Canada and Alberta Launch High-Speed Rail Proposal Process
The Government of Alberta will seek private proposals this fall for a high-speed rail line connecting Calgary, Red Deer, and Edmonton.
The governments of Canada and Alberta have partnered to explore a high-speed rail system connecting the Calgary-Red Deer-Edmonton corridor. Danielle Smith, Premier of Alberta, announced that the province will launch a formal Request for Proposal (RFP) this fall, inviting private companies to design a system linking downtown Calgary and Edmonton, with additional stops in Red Deer, Airdrie, and both cities' international airports.
The proposed 295-kilometre corridor would utilize electric trains traveling over 300 kilometers per hour, potentially reducing travel time between Calgary and Edmonton to approximately 90 minutes. The project is a central component of Alberta's Passenger Rail Master Plan and aims to ease traffic on the QEII highway while supporting rapid population growth. The province intends to select a successful proponent by April 2027, prioritizing bids that minimize the use of provincial taxpayer funding.
To expedite development, the federal government has referred the initiative to its Major Projects Office to coordinate implementation and align expertise. This collaboration follows a federal model previously used for the Toronto-Quebec City rail initiative. A consortium known as Prairie Link High Speed Rail Partners—comprising AECOM, EllisDon, and CGC Infrastructure Holdings Ltd.—has been developing a proposal for the project since 2021.
