BY SHANE WENZEL 

The Green Line vision – by its name tied to ‘Climate Change’ – was conceptualized in 2016 with lots of justification and talk about Calgary expanding by hundreds of thousands of people, and how this new line transporting people to all life’s events would reduce greenhouse gas emissions and road congestion. The Line would eventually channel riders from the ‘deep south’ to the ‘far north’ with a possibility of later adding a small jog off to the airport. Apparently, the thought was that by 2076 Calgary would attract 1.3 million more residents, so with greenhouse gas and congestion in mind this expansive line would be necessary. It would of course have to pass through the centre of downtown through several tunnels, under the river and north. The feds got excited about talk of a ‘Green Trip Fund’ and commit to a $1.56 billion contribution over 30 years along with the City and the province each making a matching contribution. Apparently, Calgary will never reach full potential as a global city without it, and owning a vehicle would then become a choice but not a necessity!

While we all agree that a transit system is necessary for a city, it became clear the magnitude of this plan was intended to be more than a transit system – it would also be used to shape the way the city would develop in the future. The language for selling everyone on the idea became more about ‘transit oriented lifestyles’ adding to economic resiliency, reducing our carbon footprint, and even led to someone calculating a reduction of 5,200 tons of carbon dioxide annually. The budget that started at roughly $4.5 billion experienced several revisions, and by 2022 had increased to $5.5 billion just for the first leg to downtown. Shockingly, a new potential $20 billion dollar figure was the last number I heard on the street for the full build.

Calgary is experiencing a notable economic downturn with fewer people working downtown, 25 per cent of the office towers remain empty, and is still reporting month-over-month one of the highest unemployment rates in Canada. However, a change in attitude has thankfully occurred or is being forced. Fortunately for us taxpayers, it appears that some very smart and determined businesspeople, along with retired Calgary Transit Planners asked some hard questions and gave some deeply knowledgeable and strong advice to Council. I hear that plans have now been substantially revised.

However, even with amendments, some long-term plans and commitments may be impossible to cancel or delay. I’m wondering if those 28 ground-loading cars ordered from Spain can be cancelled or reduced, along with any other signed agreements with the same Spanish billionaire who apparently also owns the companies behind the Green Line.

And didn’t we also expropriate some 20-plus townhomes in Eau Claire below replacement cost without an approved plan or even a budget? I hope there is no fallout from that one.

However, Mayor Gondek also said: ‘We still have to get to the north and all the way to the south.’ So it isn’t clear if the project is really over, or just on hold for now.