"I have sent a letter to Calgary Mayor Jyoti Gondek about exploring the option of expanding Calgary’s LRT system to the Calgary International Airport.
"Calgary is a critical provincial hub for energy, technology and financial excellence in Alberta and is a key focus of the Government of Alberta’s work to grow and diversify our province’s economy. People from all over the world continue to vote with their feet and are moving to Calgary, where they can find a job, an affordable home, a high quality of life and, of course, proximity to our breathtaking mountain parks.
"As Calgary continues to grow and prosper, our municipal and provincial governments need to ensure Calgarians can safely and efficiently get to where they need to go – whether to work, to visit family, or to attend their child’s hockey game.
"I know Calgary’s city council understands that developing Calgary’s public transit system will be critical to the socio-economic future of Calgary and its residents, and am very pleased to see the plans that council colleagues already have in place to expand the CTrain network.
"As this important work continues, I would like to work together to explore the option of expanding Calgary’s LRT system to the Calgary International Airport. As YYC continues to increase in size and economic importance, the number of domestic and international flights and passenger traffic to and through the airport will also continue to grow. In my view, a direct link between YYC and downtown via the CTrain network should be a transportation priority for both of our governments.
"I would also invite the city to work with the province, and potentially private industry, to explore options for the creation of a rail link between Calgary and Canmore/Banff. Such a line would benefit Calgarians, Albertans and all visitors to our province in accessing one of the world’s greatest natural wonders: our provincial and national mountain park system. It would also significantly boost international and domestic tourism while improving road safety and reducing strain on Highway 1 between Calgary and Banff as population growth and tourist traffic continue to grow. Calgary is a world-class city; it should be connected to our province’s world-class parks.
"I would also note the potential of utilizing hydrogen-powered locomotives in this endeavour, which would both reduce emissions and is aligned with our government’s vision to make Alberta a world leader in hydrogen technology research, development and manufacturing.
"I look forward to working with Mayor Gondek in the coming weeks to discuss our mutual goal of ensuring Calgary continues to be a world-class city to live, work, visit and raise a family, including exploration of the above initiatives to improve the lives of Calgarians."