Premier Danielle Smith says a robust passenger train system in Alberta will be key to meeting her government’s goal of having a $25-billion tourism economy.
She says such a system would include not only a high-speed train connecting Edmonton and Calgary, but also trains linking airports to city centres and Rocky Mountain tourist destinations.
Smith told a forum in Calgary today it’s a transportation style that international visitors expect and it provides a safe way to commute.
She says building the system will take a lot of planning and infrastructure, as well as a whole new Crown corporation.
The government says it will have a plan in place next summer outlining the feasibility of the system, as well as potential service delivery options and a 15-year timeline to build.
The government has also launched a survey to get Albertans’ input on what they’d like to see in a provincial passenger train system.
Alberta announces plans for future passenger rail service
