The Green Line is under threat. A small group of well-connected people has mounted a campaign to delay it and go back to the drawing board on design. This will likely kill the whole project, and make it much more difficult to get a major transit project approved in the future. 

The Green Line is a shovel-ready project that already has money allocated, including significant funding from the Province and the federal government. It will contribute to Green Stimulus, provide an estimated 12,000 direct and 8,000 indirect jobs, and has the added benefit of reducing GHG emissions. 

The City estimates the Green Line will remove 6,000 vehicles from the roads the first year, reducing emissions by 30,000 tonnes. If the line continues to replace 6,000 vehicles for 30 years, it will save 900,000 tonnes. The primary purpose of the new line is to reduce traffic congestion and provide better transit access to under-served communities in the north central and south east areas of the city. In this context, the GHG savings are a bonus.

The Green Line is an investment in the future of Calgary. If we delay so we can revisit options which have already been thoroughly considered and rejected, there is a real risk that funding will be pulled. It could be decades before we get another chance to complete the LRT network. This is our chance to continue to evolve into the city we Calgarians deserve. Let's get going on the Green Line now.

We are asking people to write to their city councillors, and, if possible, call in to the meeting of the Green Line Committee on June 1 to voice their support. You can sign up to tell your story of why you want the Green Line by emailing the City Clerk at: [email protected] to register and to receive further information. Ask to speak to the Green Line committee on June 1. You will speak by phone, so you do not have to be on camera. You can watch the meeting here. There is more information on how it all works here.
Finally, there is a petition here and tools for social media here.

 

You can help by writing an email to your Councillor and the Mayor in three simple steps: 

Step 1: 

Find your councillor’s email address here.

Don’t know who your councillor is? Check your ward here.

Step 2:

Add Mayor Nenshi’s email address: [email protected] and the address of the City Clerk office: [email protected]

Step 3:

Write your email/letter

Note: To be effective, your letter should be as personal as possible. The template below provides you with some ideas. Build on it: use your own words and ask your own questions based on your concerns! Ask questions about how the City budget is advancing climate action.

Download a copy of the Hub's submission here.

Kurt Archer

About

Talk to me about the big ideas for tomorrow. Co-chair for @TEDxYYC. Recruiting volunteers for @climatehubyyc. Advocate for @basicincomeyyc.