Calgary City Council has approved a revised Green Line Phase 1 project scope, capital funding request and delivery model, as recommended by the Green Line Board. The revisions ensure construction can begin while responsibly addressing the cost inflation that is impacting all major infrastructure projects across North America.
To respond to rising costs and potential future escalations, the board’s recommendations were based on both the extensive work undertaken to reduce costs through value engineering and design optimization and the direct outcomes of contractor negotiations during the development phase.
Green Line main construction for Phase 1 will now begin by building the core from Lynnwood/Millican in the southeast to Eau Claire downtown, connecting into the existing Red and Blue LRT lines. Construction of the remainder of the council-approved Phase 1 south to Shepard, as well as any future extensions north or south, will proceed when additional funding is in place. This decision will allow for new Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) and bus service in the southeast to provide connections into the LRT.
Council also approved deferring construction of the Centre Street S. station and shifting the 4 Street S.E. station near Stampede Park from underground to street level, to better facilitate future regional transit connections and integration with the planned “Grand Central Station.”
“Today’s decision is more than a decade in the making and sets Calgary up for success for years to come, especially at a time when we are the fastest growing city in the nation. The Green Line is a critical piece of transportation infrastructure that demonstrates all three orders of government are focused on collaboration and cooperation to get megaprojects moving,” said Mayor Jyoti Gondek.
Phase 1 of Green Line LRT is the largest infrastructure investment in Calgary’s history. The more than $1.4 billion spent to date included $350 million in land acquisition, $400 million in enabling works such as the utility upgrades nearing completion in the Beltline and downtown and the new fleet of low-floor light rail vehicles, scheduled to begin arriving in late 2027.
