ICIP’s C$33MM Provincial Funding Envelope Allocated

The Calgary Green Line LRT project’s first phase is slated to connect southeast Calgary to downtown—11.18 miles from Shepard to Eau Claire—and link to the existing Red and Blue lines and four MAX BRT (Bus Rapid Transit) routes. (Calgary Transit Rendering)

The funding allocated to provinces under the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program (ICIP) has been fully committed for projects, such as the Green Line Light Rail Transit (LRT) Project in Calgary, Alberta, Infrastructure Canada reported April 4.

The government will work with partners to advance all the submitted projects, according to Infrastructure Canada. It has committed more than C$1.5 billion for the Green Line LRT Project, which Railway Age in 2018 called the “largest-ever infrastructure investment made by Ottawa in the province of Alberta.”

“A key part of the city’s light rail transit system, the Green Line will reduce transportation costs for residents and as well as reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 30,000 tons annually by 2028,” Infrastructure Canada reported. “The project will employ approximately 20,000 Canadians, particularly in the skilled trades, during the design and construction phase.”

SNC-Lavalin on Jan. 26 announced that its consortium had been appointed delivery partner for the project, whose first phase will connect southeast Calgary to downtown—11.18 miles (18 kilometers) from Shepard to Eau Claire (see map, left)—and link to the existing Red and Blue lines and four MAX BRT (Bus Rapid Transit) routes. It includes 0.93 miles (1.5 kilometers) of tunnel under Beltline and Downtown (6th Street S.E. along 11th Avenue to 2nd Street S.W. at the planned Eau Claire Promenade); four LRT bridge structures that span the Elbow River, Bow River, Deerfoot Trail and Blackfoot Trail; 13 stations; and an LRV maintenance storage facility. The second phase will run 1.2 miles (2 kilometers) from Eau Claire to 16th Avenue North.

The CSIX Partners consortium—led by SNC-Lavalin and including Aldea Services Inc., Altus Group, Mott MacDonald, and Turner & Townsend—will support delivery of the first project phase and provide commercial management, technical support, project controls and construction management services.

The ICIP is a C$33 billion allocation-based program that is a part of the Investing in Canada Plan. Through ICIP, Infrastructure Canada said it has already approved more than C$24 billion toward 5,400 projects. Federal investments, it reported, are already being delivered via five funding streams: more than C$12.4 billion for 413 projects under the Public Transit Stream; more than C$6.5 billion for 1,411 projects under the Green Infrastructure Stream; C$1.2 billion for 793 projects under the Community, Cultural and Recreational Infrastructure stream; more than C$1.9 billion for 685 projects under the Rural and Northern Communities Infrastructure Stream; and more than C$1.9 billion for 2,173 projects under the COVID-19 Resilience Stream.

“To help build more infrastructure sooner, [Canadian Government] Budget 2022 signaled the government’s intent to accelerate the deadline for provinces to commit their remaining funding to March 31, 2023, with any uncommitted funds after this date to be reallocated to other priorities,” according to Infrastructure Canada, which noted that territories will have until March 31, 2025, to submit projects under ICIP. Infrastructure Canada added that it will continue to monitor progress and oversee approved projects. All project construction must be completed by Oct. 31, 2033.

“Investments in infrastructure are investments in the quality of life of all Canadians,” said Dominic LeBlanc, Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs, Infrastructure and Communities. “They strengthen the fabric of communities, create good-paying jobs, and grow our economy. In the coming years and decades, Canada will welcome millions of people and operate a shift towards a greener economy—and infrastructure will be key to the success of those initiatives. I look forward to engaging with our partners across the country about the next generation of infrastructure programs, in which the federal government will continue to play a leading role.”

Visit the Infrastructure Canada website for a complete project list.