Calgary council poised to triple Green Line LRT funding
原始发布日期： 2015-12-14 发布者：中和字变大 字变小
City's commitment would grow to $1.5B over 30-year period, up from current $520M over a decade The future Green Line LRT, expected to cost $4.5-$5 billion in total, would run from north-central Calgary to the city's deep southeast. (City of Calgary) Calgary's mayor and nine councillors want to triple the city's funding commitment to the Green Line LRT."It's just extending a 10-year commitment to 30 years," said Ward 9 Coun. Gian-Carlo Carra, who has signed the notice of motion, which will go before council today. The Green Line would run from north-central Calgary to the city's deep southeast. In dollars and cents, that is $1.5 billion over three decades as opposed to what council initially agreed on two years ago — $520 million over 10 years. While the majority of council already supports the new funding plan, not everyone is on board. "It's putting all your eggs in one basket and not allowing for other important transportation issues that may come forward in that time period," said Ward 5 Coun. Ray Jones. "You're handcuffing all the future councils from any use of that money," said Jones. But Carra argues this is smart planning on the part of council. "Right now we have a dedicated fund and, if we don't spend it on the Green Line, we either have the opportunity of giving it back 10 years from now, absorb it into the tax base or put it into something else." The latest estimates peg the cost of the entire Green Line project between $4.5 and $5 billion. The former Harper government committed $1.53 billion to the project and the new Liberal government has promised to maintain that funding. The final piece of the financial puzzle would have to come from the province, said Carra, but the Alberta government has yet to give the Green Line the green light by coming forward with a funding commitment of its own. "The Green Line is not only going to move commuters who are stuck out in the deep suburbs, it's also going to build vibrant neighbourhoods at every stop along the line and provide a habitat for Calgary's next million Calgarians," said Carra. |