Latest news with #GreenLineLRT
Global News
21-07-2025
- Business
- Global News
Council to mull new north central Calgary neighbourhood instead of business park
A new neighbourhood with thousands of homes could be in the works in north central Calgary, with the city pivoting from plans for a business park in the area. The area structure plan is called Naato'siyinnipi, named after a revered Pikani elder and ceremonial leader who lived from 1830 until 1910. The plan proposes up to 7,300 new homes and 5,700 jobs on 578 acres of land between Harvest Hills Boulevard N.E. and the CPKC tracks near Deerfoot Trail. It marks a pivot from the city's original plan for the site, which was titled the Aurora Business Park Structure Plan, with much of the area slated for commercial use. 'Segmented and completely a business park – I don't know if that's really in the books right now,' said Ward 1 Coun. Sonya Sharp, who chairs the city's Infrastructure and Planning committee. 'The business park wasn't something that could move forward.' Story continues below advertisement The area is bordered by 96 Avenue N.E., Beddington Trail N.W., Harvest Hills Boulevard N., and the railway to the east. View image in full screen The 578 acre site included in the proposed Naato'siyinnipi Area Structure Plan. Global News According to Ward 3 Coun. Jasmine Mian, who represents the area, residential development is possible on the site due to changes to the Airport Vicinity Protection Area, which previously only allowed industrial development in that area. Get daily National news Get the day's top news, political, economic, and current affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox once a day. Sign up for daily National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy The plan proposes different groupings of mixed-use buildings, multi-residential and ground-oriented development, with plans for an emergency response centre, community activity centre and a future high school. City officials envision the future neighbourhood as a transit-oriented development, with a nearby bus rapid transit route, and plans for a future Green Line LRT station, as well as a future airport connector line. However, plans to extend the Green Line LRT north from the downtown may still be many years away. Story continues below advertisement 'There aren't that many places within my ward where you can walk to a grocery store, walk to shops and have your house and get on transit,' Mian said. 'I'm excited for its potential.' Not everyone is sharing in that enthusiasm over the future of the site, which is largely a natural green space. Andrew Yule, formerly the president of the Nose Creek Preservation Society who is now running for city council to replace the outgoing Mian, has reservations about the size of the plans and its potential impacts on the area. 'We are in a housing crisis so having residential does make sense,' Yule told Global News. 'My concern with the plan is it's too large, the area is too large and we should be condensing it closer to where potential transit will be.' According to Yule, there are concerns about development near the Nose Creek watershed, and impacts on the wildlife, as well as disturbances to historical sites in the area related to the Blackfoot Confederacy. 'It is our only naturalized green space in Ward 3 and so what we're trying to do is protect as much of it as we can,' Yule said. In response, Mian pointed to 87 hectares of non-developable environmental reserve land, and green space in the plan. Story continues below advertisement Although development on the site could be decades away, Mian noted the unique location and how infrastructure requirements in the area are less than other greenfield development on the outskirts of the city. 'We're not having to bring services in that weren't there before like we have to do when we're building on the edge of the city,' she said. 'But we're also not disrupting people like we do in the downtown, so I think it's a happy compromise and I think there's a lot of opportunity for some really good development here.' The city's Infrastructure and Planning Committee unanimously endorsed the area structure plan, which will now go to city council as a whole in September for a final say.
Calgary Herald
16-07-2025
- Business
- Calgary Herald
Varcoe: City of Calgary maintains high credit rating as debt grows from big-ticket projects
Article content Let's give some credit where credit is due. Article content In this case, credit rating agency Morningstar DBRS gave the city its due in the past week, reaffirming the City of Calgary's long-term debt credit rating at AA (high). Article content Article content More significantly, the stable rating arrives as the civic government wrestles with some large projects — and larger spending commitments — on the horizon. Article content Article content Think about downtown revitalization, construction of a new arena, plans to upgrade key water infrastructure and the Green Line LRT, the largest transit project in Calgary's history. Article content Article content 'We do see the numbers go up significantly, and a lot of it has to do with how much we've taken on,' said Coun. Andre Chabot. Article content 'The fortunate thing is that we have the ability to service all of that debt . . . I don't think it's going to affect our credit rating, but it does limit our ability to be nimble in regards to some of the future needs.' In 2025, DBRS estimates adjusted taxpayer-supported debt will be $523 per person, 'low compared with rated (city) peers.' Article content That figure is projected to climb to about $952 by the end of the decade, up 82 per cent from 2025 levels, it said. Article content 'Based on the most recent debt forecast, Morningstar DBRS expects the increase in debt over the forecast horizon to be manageable,' states the credit rating agency's report. Article content Article content In an interview, Morningstar DBRS assistant vice-president Apurva Khandeparker said the city's economy continues to grow, although at a slower pace this year because of trade uncertainty and as the population boom decelerates due to federal immigration policy changes. Article content However, the city's energy sector remains relatively stable, production is rising and more oil export capacity is available through the Trans Mountain pipeline. The expansion of the local tech sector is also helping to diversify the local economy. Article content A recent Conference Board of Canada report forecast Calgary's economy will expand by 1.8 per cent in 2025, second highest among large Canadian cities. Article content 'Calgary has been one of the most stable and financially stronger municipal credits that we rate. So our ratings mostly reflect its historically sound fiscal management practises, the strong liquidity the city has and the currently low debt burden,' Khandeparker said, noting the city has maintained a AA rating for many years.
