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Calgary Herald
06-08-2025
- Business
- Calgary Herald
Mayors form 'Bow Valley Corridor Alliance,' urge federal support for passenger rail link to Banff under Bill C-5
Article content The CABR project ticks all those boxes, Graham argued, as it involves collaboration with First Nations groups and financial viability once it connects to Calgary's airport. It would also create 'a unique asset' for Canadians and tourists alike to visit Banff National Park, while also reducing traffic congestion along the Trans-Canada Highway. Article content Gondek, at an unrelated news conference Wednesday, agreed with Graham, adding a passenger rail line would also help alleviate the housing crisis in Banff and Canmore by allowing the mountain towns' workforce to commute more easily. Article content 'Obviously, it's best if people can live in the community where they're working, but if we can help until they've got enough affordable housing solutions by having regional rail, that would be great,' she said. Article content Article content While the project will face engineering, financing and logistical hurdles, Graham argued it appears to have widespread public and governmental support and should not be an 'insurmountable' challenge. He noted that Canada's federal transportation minister, Chrystia Freeland, was in Banff this June to discuss the project with the Waterous family, who is behind Liricon Capital, as well as Town of Banff representatives. Article content Article content Including the initiative as a national interest project under Bill C-5 would help accelerate the lengthy approval and construction process, Graham added. Article content 'We hope it's a project that will complement other priorities of the province,' he said. 'We know they have priorities to build pipelines to tidewater on the West Coast and elsewhere. We believe this project actually provides an environmental counterbalance in light of the fact it's taking vehicles off the roads and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Article content 'It can be a showcase for energy transition.' Article content Alberta Transportation Minister Devin Dreeshen, who is CCed in the mayors' joint letter, said the province's regional passenger rail master plan will be rolled out later this month, with the aim of informing government decisions before the government's 2026 budget is tabled. Article content Article content 'I know all provinces were asked to put together a list of what their priorities are, but to my knowledge, it's still unclear how many, if any, projects from any provinces are going to be included in this Bill 5 workaround,' he said. Article content Article content Although they expressed support for a passenger train from Calgary to Banff, the four mayors also said in their letter to Carney that it is essential to pursue a conventional rail line, rather than a high-speed rail project. A conventional passenger rail model would be delivered sooner and provide more flexibility for commuters while also providing economic opportunities to the Stoney Nakoda First Nations, the mayors said. Article content 'High-speed rail would adversely affect local economies between Calgary and Banff and provide no potential benefit whatsoever to the Stoney Nakoda First Nations,' they wrote. Article content Genung, the mayor of Cochrane, said a high-speed train that travels directly from Calgary's airport to Banff would miss out on the opportunity to create a regionalized line that serves both tourists and commuters.
Toronto Sun
05-08-2025
- Toronto Sun
Beloved Banff entrance sign finds safer, less troublesome home
Banff and the Waterous family plan to develop the sign's new home into a community park, with benches and pathways that allow for a safer visitor experience A rendering of the new location of Banff's welcome sign at the Banff Train Station, unveiled at a groundbreaking event on Tuesday, Aug. 5, 2025. The project is a partnership between the Town of Banff and the Waterous family, owners of Mt. Norquay Ski Resort and leaseholders of the Banff Railway Lands. Supplied The Town of Banff broke ground Tuesday on a new location for the community's iconic sign, in its collaboration with Mt. Norquay owners Adam and Jan Waterous. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Don't have an account? Create Account The partners will move the sign to a green space to the west of the Banff Train Station in October, to address community concerns over the safety of tourists and residents. 'The sign will contribute to the revitalization of the Railway Lands and provide a welcoming space for visitors,' said Jan Waterous, managing director of Liricon Capital, which is footing the $1.2-million development cost. 'It deeply aligns with our vision to ease traffic congestion in Banff.' Read More Mt. Norquay general manager Andre Quenneville says the site was proposed by the company in a deal with the town last year, in which Liricon would pay to develop the site and move the sign — provided it was moved to the land next to the train station owned and operated by Norquay. Your noon-hour look at what's happening in Toronto and beyond. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Please try again This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. 'In 2019, Norquay worked with the town and we built a 500-stall parking lot to help with traffic congestion,' Quenneville said. 'We didn't know exactly how people were going to use it.' Stakeholders gathered at the Banff Train Station in Banff on Tuesday, Aug. 5, 2025 to break ground on the new location of the Banff entrance sign. The sign was built next to Mt. Norquay Road in 2017 but is being moved off of the major road to decrease congestion and increase safety. Dan Evans photo The parking lot is next to the new site for the sign. Since its installation along Mt. Norquay Road in 2017 — at the West entrance to the town — the sign's success as the gateway to Canada's most popular national park has led to drivers illegally stopping for photos. Banff and the Waterous family plan to develop the sign's new home into a community park, with benches and pathways that allow for a safer visitor experience. A rendering of the new location of Banff's welcome sign at the Banff Train Station, unveiled at a groundbreaking event on Tuesday, Aug. 5, 2025. The project is a partnership between the Town of Banff and the Waterous family, owners of Mt. Norquay Ski Resort and leaseholders of the Banff Railway Lands. Supplied Banff Mayor Corrie DiManno said the new location contributes to a growing welcome hub at the edge of town, while protecting not just those visiting the sign, but also the rest of the townsite. