Calgary Airport Rail Connection Study announced

In partnership with the Government of Alberta, The City of Calgary will be undertaking a study to identify the optimal rail connection and alignment between downtown Calgary and the Calgary International Airport.

As part of Budget 2023, $3 million in funding was allocated to The City of Calgary to lead the Calgary Airport Rail Connection Study. An engineering consultant will be recruited to assist with this technical study, which will also include engagement with Canada Infrastructure Bank, the Calgary International Airport, Canadian Pacific Kansas City and various private rail developers who are developing project plans to connect downtown with the airport and the surrounding region.

The Calgary Airport Rail Connection Study will include a ridership review, development and evaluation of different alignment scenarios and will identify the optimal connection from downtown to airport.

“It’s important for us to take a comprehensive look at all factors in this technically and physically constrained corridor to establish an optimal functional alignment that will best serve Calgarians, visitors and employees of the airport and surrounding lands,” says Michael Thompson, General Manager of Infrastructure Services. “The study will consider existing rail plans, past City of Calgary transit studies and other opportunities, to help guide future transit planning.”

A request for proposals is currently in market for an engineering consultant to assist with the study. Once a consultant has been selected through the competitive process, work is expected to begin in October 2023 and is expected to be complete in August 2024.

Recommendations from the study will ultimately be provided to Calgary City Council to help guide The City’s short to long-term transportation and land use planning.

“As Calgary continues to grow, it’s vital to have a roadmap to build out a transit network that increases capacity and supports transportation needs, now and into the future,” says Minister of Transportation and Economic Corridors, Devin Dreeshen. “This project is an important step forward in providing direction on affordable transit infrastructure that will best serve Calgary, while respecting taxpayers’ investment.”