Province to announce passenger rail plans linking airport, downtown, and Banff

The province is poised to announce its passenger rail plans Friday morning, potentially signalling momentum on an ambitious project that could link Calgary's downtown to its international airport and eventually stretch to Canmore and Banff.

Premier Danielle Smith and Minister of Transportation and Economic Corridors Devin Dreeshen will deliver the announcement at 11 a.m. The province has been sparse with details, but an advocacy group suspects based on a recent procurement request that the announcement concerns a direct line connecting Calgary International Airport to the Blue Line LRT.

The City of Calgary recently closed a request for proposal seeking a qualified firm to provide "functional planning, preliminary and detailed design engineering and architectural services for the Airport Transit Connection (East Leg) – Blue Line LRT to Calgary Airport project." The RFP closed May 13.

Bruce Graham with Friends of CABR, an advocacy group pushing for a hydrogen-driven passenger line connecting downtown Calgary to Banff through Cochrane, Kananaskis, and Canmore, said he would be "extremely happy" if the airport connection is confirmed. "Because once you get train service to downtown, then getting one to Banff is going to be a whole lot easier," he said.

The larger Banff rail project has been seeking support from all government levels. In December, its developers submitted a proposal to Ottawa's Major Projects Office, a federal body designed to fast-track proposals through streamlined approvals and funding. Jan Waterous of Liricon Capital, which is developing the proposal alongside infrastructure investor Plenary Americas, previously said Premier Smith had signalled she'd prioritize other items first but would ultimately lend approval once a memorandum of understanding on a pipeline was secured between the province and Ottawa.