A proposed high-speed rail line connecting downtown Calgary, Red Deer, and downtown Edmonton is moving a step closer to reality as the provincial and federal governments team up on the project.
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On Sept. 28, the Alberta government announced it will launch a Request for Proposal process this fall, inviting private-sector proponents to submit plans for the corridor. The project is slated to include stops at Alberta’s two largest airports and the City of Airdrie.
Under the province’s plan, the successful bidder will be expected to cover the vast majority of the capital investment and integrate the new route into existing transit systems in Calgary and Edmonton. Provincial officials plan to select a winning proponent by April 2027.
Prime Minister Mark Carney’s government has agreed to refer the Calgary-Red Deer-Edmonton corridor to the federal Major Projects Office as a transformative strategy. Ottawa will work with Alberta to support planning and explore financing options once a private partner is selected.
“Connecting Calgary, Red Deer and Edmonton with high-speed rail would be a generational investment in Alberta’s future,” Premier Danielle Smith said in a statement, noting the line would help support the province’s rapid population growth.
Federal Transport Minister Steven MacKinnon added that high-speed rail has the potential to reshape transit, productivity, and regional connectivity in Canada.
According to provincial estimates, trains traveling up to 320 km/h in a dedicated greenfield corridor could complete the journey between downtown Edmonton and downtown Calgary in one hour and 45 minutes, helping relieve growing traffic pressure along the Queen Elizabeth II Highway.
Alberta’s Passenger Rail Master Plan envisions the regional high-speed service as part of a phased 30-year transit strategy. Approximately 80 per cent of the province’s population currently resides along the Edmonton-Calgary corridor.
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