$1B in federal funding locked in for Edmonton LRT projects

With more than $1 billion in new funding being announced Monday by the federal government, Edmonton is able to move ahead with next steps in building the Valley and Metro LRT lines.

The federal government will contribute$948 million for the Valley Line West, a 14-kilometrestretch from downtown to Lewis Farms, plus $127 million for the 1.5-kilometreMetro Lineextension from NAIT into Blatchford, the city stated in a press release on Monday morning.

The money comes from the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Plan funds.

"We are undertaking the most ambitious expansion of our LRT network in our history so we can grow smart and sustainably, and keep more than a million people moving," Mayor Don Iveson said in the release.

• Valley Line Southeast LRT behind schedule, Edmonton council told
• Edmonton council approves $30M to find contractor for Valley Line West LRT

The funding didn't come as a surprise, as the federal government had committed to supportingtransit in previous budgets, Iveson said.

"So we presumed that this money would be available and had a sense of what was coming to Edmonton," Iveson said.

"Today's announcement is a true representation of partnership between all levels of government, a partnership that is needed in order to continue to make valuable investments like these that will benefit the generations to come."

The federal money is in addition to about $1.17 billion previously committed to the projects by the Alberta government. That funding, which comes from the Climate Leadership Plan, included about$1.04 billion for the Valley Line West LRT and approximately $131 million for the first phase of the Metro Line Northwest LRT.

• Province commits $1.04B to extend LRT to west Edmonton

With funding commitments now in place, the city can beginselecting contractors for the two projects. As well, it willfinalize its own funding requirements, information that will come to city council for consideration this spring.

It will take about one year to select a contractor for the Valley Lineproject, and up to six yearsto build. For the Metro Line extension, it will takeabout a year to complete design and select a contractor, and another four years for construction and commissioning.

Construction on both projects could begin as early as 2020.

• Rookie councillors critical of Valley Line West LRT

Iveson has pushed forward with the LRT expansion despite not having unanimous support from council.

"This is a go," Iveson said. "It's something I've been working on with strong council support all the way along, and it will change the face of the city."

"These projects are a major step in growing our LRT network, creating another transportation option for thousands of Edmontonians and providing better connections to where people live, work and play," city manager Linda Cochrane said in the news release.