The Alberta government has announced that it is investing $1 billion of the city’s expected $2.6-billion Valley Line West LRT expansion cost.

The route expansion will move 60,000 Edmontonians between downtown and Lewis Estates every day, providing a faster commute which will mean more time to spend with families and friends.

The province is also investing in the Metro Line expansion from NAIT to the new Blatchford community, which will serve thousands more commuters daily. The province’s commitment to the Metro Line totals $131 million of the $328-million project.

The finished route will bring suburban communities and the city’s core together, running from Mill Woods through downtown to the west end, with connections to LRT and bus routes covering the entire city. The 14 stops include West Edmonton Mall, the Misericordia Hospital and the Brewery District.

“We are planning and building a city for more than a million people, and with commute times getting longer each year, now is a critical time in Edmonton’s growth to ensure we have a robust transit network in place,” said Edmonton Mayor Don Iveson.

The construction of the Valley Line West project is expected to support 20,000 direct and indirect jobs in Alberta with an additional 5,300 jobs in the rest of Canada, during construction, operations and maintenance phases.

The Valley Line is projected to be complete in 2026 and will move 40,000 passengers daily in 2027 and 60,000 in 2047.