OKOTOKS - The Province is taking a hard look at the idea of building a commuter rail “Metrolinx-like” system to connect Okotoks, Calgary and Airdrie.
In a mandate letter sent to Minister of Transportation and Economic Corridors Devin Dreeshen, Premier Danielle Smith directed that he examine “the feasibility of a province-led model for commuter rail service using heavy rail on the Canadian Pacific rail line from Airdrie to Okotoks.”
Part of the feasibility study should include the use of hydrogen-powered trains, directed Smith.
Okotoks Mayor Tanya Thorn said she welcomes the idea and looks forward to sitting down with the minister to further discuss a possible commuter rail link to Calgary.
“There’s lots of unanswered questions, but we certainly are open to the opportunity to discuss it,” Thorn said.
While she said it’s too early to say what a rail link to the city could mean for Okotoks, Thorn said there is potential for a rail line to bring people to Okotoks rather than solely serving commuters headed north.
“I think it also opens us up to the Calgary market, in terms of Calgary coming this direction, as well,” she said.
The mandate letter calls for using existing CP Rail lines for the potential commuter service.
“The rail line probably is underutilized,” Thorn said. “But at the same time, we don’t own that rail line.
"Like I said, there's lots of unanswered questions. I think there's a lot of details that will obviously come out through a feasibility study."
Currently, a commuter bus operates weekdays between Okotoks and downtown Calgary.
Dreeshen confirmed in an email to the Airdrie City View, a sister newspaper to the Western Wheel, that his mandate letter from the premier is only the beginning of the process, but touted the potential for a future commuter rail connection between Airdrie, Calgary and Okotoks as one more example of his government’s commitment to creating first-class transportation networks.
In reference to this commitment, Dreeshen cited the example of the recent $160-million commitment to creating an overpass in Balzac and his government’s commitment to fund a new interchange at Highway 1A and Highway 22 in Cochrane to “help reduce traffic congestion and improve travel times.”
The premier went on to suggest Dreeshen also look into the feasibility of creating a similar commuter rail system linking Edmonton International Airport to downtown Edmonton, with “a view to developing a commuter rail system that can expand as Alberta grows.”
In addition to the potential link between Airdrie, Calgary and Okotoks, the Province is also committing $3 million to study the feasibility of building a hydrogen-powered passenger rail line from Calgary International Airport to Banff, with proposed stops in Calgary, Cochrane, Morley and Canmore.
-with files from Tim Kalinowski, Airdrie City View
