Olds council heard a presentation from Alberta Regional on Monday, January 10th.
Thomas Fryer with Alberta Regional Rail stated they would be offering a passenger rail service linking 20 communities between Calgary and Edmonton. It is not a high speed Calgary to Edmonton service, but instead the passenger trains would run along the freight track corridors owned by Canadian Pacific Railway and CN. Fryer has been making presentations and engagements with the indigenous communities and local governments along the proposed right of way seeking letters of support for the project.
Olds Mayor Judy Dahl believes it would carry more weight if a letter of support came from not just the Town of Olds but instead the entire Municipal Area Partnership – which includes Olds, Didsbury, Carstairs, Sundre, Cremona and Mountain View County.
Olds council accepted the Alberta Regional Rail presentation for information, according to Mayor Dahl.
Mayor Dahl does feel there is a need for some type of passenger rail travel service along the Highway 2A corridor.
The information in the Olds council agenda package stated the Alberta Regional Rail project is shovel ready and could service 4 million residents along the Highway 2A corridor by 2027. Fryer stated the passenger rail project funding would be sourced and provided through a Public-Private Partnership model.
As of last week, he noted they have received letters of support from the Samson Cree First Nation, Ermineskin Cree Nation, the City of Wetaskiwin, the City of Leduc, and the County of Stettler.
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