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. 'We're encouraging people to park at Banff's gateway, rather than drive into the downtown core and contribute to traffic congestion,' DiManno said. Though Banff has not seen an increase in traffic incidents at the current location of the sign, it is agreed that it is only a matter of time before an incident occurs. Quenneville says that though the sign is well-liked by residents, the congestion and potential for accidents that it has created have hurt its reputation around town. 'I think everyone likes it, but they just realize that there's a lot of people driving by, and some are making last-minute decisions to stop the car and try to jump out and take a picture,' he said. 'From the locals' perspective, we've all seen some bad behaviour, and by putting it in a new location, I think it'll be way better for everyone.' Columnists World Canada Toronto Maple Leafs Toronto & GTA
Edmonton Journal
09-07-2025
- Business
- Edmonton Journal
Opinion: Alberta passenger rail projects are in national interest
Article content Recent announcements by the province and the federal government bring us closer than ever to making passenger rail service from Calgary International Airport to downtown and onward to Banff a reality. These are no longer long-term dreams; they are shovel-ready projects that meet criteria for designation as national interest projects under Canada's newly passed Building Canada Act. Article content Article content Article content The plan aligns with Calgary's Airport Rail Connection Study, released in January, which calls for a seamless 'one-seat ride' from the airport to a Grand Central Station in the Rivers District via the CPKC rail corridor. This connection, referred to as CADE (Calgary Airport-Downtown Express), complements the CABR (Calgary Airport-Banff Rail) proposal, which would connect key communities in the Bow Valley, including Cochrane, Mînî Thnî (Kananaskis), Canmore and Banff. Article content Article content At the federal level, the passage of Bill C-5 on June 26 is a game-changer. The Building Canada Act expedites federal reviews for infrastructure deemed to be in the national interest, shifting the focus from whether a project should proceed to how it will be built. Railways, as well as pipelines, as promoted by Premier Danielle Smith, are explicitly included, and Alberta now has an opportunity to act quickly and secure federal designation for CADE and CABR, unlocking faster approvals and potential investment. Article content These projects check all the boxes: Article content CABR is already backed by Liricon Capital and Plenary Americas, and has secured an assignable memorandum of understanding with CPKC, critical private-sector momentum that supports a P3 delivery model, for which the province has expressed interest. The infrastructure bank has previously pledged support for CABR and is actively seeking financially sustainable, clean-growth infrastructure opportunities.
Calgary Herald
08-07-2025
- Business
- Calgary Herald
Opinion: Rail proposals to airport and Banff are in national interest
Article content Recent announcements by the province and the federal government bring us closer than ever to making passenger rail service from Calgary International Airport to downtown and onward to Banff a reality. These are no longer long-term dreams; they are shovel-ready projects that meet criteria for designation as national interest projects under Canada's newly passed Building Canada Act. Article content Article content The Alberta government's Passenger Rail Master Plan Update, released in late June, confirms the overwhelming public mandate for action: 91 per cent of Albertans want passenger rail operational by 2030, and 80 per cent support provincial investment in its development. Article content Article content Through consultations with more than 20,000 residents, the plan identifies Calgary to Edmonton and Calgary to Banff as backbone routes for future regional rail networks — that could reduce congestion, boost tourism, lower emissions, support housing affordability, and create jobs. Article content The plan aligns with Calgary's Airport Rail Connection Study, released in January, which calls for a seamless 'one-seat ride' from the airport to a Grand Central Station in the Rivers District via the CPKC rail corridor. This connection, referred to as CADE (Calgary Airport-Downtown Express), complements the CABR (Calgary Airport-Banff Rail) proposal, which would connect key communities in the Bow Valley, including Cochrane, Mînî Thnî (Kananaskis), Canmore and Banff. Article content Article content At the federal level, the passage of Bill C-5 on June 26 is a game-changer. The Building Canada Act expedites federal reviews for infrastructure deemed to be in the national interest, shifting the focus from whether a project should proceed to how it will be built. Railways, as well as pipelines, as promoted by Premier Danielle Smith, are explicitly included, and Alberta now has an opportunity to act quickly and secure federal designation for CADE and CABR, unlocking faster approvals and potential investment. Article content These projects check all the boxes: Article content CABR is already backed by Liricon Capital and Plenary Americas, and has secured an assignable memorandum of understanding with CPKC, critical private-sector momentum that supports a P3 delivery model, for which the province has expressed interest. The infrastructure bank has previously pledged support for CABR and is actively seeking financially sustainable, clean-growth infrastructure opportunities.
