The return of passenger rail to southern Alberta moved a step closer on July 15, 2021, when the Canada Infrastructure Bank (CIB) announced that it has moved the Calgary-Banff passenger rail proposal to the next phase of development and is considering an investment of up to 50% of the expected $1 billion cost of the project. This follows the completion of feasibility studies arising from a Memorandum of Understanding signed between Alberta Transportation and the CIB in June 2020.
If approved, the project would create an environmentally friendly public transport option, help the town of Banff become more pedestrian friendly, and support the Banff National Park Net Zero 2035 Initiative. In 2019, Banff welcomed 4.2 million visitors, mostly by car. Parking and highway congestion have become critical issues for the community and for the sustainable growth of tourism.
Local tourism businesses leaders Jan and Adam Waterous have been key proponents of restoring passenger rail to Banff after 30 years of absence. They hold a long term lease on the existing Banff station and have submitted a proposal to act as the project developers through their holding company Liricon Capital Ltd.
Route
If built, the 150 km line would have seven stations, in Banff, Canmore, Morely (serving the Stoney Nakoda First Nation), Cochrane, Calgary Keith, downtown Calgary, and Calgary International Airport (YYC). The proponents envisage ten trains daily between Banff and Calgary, serving both commuters and tourists, with the option of a more frequent airport express service to downtown Calgary.
The service would run on new tracks built within Canadian Pacific’s right of way, which CP have indicated must be designed in order to avoid any adverse impact on freight movements. The passenger stations formerly used by Canadian Pacific passenger trains and VIA Rail until 1990 may be brought back into use, but track realignments would be required to relocate the main freight running tracks away from the platforms.
Alberta Premier Jason Kenney has suggested the line could become Canada’s first deployment of hydrogen fuel cell powered trains, capitalizing on Canada’s technology leadership in the sector. Using diesel locomotives with hydrogenated vegetable oil (HVO) fuel could also provide a carbon-neutral option.
Invest Alberta is continuing consultations with municipalities and First Nations along the route.
Calgary Station Location
The former VIA Rail station at Calgary Tower could be reactivated for this service, but if so, it might be a temporary arrangement while a new station is developed. There isn’t much scope for expansion of the four tracks under Calgary Tower, and two are required for freight operations. The former VIA ticket office and waiting area also still exists, but it was considered cramped in the 1980s and would have probably been replaced if the plan to run LRC express trains between Calgary and Edmonton had been acted upon, rather than slashed by the federal government cuts to passenger services across western Canada.
Therefore, the possibility of a new, modern station to the east or west of Calgary Tower is being explored. This would provide improved connections to the C-Train network and the future Green Line LRT. The government of Alberta owns some land east of the tower that is set aside for a future high speed rail station, and it would make sense for both services to be integrated if the Prairie Link proposal comes to fruition.
VIA Rail involvement
The need to provide rail access to Canada’s national parks was highlighted in the mandate letters presented to both Minister of Transport Marc Garneau and Infrastructure Minister Catherine McKenna in 2019, with both ministers being tasked to “Work with VIA Rail to make opportunities to travel to Canada’s National Parks more accessible and affordable.”
However, the involvement of VIA Rail as the operator of the new service has not been confirmed, and Invest Alberta expects to use a public-private-partnership model to advance the project. Transport Action believes that the new service, whether operated by VIA or a private sector contractor, should be part of Canada’s national passenger rail network, together with restored and enhanced service between Calgary, Moose Jaw, Regina and Winnipeg and modern express service between Calgary and Edmonton.
In the longer term, is it likely that a passenger train to Banff could be extended as far as Lake Louise. However, the full restoration of passenger services through to Kamloops and Vancouver would require a substantial investment in infrastructure to ensure the project also enhances vital freight capacity between the prairies and pacific tidewater.