Alberta's passenger rail development is outlined in a new plan

The Alberta government has set the course for an ambitious passenger rail system that has “tremendous potential” for the province.

On Monday, Premier Danielle Smith and Transportation Minister Devin Drieschen unveiled the UCP government's passenger rail master plan, which will take a number of steps to “create the optimal passenger rail system for the province.”

The view includes:

• An intercity rail system for the Calgary region connecting neighboring communities and connecting them to the Calgary International Airport and downtown;
• A commuter rail system for the Edmonton region connecting neighboring communities and connecting them to the Edmonton International Airport and downtown;
• regional rail lines from Calgary and Edmonton to national parks;
• A regional rail line between Calgary and Edmonton with a local transit hub at Red Deer;
• municipally operated LRT systems in Calgary and Edmonton that connect to the province's commuter rail system; and
• Provides connections between rail hubs in Alberta's major cities, commuter rail systems, regional rail routes and municipally operated mass transit systems.

The province's strategy calls for the introduction of a “Metrolinx-like” Crown corporation led by Alberta to develop infrastructure and oversee day-to-day operations associated with the rail network.

A request for proposals for Alberta's passenger rail master plan will be released this summer, and the government expects to add additional investment to the project in the 2025 and 2026 budgets.

If the strategy moves forward, the province expects to begin construction in 2027.

There is no information on how much the network will cost.