Calgary advocates for mega rail projects to make Ottawa’s shortlist for major builds

Calgary has a wish list for major infrastructure projects needing support from Ottawa, and Alberta is also pushing for pipelines to make the cut.

As the prime minister considers nation-building projects to fast-track, Calgary is hoping a pair of regional proposals make the list.

In a number of letters to Mark Carney and his government, Calgary Mayor Jyoti Gondek says two projects should be streamlined through the Building Canada Act: Prairie Economic Gateway and a passenger rail link between Calgary and Banff.

“The West has been forgotten and ignored for far too long, and it is critical that we demonstrate what kind of projects we are ready to move on,” Gondek said Monday.

“We are able to move people if we get the passenger rail, we are able to move goods with Prairie Economic Gateway and a pipeline is something that we have long been advocating for.”

In a letter to the federal energy and intergovernmental affairs minister, Gondek called for a meeting in order to advocate for Prairie Economic Gateway, a massive proposal to build an inland port along a rail line southeast of the city.

The plan, which is part of an agreement with Rocky View County, would see industrial and manufacturing hubs developed along the rail corridors in order to ship goods across North America.

Last month, Gondek also signed a letter with the mayors of Banff, Cochrane and Canmore to urge Ottawa to consider a passenger rail link between the Calgary airport and Banff as a project to streamline.

“To get four mayors to look regionally, beyond their municipal boundaries, is a big achievement, and it’s an important message that’s being sent both to the province and to the federal government,” said Bruce Graham, the executive director of the Calgary Airport-Banff Rail group.

The Carney government recently passed Bill C-5, which gives Ottawa the power to fast-track projects meant to boost the national economy. The prime minister has asked premiers to indicate projects they’d like to see considered under the new legislation.

While mayors in the region push for rail, Alberta Premier Danielle Smith has repeatedly pushed for pipelines to be considered.

Gondek says it should not be one or the other.

“A pipeline is something that we have long been advocating for, so it can’t just be one thing. We need to talk about everything that the West can deliver,” she said.

In a statement, Alberta’s transportation minister says the province’s Master Rail Plan is expected to be made public by the end of the summer.

“Alberta welcomes advocacy from municipalities on major projects that can strengthen our province’s economy and transportation network. We are always open to working with our municipal and federal partners to identify national interest projects,” the statement read.

“Our government is finalizing Alberta’s first Master Rail Plan, which will provide a long-term strategy for expanding rail capacity across the province. This plan will help us evaluate opportunities, including passenger and freight rail connections, and ensure Alberta’s transportation corridors remain competitive, efficient and ready to serve the needs of Albertans.”