands of Albertans can be hired to build this project and billions of dollars can begin flowing into our economy.” concluded Binks.

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Click Here To Read The Letter By Cllr. Keating To Premier Kenney
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June 12, 2020 – Green Line Gamble Risks Taxpayers’ Cash

On Monday Calgary City Council will be considering a variety of amendments to the Green Line Stage 1 recommendations brought forward by Administration. After reviewing the submissions made by several members of Council following the June 1st Green Line Committee meeting, the LRT on the Green Foundation is raising a red flag that one particular amendment, if adopted, will unnecessarily jeopardize precious project budget dollars.

“At the Green Line Committee meeting we learned external consultants concluded that crossing the Bow River to 16th Avenue as part of Stage 1 represents that absolute best bang for the buck for the City of Calgary,” said Jeff Binks, president of LRT on the Green. “We also learned that by making every dollar in the budget count many needed BRT improvements further north along Centre Street can be built. If Council adopts the Davison amendment to delay a decision on the Bow River crossing for a year, they’ll be risking these dollars on a roll of the dice.”

The amendment, spearheaded by Councillor Jeff Davison and signed by several other councillors, calls for Segment 2 of the Green Line Stage 1 plan to be split in half. Instead of allowing construction to move forward on all of Segment 2 once detailed design work is complete as per the current Administration recommendations, it only permits construction to start on Green Line between Eau Claire and Shepard and delays a decision on the Bow River crossing and Crescent Heights portion until next year.

At committee it was revealed that every year of delay can cost the project budget up to $100 million which is equal to the amount budgeted for BRT improvements and that the design of the downtown portion of the alignment relies heavily on whether or not the Green Line will cross the Bow River. A decision next spring to modify or cancel the Bow River crossing, as made possible by the amendment, would require a major redesign of the downtown portion that will already be well along in the detailed design and construction tender process by that point.

“Now is the time for Council to decide whether or not Stage 1 of Green Line will cross the Bow River. Delaying this decision risks the same amount of money needed for North BRT improvements and gambles the millions of taxpayers’ dollars that are about to be spent on the design and construction tender process of the downtown portion on the hopes that the exact same plan being considered on Monday will be adopted next year. We are asking that Council avoid needless delay, approve the Bow River crossing and ensure each and every taxpayer dollar spent on Green Line in the years to come isn’t a dollar wasted” concluded Binks.

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Click here for a comparison between the Davison amendment and the Administration recommendations

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May 29, 2020 – For Green Line It’s Time For 2 Steps Forward, Not 1 Backwards

With Monday’s Green Line Committee meeting approaching, the LRT on the Green Foundation is asking Councillors to look beyond the current debate swirling around Stage 1 and provide an answer to a question Calgarians have been asking for the last three years. Since May of 2017 when it was first announced that the Green Line would need to be delivered via a staged approach, a decision on the path the project will take once construction of Stage 1 begins has taken a back seat to the work being done to finalize the alignment through the centre city.

“For three years Calgarians living and working in communities outside of the Stage 1 boundaries have been waiting to learn the direction Green Line will take once construction between 16th Ave N and Shepard begins,” said Jeff Binks, president of LRT on the Green. “With Council now in a position to give the green light to a project that represents a $4.9 billion investment and create 20,000 jobs we hope they remember that this is just the end of the first chapter in the Green Line story and not the end of the story itself. Now is the time to provide clear direction on what comes next.”

As part of its written submission to the Green Line Committee, the LRT on the Green Foundation has asked that Council target a Green Line extension north to 96th Ave N and south to McKenzie Towne as the aspirational Stage 2 plan for the line. In addition the Foundation has asked that an updated cost estimate be provided for the proposed Stage 2 plan and that Council direct City of Calgary staff to create a package of early works projects based off the plan including, but not limited to, land acquisition as well as identifying opportunities for the creation of transitway segments and grade separation to further enhance the BRT along the Centre Street/Harvest Hills Boulevard corridor and report back by the end of this year. It’s hoped this timeline will help position the project for COVID stimulus funding that may become available.

“The Stage 1 plan that will be considered on Monday includes many positive additions over the plan that was put forward in 2017 such as the 9th Ave N station, the multi-use pathway crossing of the Bow River and BRT improvements along Centre Street. The creation of 20,000 desperately needed jobs is also an important bonus. Given all of this we feel Council should be able to look past the nay-sayers who want to delay the project and approve the Stage 1 plan while also setting the path towards building the next stage. When it comes to Green Line now is the time for Council to take two steps forward, not one backwards.” concluded Binks.

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Feb 26, 2020 – It’s Time To Green Light Green Line Segment One

Calgary, Alberta – February 26, 2020 –

Last Friday’s Green Line Committee meeting concluded with a decision to further delay the deadline for approving Stage 1 of Calgary’s Green Line LRT by several more weeks. As debate continues to swirl around the city centre segment of the Green Line, concern is growing that too much focus has been shifted away from getting the southern segment of Stage 1 to a shovel-ready status. The southern portion of Green Line Stage 1, known as Segment 1, runs from the Elbow River to Shepard Station and has been sitting in limbo since last fall.

“The reason Stage 1 of the Green Line was split into two segments was to bring it to a shovel-ready status in the south while questions were being resolved about the routing through the city centre,” said Jeff Binks, president of LRT on the Green. “Now that the question on where to cross the Elbow River has been resolved, there is no longer a reason to delay on the southern segment. We know more time is needed to discuss the route in Eau Claire and Crescent Heights but we have faith the City of Calgary can walk and chew gum at the same time. It’s time to start walking.”

Prior to construction beginning on Green Line Stage 1, both segments must proceed through a two-step process that begins with a Request For Qualifications (RFQ) and concludes with a Request For Proposals (RFP) which is followed by the construction contract being awarded. The RFQs for both the Green Line trains (LRVs) and Segment 1 concluded in the fall of 2019. A decision to delay moving towards RFP was made after questions emerged about whether Segment 2’s routing through the city centre would impact how the Green Line would cross the Elbow River into the community of Ramsay. Recently the City of Calgary has publically revealed its proposal for the city centre that showed the Elbow River crossing would remain the same as approved by Council in 2017.

“Construction on the southern segment of the Green Line should begin without delay. Companies have been patiently waiting for the opportunity to bid on this project and thousands of Calgarians are desperate for the opportunity to get to work building this project. We are well past the time to move this portion of Green Line off the drawing board and into reality. The only thing standing in the way of construction is a lack of action. It’s time to green light the southern segment of the Green Line.” concluded Binks.

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