CALGARY — It’s looking like stalled provincial cash for commuter trains and transit expansion could be up for grabs within weeks.
Alberta’s $2-billion Green TRIP fund was announced two years ago but put on hold due to recessionary pressures.
Tammy Forbes of Alberta Transportation says that money will be ready to flow in six weeks.
Forbes says because the criteria for projects hasn’t been fleshed out, it’s too early to say what types of projects will be at the top of the priority list.
She says basically they’ll be looking for projects that will take cars off the road and reduce greenhouse gases.
On Saturday, Premier Ed Stelmach was in Edmonton for a pair of new transit station openings and hinted more money will be coming to expand the capital city’s rail system in the near future.
Ald. Ric McIver said Calgary is always in need of cash to expand its transit system with a long-planned $2-billion southeast transit line that he has lobbied for remaining unfunded as well as other projects needed to help curb gridlock.
“It’s all about money and setting priorities but we’ve already got a big debt load and our money’s been spent three or four years ahead,” he said.
“The City of Calgary is one of, if not the biggest, economic generators in the province and what’s good for Calgary is good for the rest of Alberta.”
The city has also been looking at plans to build a regional transit network, bringing commuter trains to surrounding cities like Cochrane, Airdrie and Okotoks.
Forbes said the province has budgeted $470 million over the next three years for green transportation plans and will set a “pay for progress” system, handing cash to municipalities that pay or borrow up front for projects.