Summertime Thaw for Green Growth in Alberta

Green Growth in Alberta welcomes summer with follow up announcements to the Province’s funding commitments for the $2-billion Green Transit Incentives Program (GreenTRIP). Originally announced in 2008 as part of a greenhouse gas reduction strategy, the program was put on ice following the global economic crisis and uncertainty regarding provincial revenues. However, further details recently released hint that the government now feels the weather is right to expand public transit in Alberta.

More on GreenTrip from Mungo Jerry after the break.

“GreenTrip will support communities as they plan for the future, give Albertans better access to public transit and reduce Alberta’s carbon footprint,” said Premier Ed Stelmach. “Encouraging more public transit, including more regional transportation initiatives, will help foster Alberta’s growth in a responsible, environmentally-conscious way.” Eligibility guidelines include construction of new rail transit infrastructure, purchase of public transit vehicles and intelligent transportation system components.

This funding announcement is exciting news in Edmonton and Calgary, where an anticipated $800 million will be available in each City for further light rail expansion plans. “I was looking at a map the other day of the vision of what our LRT is going to look like,” said Edmonton’s Stephen Mandel. “It looks like the London transit system. It’s very exciting.”