The Edmonton Castle Downs LRT expansion has been put on the back burner for years and it almost happened again after a report was put forward by city administration suggesting that the LRT expansion go further south before a north-end expansion.
“Basically two south extensions before the northwest Metro Line and that was really concerning,” Ward Anirniq Councillor Erin Rutherford said.
But Tuesday, a council committee unanimously decided against the idea.
Mayor Amarjeet Sohi put forward a motion that the Metro Line extension from Blatchford to Castle Downs be part of phase one of the city’s plan.
“I feel that this line will be a strong advocacy point for this council and I feel very confident in this work moving forward as long as there’s funding available from other orders of government,” Rutherford said.
Rutherford also wants the long-time narrative pitting both sides of the city against each other to be squashed.
“This rhetoric around north versus south, we really have to be mindful of that, because it doesn’t really make sure that we move forward as a city together.”
Sohi said the transit expansion debate for the northside has been going since he was a councillor.
“The LRT to Castle Downs to the north side has been put on back burner a number of times and it is unacceptable that this happens again. That is why I put forward this motion.
“The only part that has not had access to a mass public transit like LRT has been the northwest Castle Downs. I think we need to expand our system into that area.”
That is welcome news for long-time northsiders who have felt their voices weren’t being heard, like Perry Chahal, who spoke about it at the virtual council committee meeting Tuesday.
Chahal wants his kids to have easier access to transit growing up, compared to when he was young.
“To have the opportunity for our children to use an environmentally sustainable, environmentally sound transportation corridor — that should be given priority to an area that does not have a transportation corridor,” Chahal said.
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The south LRT from Century Park to Heritage Valley is already been fully funded, while council still needs money from other orders of government to secure the northwest Metro Line. But council believes it can get it all done.
“I am confident that we can do both, expand into the south as well as expanding into northwest at the same time,” Sohi said.
Transit ridership is back up in Edmonton. Council said Tuesday that its recovery is at its highest level since the beginning of the pandemic – reaching 60 per cent of its normal amount.