Calgary Herald
07-07-2025
- Politics
- Calgary Herald
Leong: When it comes to bicycle infrastructure, province should stay in its own lane
Almost three months ago, Alberta Transportation Minister Devin Dreeshen penned a letter to the City of Edmonton to complain about bike lanes. Article content More specifically, to bemoan the reduction in road capacity because of bike lanes being installed on a thoroughfare connecting to the provincial highway network. Article content Article content No such letter was sent to Calgary at the time but I've been waiting for the other show to drop. Article content Article content And it finally did. Article content Article content And then, striking a similar tone to what Edmonton was told in the spring, he said this: 'We are concerned with the impact to our provincial road network and its connectivity to the municipal roads.' Article content This is an entirely myopic view of how to help people move around. Article content It's true that bike infrastructure can take up road space and affect capacity — but one also needs to account for design and demand. Article content Article content Additionally, given the correct offering of public transit and — yes — active mobility infrastructure including bike lanes, this can further reduce the demand for motor vehicle lanes. Article content As an added bonus, multiple studies have shown bike lanes, when installed in the right places, can boost local businesses at best or have no net impact at worst. Article content Article content Alberta's lack of understanding on this subject overlaps another hot Calgary topic: the Green Line LRT. Article content The beleaguered transportation project, billed as the largest public works effort in the city's history, has suffered continual delays at the hands of successive provincial governments. Article content Had things been left well enough alone, the Green Line would cost less money, be already open, and perhaps negate the need to spend millions of dollars to widen Deerfoot Trail in the south.
CTV News
26-06-2025
- Business
- CTV News
Calgary to break ground on long-awaited Green Line LRT project
After years of discussions and planning, city officials will break ground on Calgary's Green Line LRT project on Thursday. A ground-breaking ceremony will be held at the future Shepard LRT station in the city's southeast, kicking off Phase 1 of the project. This first phase is Calgary's largest-ever infrastructure investment, with $6.248 billion in funding from the City of Calgary and both the provincial and federal governments. However, city officials say they've identified at least $1.3 billion in additional costs the city will have to cover. The southeast segment, from Shepard to the future Grand Central Station, will build the first 10 stations and 16 kilometres of track, before connecting with the future downtown segment. It will also deliver 28 new modern low-floor light rail vehicles. 'I think when Calgarians start seeing the rails in the ground, the power lines going up and the stations starting to get built, we will get the momentum to get the job done,' said David Cooper, a transit expert and mobility consultant. 'It's actually pretty significant that it's actually happening, and I think people need to see that for the project to progress.' The design of the downtown segment is expected to be completed by next year, with construction starting in 2027. The provincial government's preferred alignment for a train through downtown is on an elevated track. Calgary's mayor still questions the impact this will have, saying property values, downtown vibrancy and public safety are still on the line. Despite not always agreeing on the project design and funding arrangements, all three levels of government are expected to be at the ground-breaking ceremony. 'Transit has pretty broad support across the political spectrum,' Cooper said. 'At the end of the day, people want to get people to work, and it doesn't matter what side of the political equation you're on – this has been a project that all three funders have said that they want this project to happen.'
Calgary Herald
14-06-2025
- Business
- Calgary Herald
Green Line's future secure, Calgary city council committee to hear Tuesday
With construction set to begin this summer, Calgary city council's executive committee will receive an update on the Green Line this Tuesday — its first briefing on the multibillion-dollar transit project since the federal government reaffirmed its funding commitment in March. Article content A city staff report included in Tuesday's agenda packages outlines that with just under $6.25 billion in committed funding, the Green Line LRT project's future is secured. Article content Article content Article content After a months-long feud with the Alberta government last year over how the project should be delivered, council approved — begrudgingly — a revised alignment and business case for the Green Line on Jan. 28. Article content Article content The first phase of the project will see the southeast segment of the future LRT line extend 16 kilometres and include 10 stations, from Shepard, just north of 130th Avenue S.E., to the Scotia Place event centre in Victoria Park. Article content What happens after that is still undetermined. The province's willingness to co-fund the project hinged on scrapping the city's previous plan for a below-ground tunnel through the downtown. Article content Article content The province asserts that eliminating the need to tunnel will save more than $1 billion, allowing the train to extend farther south, increasing ridership. Article content Article content The feasibility of that above-ground alignment will be studied for the next two years, including property, traffic and noise impact studies, public engagement and cost estimate validations. Article content The city will oversee both delivery of the southeast alignment, including construction of the first 16 kilometres of track, and the planning and design work for the downtown segment. Article content Utility relocation underneath 2nd Street S.W., which was paused last fall after the province announced it would not support the city's version of the downtown alignment, will resume this summer. The work will conclude by early 2027, the city said.
